more speculation:

 

I doubt Takara really had a lot to do with the Ram being Prime. ..

 

 

What TF line is currently in the most trouble sales wise??  Alts

What TF is most instantly recognisable to kids?                Optimus

 

so they put Optimus in the Alt line to boost sales.

 

The line may have to take a bit more of a 'kiddy' direction to save it.

 

I don't like sound of Ricochet much.......  and i know i'm gonna HATE Rollbar.....  but if they allow Hasbro to keep making Alts such as Mirage, I can deal with them.

 

 

FOOTNOTE: Since Optimus will now be a 'Red Truck' in both Cybertron and Alternators, and packaging for both will be more or less simillar to most non TF-Obsessives such as ourselves...  confussion may result. Possibly damage to sales of the more expensive Optimus. Ala the Armada situation.

more speculation:

 

I doubt Takara really had a lot to do with the Ram being Prime. ..

 

 

What TF line is currently in the most trouble sales wise??  Alts

What TF is most instantly recognisable to kids?                Optimus

 

so they put Optimus in the Alt line to boost sales.

 

 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Actually the Prime beiing a Ram makes perfect sense, the Japaneses have hugely congested streets to the extent of a miniscule 'K' car class emerged which used to have tax breaks because of space saving, a parking space in Tokyo is prime real estate ;) As the Japanese wont really know what a Ram is as such a class of vehicle is virtually unknown it makes sense to put in a 'hook' to get interest, sports cars are sports cars the world over and can sell even if they are not a domestic product but a truck isnt cool or sexy in the east (or even the UK really ;)) Seeing as how Takara design all the alts I wouldnt see them doing it if it wasnt a 'special' character, and besides look how many Optimus/Convoys the Japanese like to throw out, far more than you get in the west ;)

 

As for the Alt line being in trouble is just hearsay that we keep hearing with nothing to back it up, seeing as the line was supposed to be 6 and only 6 characters, and thats it, sales must be strong enough to sustain the increased investment.  Hasbro are not renowned for throwing money away or just doing things to please people ;)

Even with the limited cast(pre movie characters), I'm not placing any bets just yet.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

 

I would REALLY love an Alt G1 Scourge. His head sculpt would just be so damn cool.  :clap

Cybertron that gets better. All the new molds are awesome, and I'm almost as excited with the repaints. An evil Jetfire as Octane, Nemesis Breaker, Red Hot Shot, Dark Crumplezone, Swindle and Swerve? This is how you do repaints, make sure the color schemes and homages actually would amuse people instead of making them go blind. The new Unicron? As long as he looks good, I don't give a damn if it's a rehash.

The extras included with US Primus will make me wait for me, not to mention that I'm already having trouble keeping up with Cybertron these days and don't want to have to deal with a Supreme figure this early.

 

Alternators are awesome, BT better have all the molds and at least a good number of repaints if they're planning this. Mirage is excellent. Prime is pretty good, not the best, but doesn't deserve the panning it's getting from the fandom. I'm pretty excited with the Beast Wars toys too. I'm glad Primal and Megs will have new molds, I don't like them to be remolded RMs too. 

 

Don't care much about the Star Wars stuff and the non-transformable figures, as well as the LOCs.

 

All in all, it's going to be a great run through 2006. Transformers will continue having my money.:D

Hmmmm.... It's seems stupid now.... but I thought the Star Wars TFs would be.... you know...... TF characters with Star Wars alt modes... Apart from Greivous, and maybe ObiWan's fighter..... they look crap. Oh well, kids will love them. I know I would've.

 

Anyway, everything else is nice. I'm sure Alt Prime will look better as more appropriate pics come to light. The main problem I have with it at the moment isn't the lack of articulation, but the lack of detail. Mirage looks awesome, although his head sculpt didn't immediatly strike me as "OMG Mirage"  in the same way as the other G1 characters did.

 

All in all a very good year is coming.

 

And any details on what EXACTLY is the extra part for Hasbro Primus? I'm tempted to get the Takara Primus if it's released earlier just so I can spread my spending out a bit more to take some heat off my wallet.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

The outstanding rumor I've heard is it comes with a moon base. This came from Archer claiming that some people would want two Primus's because of the US bonus.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

 

And any details on what EXACTLY is the extra part for Hasbro Primus? I'm tempted to get the Takara Primus if it's released earlier just so I can spread my spending out a bit more to take some heat off my wallet.

