Me personally? Other than every form of smokescreen past and future, I want to just have an even number of bots and cons. I don’t have separate shelves like a g1 shelf and what not. I mean I guess technically I have a movie shelf but that’s not generations.

More or less I don’t want multiples of any character on the generations or movie shelf. If it’s a character I know or the the design is cool and I don’t already own him, I’ll probably buy it. And of course when you buy one from one faction, I need someone for him to fight. Once there’s just no spots I feel need to be filled, I’m done.

 

I have limited space as well, when I get more room, I plan on doing a Chug G2 and an Animated collection.

Then I'm going head first into some MK stuff if Storm doesn't quit.

 

I collect both Generations and MP

With Generations I want all the characters, that I really want at least, and I think by the end of this year I’ll have that. Now, it is just seeing if Hasbro will do better versions of characters they have done before.

 

Updated Predators and Turbomasters

I'll finally be done when they happen.

 

I'm going to be honest, I thought I was at the Endgame until Studio Series rolled around.

I collected every Movie line, Transformers Prime, and an expansive G1 CHUG Lineup, on top of my Unicron Trilogy stuff from when I was younger.

I was ready to bail after The Last Knight line, I thought that was a good jumping off point. I figured I was done, except for maybe the occasional Generations figure that was a definitive upgrade of a character.

But Studio Series dragged me back, because of how well done and ambitious it's been. So I've been diligently collecting that line along with MPMs.

But I swear I'm done after Studio Series wraps up. At least I hope so, for my wallet's sake.

 

@Cracka J im pretty much going through same thing as you tbh. I collect Studio series TFs and lately I’ve been slowing down with my collecting, (not because I’ve lost interest) but because when I look at that collection, I get a nice feeling of satisfaction, I might still get a few select figures, but apart from that I’m starting to really see all that hunting pay off.  

 

I've been a classic Classics collector, but was actually content for a few years after Combiner Wars, telling myself I had all the characters I remembered from the show (season 1-3, anyway) and related stuff that looked cool. I'd also spent as much as I thought I ever wanted. I had a Titan-sized Devastator and Metroplex to tower over both sides and thought that completed me.

Cut to recently and I discover the oversize Warbotron... which I can't resist, but soon upsets the whole status quo. Then I start seeing some gaps in my collection along with a lot more things to pick up (Predaking, Headmasters, etc) to essentially replace everything I ever had in the 80s that Mom gave away in the 90s... So I've been going at it uncontentedly all summer.

Nevertheless, it does seem this phase will also reach an end soon. Probably the new WFC trilogy will encourage more "active maintainence" and the occasional additions now.

 

Once I get the G1 (84-88) guys, JG1 and a few others, it’s over.

 

I thought I was done, but then Combiner Wars happened. My attitude about it now is that I'll never be done. As long as there are Transformer toys being made for characters I recognize, I'll probably be collecting. There will be breaks, but they're just breaks. After 33 years as a fan, I doubt I'll stop now.

 

Ive definitely got everything I really want or got it coming for my g1 cast. Just upgrading now (like swapping tr Sixshot for hexatron and getting Henkel prime )

Now I just want to complete my Unicron trilogy collection and then believe it or not I may be done unless I want to swap things out.

 

My collecting has slowed considerably since I bought a house, since I have to budget around keeping my home going. So I'm a lot pickier than I used to be. So every time I pick up a figure, I end up asking, "Do I need this? Is it better than one I already have or different/novel enough to warrant adding to my collection?" With Siege the answer has been "no" as often as not. I'm basically planning on getting the Micromasters and weapon bots, Ratchet and maybe Jetfire and OS. The rest … I've already got more fun versions of the characters (several in some cases) or I don't care about the character enough to spend $20+ of him/her.

So I guess I'm content enough that I no longer feel the need to pick up every new version of a character. Or I'm just not excited by the "back-to-basics" concept of Siege after the PowerHeadTargetmasters with Pretender shells of Prime Wars. I'm actually more excited by the Spark Armor Cyberverse toys than Siege.

