Haslab Unicron

Discussion in 'Transformers News and Rumors' started by bearytrek, Jul 15, 2019.

Thread Status:
Not open for further replies.
  1. WolverineDragon

    WolverineDragon Banned

    Joined:
    Apr 8, 2021
    Posts:
    4,665
    Trophy Points:
    192
    Likes:
    +13,299
    I admit I’m guilty of this myself when it came to the iPhone years back. I learned you should never underestimate the appeal of an item if there is a demand for it, regardless of the price.
     
  2. G.B. Blackrock

    G.B. Blackrock Autobot Ally

    Joined:
    Feb 18, 2004
    Posts:
    8,701
    News Credits:
    11
    Trophy Points:
    337
    Likes:
    +8,984
    Technically the truth, but there are tons are classic movies out there that are mostly forgotten today. TFTM will almost certainly be listed among their number. We're just not going to see some sudden influx of new Unicron fans from it in generations to come.
     
    • Like Like x 2
  3. Hicks_Royel

    Hicks_Royel Hurts feelings being honest.

    Joined:
    Jan 26, 2007
    Posts:
    17,851
    News Credits:
    3
    Trophy Points:
    387
    Likes:
    +19,862
    A few weeks ago and I could have filled out this review request I was sent with, "don't know, still fucking waiting."

    Nope, probably not from the '86 movie. The War for Cybertron series probably came and went at the wrong time to support both the campaign and renew interest. But the character has had its share of interpretations since '86 and resulted in a handful of figures and several repaints of one in particular.

    But Classic Movies are not Classic Characters.

    Will any of that result in this particular figure getting a rerelease? No, I believe that this was a one and done. [And barely so.] But the character will live on and future, likely much smaller, figures will be created because of it.

    And I know the point you are stressing is that there's no amount of interest that will result in this figure getting a second release, as I said, there was barely enough interest this time.
     
    Last edited: Jun 3, 2021
    • Like Like x 1
  4. PlanckEpoch

    PlanckEpoch Red and black red and black

    Joined:
    Jul 20, 2010
    Posts:
    15,196
    News Credits:
    4
    Trophy Points:
    337
    Likes:
    +20,867
    Instagram:
    YouTube (Legacy):
    Couldn't agree more. Unicron required two extensions to hit the goal while every other Haslab project since has slammed the minimum requirement within DAYS and maxed out stretch goals or close to. Heroquest only missed the last two stretch goals, while Razorcrest and Sentinel slammed their projects to completion. IIRC the sail barge sold faster than Unicron did too.

    I think there was the demand for it, but the overall price made people shy away until FOMO became too strong and it looked like it was going to end up being backed afterall.
     
    • Like Like x 3
  5. Fenrys

    Fenrys Formerly Tigatron2002

    Joined:
    Jul 2, 2002
    Posts:
    60,388
    News Credits:
    9
    Trophy Points:
    492
    Location:
    Virginia, United States
    Likes:
    +124,650
    He didn't actually "need" the extension if you go back and look at the sequence of events and behind the scenes info we were being given, and it also only got a single extension if I'm remembering correctly
     
    • Like Like x 8
  6. G.B. Blackrock

    G.B. Blackrock Autobot Ally

    Joined:
    Feb 18, 2004
    Posts:
    8,701
    News Credits:
    11
    Trophy Points:
    337
    Likes:
    +8,984
    Saying that the Sail Barge sold faster than Unicron, besides ignoring that it's Star Wars, also ignores that it didn't even need to meet the same minimum that Unicron did.
     
    • Like Like x 4
  7. PlanckEpoch

    PlanckEpoch Red and black red and black

    Joined:
    Jul 20, 2010
    Posts:
    15,196
    News Credits:
    4
    Trophy Points:
    337
    Likes:
    +20,867
    Instagram:
    YouTube (Legacy):
    Probably. It's been two years and I admit I don't remember the details anymore. All I remember is that it certainly felt like a stretch to get to the finish.

    I personally think that either way it was going to succeed. Transformers is Hasbro's most powerful brand, even in 2019. Unicron was too big to fail. I'd it did then it'd show the world that perhaps Transformers isn't strong enough as Hasbro would've like to think. If fans can't be bothered to actually buy into Unicron then that could've been a black eye to a successful brand.

    I could see Hasbro cooking the books if they had to. Unicron HAD to succeed. As much as Haslab is something for fans, it's also for Hasbro to flex to investors. "Look how strong our brands are that people will shell out big for these once in a lifetime pieces."
     
    • Like Like x 1
  8. msol

    msol Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Nov 25, 2008
    Posts:
    513
    Trophy Points:
    262
    Likes:
    +510
    Wasn't Unicron the most expensive of all the Haslab offerings, though? That's not a small factor, I think. Heck, more expensive in $ and physical space in any given collection.

    I think they learned a good lesson from Unicron, so we'll be unlikely to see any Haslab offerings that size again (but who knows? The Sail Barge is longer by far -- but also cheaper dollar-wise).
     
    • Like Like x 4
  9. geekatron prime

    geekatron prime The Grammar Police must be on strike.

    Joined:
    Aug 27, 2016
    Posts:
    6,251
    News Credits:
    2
    Trophy Points:
    282
    Location:
    New York
    Likes:
    +16,160
    I believe that Haslab Unicron struggled to get backed because of bad timing. They pretty much announced him at the height of convention season, a bunch of high priced products were being released that summer & fall(mp44 to name one). I had a lot of stuff that was preordered and was going to drop in that timeframe. I was glad they did the extension so I was able to procure the money to secure mine. I remember alot of the uproar was from the fact that people needed more time to get their funds together.
    The Razorcrest and Sentinel were put up during the lockdown of the pandemic. No one was spending huge amounts of money to go anywhere for conventions, vacations, and so forth. I believe that these contributing factors is why the latter two Haslab projects were so successful.
     
