Hasbro and 3D Systems Team Up - Licensed 3D Printers Coming Soon?

Saturday, February 15th, 2014 7:14AM CST

Category: Company News
Posted by: Va'al Views: 16,698

Topic Options: View Discussion · Sign in or Join to reply

Seibertron.com member and voice actor jON3.0 pointed us towards an interesting article from CNet.com about Hasbro's latest business partnership, with 3D Systems. The company specialises in 3D printers and software, and it looks like the two are looking at releasing some form of make-at-home printer based product, with an eye on children's toys and educational settings. But what might this mean for Transformers? Will customisers and collectors be able to exploit the introdcution? Read the whole article here, and discuss your thoughts in the Energon Pub!

3D-printed products from multinational toy company Hasbro -- which oversees brands such as Transformers, Star Wars, Scrabble, and Monopoly -- may be a future fixture of children's playrooms, classroom show-and-tell, and family board game night thanks to a partnership that could accelerate the adoption of 3D printers in mainstream settings like households and schools.

The Rhode Island-based company announced Friday that it has partnered with 3D Systems, a maker of wide-ranging 3D printers and accompanying software, to "co-develop, co-venture and deliver new immersive, creative play experiences powered by 3D printing for children and their families later this year."

Credit(s): CNet

News Search

Got Transformers News? Let us know here!

Most Recent Transformers News

RUMOUR: Transformers Earthspark to be Cancelled / Replaced by New Transformers Animated Show

Posted 14 hours ago

Transformers Earthspark Season 2 Trailer Confirms Hashtag's New Form

Posted 19 hours ago

Repacks Confirmed for Studio Series ROTB Wheeljack, WFC Sideswipe, BB Megatron, 86 Swoop and More

Posted 19 hours ago

Original Cutscenes from Transformers Reactivate Leaked Revealing the Enemies to be Nanobot Swarms

Posted 5 days ago

Click here to post your comment about this news story!

Re: Hasbro and 3D Systems Team Up - Licensed 3D Printers Coming Soon? (1550875)
Posted by DELTA_prime on February 15th, 2014 @ 7:37am CST

I'd love a 3D printer to be able to make my own accessories and heads for my TFs like Generations Preceptor that could use and IDW inspired sniper rifle and head.

Re: Hasbro and 3D Systems Team Up - Licensed 3D Printers Coming Soon? (1550876)
Posted by User897 on February 15th, 2014 @ 7:37am CST

Dammit, where's that battle axe?

Just make a new one!

Oh yeah....

Re: Hasbro and 3D Systems Team Up - Licensed 3D Printers Coming Soon? (1550877)
Posted by Rated X on February 15th, 2014 @ 7:43am CST

It would be nice to print and assemble my own transformers instead of buying them from hasbro.

Re: Hasbro and 3D Systems Team Up - Licensed 3D Printers Coming Soon? (1550881)
Posted by Fuhzimota on February 15th, 2014 @ 7:56am CST

...And there is the million-dollar idea. "New this holiday season- Print Your Own Transformer Battle Set! Each set comes with software to print and assemble one heroic

Autobot and one evil

Decepticon,so you can Build The Battle with your own hands! And when the battle is over, you can tear down and reassemble your Transformers in any crazy combination you like! Only 399.99! The Optimus Prime Versus Megatron Battle Set also has a bonus - The Orion Pax and Megatronus Bonus Parts pack! Now you can have twice the building fun with both of your home-printed Transformers!" :grin:

If this ever becomes a reality, I am sooo gonna buy one.... :APPLAUSE:

Re: Hasbro and 3D Systems Team Up - Licensed 3D Printers Coming Soon? (1550882)
Posted by craggy on February 15th, 2014 @ 8:30am CST

"Tea, Earl Grey, hot.

but yeah, it could be a good thing.

Re: Hasbro and 3D Systems Team Up - Licensed 3D Printers Coming Soon? (1550886)
Posted by Sodan-1 on February 15th, 2014 @ 8:52am CST

Interesting stuff. I'll be tempering my excitement as the end result probably won't be anything like what my imagination wants it to be.

Re: Hasbro and 3D Systems Team Up - Licensed 3D Printers Coming Soon? (1550901)
Posted by frogbat on February 15th, 2014 @ 9:47am CST

its good for hasbro to jump in at the front of this tech cos if it does indeed become successful it will have repercussions for their industry

my main use tho would be to print out replacement parts for my old g1 toys and 3rd party designs as well as missing pieces of modern ones. my mp starscream for example has a broken null ray cannon... a 3d printer would come in handy there. in the future 3rd parties will release their designs for download probably too.

