Hasbro Addresses Transformers Prime First Editions

Hasbro! I love you again.

Wait... That was for FoC Bruticus. This? Well, I'll believe it when I see it.

Like FoC Bruticus.

good to see Hasbro is trying to find away to bring the first edition figures back for those who missed out on them.

HASBRO.
Your listening. More availability? A Combiner? Am I Dreaming? Come on guys, pinch me please!

What would make them not produce these toys for America?

funeralthirst7 wrote:What would make them not produce these toys for America?

That was my thought. Kind of strange.

Although this is good news, I have still lost a lot of respect for Hasbro through all of this. I don't understand why there was no intention of releasing this line in the US. As far as the possibility of a future US release, I'll believe it when I see it.

Not produced for sale? In that case, why did they ship to Canada?

So what Hasbro really said was, "WalMart told us to stick our collector friendly toyline up our exhaust pipe, in favor of a more gimicky, kid friendly toyline (Robots in Disguise) that will sell to soccer moms and minivan dads throughout America. And we had to listen because if you want to sell toys in the US you have to blow WalMart's crankshaft pretty hard."

And that is the sad reality of toy retail. All of the other toy outlets don't even come close to Walmart's purchasing power, and it's only made worse in this economy. They will continue to dictate what makes it to production as long as there is no serious competition. And there may never be again. Toys R Us did it for a long time in the late 80's and 90's, until the government stepped in and broke up some of their shadier dealings. Not that that should/could happen in this case, but...

It kills me that larger toy manufacturers only see that bigger picture, and don't work with smaller retailers on some level to produce content and projects through alternative channels. Not putting all their eggs in one basket, as it were. Something more along the lines of DC Direct in partnership with comic/specialty shops. Somehow, the collector market is able to support itself in Japan so much that they get an endless array of repaints, variants, and all around better paint jobs at higher price points. Things like eHobby seemingly flourish.

Why is it that these things sell in foreign markets but not here?

Okay Hasbro,you win for now. But pull this shite again within 6 months,you're back on THE list.

So basically Hasbro is saying: "Oh hey sorry about that first edition mix up, you actually weren't supposed to get ANY of them. Those were for Canada silly! Enjoy your light-up happy meal toys because that's all you're getting. We know you're butthurt though "

And the Fans rejoice!

Hmm...I see, well I am glad that they have heard us LOUD and CLEAR. Good job for those of us who spammed them with tons of "Why no Prime FE?" emails.

Edit: Still lame though because I already paid for a FE CJ.

To paraphrase a great bot:

Hasbro, the United States fans are here, and we are waiting... to buy these 1st edition figures!

Arcee, Bumblebee, and Starscream flew off the shelves at my TRU. Well, both TRUs in my area. I'm sure the rest of these figures would do the same if you keep the volume lower than DOTM volumes. Otherwise, fill those preorders from Entertainment Earth and Big Bad, sell the rest on the HTS site.

i swear to god they better fix this. but i doubt they will.

I eagerly await news of the FE molds being repainted into g2 colours.

Hasbro wrote:We would also like to express that we hear the fan community in the U.S. loud and clear

That was a good one...

craggy wrote:I eagerly await news of the FE molds being repainted into g2 colours.

I'd kill a man for a bright purple TFP Megatron, seriously.

Oh, I see how it is Hasbro, you bring back first editions and DOTM toys such as Soundwave havent even hit shelves yet! OK, Oh, and BTW, wer still waiting for mirage and Shockwave..................

Oh, I see how it is Hasbro, you bring back first editions and DOTM toys such as Soundwave havent even hit shelves yet! OK, Oh, and BTW, wer still waiting for mirage and Shockwave..................

I would still love to hear an official explanation for why they discontinued the Prime figures that WERE released in the USA (but, apparently, nowhere near me)and are replacing them with the new ones. Doesn't make sense to me. The molds for the other ones were already made and paid for, why not continue using them?

The only way hasbro has ever re-released a figure has always been a stupid repaint or a freaking Bumblebee mold

If they actually..somehow did manage to get us figures, I would be gracious for the opportunity and reward them with buying a Bulkhead figure as well as my previously only-interested-in Optimus figure. I don't even care if they came in boxes, a damn plastic shopping bag would suit me fine.

