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Fan Poll - Has Build Quality of Transformers Gone Down in Recent Years?


BaCon

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Rattrap: Man, this thing wasn't built, it was poured.

Optimus Primal: Diecast construction... It's a lost art.


Even just a decade ago, Transformers toys were made with a good amount of heft that included bigger figures and die-cast parts to handle the rough play that transforming robot toys are going to encounter.

Today, things have changed with 3D modeling, computers have made it possible do more with less giving us smaller, lighter, and more hallow toys than before. These more efficient designs seem to have permeated everything from the kid friendly Cyberverse line all the way up to the adult priced Masterpiece figures that may be the most problematic of all when it comes to build quality issues.

Have you noticed a change in the build quality of Transformers toys? Share your opinion on the how the Transformers toys you got recently compare to the oldskool toys that we used to play with by voting in our poll and leaving a comment on your experiences with quality issues.

Click Image to Vote in Our Fan Poll Now

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59 minutes ago, chuckdawg1999 said:

Absolutely the quality has gone down ever since the oil "shortage" almost a decade ago. 

AH, that's right, I remember that! Now that we have major oil surpluses around the world. Hasbro and Takara have not reversed course. I think we can all draw our own conclusions from that.

For me, this is rather tragic I as I paid A LOT for the MP-44 and I don't want to even open it because of all the known problems and messy paint apps. It will just get me upset. This is the opposite of what toys are for.

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I have noticed it more on the plastic. The plastic feels more brittle and is more prone to stress marks. I first noticed it with the Transformers Prime line and confirmed it with Beast Hunters Optimus Prime voyager figure; it got stress mark just by putting the weapons on the corresponding peg holes.

Armada and Energon line, even Animated still felt good quality.

And don't get me started on the combiners from Combiner Wars; they can barely stand. I would have tried to get more of them but after completing Volcanicus, I was fed up and said no more. 

But again, the plastic has felt of lesser quality lately and some of the joints too loose in the more resent figures

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25 minutes ago, MxBxM said:

I have noticed it more on the plastic. The plastic feels more brittle and is more prone to stress marks.  

[...]

But again, the plastic has felt of lesser quality lately and some of the joints too loose in the more resent figures

Yes, I have noticed the stress marks as well and way too many floppy figures. Its really disappointing to finally find what you want only to discover it can't be played with.

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I'm certain what were are used to has gone down over the years and my theory is around these 2 factors.

1. Toy safety regulatory compliance. Plastics we had as kids seems to last longer over the years. I doubt any of the current stuff will age in 30+ years as well as G1 plastic.

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/toys-from-the-seventies-and-eighties-could-be-poisoning-your-children-10125415.html

2. Hasbro environmental commitments. They go beyond packaging and goes into manufacturing process and sourcing of materials. I have feeling the use of pins over screws is a part of this. As a customizer I hate the use of pins but I see it done more and more.

https://csr.hasbro.com/en-us/environmental-sustainability

Honestly I don't see it getting better for collectors as major toy companies shift to being more green beyond packaging but even in materials. For example what would the quality of Legos be like if they are pant based plastic? I don't know, but I'm sure they won't have the longevity of vintage toys if they are designed to be biodegradable. 

https://www.nytimes.com/2018/08/31/business/energy-environment/lego-plastic-denmark-environment-toys.html

I think the future for collectors may be 3P. As a parent I think it's all good knowing they are taking these initiatives.

 

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I feel like the "wars" stuff has been of reasonable quality, but the Cyberverse stuff... anything deluxe or smaller belongs in a Happy Meal box, possibly in the garbage with the apple slices. 

The recent "build a figure" set seem to be a step up in quality for the line. 

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21 minutes ago, Larkin Vain said:

Honestly I don't see it getting better for collectors as major toy companies shift to being more green beyond packaging but even in materials. For example what would the quality of Legos be like if they are pant based plastic? I don't know, but I'm sure they won't have the longevity of vintage toys if they are designed to be biodegradable.

Very GOOD point! But that is Hasbro. I wonder if Takara TOMY have moved to biodegradable materials as well?

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38 minutes ago, Larkin Vain said:

I'm certain what were are used to has gone down over the years and my theory is around these 2 factors.

1. Toy safety regulatory compliance. Plastics we had as kids seems to last longer over the years. I doubt any of the current stuff will age in 30+ years as well as G1 plastic.

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/toys-from-the-seventies-and-eighties-could-be-poisoning-your-children-10125415.html

2. Hasbro environmental commitments. They go beyond packaging and goes into manufacturing process and sourcing of materials. I have feeling the use of pins over screws is a part of this. As a customizer I hate the use of pins but I see it done more and more.

https://csr.hasbro.com/en-us/environmental-sustainability

Honestly I don't see it getting better for collectors as major toy companies shift to being more green beyond packaging but even in materials. For example what would the quality of Legos be like if they are pant based plastic? I don't know, but I'm sure they won't have the longevity of vintage toys if they are designed to be biodegradable. 

https://www.nytimes.com/2018/08/31/business/energy-environment/lego-plastic-denmark-environment-toys.html

I think the future for collectors may be 3P. As a parent I think it's all good knowing they are taking these initiatives.

 

Pant based plastic? If it comes in my size I'll be down. 

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