Re: Hasbro and 3D Systems Team Up - Licensed 3D Printers Coming Soon? (1550903)
Posted by Spleenzorio on February 15th, 2014 @ 10:03am CST

So since Hasbro would be making this, does that mean there will be better third party ones for four times the price

Re: Hasbro and 3D Systems Team Up - Licensed 3D Printers Coming Soon? (1550928)
Posted by Flashwave on February 15th, 2014 @ 11:34am CST

See, as much as I want to see something that looks like it should be in Shockwave's lab, Let's be realistic, what if what Hasbro is planning isn't the printer but starter sets and plans for the printer?

Yeah, it doesn't exactly fit the children and education departments, but what if the software is "pre-loaded" with parts and designs for a series of figures, and you buy the bag of screws, plastics, snd software, "design" your Transformer, and poof, instant kit. That way, Hasbro has some reign on people bootlegging genuine Hasbro-made parts while still beiing in the game.

Obviously, someone somewhere would have to buy the printer of course, but I see that being "Mom/Dad" not "Kid"

Then again, there's the Easy-Bake Oven for cookies and pies, that'd be kinda freaky if there were a plastic printer in the same style...

Re: Hasbro and 3D Systems Team Up - Licensed 3D Printers Coming Soon? (1550929)
Posted by Fuhzimota on February 15th, 2014 @ 11:36am CST

Spleenzorio wrote:So since Hasbro would be making this, does that mean there will be better third party ones for four times the price

Yep! And the starter set would include Not-Optimus and Not-Megatron as *GASP* Triple-Changer, Target_Master,Head-Master, Breast-Force Combiner Limbs for Not-Metroplex and Not-Trypticon... all for the reasonable price of 1599.99!!! :DANCE:

Re: Hasbro and 3D Systems Team Up - Licensed 3D Printers Coming Soon? (1550934)
Posted by Ultra Markus on February 15th, 2014 @ 12:11pm CST

sure just go to your local walmart and purchase a 3d printer,
realistically these printers are way expensive,to justify using this to make TF toys or replacement parts? it would be cheaper to just buy an original TF! maybe if the price on these dropped to under 300 it would be more worth it

Re: Hasbro and 3D Systems Team Up - Licensed 3D Printers Coming Soon? (1550978)
Posted by Tresob on February 15th, 2014 @ 1:41pm CST

They should design it to look like the Allspark Cube.

Re: Hasbro and 3D Systems Team Up - Licensed 3D Printers Coming Soon? (1551203)
Posted by Mkall on February 16th, 2014 @ 12:31am CST

I'll get a 3D printer when it can dye the material and add paint apps to whatever it makes.

Re: Hasbro and 3D Systems Team Up - Licensed 3D Printers Coming Soon? (1573944)
Posted by El Duque on May 14th, 2014 @ 4:32pm CDT

Remember back in February when we reported that Hasbro had announced a new partnership with 3D Systems, a company specializing in 3D printing technology? Based a recent Hasbro trademark application it appears they are moving forward with this venture. On May 9th they applied for ALLSPARK under the following identifications:

International Class 009: Computer software for creating, designing, modifying, customizing, sharing and saving computer generated representations capable of being printed by a three dimensional printer to create physical objects, namely, jewelry, ornaments, arts objects, artifacts, household goods, toys, games, hobby models, accessories, office products, and various other consumer products
Intent to Use: The applicant has a bona fide intention to use or use through the applicant's related company or licensee the mark in commerce on or in connection with the identified goods and/or services. (15 U.S.C. Section 1051(b)).

International Class 028: Toys, games and playthings
Intent to Use: The applicant has a bona fide intention to use or use through the applicant's related company or licensee the mark in commerce on or in connection with the identified goods and/or services. (15 U.S.C. Section 1051(b)).

International Class 040: Custom prototype fabrication via three dimensional printing for others of new parts, components and models for others, namely, jewelry, ornaments, arts objects, artifacts, household goods, toys, games, hobby models, accessories, office products, and various other consumer products
Intent to Use: The applicant has a bona fide intention to use or use through the applicant's related company or licensee the mark in commerce on or in connection with the identified goods and/or services. (15 U.S.C. Section 1051(b)).

