I would had prefered a playset instead of a bot mode, but I'm only really interested in this in the off chance that some company makes a diorama upgrade for it that looks like a mountain so you can put it in making it look like the autobot's base entrance in the cartoon.

A playset mode would probably only work with legends figures anyway.

 

As this is a transformers item, I wouldn’t want this to be a play-set instead of a robot. If the choice is one or the other then I’d stick with what we have.

One that could do both though? That would have been preferable, even if it were just a single room bridge/command room set. Not to suggest the Ark has just one room/cabin in the various continuities. Conceptually opening the ship would be the equivalent of zooming into one location, a location preferably scaled with the core figures. The ship and robot themselves would be scaled far larger.

I actually have a Red Dwarf Starbug playset that kinda does that. The first two sections open into a cockpit and living quarters, where the roof/ceiling becomes the side wall, with bunks and stuff fitted. Now if you took that literally then the cabins would be slightly bigger than the ship, but of course in that sense it’s not meant to be 1:1.

Pictures below. Obviously this is a simple example. And apologies, the picture could be better. I should have used my phones camera which seems better,but I typed this on my tablet.



With the Ark, being a much larger vessel homing in to one or two core class proportioned spaces, you would be zooming in much more, but it’s the same idea.

There of course is no indication the Ark will do something like that (I doubt it will), but maybe they’re saving that information for a later reveal.

Anyway, I’m looking forward to tomorrow’s Hasbro-pulse event. Hopefully we’ll get more information on all this stuff then.

 

I'm actually really surprised it didn't. I expected it to have some panels (in what would be the toros or arms) that were removable to be a simple Millenium Falcon-style playset. I expected the existence of the Core Class to be entirely about interaction with that (out of scale of course, but its for kids so whatever). I wonder if it got dropped or something. THe lack of it DOES make Core class a whole lot interesting to me. I'll complete them because I came this far, but I'm real surprised it didn't have a rudimentary vehicle-style playset function.

the Ark is still great though. But that said, of course we're all gonna keep it in starship mode lol.

 

I'm not too bummed about it not opening up like a playset, I probably wouldn't have bought it if that's what it did. I get why people wanted it to do that, but I just don't have the space to display it like that. Plus, we don't know all the features yet, it could have a cockpit to store a Core figure or two. And I think it was smart to include Teletraan-1 for people who wanted more of a playset.

 

Are there any Autobots in the Core Class beyond Optimus? On the other side of it I know we've got Megs, Starscream (and probably some inevitable repaints), and I think Soundwave is rumored, right? Not sure we'll see the Ark having too much playset functionality with that size class if it just means Optimus fending off an army by his lonesome.

 

There's an army of Classic/Universe/Generations Legion/Legends class figures that would work just fine. There's also these available right now off of BBTS.
Transformers Kabaya Gum G1 Set of 4 Model Kits (bigbadtoystore.com)

 

I personally like the Ark as-is, well enough to buy it. I think it has some flaws, however.

I agree. Compromises were made and some of them force the toy to suffer. It's hollow in robot mode, too, because you can still see the parts that are exposed in vehicle mode in robot mode. It's kind of an eyesore and comes across as cheap-looking in some images. I'm hoping the plastic is thicker and denser than it appears. Scorponok it ain't.

I also agree here as well. I'm honestly surprised there's no playset feature on him. (If there is, they haven't showcased it, yet.) Don't get me wrong, sometimes simple is best for a figure, and I like simple figures sometimes, but this is a Titan and they all do something more substantial than this one. (I know I sound like I hate it, I don't. I'm buying it.) I don't understand why Teletran even transforms, let alone exists, if you don't get a playset out of this deal. It's odd to rip the Ark's chest out and form a robot from it. What's he/it supposed to do? Walk around with a box-shaped hole in its chest because...reasons? And when do you utilize Teletran? In ship mode, you'll have a gaping hole. In robot mode, you'll have a gaping hole. At least with Cerebros and Lord Zarak they both serve a purpose outside of being a command tower (Max) and whatever Zarak turns into when he's not a robot and not a head... but still.

