I might get these just for the cassettes and to show my love for Encore in the hopes that we will get more.
I can always sell TFC Soundblaster now to help fund this, since he comes with Ravage and Buzzsaw, a pair I also snagged in the Encore set.
IIRC, Encore Devastator is at least partially a new mold....and part of the reason Encore dropped off the horizon for a while was because new (replacement) tooling was in progress. Doesn't matter how old a toy is, if new molds have to be cast they're still expensive as new ones. Which is why they're padding things out with Soundblaster and Twincast. They could've just skipped Devastator, and Soundblaster and Twincast for that matter, and just reissued TRU CS Autobot cars that haven't been through Encore yet. Retailers would still order them regardless.
You read my mind,that is what i am thinking too, since they can do a Book Reissue of Stepper, i don't see the reason why they can't do Encore Artfire.
Also, Stepper is a cool-looking black and gold. Artfire is Inferno with a white chest, and a bit shit.
The only Buzzsaw I have is with the TFC Soundblaster. Ravage on the other hand, I have quite a few off thanks to the reissues.
Exactly right. Some of this shit has seen 3 or more releases (Optimus has been released more times than I care to count). Artfire hasn't been available since the 1980's. They sold a buttload of Steppers when he was reissued, the only problem was they made too many AND Hasbro released it stateside. A Japan-only Encore reissue would be a hit. Either that, or an eHobby release.
pass, they just reissued these a couple years ago, reissue THRUST, RAMJET, and SANDSTORM. like really how many soundwaves and PEPAINTS do you clowns need
^THIS^ We need official reissues of guys like: Artfire (if for no other reason than to finish the pair) Scorponok Black Zarak All 84/85 Autobot cars not previously reissued Movie Targetmasters (have you seen the price for a Scourge?) Dinobots Trypticon
Enough to keep the line afloat so they get to Thrust, Ramjet, and all the other releases clowns like you need?
Generally Encores do not sell well. Takara has more misses than hits. The misses were especially costly (Omega Supreme, Sky Lynx, Ironhide, Ratchet, Jazz, the cassettes except for Rewind and Eject, Predaking is not an encore but the price is not going up). Takara is definitely playing the Encore series carefully. Just because a few people on some websites are very vocal about toy X, it does not mean that it may sell very well and be very profitable. I do not think Soundblaster and Twincast will sell out very quickly since their molds were release only a few years ago. Devastator is a mystery on how well it will do since the market shows that this character is very popular.
If the line wasn't profitable for TakaraTomy they wouldn't continue to make it (even after a 2 year break). I'd like to see you back up your statements that the series doesn't sell well with facts (as they're in the business to make money and are quick to drop a line if it's not a good seller). Randy
No, I foolishly missed that one. And now it goes for high prices on eBay. Got the other two sets though.
As many other have said, I probably wouldn't have even glanced at these except for the "NEW TAPE CHARACTERS!!!!!!" factor, which, for me is a HUGE deal. Cassettes are pretty much the 1 thing from G1 I still collect.