 

Hahah. NOTHING at all was said. Archer  left it as a mystery. So, as far as the hasbro panel, that is a completly false rumor. Moon base = WTF

NO clue what the gimmic/part/extra/whatever is.

 

And its not even clear that its a gimmic/part/extra/whatever. Just a something.

more speculation:

 

I doubt Takara really had a lot to do with the Ram being Prime. ..

 

 

What TF line is currently in the most trouble sales wise??  Alts

What TF is most instantly recognisable to kids?                Optimus

 

so they put Optimus in the Alt line to boost sales.

 

 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Actually the Prime beiing a Ram makes perfect sense, the Japaneses have hugely congested streets to the extent of a miniscule 'K' car class emerged which used to have tax breaks because of space saving, a parking space in Tokyo is prime real estate ;) As the Japanese wont really know what a Ram is as such a class of vehicle is virtually unknown it makes sense to put in a 'hook' to get interest, sports cars are sports cars the world over and can sell even if they are not a domestic product but a truck isnt cool or sexy in the east (or even the UK really ;)) Seeing as how Takara design all the alts I wouldnt see them doing it if it wasnt a 'special' character, and besides look how many Optimus/Convoys the Japanese like to throw out, far more than you get in the west ;)

 

As for the Alt line being in trouble is just hearsay that we keep hearing with nothing to back it up, seeing as the line was supposed to be 6 and only 6 characters, and thats it, sales must be strong enough to sustain the increased investment.  Hasbro are not renowned for throwing money away or just doing things to please people ;)

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

 

They were thinking way ahead of 6 when the said '6'. After all They're designing toys that aren't due for annother 18 months.

 

Saying it's in the most trouble sales wise doesen't mean it's doomed to be

canceled  it means relative to Cybertron it's not currently a great seller.

 

(okay I left Universe out - but that's a 'floating' line right now really)

 

'Trouble sales wise' means problems with old stock clogging shelves.

 

There's no conspiracy, numerous independent Transfans  have reported going to their local WalMart and scarcely(if ever) seeing anything newer than Battle Ravage or Windcharger.

 

Meister had spotty distribution, and as for Tracks, they seem to have sent them all to annother country.  :wtf

 

IE: Alts *after* the first six. So,  somehwhere around this point things went sour.

 

Some have said their nearest WalMart doesen't carry Alts at all anymore.

 

It's Hasbros fault of course for chopping and changing case assortments. They could also have put a bit more into marketing the line.

 

The reboot on the Alts is about increasing profit from the line. 

 

That means not just getting back Adult collectors who gave up on lousy distribution,  or getting more Adult collectors, but getting (more?) kids interested too.

 

 

Sideswipe, Tracks, Grimlock. Highly memorable stuff to you, me or most of the others on this board.

 

 

Those names mean little to the average 10 Yr old Transformer fan.

 

The name Optimus has been a constant in Transformers over the last 20 years.

 

Kids also love cars.

 

So suppose the aforementioned  10 year old sees a realisitc Ram model  that also happens to be Optimus Prime, it can get him interested in the rest of the line.....

 

 

It all goes hand in hand with the change to Cybertron style packaging...

 

 

Soon enough Cybertron toys will start to be packed with promos for Alternators.

 

Remember Hasbro were the ones who started this whole BT/Alt thing....

 

 

As for the obscurity of a Ram in Japan...  praticality makes it impossible for most people living in a Japanese city.  However it's a fair conclussion that enough BT collectors are aware that the Ram is a stablemate of the Viper....  and would be interested enough in owning a Ram BT

 

 

As for obscuity in the UK.........  well you and i will both end up importing it like every other BT/most other Alts and that will be that.

 

Apparently there're a fair few F-150's in the UK mind you.............

^all the big trucks in the UK are imports so thier not unheared of here

 

pritty much every kid knows what a ram is even if thier not sold in thier country due to things like video games so IMO the new cars for alts are down to the cool factor of the car plus it has to be in production at the time of desisgn it seems

 

i still want a R34 skyline GT-R tho

Man, I have to get a second job to keep up. The Mirage repaint should without a doubt be Dragstrip. I hope Hasbro does not pull a takara and repaint Alt Prime into Ultra Magnus....give us a Nemessis/Scourge/Motormaster instead.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

 

:pfx Motor Master all the way.  :thumb

New Unicron huh?

:clap :drool  :clap

to coin a phrase.

Wooohooo!

seeing them in person as so worth it