    Last edited: Jun 2, 2021
    • Like Like x 8
  10. Fenrys

    Fenrys Formerly Tigatron2002

    Joined:
    Jul 2, 2002
    Posts:
    60,388
    News Credits:
    9
    Trophy Points:
    492
    Location:
    Virginia, United States
    Likes:
    +124,650
    Cooking the books would open them up to all sorts of legal scrutiny, especially since they are a publicly traded company. Fans asked for an extension, they saw an opportunity to get even more orders and took it. Simple as that. They extended it like a week prior to the 1st deadline and had been telling the non affiliated vendors (BBTS and the like) not to submit their orders till the final day.
     
    • Like Like x 6
  11. PlanckEpoch

    PlanckEpoch Red and black red and black

    Joined:
    Jul 20, 2010
    Posts:
    15,196
    News Credits:
    4
    Trophy Points:
    337
    Likes:
    +20,867
    Instagram:
    YouTube (Legacy):
    That's kind of what I'm saying too. The price was a huge turn off at first. I said from day 1 that the price of Unicron is the price of a good mid end pistol, and since guns are also a hobby of mine I had to evaluate wether or not Unicron was worth giving up a gun that year.

    It was just a pretty damn expensive TF toy!
     
    • Like Like x 3
  12. Fallout

    Fallout Banned

    Joined:
    Nov 26, 2011
    Posts:
    18,578
    News Credits:
    3
    Trophy Points:
    337
    Likes:
    +23,663
    yeah i remember that being the biggest issue i had with it, takara had been hyping up their $300 new MP prime and hastak had a huge line going that was doing gangbusters... so to reveal a $600 "get it in two years" deal at the same time seems like the kind of thing that could come off as hastak saying "they'll buy whatever we put out." not saying that's what happened, just the impression i got.
     
    • Like Like x 3
  13. Paco Grande

    Paco Grande Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Apr 29, 2017
    Posts:
    3,094
    Trophy Points:
    222
    Location:
    Ottawa, Canada
    Likes:
    +9,434
    Yup, I remember a bunch of us complaining that the most expensive MP to date (MP-44) was releasing the same weekend (I think) as the deadline for Unicron. It was incredibly poor timing and I blame Hasbro's marketing/sales team. That was a really dumb move. Anyway after a bunch of complaining they added the extension to Unicron. I did buy MP-44 so that extension was needed and I was able to buy Unicron. It was an expensive year for MPs. On top of MP-44, I believe they also released MP BW Megatron (second most expensive MP), MP Bumblebee V2, MP Black arachnia and MP Hound that year. And a few Plus releases of MP carbots. And MP-48 in January I think? Anyway it was nuts to have all those releases in one year on top of all the other things HasTak was selling. My wife only approved the Unicron purchase after I agreed to sell the equivalent amount of figures because that year was just too much. It would have been a lot better to have the Unicron crowd fund during a slow year for other expensive releases. HasTak don't have control over how much people spend on other company's products, but they should have an idea how much their customers are willing to spend in a year and spread the release out accordingly.
     
    • Like Like x 1
  14. WyldeBill

    WyldeBill You will ride eternal. Shiny and chrome.

    Joined:
    Apr 30, 2017
    Posts:
    4,100
    Trophy Points:
    222
    Likes:
    +7,655
    Ebay:
    So now I have this thing and I’m asking myself what am I going to do with it?
     
    • Like Like x 1
  15. daimchoc

    daimchoc Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Jun 16, 2009
    Posts:
    44,354
    News Credits:
    516
    Trophy Points:
    417
    Location:
    NC, US
    Likes:
    +70,059
    Facebook:
    Twitter:
    YouTube (Legacy):

    Sell it for more money.
     
    • Like Like x 2
  16. Hicks_Royel

    Hicks_Royel Hurts feelings being honest.

    Joined:
    Jan 26, 2007
    Posts:
    17,851
    News Credits:
    3
    Trophy Points:
    387
    Likes:
    +19,862
    See if it will blend?
     
    • Like Like x 4
  17. Okicyurnatp

    Okicyurnatp Banned

    Joined:
    Mar 16, 2021
    Posts:
    500
    Trophy Points:
    132
    Location:
    Round Rock, Texas
    Likes:
    +1,043
    Give it away to a needy collector and then realize the endorphins you feel for doing a good deed don’t feel nearly as good or last as long as selling it for twice as much as you paid for it.
     
    • Like Like x 1
  18. WyldeBill

    WyldeBill You will ride eternal. Shiny and chrome.

    Joined:
    Apr 30, 2017
    Posts:
    4,100
    Trophy Points:
    222
    Likes:
    +7,655
    Ebay:
    I mean he’s cool but not THAT cool. If you follow me.
     
  19. mx-01 archon

    mx-01 archon Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Jan 26, 2003
    Posts:
    35,352
    News Credits:
    1
    Trophy Points:
    412
    Likes:
    +44,644
    Expensive towel rack.

    HOV lane ticket.

    Puppet for a quirky ventriloquist comedy act.


    Just spitballing here :p .
     
    • Like Like x 1
  20. daimchoc

    daimchoc Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Jun 16, 2009
    Posts:
    44,354
    News Credits:
    516
    Trophy Points:
    417
    Location:
    NC, US
    Likes:
    +70,059
    Facebook:
    Twitter:
    YouTube (Legacy):
    If you're not happy with your purchase, might as well get it onto someone who's looking to have it. And if you eventually opt to sell it, you can use that money for something that you're more passionate about.
     
    • Like Like x 1
Thread Status:
Not open for further replies.