So there has been talk about transformers characters and toys and which ones would sell big, and I was wondering, can we strongly predict what kinds would sell? For example, looking at alternate vehicle modes, many have not been done at all or been truly under utilized.

So first inquiry:

For vehicles, if there were toys with these alternate modes:

Station Wagons and Station Wagon SUV Crossover for an Autobot - There was one in the movies but in general they seem underutilized, particularly for Autobots. Given the Autobots are meant to be about protecting the planet, a station wagon mode would make more sense than a giant gas guzzler. And crossover SUVs make a lot more sense than traditional SUVs, given that crossovers were specifically designed to have the appeal of the SUV without the crazy, excess gas usage. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ford_EcoSport https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nissan_Juke https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nissan_X-Trail https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lincoln_MKT

I know there was a thread on this, but for an armored bus Autobot, like this one: Armored Ford F550 Passenger Bus

And for either Autobot or Decepticon, a heavy equipment machine like these: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Articulated_hauler#/media/File:Cat740Ejector.jpg https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pile_driver#/media/File:Kafar_na_Odrze.jpg https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harvester_(forestry)#/media/File:Gallringsmaskin.jpg https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skidder#/media/File:Skidder528.jpg

Or a security van for Autobots or Decepticons: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Armored_car_(valuables)#/media/File:Group_4_Securicor_van_105.jpg

And as for animals, in Beast Wars there were many animals that were done before, but if a new wave or one of the older waves of Beast Wars at these alt modes, done biologically accurately, how popular would they be? https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pliosauroidea#/media/File:Kronosaurus.jpg Spiderbros in the wild - Portia Spiders - Album on Imgur Extinct Marsupial Lion Climbed Trees | IFLScience Orchid Mantis - Hymenopus coronatus | Keeping Insects https://monkeybuiznezz.files.wordpress.com/2013/01/gelada.jpg
Thanks for any views you may have.

 

A hearse.

Sold separately would be the other vehicles from the funeral procession: a couple of sedans and a pickup plus the policeman lead motorcycle. All five vehicles combine to form the mighty Deathatron!

 

Transformers run on energon.... so would think that gas an mileage would not be a factor.

Would say it depends more on the bots size x mass and personality in the end really.

But as for the toys, cars and planes. Kids love those. Even then, would depend on the kid too. I was more of a plane kid than car so I ALWAYS went for them when I saw then.

Still do mostly  

 

Fair enough. Do you think the vehicle and animal modes I showed about could attract attention and be as popular as some of the cars and planes?

 

Can see all of those SUVs and crossovers being something. More so than the others I think.

Not sure about the bus and the pile driver. Though the pile driver would make for an awesome robot  

Animals, not a fan myself regarding them in general. But hey, why not

 

One that transforms from a building into a robot?

 

Yellow and black cars seem to sell big.

 

I'd say it comes down to how cool the vehicle is perceived to be, which is why we see a lot of fast and powerful spots cars, muscle cars and pure SUVs for the Autobots. Plus, as Jerrymiru said, Autobots are pollution-free. Vortex said so himself. Heavy Machinery could probably be done, but they'd probably choose more recognizable vehicles, like forklifts and excavators. How recognizable it is was probably a big factor in beast modes as well. All this being said, I think all of these alternate modes could potentially sell, but I see why they haven't been tried yet.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3ERuhks3GNk

 

it depends on who the robot mode is. If you made a school bus and it was an optimus prime, he would sell like mad most likely.

 

Thumbs up! You got the reference I was going for!

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v53mhRXXT2g

Sorry, couldn't resist.  

Honestly, unless some complex transformation is involved I think that a bus transformer would come out too boxy in robot mode. And I don't know about you guys but I don't want to return to the Armada days of boxy figures.

 

Right now, the money maker would probably be a 'Titan Class' version of Unicron that resembles his appearance in 'The Transformers: The Movie'.

Other than that, maybe something new. Such as a set of Transformers that transform into a vehicle, instead of a camera, etc.

They talked about this in the classic movie 'Big'. I so wish I could have found a clip tied to that.  

 

And so it was that, seven years later, while catching the all night reruns on what was then TNN, a young designer at Hasbro would be inspired like no other before him... Except for maybe the writers of the movie Big. But sadly, Hasbro was busy doing... other things... terrible, terrible things.

But then, as it seemed that all hope was lost, from the left field, Kenner would run wild with the idea, strike up an unholy alliance with Hasbro [that would one day soon lead to being devoured by the Big H] and Beast Wars was born.

As for what will sell? We've got ball caps, shoes, fake consoles, working pins and flash drives... I think the list is exhausted.

A woman... you make a robot that turns into a woman, that'll probably sell. But not the kill-bot kind from the second movie.

 

I think maybe it would have to be an ultra size, something large enough to allow for an intricate enough transformation to make it less blocky. Although even if it was somewhat blocky, I wonder if a significant portion of the transformers fanbase would get behind it, even if it was blocky, on principle of it being a vehicle that has not been done to death.

I also wonder with kids as well. I would think that sometimes they can be as unpredictable as adults. They like like certain cars and jets now but there is also such a thing as kids getting bored with one type of toy as well.

As for a school bus, that might be a hard sell but I do wonder about the concept of a decepticon school bus that is the ultimate, genocidal villian who despises human kids and wants to force children around the world into slave labor and eventually eliminate them. I wonder if a kid hating tyrant robot in the form of a school bus could have enough irony to have appeal to at least some segment of kids.

 

Dear OP,

Kindly refrain from spamming my fucking inbox for traffic to your god damn thread. Thanks.

 

I want a leader class bot that turns into a Sabretooth tiger.......make it happen Hasbro/Takara.

 

agreed

 

I was thinking the same thing.

 

He PM'ed me as well. I've responded my thoughts.

For now, though, I'd rather he keep his thoughts in this thread. That's what it's here for.