I had to transform the full sized MP Megs last night (packing up in prep for moving) and damn... if this thing was any smaller it would be recockulously difficult to transformer AND would probably snap in several places.

I'm not sure how this mini-Megs is going to turn out if it gets released. I'm imagining a lot of broken KO's unless they make the thing out of titanium or something.

 

Thanks. Was trying to remember which of their toys actually managed to reach retail. Their Grimlock kit's out now too, right?

In any case, all this flak for iGear is...a bit much. They weren't the first ones to shrink down existing Transformer toys.

 

Yes, the Grimlock kit has also been released. So far the only "add-on" kits they have actually released have been fairly small, but the quality is really good. I especially like the Autoscout kits they did. Now if they'd just release that damn MP trailer and the "Computer Control Center" so we can get an idea about the quality of their bigger projects...

It's funny to me that there is all this hoopla over the mini-MP figs but hardly anyone flinched when the shrunk down Gnaw "Shark Sentry" was announced.

The Shark Sentry is the only straight KO product that they have on their iGear product page. Everything else is apparently a "Partner Product", whatever that actually means.

 

The Grimlock kit's out as well, yeah. I bought it but it's still in my BBTS pile of loot, until they get Starscream's Ghost Henkei in. If I had it in hand I could gauge the QC.

It seems like these third party companies aren't given the benefit of the doubt until they have a big hit like City Commander or the Impossible Toys Quintessons. And the Quints kinda fell flat saleswise, even though I have them and like them quite a bit.

 

I remember that thread. The criticism was more along the lines of "stop showing us prototypes and release something already".

Did Justitoys ever get this much flak for their knockoffs?

That's the feeling I'm getting reading the criticism towards iGear; that they haven't "proven" themselves yet to the hardcore fans, or at least killed the perception that they keep showing works in progress instead of something that's ready to ship.

 

i can't speak for anybody but myself, but my criticism for iGear is that as far as i can see they are basically re-releasing a currently available hasbro product, which hasbro/takara spent time and money developing from their own IP, but fractionally smaller and intended to compete directly with the original product.

the WST were not simply the exact same mold at 80% size, nor were they a one-or-the-other decision, and perhaps most importantly - Hasbro haven't sold many G1 Dinobots recently. Mini-MP-megatron (MMM) is not designed to compliment the official product, but for you to buy theirs instead so he looks the same size as your MP Skywarp and MP Grimlock.

it's not a million miles away from the bloke hawking knock-off DVDs at car boot sales.

 

Soon as I can get my hands on this it is bought. Makes me wonder why Takara didn't release them in this size anyway... would have made them in scale with the rest of the line.

 

I would buy this only if it cost's a bit less than the MP version. Other than that I doubt I'l bite.

 

I myself do not want this released. It's good that HasTak let the add ons slide, but something like mini MP megs will ruin the distribution of fine products like City Commander.

At this point, HasTak cannot go after these guys or any KO company in China until the Chinese government can respect and enforce international copyright laws. So the best that Hastak can do is go after the distributors and retailers. From this level HasTak can seek legal actions on the distribution and sales of their stolen IP. Hasbro has the strongest influence. Most major retailers and distributors will not risk losing the sales of not only Transformers, but Hasbro's other brands such as Star Wars, GI Joe, and Nerf to name a few.

If the mini MP Megs was to see the light of day and was released to the public, it would be hard to get at conventional means. You may have to deal with sites in China or got to a auction site like iOffer. Both are the wild wild west of KO goodsl. Just be careful, there are some shady sellers out there.

 

What do you guys care if these people are making knock-offs?

 

Maybe we're looking at this the wrong way. Someone mentioned in the Mini Prime thread that that way was being made as part of a promotional offer with a Chinese magazine. Maybe Mini-Megs will also be part of that deal.

Maybe.

Maybe iGear would get less criticism if they opt to release their Mini-Megatrons several years later, when - presumably - most Masterpiece Megatrons have been cleared from store shelves?

We have manufacturers knocking off ROTF toys (upsized Scouts, for instance), but they seem to receive less flak - at least from this board - for doing so compared to iGears' mini Masterpieces.

Maybe it's that a lot of fans would like to group iGear along with FansProject and Justitoys, instead of labeling them as just another KO manufacturer. I'm not saying that's the right or wrong way to perceive them, because their own product lineup has both original and copied designs.

 

Because I'm worried about Unicron.com, as we're based in the US.

 

After thinking about it, has KO makers caused Hasbro to shut down Unicron.com's products, especially since they've been around for years compared to groups like FansProject? Unless Hasbro for some reason would start to think iGears is a fangroup like Unicron.com or FansProject, their probably treating them as a regular knock off company.

 

There's a clear/crystal variant of the mini-MP Prime that is a magazine promo offer, the regular versions are being sold.

 

Thanks for clearing that up  

 

In scale Walther P38 Megs that isn't G1? WANT.