Hasbro answers your Transformers Questions
 

Thanks to Hasbro for taking part in the first ever online Transformers Q&A with Cybertron.ca. Check back later this year for the next installment where they will answer more of your questions.

1. Why did Hasbro choose to drop the Ultra size Class for the Movie and Animated lines?

HASBRO: Ultra and Voyager scales are so close in size that we decided to focus on driving only 1 of the two - it is more efficinet for retailers that way too. When we initially set up the new UNIVERSE line we thought that was a good place to bring back Ultra to be at a different price point vs. ANIMATED and MOVIE. However, people liked the UNIVERSE line so much that we went back and added a Voyager scale (that's why all the new tools are Ultra in 2008 and all re-decos are Voyager in 2008.

2. Why has gold/silver faction symbols been used for the Animated line instead of the traditional red and purple as featured on the TV show?

HASBRO: We did it for a couple of reasons, but the biggest one is that you don't see the faction symbols on the vehicle modes in the show. We always like to have them on the toys, so we thought that by making them 1-color metallic it would blend in more that red/purple, and feel more like a metallic part of the vehicle.

3. Will Canadian retail be seeing the release of the Premium Movie Voyagers, the Universe Legend 5-packs, the Legacy of Bumblebee 3-pack or the Animated Leader class value packs?

HASBRO: Canadian fans can look forward to seeing the Premium movie voyagers on shelf this fall as well as the Universe Legends 5 packs (Zellers exclusive) and the Bumblebee 3 pack (Walmart exclusive).

4. Hasbro recently announced that toy prices will be rising effective September 1st. Will an increase also happen in Canada? And if so how much will it effect the retail price of Transformers, Star Wars, GIJoe, Marvel Legends etc?

HASBRO: All prices are ultimately set by individual retailers. However, costs associated with producing toys - including plastic costs, shipping costs, and labor costs - have all risen recently and the higher prices you might see on shelves can be attributed to this.

5. Will the trend of creating toys out of all the Transformers characters featured in Transformers Animated continue with Animated Season 3?

HASBRO: We will try to make toys of as many of the Transformers: ANIMATED characters as possible. Not all will become toys but many will.

Re: Hasbro answers your Transformers Questions
 

First off... Thanks to the folks at Hasbro for taking the time to do this. It shows us fans that are opinions and questions are at least worth their time.

Now, is there going to be a second part to this? Or did they just pick out 5 questions of the hundreds we submitted and just answered those and discarded the rest...

Don't get me wrong, I'm happy that they took the time to answer, but with all the effort that everyone put forth asking pertinent questions... I'm a little underwhelmed.

Re: Hasbro answers your Transformers Questions
 

as am i. i figured they'd spend more than 5-10 minutes on this.

Re: Hasbro answers your Transformers Questions
 

But with most of the toys the faction symbols are hidden in vehicle mode anyway. Though this is a cool answer and it's nice that tehy finally gave an explanation.

Re: Hasbro answers your Transformers Questions
 

We submitted the top 5 questions. Questions about will toy XYZ be released in line ABC will not be answered so were not considered.

Re: Hasbro answers your Transformers Questions
 

Very cool.

Will Cybertron.ca be hosting one of these again?

Re: Hasbro answers your Transformers Questions
 

Re: Question #4, all I have to say is that prices better not increase in Canada. Being where they are is already over the top (sans the occasional lowered price like Animated leaders for $50 @ Wal-Mart) and I haven't a good reason for our prices in a long time.

Whether from the retailer or elsewise, any increase to Cdn prices would just seem like an opportunistic cash grab, with 'raising oil, plastics prices' as an excuse.

Re: Hasbro answers your Transformers Questions
 

Yes, please review the first paragraph. Thanks.

Re: Hasbro answers your Transformers Questions
 

I'm glad they answered those questions. I look forward to the next round.

Re: Hasbro answers your Transformers Questions
 

Oh and it is nice to see the general trend of store exclusives being released in Canada. If the hype builds back up again with next year's TFTM2, hopefully we'll keep getting almost all of them for a while!

Re: Hasbro answers your Transformers Questions
 

Ditto!

Re: Hasbro answers your Transformers Questions
 

nice, hopefully their answer that not all characters from animated are getting toys doesn't mean we're not getting omega supreme

Re: Hasbro answers your Transformers Questions
 

SMegs, thank you so much for your continued work towards our TF community. Also, I'm always appreciative for the interactivity from Hasbro with the TF community. :thumb

Re: Hasbro answers your Transformers Questions
 

Uh, kay. Thanks for your time and everything, but could they be more... concise? Direct? How much does it take to say "Ultra and voyager don't retail well together." Seems like they just pump their answers full of buzzwords to confuse us.

Re: Hasbro answers your Transformers Questions
 

Hmmmm I am still concerned with the price jump in more details........ considering how much TFs (specially leaderclass and supreme) are to begin with on Canadian soil......

Re: Hasbro answers your Transformers Questions
 

I myself am concerned with this "rise in prices". They keep saying that they do not set the prices, but they still have to send a MSRP. That is a Manufacturers Suggested (read: Hasbro) Retail Price. This means that they have some kind of say. Considering that someone has been getting more or less an extra 5 bucks for every deluxe, an extra 10 for voyagers and 20-30 for every Leader or Supreme... I think that the stores or manufacturer oe whomever can give us some slack here.

So, no price rising. Okay. Let's keep it as is to keep our economy going.

(Note: My bookstore has lowered their prices and most of their books, based on both MSRP and their own wise decisions.)

Re: Hasbro answers your Transformers Questions
 

Thanks Hasbro :)

Yay one of my questions was picked (faction symbols) !!!! :):):):)

Can't wait until the next round !

Re: Hasbro answers your Transformers Questions
 

It's not just TFs that are overpriced in Canada, it's just about everything. Take a look at the difference in prices at the grocery store, vehicles....heck, even gas. We get charged about 30% more than the same stuff in the US. Although our dollar recently strengthened, we're still paying for products based on a ~$0.70+ CAN/USD - even stuff made in Canada that never gets imported from the US.