International Class 042: Providing a website featuring technology that enables users to download, modify, and share three-dimensional designs on the Internet for use with computer driven machines for making three-dimensional embodiments of the designs; providing online computer games and interactive multiplayer online games via global networks
Intent to Use: The applicant has a bona fide intention to use or use through the applicant's related company or licensee the mark in commerce on or in connection with the identified goods and/or services. (15 U.S.C. Section 1051(b)).

Re: Hasbro and 3D Systems Team Up - Licensed 3D Printers Coming Soon? (1573947)
Posted by Peridot on May 14th, 2014 @ 4:35pm CDT

I would love to have an Allspark that actually creates Transformers.

Re: Hasbro and 3D Systems Team Up - Licensed 3D Printers Coming Soon? (1573953)
Posted by Seibertron on May 14th, 2014 @ 4:41pm CDT

Wow ... this is happening much faster than I had anticipated.

Re: Hasbro and 3D Systems Team Up - Licensed 3D Printers Coming Soon? (1573965)
Posted by ILL-Star on May 14th, 2014 @ 5:28pm CDT

My brother preordered a 3D printer some time ago and still hasn't gotten it. I'll be darned if this is released first let alone turns out to be just as good. I'd much rather have something called an Allspark. It would be cool if this included exclusive designs that could be downloaded. If that's how it works. My brain isn't much wired for technology.

Re: Hasbro and 3D Systems Team Up - Licensed 3D Printers Coming Soon? (1573979)
Posted by Fires_Of_Inferno on May 14th, 2014 @ 6:03pm CDT

Ooohhhh, I like this idea!

Re: Hasbro and 3D Systems Team Up - Licensed 3D Printers Coming Soon? (1573984)
Posted by welcometothedarksyde on May 14th, 2014 @ 6:08pm CDT

Metro Prime wrote:I would love to have an Allspark that actually creates Transformers.

If it's actually a good quality product I'd love to get one and create an evil army with it

Re: Hasbro and 3D Systems Team Up - Licensed 3D Printers Coming Soon? (1573991)
Posted by craggy on May 14th, 2014 @ 6:44pm CDT

very cool. at the very least we should be able to use it to create new heads for some bots, weapons too. At most, whole custom bots could be assembled.

Re: Hasbro and 3D Systems Team Up - Licensed 3D Printers Coming Soon? (1573995)
Posted by Bumblevivisector on May 14th, 2014 @ 7:03pm CDT

Cool idea, but I've just got a bad feeling this was greenlit for the purposes of giving Hasbro some sort of legal edge to beat back 3rd party and KO companies, and possibly even dictate what customs fans are allowed to make.

I hope I'm wrong and there will be no trouble in Transtopia, but I'm still pissed about the KOTOYS crackdown, and even moreso by Impossible Toys going out of business, so that's just the lens I see this through.

Or is there no way any I.P. owners could prevent these printers from doing any design in particular? Or sue a person creating an I.P. violation for themselves with no intention of selling it?

For that matter, do these things have built in scanners, or would you have to buy that separately or just program a design into it? Getting back to Impossible toys, it'd be neat to take a TRNS apart and reproduce it in some Arcee variants they never got around to (Orange like the Blurr remold proto, purple like Marvel), maybe tweaking some improvements into the design along the way.

And perhaps best of all, considering how often these printers have been used to make actual gun parts, these things could surely crank out a few Megatrons that Hasbro will never consider selling themselves.

Re: Hasbro and 3D Systems Team Up - Licensed 3D Printers Coming Soon? (1573998)
Posted by Burn on May 14th, 2014 @ 7:34pm CDT

Hasbro NEED to do this for the simple fact, 3D printers are becoming more and more affordable and will soon become common place in households.

When they do, people will be hitting up sites like Shapeway more often and "printing" off their own toys.

We've discussed it here at work (one aspect of our business is engineering design) and this IS the future and a lot of kids that are starting school will be more focused on design.

Re: Hasbro and 3D Systems Team Up - Licensed 3D Printers Coming Soon? (1573999)
Posted by OptimalOptimus2 on May 14th, 2014 @ 7:38pm CDT

craggy wrote:very cool. at the very least we should be able to use it to create new heads for some bots, weapons too. At most, whole custom bots could be assembled.

