"Post hoc ergo propter hoc."

 

I want to add to this, from my own experience as so.eone who does own a few 3P figures and Hasbro figures as well.

I love my 3P figures, but I enjou just picking up a CW or UW figure and just fiddling with it. I'm not one to actually play with my figures (my wife would argue otherwise) but transforming them back and forth seems more satisfying and dare I say, safer, then some 3P products.

That being said, 3P isn't bad, but most of the Hasbro stuff I have is just plain fun.

 

I bought Apollyon because of Takara's refusal to make an official Megatron.

 

I used to collect 3rd party, but I ended up selling them all.
The price is a factor why I choose not to continue plus the rate of release. I got burned out after collection for Classics and then Masterpiece. Some of these have odd design choices that in my opion don't fit in with the offical line. Also these are just stand ins for me once an offical release is announce i end up selling the third party.

 

Megatron (G1)/toys - Transformers Wiki

 

I don't give a shit about the IP theft aspect, but the high prices of the figures and the iffy quality control on lots of stuff tends to turn me off.

 

Dang, you sure showed him!

 

3P is simply too expensive and I don't see an excuse for the high prices. A lot of those upgrade kits for combiners (like add-on chests or heads) are more expensive than the voyager that makes up the torso, despite being large chunks of plastic with less engineering.

Seriously, lower the prices!

 

I do see a lot of official Walther P38 Megatrons released lately... oh wait.

 

Intellectual theft is the biggest reason for me. But even if that didnt bother me, the fact that none of these figures come with faction symbols is also a deal breaker (and no, i dont want to buy stickers to put on them).

 

Ah, I always wanted to start this topic but I knew I would get badly shot down.

For me, the answer is I collect Transformers, and they are simply not official Transformers. What is a Transformers? It has to be produced by Hasbro under the Transformers brand, or given permission by Hasbro to produce under the Transformers brand, or perhaps in the distance future another company who bought the Transformers brand from Hasbro. In the strictest sense, I do not even consider the Diaclone or Microman toys that the Generation 1 Transformers used the moulds from Transformers as they lack the branding.

At this point, most of fandom is probably frowning at me, but it is what it is. There are fans who argued that they are not slaves to the branding, and it is more about a good toy representation of the characters that they love. But for me, I cannot love the toy if it is not from an official source. At least for me it has nothing to do with IP theft or money.

 

I really have to laugh at the idea of a fan defending Hasbro against "IP theft". If Hasbro had a legal problem with any figure, don't you think their partner, BBTS, who caries Hasbro Transformers exclusives, would be asked to not carry these toys? So if Hasbro doesn't think it's IP theft, it's NOT IP theft. They are clearly inspired by Transformers, but not theft

 

1) what Hasbro thinks on the matter doesnt influence my opinion
2) no one here is trying to convince you of anything. A question was asked to those of us who do not support 3p figures and we're answering said question
3) this is exactly the sort of nonsense that can and will derail a thread unnecessarily (intentionally or otherwise)

 

i mean, i get that people have a moral issue with ip theft, but why aren't you refusing to buy hasbro because of their asian factories with people assembling things for damn near pennies?

 

because if everyone did that, no one would buy anything. Sadly, outsourcing is common practice

 

3P is "IP theft".

Here's an exercise. Fill in the blanks for the following sentence:

I can BLANK a better BLANK then BLANK. So its okay if I do that and sell it.

Okay, let's start with Transformers.

I can DESIGN a better G1 MP TRANSFORMER then TAKARA. So its okay if I do that and sell it.

Okay, let's move on to other stuff.

I can DRAW a better BATMAN COMIC BOOK then DC. So its okay if I do that and sell it.

I can CREATE a better LEGEND OF ZELDA GAME then NINTENDO. So its okay if I do that and sell it.

I can WRITE a better HARRY POTTER BOOK then JK ROWLING. So its okay if I do that and sell it.

I can PRODUCE a better STAR TREK SHOW then PARAMOUNT. So its okay if I do that and sell it.

Etc, etc, etc...

I won't argue that 3P is wrong/right or good/bad in what they do. But, it is IP theft. They are taking Hasbro and Takara designs without permission (aka getting a license).

A lot of us turn a blind eye to it but it is what it is. I own some 3P product. I don't blindly buy HasTak stuff. I buy stuff according to my needs/desires/wants. But I won't just pretend its not IP theft. People get upset when you call it IP theft but it is. (shrugs shoulders).

 

I just want to point out that (most) 3rd party toys ARE IP theft. People buying the toys can decide if they think its a big deal or not, but they can't redefine the term. You can have an opinion about whether its important, but it most certainly is IP theft.

 

I got MMC Spartan (fantastic) and so emboldened got some IF stuff (underwhelmed except Evil Lord) DX9 Mightron (the small one- pretty good but probs with paint), Infinitor (again okay) then the real clincher- MegaSteel Tronus. A bit of metal broke off during transformation. I wasn't applying too much pressure. Got mad as these things cost. Reached out to eBay seller. eBay seller demanded loads of photos. Allegedly took them to MegaSteel. Then...nothing.

Never again will I buy third party.