Will Hasbro stick with the "pay more for less figure" from now on?

[joshimus]

Before Botcon, I was reflecting on one of my personal favorite TF toys, Human Alliance Jazz. To me he's such a perfect figure. Amazing vehicle mode, fun transformation and fully articulated and to top it off, a visor gimmick that doesn't interfere with the figure at all. Then I look at the current TF toys out there, like Ultimate Prime. Prime
s engineering is lazy, glowing eyes and chest gimmick suck, a boring wheel-o-death gun and to top it off, giant gaps in his vehicle mode and if you take off the giant wheel weapon, exposed arms. For the size and price, it is pretty bland engineering. Even with HA Jazz being much smaller he has more going on.
Then I look at toys from Mattel with TDKR and MOS, lacking articulation and the giant ass figures of both Batman and Superman as well as Power Rangers and now Hasbro has released Prime and BB. Giant figures with no articulation and lackluster detail. Even the new TMNT cartoon figures, aside from the 4 turtles, the rest of the characters are low articulated figures. At least they got the ML style 80's versions right. (on that note, where is Bebop and Rocksteady already?) Even the BH Predacons simply just, stand up. Most of the toys we see now are going backwards in design and for TF's, they seem to be losing that fun transformation for simplicity. That's what legends are for, which I love too but prefer the less articulation and detail to stick with the legends figures.

I know it sounds like plain old bitching and yes it is pointless, but it seems like such a shame that engineering to save costs has taken the figures back to basics. I'd rather pay more for well engineered figures than pay more for simplicity and smaller scale. To be fair, I can't say all new tf toys are like this. Prid Vehicon, while simplistic in transformation is engineered in such a nifty way that the simplicity of his transformation is actually fun, and the figure itself is fun. Then you have things like Prid Arachnid and can't help but think "WTF were they doing?".
Now, every line has their strong figures and their duds, but it does feel like a re-occuring theme to make things easier and use less plastic to do it. I just can't help but look at many of the ROF figures and think how we paid slightly less for better figures...so to speak. ROF felt like they made a few improvements. Bee was upgraded with a better transformation and articulation and Leader Prime, while difficult to transform, the end results are fantastic...then DOTM shat on it. Pay more for less filler.
If this is where things are going, all we can do is just rant here. At the end of the day, it's just toys. Hasbro is also doing something reasonably special for the 30th anniversary so credit to where credit is due. I'll just have to enjoy the great figures that will still come out and the great figures I still have today, even if it means I buy less toys from now on.

End rant.

[Sun Swipe Prime]

I think Hasbro is targeting their markets. What I mean by that is more simple toys for the children and complex for the collectors.
The Prime toys are getting most of the kiddie treatment, but look a Generations Springer and Blitzwing. And look at the Masterpiece line, which is dropping figures faster than ever. Those are obviously geared toward the collectors market so a little more effort into it.

[Rodimus Prime1]

Remeber there toys gear towards kids for companies to make money.

If they keep generationsand masterpieces for us I'm ok with that.

[down_shift]

Originally Posted by Rodimus Prime1

Remeber there toys gear towards kids for companies to make money.

If they keep generationsand masterpieces for us I'm ok with that.

As are most of us. Comparing HA Jazz to Anything from the Beast Hunters line wildly unfair. Jazz will take the win every time. Now FE Bulkhead may give it a run for the money.

With Hasbros new budget they will put less into the BH Line (as it's coming to an end anyway) and put more into other departments.

Now I know a lot of us are hoping this goes into Generations but it won't. It will go into finishing the movie line. Remember, Hasbro is about two years ahead them most people want to believe. They've already got Generations mostly wrapped up. There might be a few more characters we are unaware of, but that doesn't mean they aren't already in a prototype stage. So by saving cost (hand over fist be the look of the 2014 BH line, the only really new mold being Voyager Predaking) the money can go to places that we may not even be grateful for until we're balls deep in the movie line.

[justprime]

As long as they relise that there is a demand to supply I refer to the MP10 miss handling ... as for the major lines well we will see what the year end figures are in regards to sales collectors being truned off will hold on to there funds more or find a different venue to spend it in....perhaps thats why third party is making such an impace

[Echotransformer]

If "making detailed, quality toys more like 3rd parties" was a tactic for Hasbro, they certainly are choosing the opposite approach with those silly deluxes they announced.

Takara, on the other hand seems to want to challenge 3rd parties more head on with their overall tactics by jumping on the MP line with a vengance and giving us AMAZING stuff.

At least Hasbro is doing good things (IMHO) with the other lines like Generations and providing us MPs, etc. Overall I'm still happy camper, but I'm easily amused.

[Nullray]

Originally Posted by justprime

As long as they relise that there is a demand to supply I refer to the MP10 miss handling ... as for the major lines well we will see what the year end figures are in regards to sales collectors being truned off will hold on to there funds more or find a different venue to spend it in....perhaps thats why third party is making such an impace

I honestly don't think the MP10 was miss handled at all. Takara normally makes MPs in small quantities for the niche market and to release it to the NA market on a downgraded level would only lead to a limited edition quantity. I think it was strategic. I expect the same with the Acid Storm and Soundwave MPs that are coming up soon. 10 000 units I heard was MP10 Hasbro edition. So can we expect the same for the next Hasbro wave? Probably.
Also, the lack of diecast gets me but the fact they aren't using rubber tires. That sets me back. Alternators where $30 on average when available at regular retail and they have rubber tires. I hope they don't continue with this trend because I am an avid MP collector and those small details set things apart.

[UltraMarknus]

I don't even look at Hasbro's deluxes anymore...actually...I don't think I'll consider voyagers anymore...actually...I may not consider anything Hasbro unless they release an MP11 Skywarp. I don't feel a value in their product anymore. I am perfectly content collecting only MPs and the occasional 3rd party figure. I feel they are the figures that offer something special for my money.

[Nullray]

Originally Posted by UltraMarknus

I don't even look at Hasbro's deluxes anymore...actually...I don't think I'll consider voyagers anymore...actually...I may not consider anything Hasbro unless they release an MP11 Skywarp. I don't feel a value in their product anymore. I am perfectly content collecting only MPs and the occasional 3rd party figure. I feel they are the figures that offer something special for my money.

Very well put. I have been feeling the same way recently. I hope the IDW figures surprise me. I just know we are in for a wave of Bayverse items, and that is just.... well you know.

[ConvoyGTR]

The generations Rhinox and company look fantastic. I rather have that stuff stay at its high bar of engineering and design, and have these upcoming BH figures come out crappy then for everything to come out crappy. Beast Hunters is ending soon and everyone is already looking ahead to the next show. Unless you are a completist, move on and look forward to whatever the next show is going to be. And unless you are 100% TF collecting, there are other stuff to collect as well.