Also to mention that you could photoshop the picture and make your own comic book. Then I'll be able to make something better for the Creative Roundup than a boring, Revenge of the Evil AOE Grimlock. :lol:

Re: Hasbro and 3D Systems Team Up - Licensed 3D Printers Coming Soon? (1600098)
Posted by El Duque on August 17th, 2014 @ 11:12pm CDT

Shapeways has released a press release regarding their partnership with Hasbro. The initial launch featured five artist working with the My Little Pony franchise, which seems to have a success. They are now moving forward and expanding into other properties including Transformers! See the full press release below:

An Invite to Submit Your Designs to SuperFanArt

Shapeways is super excited to be working with Hasbro to help bring more 3D printed awesomeness to the masses via SuperFanArt. The first wave of the groundbreaking Intellectual Property and 3D Printing partnership was a huge success, and now we are ready for you to help take it to the next level. Following is an open letter inviting the Shapeways community to participate.

As you may have heard, Hasbro and Shapeways are working together to encourage artists to create and sell 3D designs based on Hasbro’s iconic brands. Our July launch of SuperFanArt.com featured five artists and their My Little Pony-based designs. We’ve generated substantial press and attention for the artists, Shapeways and Hasbro with our story of a major entertainment company empowering fans to engage with their brands. Given this early success, we want to expand this opportunity to include more artists, more Hasbro brands and more 3D printed awesomeness.
This letter is an invitation for you to become part of SuperFanArt and the broader Hasbro and Shapeways communities, so we can help you promote and sell your designs to other fans. If you have a passion to develop 3D-printable art based on any of the following brands, we’d like to hear from you:

• Dragonvale
• Dungeons & Dragons
• Monopoly
• My Little Pony
• Scrabble (to be sold in US and Canada only)
• Transformers

Get your designs ready and visit SuperFanArt.com on August 22 for instructions on how to upload your work for promotion and sale. We hope you’ll join us in expanding the power of 3D printing by becoming a part of this exciting movement!
Your friends at Hasbro & Shapeways.

Re: Hasbro and 3D Systems Team Up - Licensed 3D Printers Coming Soon? (1600107)
Posted by Mkall on August 18th, 2014 @ 12:29am CDT

I would be more interested if Shapeways better quality materials were cheaper. As of right now, I ain't interested, but I'm keen to see where it goes.

Re: Hasbro and 3D Systems Team Up - Licensed 3D Printers Coming Soon? (1600128)
Posted by Rated X on August 18th, 2014 @ 6:37am CDT

All I see from this is the prices of shapeways going up. Other than an endorsement, does shapeways really need hasbro to sell new heads and weapons ? On the other hand, hasbro is probally trying to buy into the biggest potential future competiter before it becomes a threat. The technology is still at its infancy, but if it could be refined to a point where you dont have to sand and paint the pieces, I could see it being a potential threat. I think Hasbro wants to establish an "IP" presence in the industry. That would mean any future printable figures would cost as much as store bought figures. This would place assembling these figures more as a craft hobby than a way of saving money. Just my opinion here.

Re: Hasbro and 3D Systems Team Up - Licensed 3D Printers Coming Soon? (1600139)
Posted by Burn on August 18th, 2014 @ 8:01am CDT

I'd actually be okay with printing and assembling my own figures.

Re: Hasbro and 3D Systems Team Up - Licensed 3D Printers Coming Soon? (1600210)
Posted by Bumblevivisector on August 18th, 2014 @ 12:41pm CDT

Looking through the list of other brands, I can understand Monopoly: making the custom player token you've always wanted, be it a particular make of car, a Cobra Trouble Bubble, Donald Trump...a single piece far easier to produce than the myriad of interlocking parts necessary for a TF.

Scrabble, on the other hand...would the point be printing extra Qs and Zs to stack the bag? Seems a bit unsporting. Or can some printers create objects in candy instead of resin, allowing Chocolate Scrabble enthusiasts to expand into other flavors?

I'd be OK with printing some of my own toys, but I'd personally get bogged down in troop-building.

It'd be nice if cheaper printers reduced sweatshop labor, but the majority of that is still probably geared towards the garment industry. I'd also like to know just how closely the price of the resin is tied to the price of oil.

Re: Hasbro and 3D Systems Team Up - Licensed 3D Printers Coming Soon? (1600217)
Posted by rpetras on August 18th, 2014 @ 1:08pm CDT

But, look at it this way; if I can officially license that my 3d printed shapeways gun is for the new Generations Skrapnel, instead of calling it "Insect Robot Gun #1", I am more likely to generate traffic to my item.

