Hasbro terminated their relationship with Funpub (the company that operated Botcon) after the 2016 convention. After that a new group picked up the rights to use the name Botcon and partnered with Night Shining LLC to distribute their merchandise, but it is a completely unofficial thing. Their first exclusive is the Wasp Raider from Valaverse's Action Force line, a G.I. Joe Classified "competitor". Night Shining, as far as I'm aware, is operated by Pete Sinclair who runs Pete's RoboCon and used to run Funpub's Botcon.
They can still buy a bunch of Warpaths and customize them? Hasbro can't do anything at that point even if they wanted to because it's protected by the law. Basically, Hasbro wanted their own convention, but that failed horribly, and then covid kicked off. Given the importance of Botcon historically I wouldn't be surprised if it does come back as an official convention without Pete Sinclair's involvement. The dude is apparently really hard to work with and he only owns the Botcon name, so I'm sure he would sell it if given a decent offer, especially since he's vilified by the community at large now.
Nope, but honestly, it's not really needed. Selects fills a lot of the niche type of releases that Botcon gave us for regular retail prices.
I'd say an official fan convention is still something we should have. Whatever Hascon was was not that and I think a lot of people would like a new official convention that is exclusively Transformers based in the future.
Personally, I don't feel like an official fan convention is needed. Between the online events and the accessibility of obtaining most exclusives (exceptions for covid related mishaps like Irohnide/Prowl and stuff like that of course) we are in a golden age in my opinion. The only thing an official convention does is alienate those that can't attend and give those that can attend a sense of superiority that they're better fans (generalizing of course).
Everyone seems to hate the online stuff, and fan conventions in places like the UK are stronger than ever, so idk why Hasbro wouldn't pursue an official convention for at least North America.
Get me the Scorponok upgrade kit in this coloration and I'll consider it. Anyway, I'm curious if this will be a solo release, or part of another 2 pack.
I mean, I'm glad you admitted to generalizing. In-person conventions are fun, official or unofficial. Even as someone who's never gone to one, I would hate to see them go away. You're rather unfairly forcing a negative slant on it when in actuality conventions are people with shared interests coming together to celebrate the fandom they're part of, and official reveals give a sense of occasion. Nobody's alienated at all because all the reveals go up the same day online, often with better quality pics, to say nothing of the fact that there's always someone there taking pics from the crowd. (unless they're exclusive reveals, but in that case we simply don't get them at all) That's like saying theme parks alienate the people who can't go from people who can. Not everybody gets to do everything everyone else can, that's just life, it's not an inherent negative of conventions and the people who do go shouldn't be looked down upon and have their preference taken away. That's just silly and sounds more like sour grapes than the interest of fairness. Clearly.
Fans that can't go get alienated by the fact that they can't typically obtain the exclusives without resorting to aftermarket prices. If people want an unofficial convention that's fine, but an official one isn't needed given the last year or 2 shows that digital events can be just as effective and cost everyone significantly less money.
That's a self-inflicted wound, which makes Botcon as a brand toxic and likely will keep Hasbro from approaching him again. HasCon's issue was it only had one shot before COVID happened. I'm sure given a couple more opportunities they'd have hammered out the kinks. But the reality is stuff like TFCon is really filling the convention niche, while Hasbro has taken to digital media for reveals... which lets them control the timing of news without having to depend on available locations or convention timing. Fans are able to attend events and collectors are able to hear news and obtain exclusives first hand. Literally everybody wins.
Story time, Generation selects basically exist because of the demise of Botcon and the Club. Hasbro has been trying since Titans return to start up their own TF club. But finally they said hey we can make a hell of lot more money selling these niche repaints to “fan channels” globally or as retailer exclusives. As to figures that we’re actually Intended to be mail order “hasbro collector club” exclusives. TR Arcee TR Grostusque POTP Blast Off POTP Repugnus After all those got shuffled, they came up with the idea of Gen selects. Also there stance right now on conventions is basically, They have no current plans to produce exclusives for any conventions besides SDCC/Pulsecon, SW Celebration and Power Morphicon. Edit: that’s the info I’ve been told throughout the years.
I think it's lazy that they're just doing the BW repaints using mutant head sculpts. I think it's ingenious that they're just doing the BW repaints using mutant head sculpts. It actually guarantees every character that had a mutant head/mask can generate a repaint who will use it as their actual 21st century head.
the good thing with that is that i can actually get the good looking figures without having to go to another state to just get some nice looking seeker repaints. EDIT: the only GS figure i have is galvatron II and i didn't even buy it lol
I'm preaching to the choir with this but we endlessly appreciate these nuggets you're able to throw us.