That's if anything were to ever come of it. Which I'm less than sure of.

Ah hell, if they released him again, I'm sure I'd even be willing to spring for 2 Primes.

This explanation doesn't quite cut it. It's not a straight answer. Still smells like BS to me.

GuyIncognito wrote:This explanation doesn't quite cut it. It's not a straight answer. Still smells like BS to me.

Agreed.

Sideswipe501 wrote:Oh, I see how it is Hasbro, you bring back first editions and DOTM toys such as Soundwave havent even hit shelves yet! OK, Oh, and BTW, wer still waiting for mirage and Shockwave..................

I'm sure we'll hear more about the availability of those two soon, to coincide with the release of DOTM Voyager Prime w/Trailer. So, under the "Movie Trilogy" banner...?

*reads letter*

Translation wrote:
Okay, okay, okay. We get it, you think First Edition is the bomb and that Robots In Disguise sucks. WE GET IT! ALRIGHT? GAWDSAKES!

Look, we didn't make these for you because we were just screwin' around and love blowing our money and your's. Could we make it right? Sure. Will we? Probably not. However, to make you happy, we'll give a BIG load of bull, we'll smooth your ruffled feathers, for now. We'll keep you at bay for the time being until you finally calm down and say "screw it, you win Hasbro"

We will take your money, we will smile while doing it and we will throw you what bones we feel like giving.

Look, you got some awesome stuff. You're not going to get all of it. This is how life is. Can't deal with it? Tough.

Remember, we take cash, credit or debit! Hell, give us your wallets! Thanks!

Here what I dont understand...

Hasbro is known to repaint a figure 4 million times right?

All they had to do was to release the FE figure as wave 1 and any figures after that, (Axe Club CJ, B.M.F Gun Arcee, Back Heavy Voyager Prime) as repaints.

Easy Fix.

I cant believe they are letting the rest of the world sell us figure for 4 times amount of it and letting them profit off of them even tho that could have been money in the company pockets instead.

Hm. It is "nice" of Hasbro to reply to fandom is some way, even if they don't really care or plan to do anything about it.

Could they be on the road to redemption?

Well, at least they acknowledged it, I guess. I doubt any solution will be satisfying. If they didn't produce the figures, they didn't produce them. If they're somehow able to make/obtain more, watch them be some stupid Botcon-only release or something.

First response: Too late now, I just ordered the ones I wanted at a loss, you jerks. I'll be enjoying my Bulkhead with sexier paints by a company that actually gives a shit for the years it'll take you to get around to making it right. Probably after Bay's 8th movie.

Upon consideration: The very fact Hasbro is making a statement and acknowledging that this was not seen in the best light is novel. I've often stated that the stronger the fandom, the more it's like an abusive relationship because they don't have to care about you; you're dollars are a given. Even if it took every american transfan to jump up and shout "WTF Hasbro!", the fact they did notice and made a response with the intent (I'll believe when I see it) to make good is huge.

I gotta sit and wonder - then laugh - at how many pissed off and nasty emails they must have gotten for them to even give the explanation they did.

Though what happened with FE is frustrating, I do appreciate Hasbro's response. And I can even understand their reluctance to fully explain what happened. If it's truly an issue of retailers (like Wal-mart) strong-arming them into making a more kid-friendly product, then Hasbro would be shooting themselves in the foot to go out and publicly throw Wal-Mart under the bus.

It does seem clear that the new molds (Cliffjumper, Bumblebee) are geared towards being easier to transform.

Not saying Hasbro handled the whole thing well. Just saying I can understand that they may be stuck between a rock and a hard place here.

this makes no sense to me. Why make a DVD pack with a NTSC coded DVD that's NOT for the US? Why make so many new molds and NOT release them in the largest TF buying country?