Exactly. I'll buy it because I've always wanted the Ark, and I think Teletran is an awesome figure (I love his transformation), and I like to support the line. (Plus, we've seen what happens when you don't jump right on Titans these days...) I'm just not as impressed as I thought I'd be and I'm not sure why they cut out any playset feature that could've been.

 

But playsets usually don't hit mainline shelves without corresponding figures to put inside it on sale at the same time. It's one thing to be an adult collector with a backlog of official small scaled toys and third party options, but that's not the business model. Hasbro's lack of Core Class Autobots suggests to me we're not going to see very much or any playset functionality from the Ark. Maybe Core Prime can sit in the cockpit, but that's all.

 

Oh, I don't expect ANY playset functionality. At all. Anything you have will be to display with it outside of shuttle mode. That's why I won't be ordering one. Well, maybe if it's at ROSS for $40 because I'm a sucker for sales. I bought a used Cyberverse Ark Armor Optimus for $20, of which is functionally no better than the Titan.

 

Sometimes I think people forget that we live in 2021, that the internet can be used for more than just bitching and that literally every figure ever released can be found online for relatively little work.

If you want small figures for your Ark, there's hundreds of them available online. Or are these children complaining because they can't order stuff online?

 

I'm not much of a playset fan. I already have a number of backdrops for pictures, and the Ark's Teletraan will be a nice feature to add, but I don't really see the need to sit my figures in a cockpit, lock them in a prison, ride an elevator, or slide down a pole.

The playset also would not be sized for the mainline figures because they're too large, even Cliffjumper. It would have to be sized for Core/Legends class, which doesn't titillate me.

 

Could be wrong, but I think most people want playsets to fit the toys they have, rather than have to go out and buy toys to fit their playset. I suspect most people who don't already have the toys just pass on the playset as well.

 

Yes, I was I going to buy this for my twins. But I'll probably pass now.

I'll see if more features are revealed though.

 

the post addresses the people whining that there aren’t many Core class figures.

 

i don’t think Transformers has ever had a play set styled figure that works for anything above legends size and even then they’re usually too big.

 

A playset, where the thing would have unfolded into a larger scale Teletran 1/bridge would have sold this. The doofy botmode mode kills it. I'm only yet interested in it for the wait-and-see factor. If what meets the eye is all we're getting, I'm a "pass" and I really wanted to be excited about it.

It's for all the reasons previously mentioned, but more. I don't have a good way to display it in alt mode and that bot mode face is straight-goofy. Those ridiculous, Milhouse eyebrows. That douche nozzle goatee. Even the hand designs are more organic in appearance than any of the other titans. It's just so many odd design choices. The extra Teletran bot is cute, but also looks a mess as a bot, with the large panel hanging off his back. Not that anyone is going to display him as a bot, of course.

I'm at a place where asking me to add another titan to the shelf is inviting a shelf space crisis. If I choose to do it (hello, Black Zarak), then I have to love what I'm getting out it. This thing is just an eyesore and dissatisfies in both modes.

 

It also recommends going out an finding old ones. Whiny bitches or not, some folks don't want to do that.

 

nah...as an option? sure. but its good the way it is. plus, i dont want to buy a 150$ playset tbh. With the teletraan robot, perhaps we will get more of those guys so you guys can build your own playset?

 

There’s Bumblebee also.

 

There are ways to make a Titan Ark scale even with the larger figures. It just wouldn't work for ship mode as it would need to fold out and you'd have to let go of the idea that it would accommodate ceilings and such. Again, I mention the GIJoe Pit as an example.

The walls along the "wings" could work for Teletran in one area and a med bay in the other for Transformers up to leader class. Same with the top section, since it's open air. You have a walkway behind the elevator and cockpits for core class like Rattrap or that Bumblebee and Spike set.

I'm not saying the Ark would be exactly like this. But it's definitely an example of what could have been versus just another giant robot.