Upcoming Hasbro Masterpieces

Figures, collectables, customs and collecting.
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Warcry
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Upcoming Hasbro Masterpieces

Post by Warcry »

I don't think we've actually got a thread to post about these in, do we? If I've missed it, feel free to point and laugh.

So, first up is Grimlock. Pics show that he's quite a bit different from the previous versions, with lighter plastic colours and a greenish tinge to the clear bits.

Second is Prowl, whose stock photos show something identical to the Takara release.

According to a poster over at Cybertron.ca, Grimlock is scheduled for release in the next month and Prowl should show up towards the end of the summer.

Grimlock is going to be retailing for $99.99 in Canada (so probably around $90 in the US), a big step up from what the original cost a few years ago but significantly less than what any of the previous releases are going for on the secondary market right now (and a whole lot cheaper than importing the recent Asia-exclusive release).

Prowl on the other hand is going to be selling for the princely sum of $69.99 here ($59.99 in the US according to earlier info), which is a tad ridiculous and is probably going to throw cold water on any future Hasbro releases of the cars -- who in their right mind will wait for a Hasbro release when they're identical to the Japanese ones, more expensive than buying directly from Asia and come out over a year later?

Sunstorm is apparently in the offing a bit later on as well, but there's been very little info about the release so far.
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inflatable dalek
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Post by inflatable dalek »

You'd have thought they'd have learnt from when they put out Soundwave (who seemed to sell like hot cakes) and Acid Storm (who didn't) at the same that that jets no one has heard of just aren't worth doing.

Considering they've been careful to make Grimlock slightly different from his previous release to appeal to that collector mentality I'm really surprised they haven't done something with Prowl, if not a full on toy deco then at least bunging in the toy missiles.
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Denyer
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Post by Denyer »

Seemed to sell okay in the UK at £60, not a chance at a hundred. Acid Storm's predictably been marked down by TRU as well. Reckon Prowl will be as well.

How do they **** up the stock photos of fairly big ticket items so badly?

http://i.imgur.com/juDucgL.jpg
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numbat
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Post by numbat »

Nice futuristic candelabra accessory.

New sale thread added with a range of Transformers including Masterpiece, Botcon, CHUG, RID, Movies etc.

Looking for MP-11T Thundercracker and MP-9 Rodimus v2 (Takara version with as few QC issues as possible).


Check out my new sale thread now!

Also items on eBay.
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Warcry
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Post by Warcry »

inflatable dalek wrote:You'd have thought they'd have learnt from when they put out Soundwave (who seemed to sell like hot cakes) and Acid Storm (who didn't) at the same that that jets no one has heard of just aren't worth doing.
You'd think, but I'm getting the impression that Hasbro has absolutely no solid vision for what they want to do with the MP molds. They just toss stuff out with a "sure, that sounds like a good idea!" they way they would a redecoed $15 Deluxe, and don't seem to realize that the market for "army builders" isn't really there at such a high price point (and that the few who do want display-fillers usually buy them from Takara).
inflatable dalek wrote:Considering they've been careful to make Grimlock slightly different from his previous release to appeal to that collector mentality I'm really surprised they haven't done something with Prowl, if not a full on toy deco then at least bunging in the toy missiles.
Is this the first time that a Hasbro MP release has been substantially identical to the Takara one? No others jump to mind right off the bat. Most of them have had new accessories and/or colours. This just seems like a really bad precedent, especially with the high price. I (and I'm sure many others) waited for the Hasbro release because we figured it'd be a bit cheaper than importing and maybe a bit different-looking, but if neither of those is true who is going to wait two years for Hasbro to release an identical, pricier Wheeljack or Bumblebee?
Denyer wrote:Seemed to sell okay in the UK at £60, not a chance at a hundred.
I don't know about that. With Grimlock going for $200 or more second-hand these days, obviously there are some people willing to pay that much for the thing.
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Post by Denyer »

Probably talking a two or three digit number. Grimlock still got marked down. I think the only one that hasn't been to date has been Soundwave, and there was very little stock.
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Post by Skyquake87 »

Both MP Rodimus and the recent Hasbro MP Optimus sold through at their full RRP too. I don't recall Grimlock being marked down, although I do remember that after an initial short supply which sold out, TRU over-ordered on restocks and he was found clogging the shelves. Never saw a mark down on Grimlock in store around these parts.

