The G1-Focused Masterpiece Speculation Thread

Discussion in 'Transformers Toy Discussion' started by Superquad7, Dec 1, 2011.

  1. jackisking

    jackisking Well-Known Member

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    I kind of wonder how much of Hasbro's problems stem from the declining "toy" genre in the US. Where action figures and dolls are still pretty prevalent in Japan does that still exist now. I thought about it last night with my nieces for instance. one's in the 5th the other the 7th but they never went through their doll or any other phase. They had stuff like tickle- me -elmo when they were really little and I had bought the older one a remote control helicopter, but they never really played with toys. Where some of us grew up with wishlists, and christmas catalogs kids nowadays don't. My nieces went from hand held games to xbox, to cell phones and tablets. I don't recall them or my nephews ever asking for a specific toy or any toy really. I would get them legos and we would build stuff, but it was far from when I was a kid when getting some Lego's was like Christmas. Everything with them has been more playstation/xbox then anything. People complain about the cost cutting but i wonder how much of that is because the market doesnt resemble what it looked like 20 or 30 years ago, where as a kid you had a progression of toys( hot wheels,tonka trucks, he-man, transformers, and nintendo/playstation in my case) well as now a lot of kids are skipping that and going straight to electronice.
     
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  2. GearsRollo

    GearsRollo Well-Known Member

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    I think you're on the money. As fans, we tend to personalize their minimal releases of MPs as some kind of snub, but that really doesn't make sense. If they felt that they could make lots of money at it, they would. They're clearly serving more mature collectors with the Generations line, while probably still picking up good sales from younger fans being introduced to the line. MPs were given a fair amount of releases under Hasbro, and it may be that it just didn't do that well. Attitudes here tend to buck at higher price points for what people perceive as a kid's toy, and then you factor in the drama of distribution of Alternators, and probably the Masterpiece line, well, it just seems like it may not be a great avenue for them.

    If they were able to secure better distribution, and had simultaneous releases with Takara to minimize the impact of importing (I guarantee that they're aware that a lot of MPs come to this continent via Japanese and local e-tailers), they'd probably do a lot better, but that's not cheap to do.
     
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  3. stevej

    stevej Well-Known Member

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    This is true. My son has Star Wars, Power Rangers, Transformers and Marvel toys and none of them get much of a look in. He still plays with Lego a fair bit but other than that it's Minecraft, Minecraft, Minecraft, Lego Marvel game on the PS3 and Minecraft. When he's not playing Minecraft he's watching teenagers play it on Youtube.

    Honestly, I've no idea where I went wrong!
     
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  4. Late Ironhide

    Late Ironhide The Fallen Hero

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    Is it me or does it seem weird that we haven't hear any news on the next group of Masterpieces that should be out. I mean we only have two left Artfire & Primal 2.0 and in the pass when a MP was releast at retailer they usely would have a new one replacing it. So is there something going on over at TT or are the new names coming soon?

    Side note sorry about my spelling and how I descripe things. I have a learning disabillty and have Astin Burger and I am not good with spelling and how to descripe things.
     
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  5. rodimusconvoy

    rodimusconvoy Well-Known Member

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    MP Dinobot from Beast Wars is what I know.
     
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  6. kibble

    kibble Seeker style, yo!

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    I think the problem with Alternators was just timing. I think if they would have released them after the success of the Bay flicks, they would have sold well...whether they would have been profitable at that price point and paying for the licensing, though, is another question...but I think they could have sold well.

    Problem with Hasbro releasing MPs is price point and availability. They're pretty much resigned to release through TRU or online because they're not that desirable of a product to retailers at their high cost...in my unprofessional opinion, anyhow. As far as a retailer is concerned, what's the difference between an MP for $60 or a voyager for $25?
     
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  7. XXLMagnus

    XXLMagnus King of Kings

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    Damn, if toys go extinct it'll be very sad ... but what I don't get is I'm 30 and grew up with video games/electronics/computers, yet I still cherished playing with toys ... wonder what's so different now??
     
  8. Hollywood Hoist

    Hollywood Hoist Well-Known Member

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    MP Dirge is also coming.
     
  9. Devastator21

    Devastator21 Well-Known Member

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    there will be third parties
     
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  10. Late Ironhide

    Late Ironhide The Fallen Hero

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    I though Dirge was already out.
     
  11. OMEGAPRIME1983

    OMEGAPRIME1983 Well-Known Member

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    Ebay:
    While the reissue statement is true, we aren't even half way through the year yet. Getting there, granted, but there's still time to release plenty of goodness.
     
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  12. OMEGAPRIME1983

    OMEGAPRIME1983 Well-Known Member

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    Until the masterpiece line dies, anyway. Whenever a line falls off, and another picks up, 3P always follow suit. Sure, you might get a few here and there, but those will eventually stop as well... Anyway, enough of that. This drought of information is really getting to us all!! Come on, Takara!!! Give us input, we nneeeddd input!!
     
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  13. Sweep

    Sweep worse then vehicon drones

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    It'll never happen, those designs are all owned by Bandai.
     
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  14. jackisking

    jackisking Well-Known Member

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    well that sucks:D 
     
  15. Tenebre

    Tenebre Sharkticon

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    Yeah, the decline of the action figure market (and the toy market in general) is the big elephant in the room. Makes me sad to think that in a few decades the action figure as we know it may be extinct. I think we're getting there already. Maybe that's why I've been increasingly buying G1's, reveling in the good ol' days. Oh well, it's not like my shelves aren't full already.

    I think it's as simple as Hasbro knows the vast majority of collectors import Takara's MPs anyway, so they don't feel the need to do much on their end. Remember when someone would say they would wait for the Hasbro release of an MP? Adult collectors got wise, and the internet has just made it so much easier to import. I remember when I got MP-11 from BBTS, and it was a big deal for me, because all I had at the time were Hasbro releases and I had never bought Takara before. Now I preorder every Takara MP, and I don't think twice about it.
     
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  16. Silvershot

    Silvershot On The Double Dutch Bus

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    Except they would, as evidenced by them paying for a Lambourghini license for Age of Extinction Lockdown. The likely problem is that Prowl and Bluestreak didn't sell as well as expected, most likely due to Toys R Us charging $60+ for a $35-$40 toy. Savvy collectors knew where to get the imported ones for cheaper, and there was nothing on the packaging to indicate to parents or teens that what was inside was worth $60.
     
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  17. SunSwipe5

    SunSwipe5 Twin Hellion Masters Of Jet Judo

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    So if toys go extinct, would that then make us TOYcheologists?
    I'm calling it right now, I get to be the female version of Indiana Jones :D 

    On a serious note, there's still plenty of time this year, for a few new G1 releases and Dinobot. I'm really not all that worried about it. Plus, my pocketbook is happy with the break.
    I'm wondering if they'll hold out on the MMP's until after TLK's release. Milking any and all positive fan reaction post movie release.
     
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  18. Devastator21

    Devastator21 Well-Known Member

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  19. oku

    oku Chill.

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    Where to pre-order the new MPM Bumblebee?
     
  20. HolyCulture

    HolyCulture Well-Known Member

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    I hate the Bay-Verse movies. I think they are awful designs, and the stories are trash. (ONLY MY OPINION. I KNOW THEY ARE VERY FUN FOR OTHERS)

    Sorry. In 10 years I haven't voiced my opinion on that, so now that I got that out of my system... I think I'm going to buy this new MPM Bumblebee, too. It honestly looks pretty cool. I CAN.NOT. believe I am saying this, but I am excited to own my first Bay-Verse figure. Are there any pics of MPM Bee compared to the regulars like like Prowl or Sideswipe?
     
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