TFW2005 Exclusive - Hasbro Answers the Fans - 10/2008

Laser_Optimus · 10-14-2008, 11:22 AM

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Originally Posted by Fort Max

But Takara's release of Ratchet would just make for an even bigger ****storm.

Which is why I'm pretty sure he won't be a Botcon exlcusive. Hasbro/Takara all ready have the remolded parts ready to go... and you won't run into the Seeker repaint problem here as it's easier to sell a remold a couple of months down the road then three to four repaints of the exact mold.

Beastbot X · 10-14-2008, 12:01 PM

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Originally Posted by Jarodimus

Maybe, but I don't know if they'd do 2 white and red rescue vehicles in the same wave.

I wouldn't be so sure of that, considering Sideswipe and Ironhide were released in the same wave, and their color schemes are identical in vehicle mode...

Laser_Optimus · 10-14-2008, 12:19 PM

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Originally Posted by Beastbot X

I wouldn't be so sure of that, considering Sideswipe and Ironhide were released in the same wave, and their color schemes are identical in vehicle mode...

Yeah, and it's not like the original Universe line didn't release the two together as well (wave 3 I believe... although Red Alert was named Inferno for whatever reason, but Hasbro did say it was originally intended to be Red Alert and there was a packaging error or some such...). So, it's not like they haven't released two primarily similarly colored emergency vehicles side by side before this.

Ash from Carolina · 10-14-2008, 12:37 PM

Hiatus. Gee thanks Hasbro for throwing us out in the cold again because we are so important.

Just seemed like a whole lot of fail in the Q&A for some of us. Animated doesn't fit into the look of my Classics collection so nothing to help me as a collector there. Movie toys don't fit in either so nothing to help there either. Heck even when they come up with some humans thinking wee gee maybe I can at least add the soliders into my GI Joe collection, nope those will not fit in either.

Oh well instead of the worry that the 25th was going eat up all my hobby money looks like I can put that money toward other collections since Hasbro is cutting us off yet again just when they were starting to give us some really great updates. Maybe I'll get that Classics Jazz sometime around 2012.

artiepants · 10-14-2008, 01:17 PM

First off, i gotta give the Hasbro TF team a lot of props, mos tof these answers are A LOT mroe indepth and specific then the ones i see from the Joe and star wars QnAs. so thanks, TF team!!!

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ActionFigs.com: In the Classics and Universe Classics line, we've gotten updated versions of Astrotrain and Octane (under the replacement name, Tankor). Any chance of seeing the third Decepticon Triple-Changer, Blitzwing, as a Classics-style figure soon? The set seems a little incomplete at the moment.

Hasbro: We've really tried to provide a wide variety of characters in the Universe/Classics line, especially recently with the 25th Anniversary line because we really wanted to try to celebrate ALL aspects of the brand. So the fact that we have done 2 triple-changers already is a big feat! Because we have already done 2, we were focusing on some other things. But that doesn't mean we won't do Blitzwing, just that the timing hasn't been right. Also, he is a key character in Animated and we try to not have the same characters out in both lines if the toy would be similar.

I take this as Blitzwing is on the short list, but most likely won't happen until 2010 (post ROTF)

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TFviews.com: With the current TF:Universe packaging, we appreciate the return to character box art, but why is it that nearly all of the art for the characters share the same face? Some fans have said they felt the look was static, lifeless, even creepy; and they don’t really match the faces of the figures within. So what’s the story with this boxart?

Hasbro: We actually noticed the same thing when the art first started coming in. Unfortunately due to timing we didn’t have time to go back and re-do them. I think you’ll see that as the line progresses that you will start to see more differences and more of the personalities coming out of the artwork.

that's nice to hear. i "get" what they were going for (IIRC Guido or Marcelle or someone told us they wanted them to appear "statuesque"), but it didn't quite work IMO...

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TFviews.com: Was the recent Universe Galvatron originally designed to be an Ultra vehicle, and was scaled down? There seems to be a strong belief by fans on this one that the complex nature of the figure’s design and transformation, not to mention the stature of the character himself, suggest that this mold was originally destined for a larger scale and then dialed back. Any truth to that?

Hasbro: Galvatron was initially thought of as being an Ultra or Voyager scale. I wanted him big, he IS Galvatron after all. But we already had larger tank-like vehicles in the Universe line, such as Onslaught and Dropshot/Scattershot. So he was actually moved to Deluxe while he was still in the sketching stage. So he was actually designed and engineered to be a deluxe from pretty much the start, though having him larger would have been my preference.

he would have been so damn epic as an ultra...

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IDW: Why the baby blue for Universe 2.0 Ironhide's face? It was originally silver, which was correct. It changed from proto to production to baby-blue. Ironically Robot Heroes Ironhide came out at the same time, he had the correct silver face. Why the difference?

Hasbro: It's supposed to be silver. When I last saw the final paint on the figure it was silver. But somehow in the development process, someone somewhere picked up a blue brush instead of the silver one. We are currently making a "running change" on the face so future Ironhides will
be correct.

well that's good to hear, that blue face was really terrible (still think i'm gonna go henkei on IH)...

