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Post by that_bluestreak on Dec 18, 2023 17:16:34 GMT
Well, 40 years of Transformers was a good run, if it comes to that. It won't, there's still plenty of value in the Transformers IP and brandname, plenty of other companies would be interested in buying it. |
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Post by Shockprowl on Jan 4, 2024 11:12:16 GMT
Well, 40 years of Transformers was a good run, if it comes to that. Well they'd just better finish the Dinobot and Mini-Autobot roads before the Capitalist Aristocracy eat them, or... I'll be really sad. |
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Nigel
Fusilateral Quintro Combiner
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Post by Nigel on Feb 14, 2024 10:12:23 GMT
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Post by The Doctor on Feb 14, 2024 10:32:44 GMT
I hope this does not mean more redundancies.
At least Wizards of the Coast is doing ok!
-Ralph
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Post by legios on Feb 14, 2024 13:46:04 GMT
Well, that 49% decline in revenue explains why they got shot of eOne anyway. Honestly this just reinforces how my Wizards and the videogame licensing is outperforming the rest of the company, and acting to slow the decline. I do feel for Hasbro employees at the moment though, these results can't make for comforting reading. :-(
Karl
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Cullen
Empty
Cat Stabber
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Post by Cullen on Feb 14, 2024 20:10:14 GMT
I wonder if they'll spin Wizards back out into a separate company? On the otherhand, it's pretty much the only thing keeping them afloat at the minute.
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Post by Pinwig on Feb 14, 2024 20:50:35 GMT
The reducing inventory bit interests me. Inventory in what respect? I've heard it discussed on the podcasts that Hasbro are reducing the numbers of production to reduce the wholesale clearancing that we've had for the last couple of years. Stuff like 'preorder Tidal Wave if your want one because he won't make it as far as reductions'. No idea how true that is, but the slow increase of the 'preorder by this date' is going to push up income because we'll have to pay full whack up front for bigger items sold that way instead of waiting for sales.
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Post by legios on Feb 14, 2024 22:56:37 GMT
I wonder if they'll spin Wizards back out into a separate company? On the otherhand, it's pretty much the only thing keeping them afloat at the minute. There was a sourceless less, and not entirely credible-seeming rumor going around a couple of weeks back that said they were poised to sell it to Tencent. I'd like to say I think it is out of the question, given that it would be selling one of the best performing parts of the company for a one-time injection of cash - sacrificing future income for a next-quarter surge which seems alarmingly short-sighted. But given the short-termist "line goes up" thinking that seems to be dominating end-stage capitalism...I can't entirely rule out that they could do something so short-sighted. Karl |
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Post by Llama God on Feb 15, 2024 7:57:18 GMT
I think we can guarantee a few things though: toy prices will continue to go up in order to make up for those lost profits (that the toys are already too expensive and that's why everyone's waiting for sales is a thought that will never enter their minds); there will be mass redundancies; executive payouts and bonuses will be unaffected.
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Post by blueshift on Feb 15, 2024 9:06:37 GMT
I wonder if they'll spin Wizards back out into a separate company? On the otherhand, it's pretty much the only thing keeping them afloat at the minute. There was a sourceless less, and not entirely credible-seeming rumor going around a couple of weeks back that said they were poised to sell it to Tencent. I'd like to say I think it is out of the question, given that it would be selling one of the best performing parts of the company for a one-time injection of cash - sacrificing future income for a next-quarter surge which seems alarmingly short-sighted. But given the short-termist "line goes up" thinking that seems to be dominating end-stage capitalism...I can't entirely rule out that they could do something so short-sighted. Karl My understanding is that they sold the entertainment stuff they bought just a few years ago at a massive loss as they needed a cash injection to meet certain payments, so if they have more debts that need to be paid soon it's not outside the realm of possibility but yeah, crazy to do so |
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Post by The Doctor on Feb 29, 2024 19:55:34 GMT
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Post by Llama God on Mar 1, 2024 7:55:34 GMT
I like the talk of cost savings there, and how they're making their Nerf toys with too much plastic (i.e. they're too high quality). So be ready for lower quality toys at higher prices. Exciting times!
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Post by The Doctor on Mar 1, 2024 8:56:02 GMT
It sometimes feels like action figures are locked in the same death spiral as the US comic industry. Both were cheap and cheeful, aimed at kids and available everywhere. And then...
-Ralph
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Post by Pinwig on Mar 1, 2024 23:14:59 GMT
I hope the product development cycles are such that we don't get the all-new cheaper plastic for a few years and all the recent combiner leaks don't end up hanging together like FoC Bruticus.
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Post by legios on Mar 1, 2024 23:44:20 GMT
I like the talk of cost savings there, and how they're making their Nerf toys with too much plastic (i.e. they're too high quality). So be ready for lower quality toys at higher prices. Exciting times! Considering how little those seem to sell at the current prices that probably isn't going to be a workable strategy mind you. I'm seeing a lot of Nerf stuff deep-discounted to below the cost of the equivalent Zuru X-shot equivalent and still shelf-warming, and Bargainmax have had those hefty semi-auto Nerf Mega things ridiculously cheap for several years after they have been discontinued with no sign of running low on stock. I'm not sure that lowering the cost of things will help, if they still aren't shifting enough units... They may be solving the wrong problem. Karl |
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Post by The Doctor on Mar 2, 2024 9:37:23 GMT
But the Executives!
