Hasbro's Toyfair 2010 Presentation

Thanks to ENI and TFormers.com, below is the full presentation that Hasbro gave at the 2010 Toyfair in New York this weekend.

Working Transformers Cell Phone

A new 3G cell phone is coming to Japan and apparently its designers are fans of Transformers. The Softbank 815T PB actually transformers from working cellphone to robot. Apparently the phone was made for a Japanese TV show named Ketai Sousakan 7. It’s supposed to come out sometime in April but no plans on whether it will make a stateside visit.

Brian Goldner New Hasbro CEO

Brian Goldner has been promoted to Hasbro's new Chief Executive Officer after the previous CEO Alfred J. Verrecchia stepped down. Its seems like this is a reward to Goldner for returning Hasbro to high profits thanks to his decisions in emphasizing existing core product lines and expanding into movies. Goldner is the executive responsible for the Transformers movie deal and the growth of the toy line overall. He also helped worked out the GI Joe deal that will hopefully do the same to that line that the movie did to Transformers - help it go mainstream beyond the hardcore fans and kids. Congrats to Brian Goldner. (source)

Toyfair '08 Transformer Galleries

Toyfair 2008 was held over the weekend in New York where Hasbro revealed some details of the various Transformers lines for the rest of the year. TFormers.com has the details and the galleries but here is that info more or less summarized.

Transformers: Animated
- Will have Laserbeak, whose alt mode is a guitar
- The release date of the line is June 22, 2008 with second wave in the Fall.
- Galleries: Bumper Battlers, Activators (swing loaded transformations), Battle Pack ($20), Supreme Class ($40), Voyager Class ($20), Deluxe Class ($10), toy display

Transformers movie- Releasing more Transformers movie toys (most cases simply a new color scheme for existing toys).
- The Hasbro design team has been working with Paramount on Transformers 2 for weeks.

Masterpiece- No plans at this time

Alternators/Binal-Tech
- Hasbro expressed interest in the line but no plans yet

Transformers Crossovers
- New name for Transformers Star Wars
- Expanded to include Transformers Marvel

Transformers Universe
- Catch all line for release of previously toys, mostly Cybertron line
- Includes Classics 2.0 coming toward end of year
- Galleries: Legends, Classics Galvatron, Robot Heroes, Misc, Marvel Transformers, Classics 2.0, classics toy display

Transformers Changing Toy Biz

Brandweek.com has posted an article about how the success of Transformers is changing how the toy companies do their business. The story, poorly, is stating that instead of toys being based on movies, the toy companies are trying to get movies based on their toys (which helps sell more toys).

With planned movies such as Voltron, GI Joe and few others, not exactly surprising but I hope the companies are very careful in what properties they try to convert and those that don't. Transformers was largely successful not only because of its built in base with the decades of Transfans, cartoons and so forth but also because the basic concept of giant transforming robots fighting in realistic CGI will wet the appetite of even the most jaded movie goer.

If GI Joe succeeds, it will because it will be treated the same way. Being derived from a toyline has to be irrelevant to the execution of the concept. As Marvel has learned and Warner Bros is just starting to get (incredibly slowly to point of incompetence), if you treat the property as "real" and not a joke, the audiences will come. The minute you snicker at your own property, then chances are the quality in the execution will take a dramatic nosedive. After all if you can't take your movie seriously, why should your audience.

Sadly, it appears that this is a lesson I think the toy companies will learn the hard way as they have already have "Magic 8 Ball: The Movie" in the works. Nope, sadly that is apparently not a joke.

One thing the article did was remind me that the US Toy Fair starts February 17th where get peaks at Transformers Animated, Classics 2.0, and other Transformers related plans. (source)

Animated Movie Optimus Prime vs Megatron Fight in CGI

Hasbro has posted a new CGI sequence that re-creates the Optimus Prime vs Megatron fight from the 1986 animated movie. I hope it just one of many. It is called "They Where Always Real To Me."

Sneak Peak at Transformers Classic 2.0

Hasbro has a provided a sneak peak at the next line of Transformers coming August 2008. They are calling it Transformers Universe Classic but I call it Classic 2.0 since it continues the line from last year which updated Generation 1 Transformers. It was one of the best lines in years (except for Alternators/Binal-Tech) and it looks like this wave is going to be a must have for me.

The full release info and pics can be found here.