Re: Hasbro and 3D Systems Team Up - Licensed 3D Printers Coming Soon? (1600234)
Posted by SentinelA on August 18th, 2014 @ 2:44pm CDT

Is this why I was able to order fists for my G1 Ultra Magnus (inner bot) today?

Re: Hasbro and 3D Systems Team Up - Licensed 3D Printers Coming Soon? (1600329)
Posted by TulioDude on August 18th, 2014 @ 11:08pm CDT

Holy heck! :shock:

Re: Hasbro and 3D Systems Team Up - Licensed 3D Printers Coming Soon? (1602089)
Posted by Va'al on August 26th, 2014 @ 1:00pm CDT

A small but significant update on the collaboration between Hasbro and 3D printing company Shapeways, thanks to a tip from fellow Seibertron.com user Autobot Genocide. It appears as though the initial licensing agreement worked better than expected, and Makezine reports the new initiative of allowing fan-made material to be designed and printed for a fee - check out more here and below!

Hasbro and Shapeways want you to profit from your fan-made artwork based on Hasbro toys.

The announcement is an expansion of the two companies’ new partnership; last month they launched a joint venture to allow select independent artists to post and sell their My Little Pony creations on their new collaboration site superfanart.com. The companies would split the revenue from art sales based on the kitschy, popular colorful horses.

[...]

"It was clear to me when we were only doing original work that the next big step is derivative work,” says Shapeways’ cofounder and CEO Peter Weijmarshausen, explaining the movement into a new area for the company. He also explains that the project came together relatively quickly, moving forward in just the last few months after some initial discussions with Hasbro at Maker Faire earlier this year. “Hasbro has the attitude to enable rather than disable,” he says.

Re: Hasbro and 3D Systems Team Up - Licensed 3D Printers Coming Soon? (1602092)
Posted by Flashwave on August 26th, 2014 @ 1:05pm CDT

I was waiting on this to come up. Glad to see its beign handled tastefully,although I imnagine a lot of hurt feelings over raised licensing costs.

Re: Hasbro and 3D Systems Team Up - Licensed 3D Printers Coming Soon? (1602096)
Posted by Convoy on August 26th, 2014 @ 1:15pm CDT

I misread that first line as, 'Hasbro and Shapeways want to profit from your fan-made artwork based on Hasbro toys.' twice!
:ic$:

Re: Hasbro and 3D Systems Team Up - Licensed 3D Printers Coming Soon? (1602099)
Posted by Gallifreyan Autobot on August 26th, 2014 @ 1:29pm CDT

i know this might be a stupid question but would this go for pretty much everything on Creative round up and all of them fanfics? :???:

Re: Hasbro and 3D Systems Team Up - Licensed 3D Printers Coming Soon? (1602109)
Posted by Rated X on August 26th, 2014 @ 2:15pm CDT

I was under the assumption that "fan art" was always going to be considered fan art. Honestly I see this business collaboration with Hasbro as a downfall for fans. Expect to see the prices go up on anything that resembles Hasbro IP. Probably to the point where printing a full non assembled figure costs as much as buying a 3rd party figure. And that’s not including the cost of paint plus hours of sanding. In my opinion, Shapways sold out.

Re: Hasbro and 3D Systems Team Up - Licensed 3D Printers Coming Soon? (1602115)
Posted by Va'al on August 26th, 2014 @ 2:55pm CDT

Autobot tap out wrote:i know this might be a stupid question but would this go for pretty much everything on Creative round up and all of them fanfics?

Nah, just on designs printed and purchased/sold via Shapeways. So figures, not visual art, fiction or the such.

Re: Hasbro and 3D Systems Team Up - Licensed 3D Printers Coming Soon? (1602120)
Posted by MCutter on August 26th, 2014 @ 3:17pm CDT

Convoy wrote:I misread that first line as, 'Hasbro and Shapeways want to profit from your fan-made artwork based on Hasbro toys.' twice!

I'm pretty sure that's how you should read it.
Once Hasbro has a foot in the door of the third party market it'll give them grounds to try and take control of those products and profits. Designers should probably expect an increase in cease and desist notices on products that "threaten Hasbro's market", unless one agrees to license their work out to Hasbro.

