Why did G1 end?

The basic idea of Transformers got messed up starting with 1985. In the first year we had Autobot cars vs. Decepticons who turned into jets and other "sneaky" stuff. Toys like Blaster, Perceptor, Cosmos etc. were introduced and thrown in with the Autobots. Now I can't imagine Blaster or Perceptor being anything other than An Autobot... but it messed with the basics. If you didn't resemble a car or truck, you shouldn't be an Autobot. If you were, there should have been some sort of explanation for it.

The 1st and 2nd seasons of the cartoon had focus. Decepticons want to drain the earth dry. The Autobots want to stop them. The 3rd season had no focus. The focus of the 4th season was to introduce stupid ideas like the Targetmasters and Headmasters. Kids bought them, encouraging Hasbro to come out with more stupid ideas like the Pretenders. Eventually all of these stupid looking toys ended G1.

I would blame the end of G1 on anybody who bought a Headmaster or Targetmaster. THEY are the architects of G1's destruction.

I've never actually, legitimately facepalmed in real life before.

I still don't believe you're a real person.

You keep saying words, I don´t think they mean what you think they mean.

About DIC

G.I. Joe Interview - Buzz Dixon

Posts like these are why I don't keep liquor near my computer anymore.

they continued with the same continuity............so, does it really mater that it wasn't Sunbow?

Due to poor sales in America and Euro markets the Gen 1 era ended. There wasnt many collectors back then like now to buy enough to keep them alive. The younger people like myself at that time were not interested in the new gimmicks and the ugly looking figures that were coming out at the time. Honestly Pretenders are a great example. The inner robots all look almost the same. Plus due to low sales hasbro decided to cut the show off early to save money. Takara did the opposite in the Euro markets and gave the kids Headmasters, Victory, Masterforce, Scramblecity and Zone which from what i hear aired but didn't do well so Takara then began to scale back too. I believe alot of the toys failed here because we didnt have a cartoon to go with the figures from 87 on. There was a dead time with no tfs for a bit until Gen 2 came out and was yet another disapointment. I believe Beastwars was what saved the franchise when they launched. It was new and different and got the fans new and old excited again. I remember seeing the first waves of Beastwars and they sold well while Gen 2 figures were gathering dust in discount bins. So thats what i take from the whole thing as what happened. Gi joe fell apart the same way. The kids that grew up with it were now older and remember. Back then it wasnt cool to collect toys in your teens and in your 20's. I did and i was laughed at many times. But i didnt fold and because i didnt i still have a great 80's collection of figures.

Good synopsis! The design quality was very poor in the late '80s. As a child I couldn't understand where all the die cast, realistic altmodes went.

And there was nothing wrong with Pretenders, Powermasters (not mentioned but i think it is in his category of ****), Headmasters & Targetmasters! Have anothe one !