I really just want to know if I'm the only one just really getting tired of Hasbro. I started to regain a little hope with Prime.. but now they are moving it off to the Beast Hunters thing and frankly I'm not sure how thats going to work in with what they have done so far with the series but I think the shark is about to be jumped. And the toys.. first dlx's get smaller, the plastic seems cheaper and now prices have went up to $16 USD give or take .50 depending on the store. I'ed much rather spend a little more $$ on a 3rd party and get something worth the time and money then the crap that I keeps seeing turned out in mass.

 

If it was not or 3rd party items, I would be getting out of this game.

 

You can't expect to love everything Hasbro makes. Sometimes Hasbro is making things that are for other people and not for you, and that's fine. I don't see how hating on Hasbro helps at all. I think maybe you need to find what you do like and then stick with that.

 

I know a lot of people who feel the same way as you. For an example: doubble80 on youtube. He hates hasbro. He rants about hasbro, even insulting other collectors in the process. I'm not trying to make him look bad, I just don't feel the same way. I'm cautiously optimistic for the FoC line and what it will bring.

 

I try not to dismiss new things until I see them in person.

 

Sometimes Hasbro's choices either have you feeling:

"This is amazing."

While other times it's

"What in the hell are they thinking."

And off of us have felt that way or another, even the staunchest of Hasbro supporters have. The thing is though, there has to be a time where you have to decide for yourself, what it is you really like and what you can leave behind. And out of all honestly you really have a huge weight lifted off of your shoulders when you do.

As Wolfe said..the best thing to do is not to dismiss, things until you yourself see them. And once you do, whether it is for you or not, at least you will know.

It's pretty much about keeping your expectations grounded.

 

Paying a "little more" for 3rd Parties seems a bit of an understatement, lets be honest. A deluxe scale 3rd Party is usually about quadruple or much more the asking price of a mass release deluxe and there are the problems with the different standard of QC and safety testing that many seem to ignore when bitching about Hasbro.

But if you prefer 3rd Parties, then get 3rd parties and ignore mainline, there's nothing stopping you. I'm not a fan of the Beast Hunters aesthetic but I'm not going to discount some of the great things Hasbro has done this year because of it and it just means I'll probably wait it out til the next line hits, no problem.

 

Yes, from my experience the key is to be very selective in purchases, be it official or third party. Even with the trend of hollowness and cheap-feeling plastic in mainline figures, there are a couple of gems to be had. Heck, I just got my FP Warbots, but find myself fiddling with Leo Prime and FOC Grimlock more often. Yes, they're not perfect, but they're still fun, great looking figures that are available at a more reasonable price. We are actually lucky because it's now easier to separate the gems from crap, with this community and countless video reviews available.

That said, I still think that many 3P offerings are worth the premium.

 

I think that 3rd Party companies are ruining it for Has/Tak to be honest with you.

If 3rd Party Companies never existed, we wouldn't be comparing figures to those standards. You would just be comparing old Has/Tak to new Has/Tak, and you would just say, we have seen this happen in the past. But 3rd Party adds a whole new wrinkle. Especially when you look at your shelves and think to yourself, 3rd Party toys look like collectibles and Has/Tak stuff expect for maybe MPs don't.

Having said that, if you just realize these are toys, then Hasbro is not doing that bad. To be honest, the Prime line was frustrating, but now that we have the FEs it is fine. The WFC/FoC line is great with a stinker or 2 thrown in. So not that bad, just not as good as 3rd Party groups.

 

I'm at a crossroads myself.

At 1st I wanted nothing to do with the TFP line. Then I caved in and bought Fe starscream, bumblebee, and Arcee. I thought they were better than I expected. Then the mainline came out and I ended up buying a ton of that shit. Now, don't get me wrong, there are some gems to be had in the TFP line. But in general, they are cheap pieces of crap. How many of these TFP figures that actually get some play, will last 20 hears from now? Only the Fes if u ask me. I feel like I was baited and switched when I finally accepted the TFP line, being lured in by Fe quality...then hit with prid quality.
It's my own fault. I kept buyng the crap because I wanted a semi complete cast for a shelf. Now, I look at my Fe voyagers that I got for the SAME price as TFP voyagers/powerizers and I just shake my head. Ultra Magnus is one of the cheapest...chinsiest transformers of ALL TIME. And its a shame because the design is solid as hell. I love the new look...cheap..ko feeling toy he is.
So, I've learned...I look at beast hunters, and I know I'm out of that shit. I'm not buying these things a 2nd time. I really like Thundertron, but its because of the pirate look, the beast just comes with it to me. I'm not into beast stuff...so the next line will prolly be all cyberverse for me.
3rd party. I'm not there yet. Yes...they are cool...yes..I want a bunch. But I have a family, and bills and stuff. My toy purchasing is kinda low on my priorities. So if I seen a 3rd party toy that I wanted, it would be a lot of cash...and I could use that cash for my family or for my other love, the gun safe.
The most ill dump on a toy now, is a Hasbro MP release. I won't even spend the money for MP sideswipe...that's a deluxe/downscaled voyager and I can't bring myself to dump $80 on it.
As for Hasbro..they will do what they will. I was buying gijoe when the 25th hit, I was buying them by the case. I bought everything multiple times over. Then, the new movie came out, and that was it. I will not spend a penny on Joe until it returns to the 25th or poc continuity. The retaliation shit is garbage.
So Hasbro lost me on Joe...I'm out for beast hunters...I won't BITCH at them, but everytime I see them make a conscious decision, I get baffled...then guys online on these boards say "THEY ARE KIDS TOYS..kids love them" but then..my son likes the same stuff as me...and at the TRU I work at...EVERYTHING transformers is shelfwarming this Christmas...

Must just be me..

 

To a point....but third parties are catering to the older collector on the nostalgia trip too so you'll look more fondly at those figures.....Hasbro seemingly doesn't give a toss about this sector.....it's all about cranking out what the kids want.....cheap shit, maximum profits......and that's fine as long as 3P's are still around. Added to the fact that 3P's don't have to adhere to safety standards etc

Count yourselves lucky tho....we're still waiting for MP fucking 10. It has now been pushed back to the new year.......I'm highly dubious that it ever was gonna get released here in the first place. Seems like majority of my purchases from now on will be from Japan and from Takara.

 

I agree...but I just don't see many kids buying TF. I shop the stores A LOT, and work at TRU. TF is just not that popular with kids now, that I see.
3rd party has never had to cater to kids...so thier customer base is and will be about the same size no matter what.

 

Every time someone posts one of these "Am I the only one that..." threads, the answer is always "obviously, no".

 

Your right..

Obviously no.

 

My right what?

 

The answer

Obviously no. That's what you said.."everytime someone posts one of these....." The answer is obviously no...

I said your right.

 

I'm going to try an just buy items on sale or things I really like...my collection is going too much towards 3rd party and special editions.

My preorders:
Mp soundwave, ravage, frenzy, and red alert
Reissue fort max
Fansproject charity figure
Shattered glass blaster and soundwave
Fans project deluxe insecticons
TFCC Uranus figures
Long blast upgrade
Demolition Crue (wrecker twins)
Year of the snake omega
Jet prime
G2 brut
ultimate gift set

Will preorder:
Mc predaking
Fans project menasor

 

Hasbro needs to step up their game again with good plastic quality. That's what I want.

 

And then, here I am, seeing kids snatching up TFs all the time.

It changes from area to area.