Via Transformers Dioramas on Facebook, we can share with you images of the Transformers Prime: Beast Hunters Titan Guardians figures. These figures are large, simple and simply articulated. The four are Beast Hunters Optimus Prime, Prime Bumblebee, Prime Shockwave, and Beast Hunters Sharkticon Megatron.
We’re not completely sure on the size – they were leaked on Hasbro’s customer service website as Titan Guardians, which are 16 inches tall, however they might well end up being 6 inches tall. Time, as always, will tell.
RedAlert Rescue
You know what would make me buy daft stuff like this ???
Simple ;
1) Give them a decent unique weapon that is compatible with a normal toy that you can't otherwise get like say a Chain gun for optimus.
2) Make them hollow and have the back of the body removable and enough space to fit the Cyberverse commander class or legion class of character inside them so they function like a Pretender shell of the Apex Armor.
3) Make a Prime/ beast Hunters Apex Armour one I'd buy that for sure.
I was half asleep during NY Toyfair but I think I recall the Rescue Bots version of this sort of a waste of the earth's oil reserves at least have the ability to hold a minifigure in their chests.
Gingerchris
Not something I'd buy brand new at retail prices, but I'd be happy to pick a secondhand one up super cheap at a car boot sale later down the line.
I found one of these on a car boot sale last year that's kinda like what you suggest. It's unfortunately missing the fusion cannon and barrel on his back, but it's still pretty cool. Legends Megs for scale comparison:
Of course no doubt there'll be people out there that will think this looks just as shit as the new Titan Heroes.
Hollywood Hoist
Cheap looking sure, dollar store, no, they're a little too big for dollar store, maybe if they were half the size. Though I love how if I have the opinion that they aren't then some how I am a liar, as if I'm trolling.
My area seems to sell these alright, I don't know if it's the same in every area, I never presumed to know that. Though if a person goes to the store once a week and sees 4 or 5 of these on the shelf, how do they know that they are the same 4 or 5. It's the idea that if someone hates something then the argument to get rid of it, is it's a shelf warmer.
If you have a two year old, then you should notice with other toy lines, that it's the exact same characters that are on the shelf. McQueen, Sully, Thomas the Train, Tinkerbell, Mickey Mouse, I'm sure you get my point, Hasbro seems to want to make sure kids can get Bumblebee and Prime any time they go to the store. Do I agree with this strategy, no, not really, but if my kids was desperately looking for Bumblebee and there were no Bumblebee's on the shelf, then it would be annoying. I do think there is a middle ground between having a great abundance of the same character and making sure there are variety. The fact they are releasing other characters shows that there is a market for these figures.
No market research?? Really, do you really believe that or can you just not wrap your head around the idea that someone would have a different opinion then you?
Through a conversation I had with a Hasbro designer, who designedl the Rescue Bots toys. I inquired as to why the little human figures no longer had articulation in the arms and legs. He explained that they bring kids in to try out the toys and through watching kids play with those particular toys that most kids didn't pose the figures at all, that they would line them up together or just stand them up to play. So they have witnessed kids playing with these figures and they have enjoyed them.
This size of figure has been done in the Marvel line as well, so they know that they're somewhat successful. Though I believe the Marvel ones have a lot more detail and paint apps.
Your two year old doesn't like them, my 4 year old love his Prime, the kid who picked out the Prime thought my son would love it, all that proves is your kid doesn't like them and mine does. Unless you have gathered hundreds of kids and asked them questions about what they would like to see from the Transformers brand I don't think you're able to present what kids want and don't want. All I know is that Hasbro DOES have kids play test these figures and they have deemed them successful enough to put on the shelves.
Have you ever seen a kid get really excited at a cheap McDonalds toy? They don't care so much about paint apps, articulation or any of that stuff we as collectors care about. They just want a toy to play with.
I love the Robot Hero line as does my son, and I was really disappointed to see it end. Though look at the size of the Bumblebee and Prime and look at the size of a pack of Robot Heroes. The Heroes cost $6-7 and the large BB at 12" cost $10, clearly they are sacrificing paint apps for size. Do I agree with this, not really but I'm not the target demo for these figures.
Our kids are not the typical kid. I say this because they are exposed to a huge variety of Transformers, they see Masterpiece, classics, G1, Alternators and a large amount of other toys at our homes, this gives them an entire unique experience and exposure to Transformers, and our kids tend to want to like what we like. I try to never offer an opinion on any of his toys as I don't want to discourage him from getting what he wants which is why he ends up with toys that range from Transformers and super heroes to Tinker Bell. The only time I discourage a toy is when it's clearly a toy that isn't right for his age.
The defensive backlash? I'm just defending the right for other toys to exist on the shelves and that many collectors seem to be so self centered and out for their own gratification that they couldn't care less for the kids and what they want. Adult fans seem to like acting like they know what's best for Hasbro, they don't, almost no one here as much of a clue what is best for the company as a whole, all they want is the toys they want. I've seen things posted on this website saying things like who cares what the kids want and kids don't understand what they really want. Things like this are from adult fans who haven't really grown up.
I'm not saying you should buy these for your kid or that anyone should, all I'm saying is that maybe, just maybe they are desired by kids. I'm certainly not saying we don't need transforming Transformers. Am I glad these exist? If kids like them, then yes I'm glad they exist, if kids didn't like them, then they'd be gone off the shelves or maybe not even made it to the shelves to begin with.
bignick1693
There only 1 way to play with these things. By shoving in some fireworks and
ZapRowsdower
I don't think these are good for kids. Transformers are like little puzzles. Simplify them, sure (*i.e. new R.I.D. line coming in May), but don't remove the entire point of "Transformers". Why do we need to give our kids simplified, cheap Chinese crap like this? What does it prove? That our economy is in the sh*tter?