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IDW: Any chance of seeing Universe 2.0 Voyager Onslaught remolded/recolored into G1 Hardhead?

Hasbro: I'd say that's a good possibility for a repaint either for our main line or an exclusive. But when ever possible, I try to offer more than just a straight repaint, such as a new head or weapon. So I might have to sketch up some options and see just what I can come up with.

See now that is awesome to hear that they are actually taking our input to heart. (and it seems like an enthusiastic response) it just feels like they are really into it.

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Hasbro: I don't currently have any plans for Go-Bots repaints but I would love to continue blowing out classic characters in our Legends scale. I'd personally try to stick to smaller bots as they look more in scale with my Deluxe when they're posed out on my shelf. But scale isn't something we concentrate on.

that's such a geek-cred answer, it makes me smile that they care what it looks like on their shelf

. I still think Legends are a bit to small for minibots, but i love that it's actually a consideration...

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TFormers.com - MikePrime: Will there be a Transformers Crossovers G.I. Joe line?

Hasbro - Corporate: We have had many discussions about GI Joe Transformers either executed as the other Crossovers lines or even true to the Comic (Joe figures and Transformers figures together). Right now is just not the best time with the Movies being the main focus for brands, so don't expect to see it in 2009.

hmmm, this answer seems like a "softer" denial than anything i've heard before (referencing 2009) I still think a small TF sub-line (think the first Classiccs go-round) with Joe vehicles that turn into Transformer characters and joe/cobra minifigs would be absolute gold, GOLD Jerry!

artiepants · 10-14-2008, 01:25 PM

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Originally Posted by webz

Animated sells better, probably. I always see it sold out, as opposed to the pegs full of Classics.

no, it's because Universe toys would be direct competition with Movie toys (realistic cars and such) and of course Animated will likely have season 3 supporting the toy line in their somewhere... and really? after the initial surge I've seen nothing of animated but peg warming while Universe seems to sell through at a reasonable pace (aside from Prowl and Sunstreaker...)

Overlord54 · 10-14-2008, 01:47 PM

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Funny to know the CD Scattorshot repaint was a factor in Galvatron not being a voyager or ultra...haha. That's just fun times.

Yeah, Fun like a kick to the balls.

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I'm really glad we'll be getting at least one Headmaster! Also it sounds pretty plausible that Onslaught is getting repainted into Hardhead.

Without a new head I don't see how that could be considered a headmaster if it was just a repaint.

soundwaveCA · 10-14-2008, 02:01 PM

I'm actually glad to hear this as by the sounds of it the general plan for 09 is to concentrate on the movie which they should be. Since we have Universe and 25th Anniversary stuff to fill in the gap between now and then I'm quite content as it is

As for Alternators I'm also with Hasbro here because as much as I love them I think it would be way too much and would not want to see them squeezed out due to the high market demand for TFA and movie stuff. So I think it's wise for Hasbro to keep them shelved for now and if they do decide to bring them back do it at a time when they might have a chance and not get lost in a sea of movie toys. Same goes for Universe toys when the movie hits, retailers are going to want nothing but movie toys and you dont want to have Universe get elbowed out so again better to go on hiatus until it dies down.

webz · 10-14-2008, 02:46 PM

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Originally Posted by artiepants

no, it's because Universe toys would be direct competition with Movie toys (realistic cars and such) and of course Animated will likely have season 3 supporting the toy line in their somewhere... and really? after the initial surge I've seen nothing of animated but peg warming while Universe seems to sell through at a reasonable pace (aside from Prowl and Sunstreaker...)

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Originally Posted by Xhairs

there is 2 reasons you see that .
1) there are only 5 figs now 8 intotal so far with the relaunch on the line 3waves so they did not do the waves right.
2) the cartoon is there to back that line up right now. the classics are more for the collecters.

i love the classics and thats all i buy so im not a happy boy as i knew this would happen agin. just like the last time. way to go hasbro. its not like they cant keep them going with the movie line as they are still doing it now.

I see Galvatrons, Sunstreakers, Acid Storm, Ironhides, Silverstreaks, all of the Classics. The only Animated I ever find are Ratchets and Black Arachnia. It's almost impossible to find Animated blitzwing, soundwave, jazz, Grimlock, Prime. I live in Sacramento, and there are literally a hundred places to buy Transformers. I always see a huge selection of Classics, the TFA are always sold out, or a few Ratchets or B.Arach.

More importantly, when I see kids at play, they 9 out of 10 have TFA toys, not Classics. I'm sure collectors are a sizable business for Hasbro, but I'd be surprised if it is even 10% of their business. The kids are the main consumer for Hasbro, and Hasbro has finally retooled the TF line to talk to kids, which is how it should be. Most of us have had our childhoods already, we shouldn't want to deprive a new Generation of fun toys, just because we want ultra-detailed mini-models to sit on a shelf for 30 years in a box.

GreenScream · 10-14-2008, 03:05 PM

Univerese on hiatus, I guess it was to be expected. On the bright side, $$$ saved since I have no interest in Animated or Movie toys.

Hopefully when Classics 3.0 does return, it'll bring Jazz, Wheeljack, Shockwave with it.