There is literally not a shred of evidence to suggest that this is Wal-mart strong-arming them to make more kid-friendly toys. After 3 ridiculously successful movies, do you really think Transformers are a hard sell in any form? Hasbro makes what it wants to make, what it wants to sell. There are/have been so many "kid-friendly" sub-lines alongside the mains for years now. Canada has walmart too, but their TRU got the figures. Something does not add up, and the bottom line is we have NO clue what it is.

we all know what this means kiddies, they're never coming back. That was almost word for word what they said back when we bitched about RTS & the last wave of PCCs never being released. Only thing you can hope for is that they use the mold you want in a half assed repaint like they did with wreckgar. Its been over a year now and still no re-release of the RTS guys we all wanted.

we all know what this means kiddies, they're never coming back. That was almost word for word what they said back when we bitched about RTS & the last wave of PCCs never being released. Only thing you can hope for is that they use the mold you want in a half assed repaint like they did with wreckgar. Its been over a year now and still no re-release of the RTS guys we all wanted.

Agreed. They have literally told us nothing. Import them or forget them, those are really your only two options.

I chose to import them because I really love these figures. Are we supposed to just hold out and risk the very high possibility of never seeing them? With that said, I have already dished out way more than I was planning to for these figures. Damage done Hasbro, a corporate "maybe" is not helping anyone.

StryderPrime wrote:I cant believe they are letting the rest of the world sell us figure for 4 times amount of it and letting them profit off of them even tho that could have been money in the company pockets instead.

Yeah, its not like the Americans and most of the planet have been doing the same thing to each other, the UK and pretty much anybody with a pulse for the last decade. oh wait..... *checks ebay*, yup its definitely not just the 'rest of the world' doing it with transformers figures, its everybody. And im pretty sure thats not a new thing

I'll admit i bought a spare voyager rid megatron and ebayed him. it offset the cost of travelling around trying to find the figures, and i now have all the RID line. Am i a scalper? i guess i am if some dumbass is willing to keep bidding on a £25 toy instead of being patient. Sold mine for £45, bet he's kicking himself now. If scalpers are that bad, heres an idea for everybody, wait. because if hasbro are releasing statements to news sites then its obvious they know theyre missing a chance to make money, theyre obviously paying attention. They arent the devil, theyre a company that knows we exist and does try to cater for us (the vocal minority). If we want them, they may find a way to make more, or BETTER figures. and when that happens, the scalpers will end up getting screwed, which is always a good thing. it just wont happen overnight.

Once again (as stated SO many times before) US and Canada at least got a patchy release (blame the retailer there!), the UK got jacksh*t. I had to go to an online retailer and im pleased to say i have all the FE figures and i paid precisely retail value for them. They were up for preorder on all the major sites, and quite honestly im wondering how the more vocal section of the fandom seems to have utterly missed the boat on that??? Ive heard on various TF podcasts where people say how they drove an hour or more just to visit a store that sells TF'S and quite honestly i find that insane, if youre gonna waste petrol to go find stores outside your town, just buy the thing on ebay and calm yourself down, you dont even have to leave your house to do it

Anyone remeber "Air Attack Optimus Primal" and "Megatron Megabolt"? Both were set to be released durring Beast Machines, but due to the cancelation of the line, they didn't see release untill a year later durring the R.I.D. line (deja vu anyone?). If later down the road I get the good bulkhead and cliffjumper, I can be as patient as I have to be

Stumpybot wrote:

StryderPrime wrote:I cant believe they are letting the rest of the world sell us figure for 4 times amount of it and letting them profit off of them even tho that could have been money in the company pockets instead.

Yeah, its not like the Americans and most of the planet have been doing the same thing to each other, the UK and pretty much anybody with a pulse for the last decade. oh wait..... *checks ebay*, yup its definitely not just the 'rest of the world' doing it with transformers figures, its everybody. And im pretty sure thats not a new thing

I'll admit i bought a spare voyager rid megatron and ebayed him. it offset the cost of travelling around trying to find the figures, and i now have all the RID line. Am i a scalper? i guess i am if some dumbass is willing to keep bidding on a £25 toy instead of being patient. Sold mine for £45, bet he's kicking himself now. If scalpers are that bad, heres an idea for everybody, wait. because if hasbro are releasing statements to news sites then its obvious they know theyre missing a chance to make money, theyre obviously paying attention. They arent the devil, theyre a company that knows we exist and does try to cater for us (the vocal minority). If we want them, they may find a way to make more, or BETTER figures. and when that happens, the scalpers will end up getting screwed, which is always a good thing. it just wont happen overnight.