Wal-Mart Masterpiece Starscream

Based on a few Internet reports, it appears that the Wal-Mart exclusive Masterpiece Starscream is starting to hit stores with a retail price of $48.87. This is similar to Masterpiece Optimus Prime that was out last year (only all plastic) that is a faithful re-creation of Starscream. Its also a very complicated transformation, more difficult then the Alternator line, so patience is recorded. If you love Generation 1 Starscream though, this is a must have toy for the collection. The pic is from "Redline" over at the TFW2005.com boards.

Transformers Screen Battles Line Pics

TFormers.com has posted up a gallery of the new screen battle line from Hasbro. The line, which I think will be priced $19.99 covers four moments from the movie: Capture of Bumblebee, Final Stand with BB and the tow truck, Desert Attack with Scorponok and First Encounter with Barricade. I am not 100% if the toys transformer or not but the plastic figures included reminded me of old style army figures.

Click here for the full gallery.

Transformers Animated Toyline

ToysREvil.com has posted up a bunch of pics that show the various toys planned for the upcoming Transformers Animated toyline and cartoon. The toys look identical to the cartoon series design and overall seem to borrow in design from the various lines that came before. Overall not bad.

Click here for the full gallery.

Transformers Bearbricks

From the Tokyo Wonder Festival comes Transformers movie Bearbricks for Bumblebee, Optimus Prime, Megatron and Barricade. The little plastic bears are Japan only for about 1,890 yen but if really got to have them can probably find an importer that will sell them.

Click here for full gallery.

Custom Optimus Prime Protoform

"Pairadocs" over at the TFW2005 forums posted some pics of a custom Optimus Prime Protoform that uses a fantastic paint job to improve the bland and crappy original.

Click here to read about what was used and see more pics.

Movie Transformers Busts

eBay has an auction for to Transformers busts that look like an early prototype of Optimus Prime and Megatron from the movie. Pretty strange looking really. The seller wants $750 for them, which seems a bit high to me.

The description reads: Unmade toy prototype for the new Transformers movie. never made it to shelves yet! stands about 8 inches tall. very nice! unpainted. painted is extra. buyer pays shipping. Documents to prove authenticity.

Info via TFW2005 from Maximus (thanks).

San Diego Comic-Con News

TFormers.com has posted a concise list of the information released about the upcoming toy, cartoon, and comic future for the next year. Click here to read it.

The summarize it even further:

Upcoming Comics
- Devastion storyarc, Spotlight books on Optimus Prime, Galvatron, and Ramjet.
- Beast Wars gets a new mini with The Ascending and Sourcebook.
- Live action movie comics that take place after the end of the movie.
- Tranformers Animated planned
- Target exclusive comic will be included with the DVD

Toys
- "Allspark Power", part of the movie line that consists of what seems to be 50% new designs and 50% repaints (sadly common from Hasbro nowadays). A gallery can be seen here of some of the line.
- Robot Heroes (basically action figures) expanded to include G1 and Beast Wars
- Classics line starts again in fall 2008 with 8 deluxe figures and 3-4 ultras.
- Transformers Animated toys planned that matches cartoon look

Transformers Animated
- New TF cartoon for Cartoon Network. Can see a clip here. Personally not interested as just continuation of the anime "Teen Titans" look with storytelling style for 10 year olds. In other words great for their target audience just not me.

3 Million Transformers Sold

Hasbro reported that higher profits and sales in a large part due to the success of Transformers and its related product line. "'Transformers' has been a unique box office success. Our U.S. retail sales of [the new] Transformers toys have exceeded our expectations with 3 million units sold since the launch," Hasbro CEO Alfred Verrecchia said during a conference call with analysts to discuss the company's results. He also said that a second movie is possible but then we already knew that.

An additional comment of note, due to Hasbro not making money off the movie itself was, "A number of our brands have a [movie] potential and we are working on several opportunities. Right now we have not financed 'Transformers,' but that could change in the future," Verrecchia said. He declined to elaborate. This is an important comment as one of the largest barriers to movie making is financing. Studios like it when they can share the risk with others.

The rest of the report was about Hasbro's other properties, Barbie, games and so forth. The main takeaway for Transfans is the line has a bright future and probably many converts. The only thing that Hasbro's participation in financing a Transformers sequel would mean a larger budget, but realistically if I where Dreamworks I would decline as the Transformers franchise is now proven to be a probably success so sharing the risk (and therefore the profits) is not a necessity.
(Source)

Transformers Death Star

The Death Star. Transforms into Darth Vader. Not a darn thing to do with the movie. Just thought it was cool. Pics from TFW2005.