-Ralph
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Post by that_bluestreak on Mar 2, 2024 23:21:56 GMT
I like the talk of cost savings there, and how they're making their Nerf toys with too much plastic (i.e. they're too high quality). So be ready for lower quality toys at higher prices. Exciting times! I note your sarcasm but have you condsidered the plight of the shareholders? Wouldn't you happily pay more for less if you knew it meant that some billionaires got wealthier? There are oligarchs down to their last three or four superyaughts  |
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Post by that_bluestreak on Mar 2, 2024 23:23:33 GMT
It sometimes feels like action figures are locked in the same death spiral as the US comic industry. Both were cheap and cheeful, aimed at kids and available everywhere. And then... -Ralph  |
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Post by Philip Ayres on Mar 20, 2024 8:38:44 GMT
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Post by Benn on Mar 20, 2024 9:11:19 GMT
Looks at comments and sees someone complaining about kids touching the toys with their greasy fingers.
Ah yes, that's why I don't bother with that site.
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Post by Toph on Mar 20, 2024 18:42:39 GMT
I'm glad for the return to windows. I wanted either that, or them to be entirely enclosed, because
1. I'm so sick of finding damaged toys (I'm 100% sure this return to windows is entirely retailer pressure because of this. I've only seen two rotb mainline voyager Optimus who's chest wasn't torn off, and i own one of them)
2. By complete coincidence, "No Windows! Everything will still be fine!" started exactly when a global pandemic hit, in which the virus can live for days on a surface it touches.
Since the pandemic, I disinfect every open window toy I buy.
I don't care about imaginary greasy hands, but I do care about the very real and potentially deadly virus these are all now completely exposed to.
Also, the toys look horrible! The windows have to be so small, and so much toy gets covered by the cardboard holding it in place, that you can barely see it, anyway! It's just ridiculous at this point!
Either use the non-fossil fuel biodegradable plastic that's becoming popular for water bottles, or just enclose the package entirely.
The Leaders, Commanders, and Vintage G1s boxes look amazing!
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Post by Pinwig on Mar 20, 2024 21:38:30 GMT
Interesting. I did note when we saw the pictures that Sandstorm has a window and Leaders haven't had those for a while.
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Post by Bogatan on Mar 20, 2024 22:46:05 GMT
Putting aside the enviromental issues, i feel too hypocritical complaining about plastic waste while buying plastic toy robots, I'm broadly fine with the return of window plastic. Though obviously I hope (though doubt) they'll use the least bad enviromental option, if such a thing really exists. But I'd also be fine fully enclosing the box.
What does annoy me is that it appears we are back to plastic insert trays. Primarily for the entirely shelfish reason that their absense has allowed me to 100% flatpack packaging for the last couple of years.
and obviously they use way more plastic than the windows and are far more likely to be instantly binned than the outer box. I say as someone who still has about 99-100% of my G1 boxes and card backs, but only about 5-10% of the card bubbles and box inserts from back then.
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Post by The Doctor on Mar 20, 2024 22:47:52 GMT
Potential customers like to be able to see the products properly. Who knew, eh?
Let's just hope Hasbro are using biodegrading material for the windows this time.
-Ralph
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Post by Llama God on Mar 21, 2024 8:01:05 GMT
Putting aside the enviromental issues, i feel too hypocritical complaining about plastic waste while buying plastic toy robots, I tend not to - it's disposable plastic that's the bigger issue, from packaging and the like, as opposed to things that we're actually intending on keeping and using. (Although everything will of course be disposed of in the end, one way or the other, so I suppose it's just delaying the issue...) What does annoy me is that it appears we are back to plastic insert trays. Primarily for the entirely shelfish reason that their absense has allowed me to 100% flatpack packaging for the last couple of years. Yes, that will certainly vex me if they are. I can see the argument for the windows, but there's no need at all for any of the rest of the packaging to be plastic. |
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Post by Fortmax2020 on Mar 21, 2024 8:44:34 GMT
I suspect they will start marketing this as Deluxe Packaging and increase prices accordingly.
Or even... Evo-Packaging.
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Jim
Thunderjet
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Post by Jim on Mar 21, 2024 9:56:08 GMT
I was quite enjoying the GI Joe Classified packaging where you've got the little cardboard tray for the figure and a separate box with the accessories both of which fit neatly together in the outer box. Brought to mind those neat Japanese lacquerware sets you see in museums where everything slides together neatly and has its place.
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Post by Philip Ayres on Mar 21, 2024 10:36:56 GMT
What does annoy me is that it appears we are back to plastic insert trays. Primarily for the entirely shelfish reason that their absense has allowed me to 100% flatpack packaging for the last couple of years. Yes, that will certainly vex me if they are. I can see the argument for the windows, but there's no need at all for any of the rest of the packaging to be plastic. Plastic trays go hand in hand with the plastic windows. You need something to hold the figure in place, support the window and not look like bits of cardboard stuffed in a box. I'd have been happy to go to go closed cardboard packaging on all TFs. But I can understand how some people were not happy. Did we have a thread when they went all cardboard? Could not find it yesterday. |
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Jim
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Post by Jim on Mar 21, 2024 11:14:41 GMT
I'm sure we discussed it somewhere, but maybe not Transformers-specific? I remember being in-favour because it showcases the artwork better (if only they'd done this for the Toxitron collection!)
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Post by Bogatan on Mar 21, 2024 13:57:05 GMT
Yes, that will certainly vex me if they are. I can see the argument for the windows, but there's no need at all for any of the rest of the packaging to be plastic. Plastic trays go hand in hand with the plastic windows. You need something to hold the figure in place, support the window and not look like bits of cardboard stuffed in a box. I'd have been happy to go to go closed cardboard packaging on all TFs. But I can understand how some people were not happy. Did we have a thread when they went all cardboard? Could not find it yesterday. Dont really agree. The insert rarely supports the window part of the box and figures have been quite happilly tied in place at various times without plastic trays supporting them. |
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