Re: Hasbro and 3D Systems Team Up - Licensed 3D Printers Coming Soon? (1602149)
Posted by Bumblevivisector on August 26th, 2014 @ 5:52pm CDT

MCutter wrote:
Convoy wrote:I misread that first line as, 'Hasbro and Shapeways want to profit from your fan-made artwork based on Hasbro toys.' twice!

I'm pretty sure that's how you should read it.
Once Hasbro has a foot in the door of the third party market it'll give them grounds to try and take control of those products and profits. Designers should probably expect an increase in cease and desist notices on products that "threaten Hasbro's market", unless one agrees to license their work out to Hasbro.

Maybe, but I think it'll still be a while before Hasbro can tell just how far its foot can get into the 3D printable market. There be much blurriness between distinct likenesses and same-general-ideas here.

I haven't bought anything from Shapeways or Renderform yet, and honestly haven't been following it that closely, but the first thing I will buy when I get around to it is that cassette scorpion. Though close kin of the IDW-esque Rewind in the thumbnail, could Hasbro really do anything about that particular item? Stinger only exists in an early draft of the TF:TM script, without so much as concept art for this or any other toy to bear a distinct likeness to. Just a quick description of something that never officially existed.

Expensive gestalt teams are the 3rd party items that get the most attention while Impossible Toys is going out of business, but the stuff they made their mark with might be most relevant here. If it's a design from TF media that Hasbro never has and never will touch in the official toy department (Quints, Prime hand blasters), what exactly could Hasbro do, and would they even bother? Also, if the printed object was something that would never pass U.S. toy safety standards, might Hasbro be so tepid about having their name associated with it in any way that they wouldn't even try to block it?

Factor in the threat of backlash from biting too many of the hands that feed them via sweeping 3rd party crackdown, since anyone who buys 3rd party stuff surely collects plenty of the real deal as well, and Hasbro will surely be tiptoeing cautiously into this printable minefield.

Re: Hasbro and 3D Systems Team Up - Licensed 3D Printers Coming Soon? (1602163)
Posted by ausbot on August 26th, 2014 @ 7:24pm CDT

So this means that this stuff is now sort of official! Hmm now I'm interested.

Re: Hasbro and 3D Systems Team Up - Licensed 3D Printers Coming Soon? (1602167)
Posted by SKYWARPED_128 on August 26th, 2014 @ 7:34pm CDT

As it is, Shapeways is already taking the lion's share of the profits made from each sale. With Hasbro's in on it too, does that mean even slimmer profits for the artist?

"...The companies would split the revenue...."

So, what's in it for the artist himself? Free advertising for his work?

A more important question: If a designer's work is not accepted by Hasbro, is he still able to sell them at Shapeways? Except for complete transforming figures (and even that is an open-ended question), AFAIK weapons and accessories aren't officially copyrighted. This is especially true for add-on parts and original weapons, where the designs are 100% made by the artist and not copied from onscreen CGI models or concept art.

Re: Hasbro and 3D Systems Team Up - Licensed 3D Printers Coming Soon? (1602173)
Posted by OptimalOptimus2 on August 26th, 2014 @ 7:57pm CDT

Fan made artwork into toys eh? I wonder if I could get all of my characters in Transformers: Advanced Combat into toys. Probably not! Oh well it's just a dream. Just a dream folks.

Re: Hasbro and 3D Systems Team Up - Licensed 3D Printers Coming Soon? (1602185)
Posted by Flashwave on August 26th, 2014 @ 9:01pm CDT

Convoy wrote:I misread that first line as, 'Hasbro and Shapeways want to profit from your fan-made artwork based on Hasbro toys.' twice!

Okay, stop. No. This is not artwork. This is product. Artwork is stuff on canvas, or digital prints or one off customs. And even then sketchy (get it?) If art is being sold en masse by amteur artists Because its still Hasbro intellectual property. There is no difference between Shapeways and Fansproject beyond the material used for assembly.

Re: Hasbro and 3D Systems Team Up - Licensed 3D Printers Coming Soon? (1602200)
Posted by SKYWARPED_128 on August 26th, 2014 @ 10:21pm CDT

Flashwave wrote:
Convoy wrote:I misread that first line as, 'Hasbro and Shapeways want to profit from your fan-made artwork based on Hasbro toys.' twice!

Okay, stop. No. This is not artwork. This is product. Artwork is stuff on canvas, or digital prints or one off customs. And even then sketchy (get it?) If art is being sold en masse by amteur artists Because its still Hasbro intellectual property. There is no difference between Shapeways and Fansproject beyond the material used for assembly.

