then Animated is doing a fantastic job! I seriously can't wait until these toys come out. And just for the record, I really only buy Transformer toys of the characters on the show, and that's IF I'm really into the show. I haven't felt this way since R.I.D. was airing. Oh sure I picked up a lot of Armada figures and a few Energon figures but it kind of felt like I was "forcing" my self to like them and buy them. (With a few exceptions, most of the Decepticons from those shows were pretty cool, I loved Cyclonus and Demolishor )
I hear you man. I'm looking forward to when Animated finally hits the shelves. I think I'm more excited about the Animated line than I was towards the movie line. Bring on the plastic crack!
I'll buy a few. Buying toilet seats with Megatron on it is a no-go. That's where I draw the line on product placement.
There's some pre-orders left on HasbroToyShop at least. You can even save %10 with free shipping with the SPRCAT8 coupon code. May not get 'em any earlier, but at least you can save a few bucks.
Yeah, this is the first show-supported line where I want to buy the toys instead of feeling that I have to without wanting to. Movie did a good job, but I only got through the actual cast before I said: "Well, I'm done".
For the first time since Beast Wars I want the toys because of the CHARACTER and not because the toy is good. However, I'm lucky that all toys are pretty good so no matter who I choose I'll end up winning.
So true. So true indeed. Whereas with Cybertron, I almost passed on Sideways because I saw his character... and found myself wondering why he was so stupid. If you have 3 flesh creatures running around in a ship... you seal off part of it. THEN you vent the atmosphere from that room.
There's a couple I feel I have to buy (ie - soundwave). There are a few more that I'll get because I like their designs (ie - Grimlock). I really can't see myself hunting down every release though. Want to save my TF money for Classics 2.0
If the object of a cartoon is supposed to sell toys, then shouldn't they sell the toys? Why the June release date? Seriously! I'm impatient!
Hmm.. didn't it have to do with the fact that when the '07 movie was released the toys were impossible to find for a while? I prefer it this way, that way, if I want to go to Toys R Us on my day off and get Bulkhead and Bumblebee I won't have to worry about driving 40 minutes only to find that they don't have either of them. At least, I'm HOPING that's what it's gonna be like
Blame the movie and Hasbro trying to milk those figures for all they could. I still can't get why they put out so many figures that weren't even in the movie besides the obvious reason to make $$.
Hasbro Blows on this one, I think they should have somehow found a way to appease all parties, sell the TFmovie repaints, with animated right next to them. Because by the time the toys come out, I'll have seen enough pictures to be bored with them. I don't understand the marketing insanity thats going on right now. Lets see start the cartoon, but have the toys come out 6 months later. Sounds ******ed to me. Lose sells on Ebay to warehouse theives. This really sucks. Well I hope the collectors normally waiting at the docks are satisfied, I'll enjoy not having to go from store to store to find the interesting one's.
Retailers more than Hasbro in this case. As I've heard it, Hasbro was gearing up to release the first Animated toys around Jan/Feb, but most of the stores wanted to keep the movie line rolling, since it was making buttloads of money, and Animated was an unknown quantity at the time. Therefore Hasbro spread the "Allspark Power" stuff out a little more and added more repaints, pushing the introduction of Animated back to June. Sure, Hasbro's milking it for what money it can, but it's wasn't exactly their idea to push Animated back (though I kinda wish that if there are stores that want to carry Animated ahead of time, they should go ahead and ship 'em to whomever wants 'em - assuming all the stock hasn't waltzed out the factory backdoor and onto Ebay, that is. )
whay are there SOOOO many on Ebay in boxes, it makes no sense. Hasbro you're losing sells to scalpers badly!
I plan to (sorta) complete the line. Obviously in cases like Bulkhead I'm gonna skip the voyager and go for the much more suitably sized Leader Class figure. Not sure what I'm doing for Prime (may skip the deluxe and just get the earth voyager), but Megs I am definitely picking up both the cybertronian voyager and earth leader.
I'll answer this. Transformers the Movie toys are probably the best selling Transformers of all time. So, without blinking an eye, Hasbro's marketing department decided the line needed to be extended an extra 6 months to continue to bank in on the movie's popularity and success. You figure 6 months of toys after the movie hits, and 6 months after the DVD hits shelves, rekindling interest. And it's working. At my store, kids still come in and browse through the Transformers everyday, and it's one of our best-selling toylines, next to Disney's Pixar CARS by Mattel (BOOOOO!). Though don't kid yourselves ... Hasbro is wanting to cash in on Animated's success ASAP at this point. The ratings on Cartoon Network have been great which will usually translate in to a successful toy launch. Keep in mind, whereas every Transformers series prior, and I mean EVERY, the toys hit the shelves before the respected show. Now they're trying the backwards approach (unintentionally), and it may create a high demand for the Animated toys. From a marketing standpoint, it's a great idea. Launch successful toylines in June so you have name-recognition, brand-recognition, and hopefully eager and happy kids at Christmas time who request all the new Transformers, creating another Christmas where a Transformer tops the charts for "Most wanted toy" (Bumblebee over the Nintendo Wii). Be patient. It'll be worth the wait, and we'll have more Animated toys than we can eat up. My wallet is ready.
Couldn't been helped. They wanted to milk the movie for what it was worth. But at least they (Animated) are available for Pre Order through HasbroToyShop.Com for the moment.