Have to say, I'm disappointed that Prowl is likely to go for £60 if he shows up over here, what with our awesome $1 = £1 retail exchange rate. That's as much as I paid for Hasbro MP Grimlock!

I agree with Warcry that Hasbro just don't understand high end collector toys. Do they really think anyone has any interest in nobodies like Acid Storm and Sunstorm? You might get away with this at the Deluxe price point, less so at this scale.
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Post by inflatable dalek »

Warcry wrote:You'd think, but I'm getting the impression that Hasbro has absolutely no solid vision for what they want to do with the MP molds.
Mind, I've never understood the logic of Takara doing Acid Storm and Sunstorm in the first place either. There's no way that toy wasn't designed with possible cone head use in mind from the start, so the only real new expense of doing Ramjet/Dirge/Thrust would be the right wings for each one, and considering each would sell much, much, much better than background animation error guys it's hard to see how they managed to jump the queue (especially now Takara are retooling second uses of toys when they'd have gotten away with not doing so, G2 Sideswipe's head, Red Alert's faux wheels, all three Datsun to varying degrees).

As you say, these aren't army builder toys and I don't want to live in a world where Acid Storm is a more valid release than actual proper characters (well, by comparison) who were on the telly and everything.

[OK, thanks to the power of retcon, Acid Storm was on the telly as well. But he didn't chase Powerglide through a fun fair did he? No. That's why he can go sod himself.]
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Post by Denyer »

Was kind of rolling the Optimuses together, but the newer one selling out would be a success. Are we sure about Rodimus? There was a period they went low on eBay (lots damaged in sealed packaging) suggesting they'd had to be clearanced -- or maybe somehow employees were able to get hold of them rather than do returns. Paid twenty or thirty quid, personally. One arm on him's now strapped.
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Post by Warcry »

inflatable dalek wrote:Mind, I've never understood the logic of Takara doing Acid Storm and Sunstorm in the first place either.
Takara, as best as I can tell, do them as lower-run "special editions" rather than full-scale releases. Still silly in my books, but not nearly as silly as making it a main-line figure. Especially when Hasbro's MP Starscream was seven years ago and used the old mold, their Skywarp was almost as long ago and Takara haven't done a Skywarp with the MP-11 figure either. Acid Storm as a full-on release just didn't make a lick of sense.
inflatable dalek wrote:There's no way that toy wasn't designed with possible cone head use in mind from the start, so the only real new expense of doing Ramjet/Dirge/Thrust would be the right wings for each one, and considering each would sell much, much, much better than background animation error guys it's hard to see how they managed to jump the queue (especially now Takara are retooling second uses of toys when they'd have gotten away with not doing so, G2 Sideswipe's head, Red Alert's faux wheels, all three Datsun to varying degrees).
I think the only possible answer is that they didn't plan ahead, because you're right. If the tooling was planned out at the start, there's way more money in Ramjet, Thrust and Dirge than there is in Acid Storm, Sunstorm or Generic Lavender Seeker Guy. So my guess is that they're trying to flog the current mold for all it's worth before putting any money into either Conehead retools or (and this would be my preference) an MP Seeker mold that prioritizes the character model over the alt-mode.
Denyer wrote:Was kind of rolling the Optimuses together, but the newer one selling out would be a success. Are we sure about Rodimus? There was a period they went low on eBay (lots damaged in sealed packaging) suggesting they'd had to be clearanced -- or maybe somehow employees were able to get hold of them rather than do returns. Paid twenty or thirty quid, personally. One arm on him's now strapped.
I suspect Rodimus sales were hampered by all the QC issues that the Takara one had, and compounded by the additional QC problems that cropped up right away in the Hasbro ones. He's definitely the only MP I've ever seen last on store shelves here for more than a day (though even then, he didn't last that long).
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Post by inflatable dalek »