Once again (as stated SO many times before) US and Canada at least got a patchy release (blame the retailer there!), the UK got jacksh*t. I had to go to an online retailer and im pleased to say i have all the FE figures and i paid precisely retail value for them. They were up for preorder on all the major sites, and quite honestly im wondering how the more vocal section of the fandom seems to have utterly missed the boat on that??? Ive heard on various TF podcasts where people say how they drove an hour or more just to visit a store that sells TF'S and quite honestly i find that insane, if youre gonna waste petrol to go find stores outside your town, just buy the thing on ebay and calm yourself down, you dont even have to leave your house to do it

I understand ya pain now since this is one of the few times since the early 90's where hasbro gave us americans the shaft like this compared to other countries.I dont understand from a business point why Hasbro just didnt make the FE figures wave 1 and the other version we getting in R.I.D as repaints instead since they famous for repainted figures anyway.

Its a waste of money to me to make the mold for FE and dont plan on making that many figures

on that i wholeheartedly agree. i like both molds for each of the figures but the mentality of it is confusing. im sure botcon panels will shed some light on this

So on the off-chance they decide to make more first edition figures would that include a voyager megatron with silver paint? I was going to buy one gray hasbro one and wait for takara to release a better painted one...

Va'al wrote:Hm. It is "nice" of Hasbro to reply to fandom is some way, even if they don't really care or plan to do anything about it.

Could they be on the road to redemption?

Those would be my sentiments as well.

Great that Hasbro responded on this issue. I don't see why they can't just sell all the FEs on HTS. Makes sense to me. I guess they want to make sure the more "kid friendly" RID line sells with collectors. Don't get me wrong, some of the RID figures look awesome.
I'd also love to know what Hasbro is doing with DOTM wave 6 and HA Soundwave here in America. I'm not paying $80 or more for a HA Soundwave. Please don't make him another Mudflap Hasbro..please..

Tyrannotaur wrote:Great that Hasbro responded on this issue. I don't see why they can't just sell all the FEs on HTS. Makes sense to me. I guess they want to make sure the more "kid friendly" RID line sells with collectors. Don't get me wrong, some of the RID figures look awesome.
I'd also love to know what Hasbro is doing with DOTM wave 6 and HA Soundwave here in America. I'm not paying $80 or more for a HA Soundwave. Please don't make him another Mudflap Hasbro..please..

HTS is a separate entity onto its self and has no connection to Hasbro outside of selling their toys exclusively.

Guys, you all do remember that Hasbro said the exact same thing about the final few Animated figures, right?

And where might those be.

Instead of see hasbro re-release the figures within a toyline that has quite frankly, moved on, id love to see a special line of ultra high quality paint jobs on the best prime figures.

imagine takara style shiney paint and ultra high quality paint apps, limited edition, numbered sets, all the core cast and a few RID figures (Ratchet, Wheeljack, Soundwave) done in a special collectors series. Appeal to the collectors and make it clear what their intent is from the DAY its announced. No distribution bullcrap, no whining about other countries getting the figures first... or at all, just start with a strict plan and give the fans something special that leaves no area for ambiguity (and no sympathy for everybody that misses the boat)

id buy each and every one of them all over again in a heartbeat

will never happen but its good to dream

I was kind of harsh before on this. I suppose it's the best Hasbro can do for the moment.

However, I will be purchasing Takara products when and where ever possible before buying Hasbro versions of this line. Sorry. It's worth paying for more paint apps and zero hassle collecting.

I just can not see Hasbro making these molds and not using them to make up the cost. We will get all of these molds at some point, just not right now. Given time, we will see them all in some sort of release in the US. Maybe a store exclusive, or heaven forbid a HTS exclusive, and they will have different paint apps, but we WILL see these molds again.

Anyone remember these?

Nope, 'cause I started late on Animated and didn't follow this site back then xP

Funny that you posted that Bee-ship one. I just saw it in a Japanese toy store the other day. Obviously not Hasbro though.