The question is, what does Hasbro consider as "derivative work"? Does one consider a transforming cassette robot a derivative work of the Transformers brand, even if it bears no aesthetic resemblance to Hasbro's copyrighted material and has an original transformation sequence?

Weapons and accessories are even more of a gray area.

It's all open to interpretation, so it's really a matter of how generous Hasbro feels in letting independent 3d designers do their own thing. Generally-speaking, though, Hasbro has been quite nice to it's collector fanbase, so it's unlikely that they'll pull a Harmony Gold with this.

Re: Hasbro and 3D Systems Team Up - Licensed 3D Printers Coming Soon? (1602202)
Posted by f-primus-unicron on August 26th, 2014 @ 10:26pm CDT

i read the agreement and im not sure about this
it sure sounded awesome when it was first announced but
hasbro will have all the rights of one's work, to modify, distribute, and do whatever they whant with it, only one getting the markup, and the right to say TRANSFORMERS, but even then they will get money the rights and control of almost everything
i know some great, awesome and beyond that designers already agreed and so but maybe im just not ENOUGHT designer to see the gains

Re: Hasbro and 3D Systems Team Up - Licensed 3D Printers Coming Soon? (1602206)
Posted by Deadput on August 26th, 2014 @ 10:36pm CDT

Convoy wrote:I misread that first line as, 'Hasbro and Shapeways want to profit from your fan-made artwork based on Hasbro toys.' twice!

*Facepalm*

Of course thats what it means thats what selling any product and making businesses partnerships is about!

It's money people need it so they have to find ways to earn it.

Jesus Christ wtf is happening to the world where all companies is being accused of being greedy and selfish money makers.

Re: Hasbro and 3D Systems Team Up - Licensed 3D Printers Coming Soon? (1602210)
Posted by TulioDude on August 26th, 2014 @ 11:33pm CDT

I think this is great.It could work as bridge from fan creations to being a Hasbro Employe.

Re: Hasbro and 3D Systems Team Up - Licensed 3D Printers Coming Soon? (1602220)
Posted by Va'al on August 27th, 2014 @ 1:26am CDT

mirageandjazz1197 wrote:
Convoy wrote:I misread that first line as, 'Hasbro and Shapeways want to profit from your fan-made artwork based on Hasbro toys.' twice!

Jesus Christ wtf is happening to the world where all companies is being accused of being greedy and selfish money makers.

Capitalism.

Re: Hasbro and 3D Systems Team Up - Licensed 3D Printers Coming Soon? (1602228)
Posted by hinomars19 on August 27th, 2014 @ 3:15am CDT

Va'al wrote:
mirageandjazz1197 wrote:
Convoy wrote:I misread that first line as, 'Hasbro and Shapeways want to profit from your fan-made artwork based on Hasbro toys.' twice!

Jesus Christ wtf is happening to the world where all companies is being accused of being greedy and selfish money makers.

Capitalism.

I think people are just worried that the designers themselves will start missing out. The comment about people needing to earn money is the truest statement of all, and that courtesy needs to be afforded to the artists on shapeways as well. Guys like Renderform need to earn a living too, and these kind of things (heads, accessories) are his way of using his skills to earn said money. Nobody wants to see a huge company like Hasbro, who already have their fare share, take from the little guy. Obviously some of these designs are crossing both a moral and legal line, and it's obvious (and right) that Hasbro get in officially on it, but it needs to be done fairly. Hopefully it will be.

That said, I doubt official Hasbro and Takara designers get much in the way of pay on what is THEIR work, not when you see just how much gets shared out to other people just for the privilege of having a company logo on it. Sadly, that's business.

I still don't see why Hasbro don't scout out the breadth of talent that is out there, both on Shapeways and 3rd party toys. Plenty of fan artists and writers have made the leap to official stuff through Dreamwave and IDW. Why not here? Maybe this Shapeways business is the start of something like that?

Re: Hasbro and 3D Systems Team Up - Licensed 3D Printers Coming Soon? (1602230)
Posted by Va'al on August 27th, 2014 @ 3:34am CDT

I do hope that is the case too!

As you said, venues like deviantArt, Tumblr and the such were great platforms for artists and colourists to make it to professional and freelance position with IDW - this would be a great opportunity to restock the designing team at Hasbro.

Click here to view additional comments about this topic at the Energon Pub Forums ...