Actually, my kid likes ripping arms off of things, so I'm not sure these things could stay together for a determined kid. Not to mention that the TRANSFORMING Rescue Bots can take a beating and stay together really well. So essentially, no, you don't need to use cheap plastic, no screws, no transformation in order to secure a "safe toy for kids". That's just an excuse or glitzy marketing. I'm sure it IS safe for kids, but the question is if we need to make things stupid simple to accomplish that basic goal. Way to lower the bar, ya know?
That's a great idea: make some generic guardian robots! But then again, Hasbro has no regard for scale or obscure character, so it wouldn't happen. But still, why not do a pretender type of line? You could, for example, include an option for these things to store action figures in their chest (a la new Rescue Bots coming out soon).
Why does Hasbro have to sell GENERIC PLASTIC ROBOTS? Don't you see the problem here? Hasbro is putting out Dollar store crap. Tell me these don't look like they belong in a dollar store, and I can call you a liar. It's that we expect more quality and bang-for-our-buck from Hasbro. You do see that, right? I have no problem with giant, non-TF's… whatever. But when we've had those in the past (or at least small ones), they've usually made up for the lack of transforming with superior details or cartoon accuracy.
Are you so convinced these fly off of shelves because your local area seems to sell them well? Does that apply to all of Americana in general? Cause I would say these things are so cheap to produce and sell, that retailers can take the "risk" without losing much.
Jar Jar Binks argument, Lucas?
Yes, I believe Hasbro does not do market research. It's the ONLY explanation I can think of for why they would spam Optimus and BB on store shelves like that. Maybe the Hasbro execs only know those two characters and don't wanna look stupid?
EDIT: No, wait… it IS market research. My 2 yr old loves BB and Optimus (I think it's the colors), so there is market research. I think what I meant to say is, "Hasbro, you're doing it wrong." What good is this research if they use it to spam BB and Optimus to the point that other characters can never make it to shelves. How many kids like collecting BB and Optimus that much? And why not release other characters who are red or yellow? My kid loves Rodimus from 1986's TF Movie, for example, and plays with his Robot Hero version all the time (it's non-transforming, features less articulation than these, and has paint apps! What???). Hasbro can do better and HAS done better, historically. Despite what you say about these, these are clearly cheap cash-ins that take advantage of people who don't know any better.
This.
Why can't you admit these kind of suck… compared to the upcoming Age of Extinction toys? I mean the kid-focused R.I.D. line. Personally, I think the quick-transforming toys coming out will be 1000 times better. Yes, smaller, but they will be TWO toys in one, and I'm sure they'll cost $9.99 or close to that. So why defend these like that? You're just as disappointed, aren't you? Don't you think Hasbro has enough experience to do better? Is this what we should expect from a billion-dollar corporation?
I'm complaining for my 2 yr old. Happy? Maybe some of us don't think this is good for kids. I can't say why exactly… hmmm… is it because my kid can transform the G1 toys just fine and he's only 2? Do current kids really need these KO-looking, cheap things? Are we done with "transforming" then, cause kids break things? Do you not own any broken G1 toys that have been thrown and banged up, but still function? I don't get the defensive backlash.
This.
They ARE doing this with the movie toys. You have seen the pics of the upcoming Optimus, right? I was just surprised they would include the "popular" BH line. I thought no one really liked that line…
GAUGE
just wait til they do this with movie toys. BWAAAAAAAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!
Afterburner
I always said there are some people who would buy plain chunks of plastic as long as they came in TF branded boxes. I really didn't want to be right.
Enigma2K2
… just don't take Generations from me… and make sure I can get Generations on shelves, instead of having them choked out by these shelfwarmers.
Matrix Light
Back in the day, the only time you would find something this low quality would be the character shaped shampoo/conditioner bottles. Quick, someone twist off Bumblebee's head, I'm sure he's a conditioner.
MasterZero
…Man, I wanna bust one of these things open now.
tfwmongrel
These MUST be made for smuggling Chinese heroin or something because I can think of no other goddamn reason they exist. SHELF SPACE IS PRECIOUS HASBRO.
Kreontron
In the words of my five years old, "those look boring."
Valkysas
Those marvel toys are also made by Hasbro.
And these aren't the only Transformer toys being aimed at that demographic.
Noideaforaname
Kraang is disguised as the robot in disguise known as "Megatron" for the purpose of disguising Kraang from the one known as "Megatron."
Dang it, now I kinda want this Megatron.
doomiscool
Dat Shockwave…he looks like an amputee, cause that sure don't look like a gun. And the Sharkticon Megatron…he looks more like a Kraang's bad disguise thanks to the weird coloring
Thank Primus they didn't choose Knock Out…I think I would have cried.
tonyformer
and we have Marvel and other toys made for five year olds on the same shelf as this crap Hasbro is trying to pass off and that stuff looks 100 times better. If it can be done with other toys in the same age category, whats Hasbros excuse on most of their latest crap?
tonyformer
i dont mind Transformers products that dont actually transform. But man, can they not make them so cheap and actually but some effort into them with some real detail? Even the new AOE Sparkers/jousters look like crap.
Valkysas
Adults complaining about things directly stated on the page as meant for five year olds.
Good job, Transformers fandom.
Fallout
"This shit again?"
Hollywood Hoist
Except non-transforming Transformers have been a part of the franchise almost since the beginning. Why can't people accept that there are going to be products that they're not interested in, instead of freaking out.
My response to those who feel sorry for the kid who receives one of these. I would feel sorry for the kids if Hasbro ever catered to only the adult collectors.