Apologies if this isn't news, but I hadn't seen it on the boards yet. I found RID 3 Step Optimus Prime at Walmart in Lynchburg, VA this morning. I didn't purchase the figure, but wanted to pass word along for anyone who may be on the lookout for it.

 

I saw this at the Walmart in Southgate, MI last night. I didn't post anything because I thought I saw someone post it already. Between this and missing out on Leader Megatron, it's been a bad week for collecting for me.  

 

I found it this morning in springfield missouri.

 

I'll be so fucking glad when this "step" gimmick is done with

 

Good! Don't buy this garbage & maybe Hasbro will get the message.

 

He looks nice, but I reserve judgement.

 

I feel like it's been a bad 2 years, given the piss-poor distribution in IL. The best I can hope for, this year, is that stores will spam Deluxe Wave 2 or 3, and that's all I will see until November, maybe.   (F*cking mail-order hobby).

Which will probably be NEVER. Hasbro is too hardcore with luring kids back to the brand, and they think this is THE way.  

+1000000!

I can't help but wonder HOW MANY COLLECTORS buy this? It'd be easy to assume the kids enjoy these toys, but I keep reading how people will buy a 1-step "and then I'll replace him when the deluxe comes out." There's definitely a group of collectors who enable these decisions by supporting them (willingly or unwillingly) with these purchases. I think it's hard to turn away a new TF product, when it's been weeks/months since you saw something new, but... ya guys have to be strong!

 

I'm really, REALLY hoping Hasbro takes this "One step changer" bullshit back to the drawing bored. I'm sorry, but they honestly can't think kids are that dumb. They should've kept the legends class line that they had for Dark of the Moon and Revenge of the Fallen. These One-Steps are like what the Bumblebee figures were to Dark of the Moon. Shelf warmers. It took me about half a year just to find Hound,which is pretty sad considering he came out back in, what, mid-summer? Hunting for Transformers figures is hard enough, and it's kinda fun actually, but with these One Steps taking over the shelves, it makes it even more difficult and I feel like we haven't really gotten good, quality toys since Beast Hunters.

 

I do agree that there should be less focus on the simplified toys, but the kids who have outgrown Rescue Bots really love them. They are perfect for 5-7 year olds who want to be able to transform their figures fast and not bog down their play time. There needs to be something to be a bridge between Rescue Bots in Generations.

But yes, it is very frustrating to see tons of these clogging the shelves while Generations figures can be hard to come by.

 

Being from Michigan I essentially suffer from the same shitty distribution you do, and really so does everyone else who doesn't live on the coasts. If the stores spam Deluxe Wave 3 I'd be okay since that's where my Protectobots are gonna be, but otherwise...it's been a bad time for collecting in stores.

I agree with part of this. My girlfriend's kid LOVES her One Step changers, and she got really excited when we found this new Optimus. I do really think there is some thought behind using these to entice kids (wasn't that really the point of the simplified Basic size class from forever ago?) but the distribution needs to be more of a 50-50 split with Generations instead of the 70-30 it has been.

 

the message that these toys not intended for adults aren't being bought by adults? YEAH!! STICK IT TO THE MAN!!

 

While the market for collector's are significant I hardly think it's Hasbro's "bread and butter" for this line. Hasbro's change in direction with the simplified toys have been very profitable.

Transformers, Marvel toys drive Hasbro's profit beat | Reuters

"Sales of toys for boys, Hasbro's largest business, rose about 21 percent in the fourth quarter ended Dec. 28."

"The gross margin growth was helped by sales of franchise brands such as Transformers, the company said."

While as a collector I may not appreciate these simplified Transformers, kids who actually play out battles do. I'm pretty sure they took a lot of feedback and focus grouped all this before taking such a risk and it would seem the risk has payed of with their target market.

From a business stand point it would not make sense to change their distribution split (whatever it maybe) to please a segment of the market that is not their main focus. I'm sure collector's not buying these guys are not even a concern to Hasbro has it was not intended to be sold to us in the first place. Kind of like a steak house not worrying about losing vegan customers.

 

Completely agree with this!

It's getting really old hearing people bash these 1 (and now 3) step figures. You don't like them, we get it. Guess what, they're not meant for you, so ignore them! My 3 old nephew absolutely loves them and has nearly every single one. And to be honest, most of them are pretty sweet for what they are. The leg split (Rollbar, HO Bee, Prowl) and the ones like Drift (helicopter) are particularly very good figures. The ROTF Megatron admittedly stinks. It's so satisfying being able to actually play Transformers with my nephew! I use the bigger, more "normal" ones, and he plays with the simplified ones and it's so cute watching him jump up and down and get excited when he can do it on his own. He can't even form full sentences yet, but you can be damn sure he knows how to say Optimus and transform his transformers. It's because he can do these on his own that he even likes Transformers. To be honest, until I got him a couple of these, he really could care less. Now he watches the shows and movies with me, knows all their names, and will spent hours playing "Robots" with me (Transformers is still a bit too hard for him to get out haha).

Say what you want about that line, but I'm grateful it exists and continues to thrive because I know I'm not the only one seeing them this way. The reason these appear to be "clogging the shelves" is simple. Little kids are the only ones getting them. The regular line figures fly off the shelves because kids, teens and adults swoop in and snag whatever they can. That's triple the target audience. Yes, distribution needs to be ironed out and filled better with the more advanced figures, but that has nothing to do with kid friendly simplified lines. Be happy those exist, because they're getting the attention of an all new generation who will help keep this franchise alive and well. The more options there are, the more shelf space they get, the more shelf space, the more exposure the franchise gets. How is that honestly a negative thing?

 

Sadly this is the future.

 

Found it at the Northgate TARGET in N. Seattle.

 

Found this guy in a north georgia Walmart this morning on the way back from vacation. I don't understand the hate for the one step and three step guys. They are still making generations for adults and warrior class for older kids. My kid is 3 and loves these things. He can figure out the more complex transformers but doesn't necessarily have the strength or dexterity to fully transform them. The RID one step changers seem nicer than the transformers prime beast hunters or the movie line one step changers. I applaud hasbro for making lines that appeal to different ages and demographics.

 

looks pretty cool

 

It's mediocre in my opinion.

Still I suppose kids will love 'em.

 

I seen this guy this morning at Walmart in Fontana, CA. Not really something I would buy though. Probably a cool item for the kids though. I wish more Combiner Wars would pop up around here.

 

my son owns three one step changers and loves them. Long as he loves them, ill be buying them for him.