Cliffjumper back, 50 units only
Transformers Buzzworthy Bumblebee Studio Series Deluxe Class 86-13BB C – Hasbro Pulse

 

Holy crap! I just went onto Pulse on a whim and got Cliffjumper! YEEESSSSSSSS!!!!!!!!

 

I am NOT saying the convention would be "all about the exclusives." I also said that I felt incentives were especially important for newer or more obscure conventions. Exclusives are a way to generate buzz. They're NOT the only important thing about a convention, and I never said anything like that. I simply reject the assertion that they should be done away with entirely.

 

I'm trying to find some compromise between those who think that exclusives should NEVER be offered and the needs of the convention. Do they have a "duty"? Certainly not. But speaking of promotional purposes, don't you agree that goodwill can be generated by making the exclusive as widely available as possible, once promotional needs are met? This probably means (IMHO) that folks who don't attend shouldn't expect to be able to get all exclusives at the same price as attendees. But there seems to be a line between "incentive to attend" and "prohibitive to get at all if you don't" that can be found.

No one is entitled to a toy. I'm very much with you there. But I also agree with the idea that a convention shouldn't engender bad will by offering toys that most will never be able to get (not everyone CAN attend a given convention).

 

Honestly, Hasbro should maintain what they've been doing the last few years. It's proof that they are capable of providing con exclusives in a more accessible manner. The Pulsecon exclusives are essentially the same as SDCC exclusives, and SDCC doesn't need to generate incentive for people to show up. Hasbro hasn't had any issue releasing greater numbers of their exclusives the last few years, going as far as to do subsequent production runs, and the same would still be possible even if SDCC was to happen.

 

I'd hasten to add that "BotCon CW Ratchet" wasn't really even a proper exclusive, but rather a customization class figure. There's no way a customization figure is ever going to be mainstream, so that's an odd example to use for "should be mainline release" (although I'd argue that the pre-molded Ratchet head suggests that such was the original intention). That's very much an example of "if BotCon didn't do it, it would never have happened (in the US, in this case) at all."

That's been true of other "should have been mainline" exclusives, as well. Fans hate to hear that, but it's still the truth.

 

Definitely still a shame that Ratchet never happened in the US as a mainline figure though. It remains one of my top grails to go on my Ratchet shelf and the prices for just the Takara Unite Warriors version is now about the same as the whole UW Lynxmaster set when it was first released.

 

33 more Cliffjumpers left--if anyone wants to put out the Bat Signal for the folks that lamented missing him a couple weeks back. I would strongly expect this to be the last restock for him.

 

FWIW, I was fortunate enough to be able to attend that specific customization class, and Ratchet is one my prized figures. But if Hasbro had done it themselves, I'm willing to bet that they'd have done a "toon accurate" white head rather than a "Marvel accurate" red head (which, to my eternal frustration, has still never seen an official release), so I still would have probably been frustrated even if Hasbro had followed through with the mainline release.

I do think that it's a fallacy to equate online/Pulse exclusives with BotCon (let alone SDCC) exclusives. The former has indeed filled the gap caused by the loss of the latter, but they're really not the same figures, much of the time. BotCon did some wacky stuff that I don't think we'd have ever seen (in any quantity, or at any price) if the current online model was in place.

That's not to say I don't appreciate the online model we've gotten since the advent of Pulse. I just recognize it's rather a different thing.

 

With all the toon or toy accurate Selects releases, I would definitely buy a Selects ER Ratchet in Marvel Comics deco with red helmet. I know ER Ratchet demand is still high after Amazon cancelled a bunch of those Paradron Medic sets. Would be a great way to get another ER style Ratchet out there for those that couldnt get the set at retail.

 

Fantastic idea - maybe they'll use the upcoming SS86 voyager!

 

I'm not even really factoring in Botcon exclusives considering Botcon as it was is dead. The only con exclusives Hasbro was doing prior to covid was SDCC, and the Pulsecon exclusives are indeed SDCC equivalent considering many of them were produced with the intent of being SDCC exclusives. As for Botcon exclusives themselves, the capsule collections Hasbro has been doing are more or less equivalent to Botcon exclusives. Sure Botcon could get wacky at times, but then at other times they gave us stuff that was pretty easily expected.

 

Certainly true re: Pulsecon using intended-for-SDCC exclusives. I'm curious what will happen as SDCC returns to in-person conventions.

 

It'll definitely be interesting. Personally, I hope they keep the current model of release. There's really no reason for them not to, and the availability of the exclusives generates a lot of good will among the fandoms, even if we've gotta wait for additional production runs post convention.

 

I think it fair to say that with PulseCon and SDCC both are beyond the need for exclusives to attract people and are instead being offered as promotional items to hype the line (and milk the hardcores a bit more).

 

Heck yeah. I don't mind paying the wait tax. It's the late tax that stings. Even if I get the item a year late at retail price or close to it that's fine. I realize some folks really like having it first (it's fun) and I don't mind if con attendees get to enjoy that shiny period where they have it for a few weeks\months\seasons before general public gets theirs--as long as we know that we can afford to be patient and not risk having no chance at the figure.  

I remember how much we worried Agent Ravage would sell out and then they uploaded 9500 units of him, haha.

 

Exactly. Let con goers get an early run of the item and also put it up for preorder during the con for a subsequent run. Best of both worlds really.

 

For sure. Then the convention and the pics from attendees are the commercial for the preorder. And the preorder also lets attendees have a reliable way to get extras of the exclusive, since they almost never let you buy doubles.

 

non transformers but just got an email that my animated Wolverine and Jubilee have arrived early and will be shipping soon

 

So you didn't consider ratchet or optimal optimus a core character? Optimal was a main character to replace optimus in the prime trilogy. And hell ratchet was a prominent figure not only in the comics but the first 2 seasons of g1. Not to mention optimal was the only way to complete the 13 prime masters as he came with the final 4 figures. Think that pretty much merits being core and should bot be exclusive to those who spend a fortune going to a con just to buy toys and sell to have other people fund their trip.