 

I didn't think Hasbro would release another line I was die-hard passionate for again. I was/am a MP collector. Not every release, but the better side of half. I hadn't fallen in love with a line in, what seems like, forever. Then Siege came along and I got hooked. WFC seems like it will be an interesting series, but the toys are so damn fun. I decided I wanted them all (even the characters I didn't care about as much). This makes me feel like I did as a kid, making giant dioramas and enjoying the transformation process.

In past lines I cherry picked what I wanted. I got some cool things...like UW Devastator and Takara Trypticon. Those are big and beautiful. I have 4 or 5 PotP figures. I thought I was pretty much done at that point...then Siege came out and I'm all in.

 

Finishing up on vehicle mode beast wars characters tf's.
Then collecting the WFC trilogy decepticon figures as they come to market.
Picking up some tf's that will work as stand ins for star seekers characters.

Then I'm done due to waning interest in current transformer toys.

I'll be liquidating a storage unit full of tf's this fall/winter/next year.

 

Yep, I'm exactly the same, it'll never end!

 

Ultimately, you should be content with your collection at all times. Sure, we can have wants for figures that haven't been released, but that also shouldn't detract from enjoying your collection in the here and now.

Of course, that's the goal...and I've never personally reached that level if operation!

Bit doesn't it sound good on paper?

 

Admittedly, if you eliminate the human-base variables as well this is true.

Let me use myself as an example. The first Transformers collector I met online since my return in 2011 was Heroic Decepticon. Excluding those who build AFA collections, he is also the one of currently five I still highly respect. Mainly due to his blog having a human element, plus he is naturally a nice guy. But lets skip that and get to the point. It varies from collector to collector but focusing on who is interested in what, versus what they have to offer or how long they have been in the hobby, does help. Because it can eliminate that "I am not contempt because my collection feels incomplete" factor that you have mentioned. Which is something that bugs me since I am more interested in the collector than how many pieces they own.

And as for me... I am treating each theme-base phase as a potential endgame. So as long as I do not have my "forever home" I have to be extra careful on what I do buy for the AFA end of my collecting goals. But I also have an extra variable that others are fortunate enough to not deal with. So I am hoping the chances I am taking this year work out in the way I wanted since 2011.

And yes, I have started collecting again. But they are not in my collection quite yet. So I am taking it super safely for the sake of making my collection feel unique in the end.  

 

I am always happy with my collection (G1, MP, legends) and each toy in it. I don't feel any need for completion of anything, I just buy stuff I like.

 

I'm kinda soured on my collection. MP went belly-up (or for me it did because I hated G1 toon aesthetic), and Generations keeps rebooting itself. with all seige's added articulation and general quality, I'm hoping I can just nab all the ones I want and just call it a collection. And just hope the tariff war doesn't destroy seige 2.0.

 

I’m approaching a satisfied point.

I have nearly the 84 lineup from Siege.

I have a fairly full 86 movie/S3 lineup. I’d get Ghost Starscream, Quintesson, Voyager Blaster, and consider Arcee, Rodimus, Galvatron, and Cyclonus upgrades pretty easily.

I have to set pretty strict rules for budget and that rules out 85 characters. I did get the Monsterbots because of nostalgia.

Honestly, I want to transition to collecting He-Man with the Origins line. I have the SDCC two pack and it blew me away. It loses some of MOTUC’s articulation but I love the squat proportions and I like the articulation style better than the typical western toy company hinge joints because you get sharp knees and elbows. Only 2-3 of the WWE ones caught my eye. I collected DC Primal Age so that’s my DC fix.

I collect Marvel but set a pretty hard rule: Fantastic Four related characters only, Lee/Kirby or classic era only. I’m a sucker for Kirbytech and did get the Captain Marvel wave on clearance and resold the figures just for the Kree Sentry. I’ve been tempted by the Alex Ross 80th Cap/Thor/Iron Man. I will cave and bend my rules for a Spider-Man in that style just because he’s so essential to the FF as an extended family member.

Anyway, I’m GLAD what I like seems to come in cycles as I can save for it.

 

Honestly at this point all I really want are a siege style Jazz, Wheeljack and Trailbreaker and I think I'll pretty much be all set.