Hasbro Banking on Transformers Movie

In an online article, probably to the surprise of no one, Hasbro is banking on the movie Transformers to drive up the sells of the toy Transformers and anything else that could benefit from the line which explains the hundreds of licenses issued for everything under the sun to get the TF work over. So what does this mean for Transfans? Probably more TF stuff out there then can afford to buy. As far as the future though...I don't know, I guess it depends on the how much the movie influences future toy lines. Personally I am annoyed at the end of the Alternators and Classics line and hope those kind of lines are not ignored in the future.

The article:

Hasbro Banking on 'Transformers' Change
By Michelle R. Smith, Associated Press Writer
Hasbro Banking on "Transformers" Hitting It Big at Box Office

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (AP) -- Hasbro Inc. struggled when the toy company tied its fortunes too closely to toys based on movies.
But a movie based on its toys? That could be a different story.

Hasbro is banking that the July 4 release of the DreamWorks/Paramount movie "Transformers" -- based on Hasbro's "robots in disguise" toys introduced in the 1980s -- will herald a new era for the company that in the past few years has been remaking itself from a toy maker to an entertainment company.

"'Transformers' sort of opens another chapter for us," said Brian Goldner, Hasbro's chief operating officer, who is listed as an executive producer on the movie. "In the past, I think that the company may have thought too narrowly about its brands as forms of entertainment."

In 2000, the Pawtucket, R.I.-based company was struggling. The toy maker lost $144 million after fads for Pokemon trading cards and the electronic pet Furby faltered. It cut hundreds of jobs. Then-chief executive Alan Hassenfeld called it "a very painful year."

Part of the problem was an over-reliance on movie-related toys, like tie-ins to the "Star Wars" franchise, said Sean McGowan, an analyst with Wedbush Morgan Securities.

"They would be hot for a while, then not hot," McGowan said.

So Hasbro's executives went back to basics. They turned their focus to time-tested "core brands," names consumers knew and trusted: Playskool, Monopoly, My Little Pony, Transformers and others. They looked at the brand's core idea and thought of ways to contemporize it and parlay it into new products that would turn the company around and keep it growing.

Since then, they've developed new versions of Monopoly, released a line of Playskool products for CVS drugstores, including diapers and baby bottles, created a "My Little Pony" live stage show -- based on the toy -- to name a few.

While Hasbro still does its share of movie tie-ins -- "Spider-Man 3" and "Star Wars," for example -- it still has a treasure trove of stable properties, McGowan said.

Another upside for Hasbro is that it owns the Transformer brand, so on most Transformers-related products it doesn't have to pay royalties and can license the name. Hasbro signed up 230 licensees for "Transformers" the movie, items such as video games and cell phone games, Goldner said.

"The last couple years have been the best years they've had in a very long time," said Jim Silver, editor-in-chief of Toy Wishes Magazine.

Hasbro started the year strong, reporting a profit of $32.9 million for the three months that ended April 1, versus a loss of $4.9 million in the year-ago period. The company credited core brands and strong sales of games, led by Monopoly. Shares surged to an eight-year high, but some analysts have since downgraded their projections, warning that the stock price already factors in the high expectations for "Transformers" and that sales could slow down next year.

The idea for the "Transformers" movie started percolating in 2002, when Goldner and his team began re-examining Hasbro's properties for boys. At around the same time, "Spider-Man" was making its debut as a live-action, blockbuster movie and Goldner realized Transformers could do the same.

"I looked at Transformers and G.I. Joe as opportunities to enter that same arena," he said. "Three-quarters of now-adult men had played with these products as children."

Hasbro licensed the Transformers to Dreamworks and did not produce the film, but Goldner is listed as a co-executive producer. In contrast, Marvel Studios, a division of Marvel Entertainment, was involved in producing the Spider-Man movies based on Marvel characters.

"Transformers" is not the first movie to be based on a toy or game. The 1985 movie "Clue" took themes and characters from the popular Hasbro board game. Indeed, there was an animated Transformers movie in the 1980s (when the "Transformers" animated TV show and comic books were wildly popular).

But in recent years, toy companies have ramped it up. Marvel has had great success of late with movies based on its comic book characters: "Spider-Man," "X-Men" and "Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer," the 20th Century Fox film, which debuted as the No. 1 weekend flick last week with $57.4 million in sales, slightly surpassing the $56.1 million opening of "Fantastic Four" two years ago.

Mattel also has released a series of successful direct-to-DVD movies based on Barbie, Silver said. Later this summer, Lions Gate Films plans to release "Bratz," a live-action movie based on the MGA Entertainment dolls popular with tween girls.

