Dont give up hope yet. Hopefully the KO guys take the VW mold and KO the crap out of it in different colors. Now that we have new seeker molds, we really need CHMS back, I miss those guys so much !

 

Maybe this figure's double-existence is how Tonton got his hands on it so early when we haven't even seen his supposed mainline wavemates.

 

According to pixelmaster thats exactly it i think

 

Yay, with exception to 1 known Figure Pack, an entire line of reissues I can skip.

 

I was randomly checking thw Walmart app, to see what Transformers they had in stock, at my local store. It has shown SS18 Bumblebee in stock for weeks, but I've never seen it on the shelves. I thought it must be a glitch, but now I'm wondering if it's somehow related to this line.

https://www.walmart.com/ip/Transfor...Ok2k0&sharedid=&ad_id=566719&campaign_id=9383

 

It be kinda neat if they made a subline like this for other characters to

 

If your store has any toy of a specific size class it will show all other toys from that line of the same size class as being on stock.

 

It was something that was mention (somewhere) when they were discussing the Mercenary faction and the Netflix show Bugbite was mentioned specifically (at that time). But I've heard it elsewhere in relation to the select series toys too (same explanation).

But you can see for yourself - there is nothing VW related comming out anymore After Netflix Bee. Which makes me wonder if Bee isn't going to Transform into a VW on the show if they are not paying for the rights (thought the TV rights would be different from the Toy rights) and they can just leave Bee out of the story or keep him in robot mode - (or leave him with a non-earth mode) in the future I guess. (but vehicle modes seem to be a thing that goes missing on that show anyway)

THAT SAID I don't know enough about Contracts to know if they only have the option to request such a license for a longer period of time or can do it on a per produce basis too.

But I think that was the reason Masterpiece Bumblebee version two was shoved out the door in a hurry too.
But thinking on that it seems likely if the license has already lapsed and they didn't release a western version of Version 2 Bee (not that I noticed anyway) the takara led one looks like that is all there is - but it seems they are just selling the Takara ones everywhere now anyway these days what with Walmart or Target not interested in their own specific take on those moulds like TRU might have been one time in the past.

Oh but just because Hasbro's licensed lapsed that might not mean Tomy's has - so if someone wants a Glyph or a different deco MP Bumblebee one can't rule that out as I have no idea of the licensing status with Tomy, they could have secured the license for their toy car brands for example. Or got it in a bundle with a Porsche license.

Speaking of which that is also why Studio Series Jazz isn't an actual Porsche - even though he'd otherwise have been covered by an extended Volkswagon AG license - if they'd bought the full one and not just one for VW models alone.

So yeah Jazz - why not make him when you had the chance Has-tak - you really dropped the ball there.

---------

But sorry I don't have any ready links to hand - i'm sure some poking about around Bugbite's name would show evidence what I was refering too as a source though. Even if the evidence of the lack of VW toys now is evidence enough anyway.

I wouldn't be especially surprised that there may be a deeper explanation to do with TV show lazyness to do with Bugbite using the Cliffjumper CGI with a Bumblebee head stuck on it - but don't be surprised if you don't see any actually Transforming VW's for the time being after Netflix Bee's release.

 

The Bug Bite theories were that VW didn't want the alt mode licensed for a villain (or possibly more generically, ANY character that WASN'T Bumblebeee) given the company's checkered past. Plus either way, those were fan theories and not official word on the matter. None of the usual suspects of leakers around here even commented on it.

If the license was expired they wouldn't be able to release Netflix Bee in the last couple weeks. Just because there's not more VW product that we are aware of doesn't mean that they've severed all ties with VW, that's not how this stuff works.

 

Amazing Arcee
Great Grimlock
Magnificent Megatron
Stellar Starscream

 

One of our leakers was implying that Netflix Bumblebee has a redeco coming in Buzzworthy Bumblebee. My guess would be banana yellow with a chest faction logo.

 

I know catz (also?) posted something about Bee being released in a form that Hasbro had never done that would get fans excited as a part of the Buzzworthy line - my bets/hopes are on the OG G1 Saucer Bee too. Here's to hoping Hasbro reveals the full line officially soon and we get to see!

 

Wild guess, but they'll get officially revealed by Toy Fair at the latest.

 

I didn't say they severed all ties - but they may be taking a break from to many expensive licenses, heck they may have signed some on other brands -perhaps they have a set number they allow themselves. It's not that hard to realise though they bought a limited duration product license to coincide with the Bumblebee Movie -it seems to have now lapsed.

If you want some more data points. Then there is the way his Buzzworthy Bee 2 pack looks like Bumper not Bumblebee in terms of altmode, and that his latest videogame appearance is back to not being a VW again.

But if you want to suggest a possible "counter point" to my contention then i'd say keep alook out for the tiny titan changer brand and what that does with Bee (if he's still a beetle in future waves). I can't also say a thing about if this effects those who made model/toy cars for the Bumblebee As I have no clue if they are a legal mess or not in terms of licenses for the Movie and the toys and the branding and so on - Bumblebee Movie toys may just stop pushing bee himself from this point - unless it's a Camero.

I'm not stating any hard facts here - just chatting around the plug hole.

 

Buzzworthy Dropkick

 

SS-46 is a great figure for car-based Transformers. I could actually see them make a Bumblebee from that mold.

 

He's probably just talking about a re-release to go with the Shatter that's already in the lineup.

 

I know. I'm just commenting on the mold's versatility.

 

Pretty much

Although I think that there is potential here, if not as a Bumblebee mold, maybe as part of a line of 60s, 70s, and 80s car transformers at least. That would be a cool line honestly.

High Octane Bumblebee would probably be more of a contender for a Buzzworthy Bumblebee release than a yellow Dropkick though.

 

The issue with your line of thought about Jazz is, typically speaking, licensing contracts are for a limited, specified character, item as well as for a specific time frame.