Honestly can't believe this sold out.

 

Still up!

go!

Transformers Optimus Prime Auto-Converting Programmable Robot - Collec – Hasbro Pulse

 

Crap! It showed it as in stock but not anymore. Cancellation maybe?

 

I don't know, but I am happy that this toy was very well received, it opens many possibilities for transforming toys, we transformers fans have a brighter future ahead of us, that's for sure.

 

Luckily I don't think robots will be taking over the Transformers toy world anytime soon and it probably won't be the only option even when/if it does. Just like today we have multiple lines and quality from Masterpiece down to Rescue Bots, you'll probably always have dollar store equivalent Transformers you can buy to get your fix.

 

Sold out already. They don't want my money. They'd rather scalpers get it. Not a great business decision.

 

Even Emgo couldn't get a preorder in time.

 

Honestly, I am not shocked to see the ultimate normie TF collectible sellout. If I hadn't just bought a household's worth of new phones, tablets and laptops in the past few weeks, I'd've been more inclined to look into this.

I'd bet that within five years we'll see this tech for much less $$. The mold design will improve and it'll cost half this much or less. I'll jump on then.

 

This.

Also, I don't think the traditional transformers will go away anytime soon. Even when there are more self-transforming robots such as this, I doubt the market for the original kind will stop or even decrease much. Even when the price decreases for this stuff it will still be far more expensive than the other stuff*, and the fact each kind entertains us in different ways means there will likely be a market for both.

*Possible rare collectibles aside.

 

I just checked the links... and they sold.

So annoying for those who legitimately wanted one for themselves.

On the plus side, from Hasbro/Robosen's POV, a sales a sale, so there should be a market for future sales. But so irritating the scalpers were rewarded.

 

I hope there is Google home & ITTT integration when it comes out

 

you're a winner either way!

 

Yeah, that's the unfortunate side, whether it'll be Transformers, Macross, Sneakers (Jordans), and most of what's perceive as "collectibles/rare/limited". As you probably are aware that has been a trend for quite some time. Any industry have a hard time defining who can buy it or not. Maybe limiting to one or two, and other verifications but there are bots made that does the check out for them especially in the sneaker world. To be quite frank, Transformers hobby/collecting while getting more expensive haven't really sold out upon releases as it use to from my perspective.

To go back to topic, this is neat. If you don't have the extra dollar or have any inkling/doubts, keep it simple, don't get it. Don't rationalize it, don't have FOMO, just move on to the next. Invest in your future or in quality stocks in the equity markets. It's a much better monetary return over time. I don't recall what I was thinking back then when I bought MP1, Brave Maximus, the Yamato Macross toys. I was still getting my feat wet in my career and even then I was probably thinking damn it's expensive. IMO, it will get more expensive in the coming years with inflation (at least in the US), IMO. Save, work, fail, make more money, and then enjoy this as a hobby, just my two cents.

 

The speed this product goes out of stock is just astonishing. I don't remember this being a limited run or anything like that. Yet Scalpers are all over the fence for this, simply because it's expensive. Btw, last time I checked taobao, there are 4 whole pages of online stores accepting preorders from customers. The full price is listed as 5199 CNY, which converts to roughly 790 USD (no tax included, we don't have taxes on taobao back in China). Not exactly a bargain, but not too far from the 699 USD priced by hasbro, which does NOT include tax.

 

Wow, I didn't think this one would sell out that fast but it's a sign that there's a viable market for this. Good thing I got a preorder in on Friday. I've been in the MP game for a while now but watching the videos reminds me of seeing Binaltech Smokescreen and MP1 for the first time. Like MP1's release nearly 20 years ago, this makes you think of new possibilities for the hobby--it could be a one off novelty release or the start of a new line with standard features&characteristics that eventually trickles down into other lines.

With this 1st generation robot, it's not about attempting high levels of visual fidelity as it is about introducing the new experiences. So to me, it's not competing with MPs as they have different use cases and play patterns. But we can see that this kind of toy can already provide a unique viewing experience that a toy in our hands or on a shelf can't duplicate.

I'm glad Hasbro didn't eliminate Robosen's programming & customization features of the robot as it can act as a substitute for the challenge&reward you get from the mechanical solve of the toy. It adds some depth to the toy if you want it but it's not necessary for those that just want it to automatically transform.

 

One thing to keep in mind is that this is the ultimate "even soccer moms and grandparents will be impressed" transformer. I don't know how long the novelty will last with that audience, but for the moment they'll be hooked, so a bigger pool of people is vying for this compared to other high end TFs.

 

Are these sold out for good now?

 

I grabbed one, do I think it’s very cool? Do I think it’s real expensive? Yes lol. I’m also considering maybe I could trade it down the line for a Haslab Unicron

 

i’m glad that this is finally starting to be mainstream, but like others mentioned, i worry about the long term app support, as that’s something that’s needed to keep the programmatic side of things going for him.

also, i remember over a decade ago when the sony aibo dogs came to market. it was state of the art back then, but look at it now - technology improves at such a rapid pace that i can’t help but feel like this will feel like a rough v1 over time.

excited for those who are getting him though!