Yep. Although I can see Hasbro being firmly in the pilot seat this time, saying "We're bringing Selects x, y and z. You guys can write fiction for them if you want to. See you at the panel."

 

Obviously, Hasbro did some "piloting" to tell BotCon that Hasbro wanted to use some of those otherwise unused heads in the last BotCon (and the last FSS set), but otherwise, I really do think that BotCon (whoever is running it these days) can ask for the moon. They could ask for a G1 mold (for example) if they wanted to, and Hasbro could either say "Nope! Sorry!" or (more likely, IMHO) "Sure! Here's how much that'll cost" (which, itself, could stop BotCon in their tracks...).

But I absolutely think Selects will continue to be a distinct and separate thing. Contrary to some fans' belief, I don't even think that Selects are an intentional replacement for what used to be BotCon exclusives. They simply scratch a little bit of that itch in the absence of BotCon exclusives.

 

I guess so.

They were going to use another mold for Megaplex then they found out they could use the new (at the time) Dreadwing mold so they went with that instead.

I think they wanted to do a G1 accurate Flak but could not do so as Hasbro’s Overload used the same mold as Botcon Flak and similar colors as G1 Flak, so they had to go with other colors.

 

Hasbro always has veto power. I think that's well-understood.

 

....Dang. I have all of the Botcon exclusives from 2002 onwards and have never sold any of them.

I am now second-guessing myself.

 

I'm impressed that the Thunder Mayhem bots are still selling for so much on eBay. I'd really had the impression that the market had bottomed out on most BotCon (especially FunPub-era) and TFSS stuff.

 

I just saw a thing on my facebook news feed from Seibertron posting the story and announcing that BotCon was returning as an "unofficial" convention. Yet that seems to be the lingering topic of discussion here as to rather or not its official. Do they have some source of info we're missing here, or did someone just jump the gun without research? <_<

 

My guess it's due to the fact they are basically comprised of Mayhem Attack Squad Members, which some didn't have many modern toys of, so that might add to the price along with the rarity. And add to the fact the combined form is essentially a homage to Thunderwing, or is Thunderwing, i'm not sure. But yeah, those lads be expensive.

 

I'm quite confident that they're just gleaning (as many of us have done) that the lack of specific mention of being "official" more or less guarantees that (at least as of this moment) it will be unofficial.

 

Schrodinger's License. It is both official and unofficial until otherwise stated

 

If you prefer. I have no specific facts. But I think Occam's Razor suggests that, if they were official, they would absolutely being saying so at the earliest opportunity.

 

Perhaps it isnt the earliest? They may still be in the midst of discussing that but wanted to announce the con at all. We know NOTHING.one way or the other outside of it being sometime next summer

 

Very excited about the news! Karl, Jon, Brett, and Andrew are great guys and love the property, so I feel confident whatever happens will be good.

 

IIRC, that happened due to Hasbro getting a list of the remaining vintage molds that were still usable from China/India and some of the tooling that they thought was available, turned out to be unusable. This happened IIRC after FunPub requested to use certain molds years back.

Selects and fan channel exclusives are in place to make up for losing retailers that were traditionally ordering exclusives in big numbers like TRU IIRC.

 

Time will tell, but I stand by my assertion re: Occam's Razor. With great confidence, I believe that BotCon 2021 is unofficial.

That could change. But as of right now, I don't think anyone is "jumping the gun" by suggesting what logic suggests must be true.

 

I wasn't around for BotCon .. but..are people more interested in the exclusives or the event? I've snagged up a few BotCon exclusives on Ebay last year so I get it, they are fun little things.

 

Varies between person to person. I liked the toy reveal panel and the script reading when I went, but I spent most of the time talking and hanging out with people in the dealer room.

 

Yeah. $300 sounds about right.
Honestly. 06 and 2015 are probably my favorite two sets. Don't get me wrong. I loved 16, too. But. Thematically and all around those are two I lead with.
2012 was my first one, too. I unloaded it at a time when I thought I didn't need post-2004 botcon stuff in my collection.. And then bought it back like six months later out of regret lol

 

I've never been able to attend a BotCon, mainly because of monetary and location reasons, so I can't speak about the convention experience.

And I've only bought one BotCon exclusive from eBay.
BotCon '02 Cyclonus.
For $20.

I'd very much like that '16 Megatron, but not at the prices it's going for.
I'd also like to get my hands on every single combiner wars mold they pumped out, but again, not at the current aftermarket prices.

 

For me it’s the event. The obvious one is hanging out with friends whom I never would have met if it wasn’t for Botcon. Hearing about new products in a big room with other fans was a great experience, The Hasbro tour, Paramount party, meeting the designers. There were some great exclusives like the Animated set and Shattered Glass set.