Where's the competition?

I was wondering about this as I strolled past another devastated TF section in my local Target...why aren't there any competitors in the "transforming robot" genre of toys? I don't mean crappy knockoffs or lame Power Rangers, I mean good quality, Macross-style bots that directly compete against the TF label.

Blasphemy, I know, but hear me out. Everything has competition; there are many kinds of action figures, cars have Matchbox and Hot Wheels, and even Nerf has other brands surronding it in the "dart gun" area. So why not transformable robots?

Sure, there's a long history in TFs, but since Hasbro "reboots" anyway with each new line, so what's to stop a company from developing their own mythology? And let's be perfectly honest: many recent TFs suffer from their share of problems, opening the door for a higher quality product to take some market share. Poor QC (Deluxe Brawl's shoulder pegs, Blackout's alt mode, the ENTIRE Titanium 6" line) and uninspired repaints (Energon deluxes, Nightwatch Prime) provide more critical fodder and erode public opinion of the finished products as well.

The point is, I think there's room for at least one more competitor in this market. Some have provided fringe products, such as the Happywell line, but no one has really attacked the possibilities that I think exist. I for one would welcome a wider selection, and would purchase from both without feeling disloyal. I mean, I own an iPod as well as a Creative Zen Micro, and both coexist in the DAP market. Sure, Apple dominates that one, but Creative is doing just fine as an alternative, and that's what I'm hoping for: a great quality alternative to our beloved TF line, to help satiate the growing appetite that the US is developing for transformable robots.

Your thoughts on the topic are appreciated.

I don't know about tranforming toys, but Mattel is big competition for Hasbro. Especially when it comes to boys toys direct competition for Tfs would probably be Disney/Pixar Cars and Hot Wheels both from Mattel. Competition within Hasbro is Star Wars toys, Spiderman toys, and GI Joe Toys, I would think anyway.
I think those R.E.V. things are the only other Transforming robot to car toys I have seen in awhile besides TFs and those cheapo ones at big lots.

Seems to me that R.E.V.s are pretty obvious Transformer attempts. They're robots with armor that comes off of them to form a car.

Really, though, I like to think that the reason we don't see more toys like TFs is that they're a tough act to follow. QC notwithstanding, TFs are little marvels of engineering and HasTak has been making them for a long time. It wouldn't be so easy for another company to just "pick it up".

On topic, I do want to see another line with some quality, and I have no idea why their aren't. Now, I don't really collect things outside of Hasbro toys- how is QC for other brands? Whatever the case, if there was some comparable competition, we would probable see better QC and overal TF products from Hasbro.

Transformers had competition at one time. They were called Gobots, and the Transformers dominated them.

Now there would be some competition....if the freakin' Gundam series would make more action figures/robots of war that were transformable....and priemered first in the US!
That could be a serious competitor.
same with the robotech stuff too

I think it is because more and more kids are lured towards video games and less to toys. Plus TF dominate the transforming robot toy market. There have been a number of different types of transfroming robots that have gone up against TF and failed. It's probably too expensive for Mattel and other toy companies to design and engineer something comprable to TF. Another reason may be that these other toy companies don't have the unique relationship that Hasbro has with Takara/Tomy. Finally, the other toy makers don't really have the patience to stick with the new brand for the long term. If it doesn't become successful, it is quickly cancelled.
Just my 2¢.

I was kinda wondering this too. We have R.E.V.s (really more like parts formers rather than transformers) and I think I saw some Hot Wheels things that turned into robots ... but thats about it. Outside the realm of toys, there was that cheap-o "Trans-morphers" (or whatever) moive, but nothing else really. I was really expecting to see more attempts to cash in on the Transforming robot theme because of the movie.
Japan apparently has all kinds of transforming robot stuff, so its not as though only Hasbro knows how to do it properly or anything. And failing that, couldn't somebody just bring over molds from one of those Japanese lines (kinda like how Tonka brought overa bunch of the Machine Robo stuff for old Go-bots series?)
Don't get me wrong, I'm not looking for something to replace TFs or anything; it would just be neat to have other transforming robots over here.

Because all the little kiddies want Bumblebee, and not yellowbot #4. The Transforming robot market has been tapped, they've got cheapo figs, expensive figs, pencils with Optimus Prime on them. There isn't a way for the market to be penetrated in anyway that would matter.

And with the movie having just come out, it wouldn't be the best timing.

I would love it if there was another company to throw my paychecks at.