Well, that's really an apples and oranges thing. Nintendo isn't going after Souljaboy for making an original game about platforming plumbers that are totally not called Mario and Luigi, they're going after him for selling game consoles that have the ROM files for the actual Super Mario Bros games.

Do they really, though?

I mean, they're not copying the engineering and design of new toys. The toys themselves are original designs, they just happen to be based on Transformers characters. And while corporations have pushed for longer and longer copyrights, I might point out that at one point copyright lasted for 14 years, with the possibility of one 14 year extension. Under the original law G1 Transformers would have been public domain by now, but Hasbro will continue to milk the franchise indefinitely. Unless you mean the original creators? Somehow I doubt guys like Bob Budiansky are still cashing big Transformers checks, 3P or not.

And who is really being hurt? Hasbro? Well, the most recent financial info I could find did have their revenue down a bit in 2018, but much of that downturn was expected due to Toys R' Us closing. And even with the downturn they still had $1.57 billion in revenue just in their third quarter. Besides, aside from a handful of TRU exclusives (which they don't have anymore without TRU), Hasbro hasn't shown much interest in bringing over MP Transformers. The other big market for 3P are the Legends-scale toys, and there aren't any Legends-class in either Siege or Studio Series, so it's hard to argue that they're even in direct competition. A huge part of the reason why Hasbro isn't siccing the FBI on little Chinese 3Ps at TFCon is because litigating any of that would likely cost them far more than the the IP theft, especially when those 3P companies just close up shot and disappear without Hasbro actually recovering any damages.

Takara? It's true that Takara hasn't been in the best financial shape, but they're hurting far more to declining toy sales in Japan in general, and the lost of the way-more-valuable-than-Transformers Pokemon license. Fact is, even with competition from 3P Takara has consistently sold out of multiple runs of pretty much every MP figure they've released. I will go so far as to guarantee that MP-44 will sell out of at least its first run, despite competition from two very good 3P Optimus Primes, despite everyone and their mother already owning a copy of MP-10, and despite the ludicrous $440 price tag.

Bottom line, 3P is a thing, people enjoy it, and if Hasbro were inclined to do anything about it they would have by now. No one is asking you to partake if you feel that strongly about it, but getting all worked up on behalf of a megacorporation isn't doing you any good. Coming to this section of the boards to rant about it isn't going to change anyone's mind or win you any friends. If 3P isn't for you, just stay out of the 3P section of the boards and let sleeping dogs lie.

 

AND if im to bet money on a convention brawl between the feds vs. G1 purists, bayverse fans, and comic fans? my money on the fans. have you seen bobby skullfaces hands? you on the wrong side OP. watch ya mouth.

 

This kind of topic was always a rant and was never going to engender any productive discussion. Instead of dumping the anti-3P screed into the 3P board maybe deleting it outright would have been better.

 

I’m stealing this line to insert in future conversation. I’m dying.

 

I want to send a ko to BSF in a box with a note saying “yeah, I’m ok”

 

Next they shall march upon the stores and arrest everyone there for selling hasbro products, and then, We shall take back Jerusal- wait a minute....

 

I don't care if I take a verbal berating for it, but I agree with the OP. I think any reasonable, thinking person(s) running an enterprise with a few hot commodities would be absolutely irate for unlicensed outside parties constantly taking their character designs of any of these commodities, putting a terribly shoddy name on it and sell it to the public as their own. It's clear to see what's going on and at the very least it is I.P. infringement, a serious crime. It has multiplied considerably just in relation to Transformers for over a decade and unsurprisingly this sort of non stop illegal activity has been met in court and in Hasbro's favor (as reported over a month ago).

I've warned this sort of action would someday come to those who want to gamble with International law in regards to Intellectual Property and other related aspects. For instance WWE has been legally backed when they sent out raids on those selling counterfeit shirts and other merchandise within proximity of their live events. No business entity that's being run well is going to sit and allow people to constantly nickel and dime them out of revenue because a lazy minded slew of fans think it's okay. When it's your job to operate or participate in the operation of a globally recognized company, it's a huge deal because there's a lot of people trying to tend to their livelihoods. If the company can't perform as well, it will downsize accordingly to diminished profits forcing people out of work taking food off the table for affected families. Bootlegging of any nature or any name you choose to categorize it is illegal and immoral no matter how some want to justify it.

 

I'm so glad I missed this thread today. Seven pages? Amazing how much activity can be created by a childish trollpost emanating a corporatist wetdream. I'm sure you guys have this covered so I'm going to go right back to missing it as I click away without reading a single reply to his madness.  

 

I love these type of threads! They give you a good reason to have a good laugh!

 

I have a habit of going to online forums and telling all the people that the stuff they enjoy is totally illegal too. It’s an excellent habit for making friends and influencing people.

 

true.............










but we all need a good laugh now and then. Some of the comments are hilarious like my man bellpeppers

 

 

I'm sure arresting the retailers of their own products would help Hasbro immensely  

And Hasbro have gone into a con before and asked a retailer to stop selling stuff, but it was just the FT Grimlock head. They could have gone after EVERYTHING, but didn't.

I guess if Hasbro did eradicate 3P, they could charge $200 per carbot and we'd all have no reason to say it's too expensive  

 

3p and kos are the only reason why i still buy official hasbro stuff. And I'm pretty sure a lot of people share the same opinion.

 

But third party ISN'T counterfeit. I hate third party figures, as I've said many a times, but this line of thinking is asinine.

Again, third party is basically fan art. Are you going to go to an artist, who's selling their work, and telling them "no you can't sell this because it's not your IP"? If they were copying EXACT molds like Weijang, then it'd be a different story.

Nnnno, it's not. They don't say "I own this character" they say "I own this ARTWORK of thsi character".

 

Did you draw your own avatar?

 

I hope the Feds make this a top priority. Off to China boys lol.

 

Well this has been fun! Haha

 

If Disney can go after bakers that make a little mermaid cake, Hasbro has a good chance going after 3rd party.

 

I have no objection to people not wanting to buy non-Transformers transformers (so to speak) even if I relish them. No one is forcing anyone to buy things they don't want to buy.

I just find the small stuff rather useful - like replacement hands, swords and guns etc... that just finish the look of a toy off.
Then there is price points all they way up to hundreds for those that want them.

If you are a fan of the videogames, or comic specific designs sometimes 3rd party is your only option and the KO are useful when they are a different size to the originals - like the Wei Jiang Headmasters or Ares Nitrogen (Nitro Zeus).

If something like M0-01 Commander wasn't based on Optimus Prime but was just nice truck robot it would still be a nice piece i'd be considering.
Besides something like Steel Core isn't really IP infringing at all and people still bought that.

 

7 pages of useless info..back to more 3rd party n ko toys viewing