Warcry wrote:Takara, as best as I can tell, do them as lower-run "special editions" rather than full-scale releases. Still silly in my books, but not nearly as silly as making it a main-line figure. Especially when Hasbro's MP Starscream was seven years ago and used the old mold, their Skywarp was almost as long ago and Takara haven't done a Skywarp with the MP-11 figure either. Acid Storm as a full-on release just didn't make a lick of sense.

I didn't realise the Takara versions were limited edition that almost makes...

Well no, not really but hey. I can actually see the logic in Tigertrack as Diaclone as its fans (or at least more than the green pyramid jet does...) and at a time where it's not completely clear if Lamborghini would be up for doing another mould it at least gets something a bit Sunstreaker-ish out there.

What was especially daft about bringing Acid Storm to the UK is Skywarp- an actual proper character- shelf warmed like mad when it was an exclusive for Argos to the point they were chucking free ones at anyone who walked past the shop.
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Post by Sunrunner »

Toys R Us UK have the placeholder listings up on their website for both Prowl and Grimlock.

Grimlock is £99.99 and Prowl is £59.99! Both way over-priced

I paid less for an imported Takara Prowl, and I'm sure Grimlock was £60 on first release. To rub salt in the wound for anyone looking to pick up an MP Grimlock, he is reportedly on sale in the US TRU at $59.99! At current exchange rate that's £35, but TRU UK seem to think £100 is a fair price for us Brits...

I agree with what Warcry said - 60 quid for Prowl is going to put paid to any future release of the MP cars in the UK, who is going to bite at that price when you can get the Takara version sooner and cheaper?
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Post by numbat »

Wow. I got an imported MP Bluestreak with two of the Amazon exclusive missile launchers for less than the UK Prowl price!!!!

New sale thread added with a range of Transformers including Masterpiece, Botcon, CHUG, RID, Movies etc.

Looking for MP-11T Thundercracker and MP-9 Rodimus v2 (Takara version with as few QC issues as possible).


Check out my new sale thread now!

Also items on eBay.
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Post by Clay »

Sunrunner wrote:
I agree with what Warcry said - 60 quid for Prowl is going to put paid to any future release of the MP cars in the UK, who is going to bite at that price when you can get the Takara version sooner and cheaper?
Yeah, I'm not seeing much point to it. As it is, these are niche products, and any potential buyer is likely well aware of the import versions that will be available sooner and more cheaply. That's not to say that that population accounts for 100% of the buying pool, but if they price a domestic version so high as to scare off any passers-by, they're accomplishing nothing.
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Post by Knightdramon »

You can actually shop around in import stores in London for G2 Sideswipe for 60 quid as well.

Will join with the majority as well---no effing point in paying for the hasbro version in you shelf when the "overpriced" japanese retail is cheaper to import with EMS shipping and comes out almost a year earlier.

:lol: way to go hasbro UK.
Few stuff in the UK to trade/sell. Measly sales thread.
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Post by Denyer »

inflatable dalek wrote:What was especially daft about bringing Acid Storm to the UK is Skywarp- an actual proper character- shelf warmed like mad when it was an exclusive for Argos to the point they were chucking free ones at anyone who walked past the shop.
IIRC the price reduction happened almost immediately after they came into stock, and for no apparent reason.
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Post by Cliffjumper »

Knightdramon wrote:Will join with the majority as well---no effing point in paying for the hasbro version in you shelf when the "overpriced" japanese retail is cheaper to import with EMS shipping and comes out almost a year earlier.
Probably putting faith in the general ignorance of non-fan casual nostalgia buyers. Suppose someone must've bought all those Apex Primes.
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