"At the end of the day, Hasbro and some of the other large toy companies realize they're in the entertainment business," Silver said. He describes Hasbro today as "a family entertainment company."

The movie is one of the most anticipated of the summer. It won an MTV Movie Award this month for the best "Summer movie you haven't seen," and is opening on what has traditionally been one of the biggest moviegoing holidays of the year.

"They put their stake down and everybody avoided it," Silver said. "That is the biggest statement of how Hollywood expects the movie to be."

Goldner said Hasbro is now working on a movie based on G.I. Joe, and he won't rule out other Hasbro-related movies down the line.

"You could imagine what a Monopoly movie would be like," Goldner said. "It's not a film of a board game. It can be the whole experience people have, and all the iconography of Monopoly."

Independent toy analyst Chris Byrne said the idea could work.

"Monopoly makes a lot more sense than some of the movies we've seen," he said.

Goldner said he doesn't want to stop at Transformers or movies.

"Our brands have great salience among so many audiences and have been enjoyed by so many generations," he said. "There's a bigger story to be told, and that can be done through numerous forms of entertainment."

(source)

Radio Shack Transformers Toys

A rep for Radio Shack sent me a link to some Transformer toys that Radio Shack sells. Posting about it because figured people might like to know about them. Most of them are of the radio controlled this and that variety, and many don't transform.

Some links:
ZipZaps Micro RC TF Starter Kit - Basically tiny remote controlled Transformer cars.
Micro IR Transformers Car - These seem to transform, also remote controlled with the controller looking like a gun or something.
RC Transformers Starscream Micro Flyer - Small radio controlled plane. Nothing really "Starscream" about it except the Decepticon logos on the wings.

Amazingly enough, the folks at RadioShack created a YouTube video that sure is a qausi commercial, but its more informatative because not restricted by length and need to jazz thigns up for the 15-30 second attention grabber that commercials need to be. This is the kind of thing others manufacters should be doing. Never can go wrong in making it easy for consumers to find out if something is worth getting and videos can help in that.

Interesting Transformers Products

BigBadToyStore.com have put up some interesting Transformers related products. The first is pillows (pic on left) in the shape of the Decepticons and Autobots. They retail for $22.99. Not sure if they are a retail item will be able to find anywhere in July or something just they have. Personally going to wait and find out before ordering.

The other item is a 2 Meter (6.5ft) tall Optimus Prime statue that's $3,999.99 with estimated $300-600 shipping fee. Yep. that is the price and not a typo. Its so big that the store is hoping they can deliver it to a place with a dock since comes on a pallet and probably need a truck to take home since weighs 175 pounds (85kg). Pics below of the statue are from TFormers.com.

Bay's Press Kit Contest

Michael Bay's blog is running a contest that allows winners to get a Hasbro Press Kit that includes lots of Transformers toy goodies.

About the contest:

So, what do you have to do to win this? Simple. Answer the following two (2) questions:
1. Who is your favorite Transformer
2. And why is it your favorite Transformer

E-mail your name, address, and answers to: contest@michaelbay.com

Here are the contest rules:
- You must live in one of the following countries: US, UK, Canada, Australia, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Iceland, Israel, Italy, New Zealand, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, & Switzerland.

- You will have to pay for shipping and insurance through Paypal.com. You have 24 hours to pay once you are contacted (if you do not respond, your prize is void).

- The winner will be announced on this blog. You will be contacted with shipping and insurance rates info. If you are the winner and can't pay, the prize will be given to another contestant.

- There are no returns, refunds and/or cash exchanges.

- The contest ends on Friday, June 15, 2007.

The contents of the Transformers press kit are:
01.- Optimus Prime Voice Changer
02.- "Optimash Prime" Mr. Potato Head figure
03.- Deluxe Class Bonecrusher
04.- Deluxe Class Swindle
05.- Optimus Prime "Battle Rig Blaster"
06.- Robot Fighters game featuring Optimus Prime and Megatron
07.- "Transformers: Ghost of Yesterday" Prequel Novel by Alan Dean Foster
08.- T-Shirt featuring Barricade's police logo
09.- Small projector toy that shines an image of Optimus Prime
10.- Transformers press kit material and CD-rom
11.- Decepticon movie logo magnet
12.- Autobot movie logo magnet
13.- Leader Class Megatron action figure
14.- Transformers 3-D Battle-Card Game sample pack

There are no returns, refunds and/or cash exchanges.
The contest ends on Friday, June 15, 2007.

Good luck!