Why was Blackout chosen to get a toy and not Strika?

Discussion in 'Transformers Animated Discussion' started by Sideswipe80, Apr 10, 2009.

  1. Kickback

    Kickback @GeekWithChris Administrator News Staff

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    At that point you have to look at cost versus profit. If Hasbro can't rope girls in to Transformers, they still have My Little Pony, Littlest Pet Shop, Strawberry Shortcake (yes, they re-gained the rights to that) ... so the intent and purpose of Transformers isn't to make it more appealing to girls, that's why they have a Girls Toy Line.

    I would have to assume Arcee, as a new mold, will be packed at least 2 per case to try and get their money worth on her, but I do see her becoming a bit of a shelf-warmer. Though it may not happen, she's towards the end of the toyline's run, and the chance that collectors eat her up and Hasbro doesn't replenish or the stores don't order replenishment because of the movie figures...

    She could be hard to find. Just don't mistranslate that to "GIRLS LIKE TRANSFORMERS!" ... cuz I guarantee you just about every Animated fan, boy or girl, is planning to pick up that toy.
     
  2. Tash

    Tash Well-Known Member

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    She's the leader. As it stands now, Oil Slick and Blackout aren't even a team.
     
  3. Digilaut

    Digilaut Well-Known Member

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    In my opinion Blackout is cooler than Strika...cooler character, cooler design. Also, he has movie recognition. Who the hell is Strika again? (rhetoric, don't answer that!)

    I can see why they would make a Blackout toy and not Strika.
     
  4. Mechafire

    Mechafire Shadow Broker Moderator News Staff

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    I fucking called it.
     
  5. Shark Jumper

    Shark Jumper さあ、お前の罪を数えろ

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    Gonna say it's another tactics to confuse parents into thinking this is the movie guy like thinking any yellow car transformer they see is Bumblebee.
     
  6. Beastbot X

    Beastbot X Old skool. In a lot of ways.

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    I would. STRIKA OWNS.

    She's my second-favorite TF character of all time, and I love her remarkably original design aesthetic.
     
  7. Kickback

    Kickback @GeekWithChris Administrator News Staff

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    And that's why Hasbro doesn't cater to you, because you're one in a million sunshine :) 
     
  8. Bumblethumper

    Bumblethumper old misery guts

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    True, Hasbro is big enough and has enough properties that it doesn't particularly matter to them. But within Hasbro, these different properties have their own development teams that compete for the same resources.

    If Transformers can gain some of the female market at the expense of My little Pony or something, all the better for Transformers, even if it makes little difference to Hasbro as a whole.

    I see gender-bending retool characters like Glyph as being one way forward. Different headsculpt, longer legs, and you have a likable female character you can take a chance on, without it being a major gamble.

    Similarly, change the hips on Strika, new headsculpt, and you could probably come up with a new male character that would have the broader appeal necessary to justify the mold.

    [​IMG]
     
  9. Autobot Burnout

    Autobot Burnout ...and I'll whisper "No."

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    I think the BM characters in Team Charr were the best non-toy characters so far (save Oil Slick, who got a toy first and THEN made it into the show), so I'd buy Strika over Blackout anyday. Plus I think Blackout's design tried to translate a little too much movie flavor into Animated, which backfired from my point of view.
     
  10. TheDemonDzko

    TheDemonDzko Some Internet Guy

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    Because its probaly going to be a Retool or repaint of Lugnut.
     
  11. jerky123

    jerky123 PSN=deadpoolistheman

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    My money say it is because of two things:
    1. He is more well known than Strika, thanks to the movie, and will perspectiivly sell more. The kids these days don't know who the original Strika, and the people that do are in their teens or older.

    2. As said many times before, boy toys in a boy line perspectiivly sell better than girl toys in a boy line. Boys refuse to buy girls, and are probably made fun of because of it.
     
  12. Mechafire

    Mechafire Shadow Broker Moderator News Staff

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    GOD I hope not.
     
  13. Beastbot X

    Beastbot X Old skool. In a lot of ways.

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    Hey, I never said their decision doesn't make financial sense.

    Just that I'D prefer Strika. 'Cause her BM toy just didn't cut it in robot mode.
     
  14. Misatokitty

    Misatokitty The Major

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    I don't get the whole "girl characters don't sell well in a boy's toyline thing," because in all the department stors and toy stores I visit, the girl characters generally fly off the shelves. I'm dreading Arcee being released here (assuming Hasbro gets off their butt and gets Shockwave/Wreckgar/Arcee on shelves here) because as per history there's a good chance she WON'T shelfwarm here. I can't see the rest of the world being terribly different to the 200km stretch of country I visit semi-regularly.

    Blackarachnia hasn't in the current toyline... it's characters like Oilslick, Lugnut and Blitzwing who are.

    Speaking of, if there are any sales today where I can find him, if I can't find Shocky I should get Blitzwing finally...
     
  15. Sage o' G-fruit

    Sage o' G-fruit Critics gonna critique

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    I think that kids take a look at the packaging art, and Blackout would have some sweet packaging.

    Arcee will sell well, because she looks awesome in her packaging art, and she's a good guy. Blackarachnia didn't sell well because she was a bug (I know spiders aren't bugs! :p ) and she was a bad guy.

    And Strika will not look good no matter what she does.
     
  16. Toxicon

    Toxicon Banned

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    This X1000.
     
  17. tehKOREANdude

    tehKOREANdude Well-Known Member

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    totally jsut cuz of movie. bumblebee was gonna be hotshot and ratchet was gonna be red alert. bumblebee and ratchet were born outta the still growing popularity of the movie. kids don't know strika as well as they do blackout
     
  18. Nachtsider

    Nachtsider Banned

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    As horrible as this prospect sounds, I can actually see where it's coming from.
     
  19. Dinobot Nuva

    Dinobot Nuva Johnny 3 Tears Veteran

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    I don't know about anybody else, but 2 months after Animated came out all we had at our 14 Walmarts/Targets in the Springs was Blackarachnias out the wazoo. Movie Arcee pegwarmed pretty hard too back in 2007, and I don't see her Animated form selling like hot-cakes to anybody but collectors either.
     
  20. influence82

    influence82 Well-Known Member

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    Animated already has 2 voyager tanks: Blitzwing and Shockwave. Hasbro does not want to make too many tanks, as was stated in an earlier QA session. Blackout should have been leader or supreme class for scale accuracy, but it would not sell very well in that size. Name recognition is also important for sales.
    Tech Spec bio:
    To sum up: Blackout kicks @$$.