When Are Transformers Too Expensive (Other Than Right Now)?

[@pittsburghboyertown3821]

The frustrating thing is how much the engineering and cleverness has improved. Imagine today's engineering with budget quality of 10 to 15 years ago.

[@Megarover]

I'm half expecting the price to end up going down in around a decade because Transformers will probably start getting rejected by retailers due to the price and alot of them not selling by that point.

[@muigokublack6487]

Be like Funko Pops where they literally have to dump them in a landfill because they're not going to sell and moreso for TF because most normal people aren't going to pay the prices they're asking for so they're just gonna sit on shelves and pegs for months.

[@joshuaslosser6988]

The prices have seriously gotten out of hand to the point where you really only have money for your bare essentials and maybe a little to save but no hobby stuff.

[@MunkyDrag0n]

What gets me as much as the prices is how inconsistent the qc is now.

[@gamecock_1960]

THIS

[@gwenc1371]

Agreed. The prices are getting bad, and have severely limited me in what I'm willing to actually buy, but the QC is the other side of the same coin. If I'm paying $55 for a figure like Sludge, I simply shouldn't be worrying about whether I win the QC lottery and if it will actually be able to stand.

[@twophan]

In the Netherlands, finding any mainline, non-gimmicky Transformers in stores is rare in general, There's definitely 0 impulse buying happening. I usually get them from specialized stores that mark up the price (understandably), so paying 30-35 for the DELUXE you want is already something to heavily consider. I am very selective in my characters nowadays and rely a lot on Non-stolen toy reviews to make up my mind whether I want to buy a character or not. The only plus to living in Europe is that by the time they finally DO show up, I have a decent idea whether I want the toy or not.

[@TheSharkKing45]

I miss the pricing and quality of figures from 2002 - 2007. I know some weren't satisfactory in quality, but I'm sure its a sacrifice some would willing to take

[@muigokublack6487]

And those figures not made with GPS could be tanky and stand up to alot of love lol

[@Spike-Prime]

2002-2004 Transformers were really BAD though. The majority of mainline figures flat-out sucked. Outliers like Armada Unicron were the exception, not the rule.

[@Spike-Prime]

@qtsssim if it makes you feel any better, you didn't miss much. The UT shows are infamously not good, and Armada and Energon are two of this franchise's worst toy lines.

[@jeepdino7353]

Oi. Unicron Trilogy was my jam To this day, 90% of what I buy from hasbro is their unicron trilogy stuff. That is why I came back to the brand after ditching it when Prime ended. Personally, if they went back to unicron trilogy style figures, drop an extra joint or two in and I would be glad to continue to participate. Energon megatron? I would still buy that to this day, especially with Bicep swivels for manipulating his sword tank. Cybertron vector Prime? I will be pre-ordering the 2024 edition the day it drops. All I hope for is a bicep swivel and a waist twist over the original and I will be content.

[@D4NDRUFFD4VE_THEFL4KEM4STER]

what i dont understand is why none of the stores in my area ordered a single case of wave two legacy deluxes.

[@albernardi8]

Let’s remember much of the recent inflation was because of *greed*. The supply chain issues and COVID dying down started the ball rolling, but corporate greed brought it to where we are now. Most of the reason you’re paying more for things is because these companies took the opportunity to milk the market. Personally a deluxe at $30 or a legends at $15 is my absolute limit. I have most of the characters I want, and outside of a new line of Animated figures I’ll probably shift focus to collecting Transformers media.

[@muigokublack6487]

I'm about there. I'm very selective in what figures I buy, mostly characters I like like Armada Prime. Outside of that I've mostly switched to TF media like the shows and games both video and tabletop.

[@SideswipePrime606]

Yeah, they all just took advantage of the situation as hard as they could. Using those issues as an excuse to screw us all over.

[@sebastienholmes548]

Nice conspiracy. Did a youtuber tell you it?

[@alectech5435]

Honestly for me I've been trying to turn this "high price" thing into a sorta "challenge", basically to try and get the figures I want for the lowest price I can find, it takes some patience but it is really rewarding

[@muigokublack6487]

@@alectech5435 Yeah but for some figures it's gonna be a case of "get it now or pay more later". TJ talked about this but with how figure distribution is If you don't buy the figure now then later on you'll be stuck paying higher prices on the secondhand market.

[@beartrapinuwuland]

I have the rule of never buying a figure for more than 100 dollars, I see people buying multiple masterpiece transformers and other super expensive figures, I think that is cool, but that would never be me

[@muigokublack6487]

I feel you there. Once it starts getting into the triple digits I dip out because a TOY, even a really good toy is not worth it at that price.

[@muigokublack6487]

The Robosen figures. Look it's a neat gimmick but the price REALLY doesn't justify it. But for real, I've been uncomfortable for AWHILE with the increased price of figures and I'm old enough to remember when deluxes were $12, voyagers $20, and leaders $50. Eventually I'm gonna get priced out because I'm already having trouble justifying what I buy. I love Transformers, I love to mess with them, transform, and pose them but when more important stuff comes up that's the first thing to get cut out of the budget. I feel like eventually the toy market is gonna have a "Come To Jesus" moment and realize they've priced out everyone who could buy their toys. Hasbro is already blaming fans because food is more a priority than cards and books.

[@mr.end-game711]

amen, I started being back in Armada and deluxe were 10 bucks, voyagers were 20 bucks and all that. the toys were big and blocky but I remember them fondly. Reality needs to slap Hasbro sooner rather then latter as prices are going crazy on everything and toys/collectibles will suffer fist.

[@delaneymcdonell5774]

I started collecting around Combiner Wars and I remember buying Deluxe’s For $15-$16 and that was reasonable to me but now almost 10 years later it’s doubled in price and now recently I have had to be very selective in what I buy because it’s getting hard to justify paying $50 for one toy when I could get food or pay bills. It’s very frustrating

[@jamesblanco7323]

I’m so-so on $35 for the Studio Series Cheetor. Looks great, but it’s harder and harder to justify. Hasbro needs to be mindful of what they’re doing, potentially pushing a lot of fans out of being able to collect.

[@alphatrion100]

I'm buying MP Ko's for 35 to 50. Just got mp grapple for 50 and ironhide for 37.

[@GladDestronger]

That and they need an economically feasible substitute for oil-based plastic. Something needs to be done or it'll get to the point no one will be able to afford anything. Product price goes up less buy it, so company raises price to cover losses. Again, less people buy it, so price goes up again. Which leads to... company raising prices again to cover losses.

[@VZMkII]

This is why I watch your channel TJ. Because I know you’d be someone who would say $35 is too much for a Deluxe. It’s the other people in the fandom I’ve always got a problem with. They’re so addicted to their hobby, they can’t step back and evaluate if they even really need that toy.

[@ultimateblaze23]

The idea TFs are so much more "complicated now" is a pet peeve of mine since it's mostly false, if you look at something like 2008 Prowl who does everything any modern toy does or more in some cases and was £10.. no, the reasons prices are up is because they want money. Average price in UK now £24 plus usually £3 shipping so you're looking at £27 for a deluxe which is already ridiculous. I don't buy at current prices unless the toy is just insanely good. My collection is mostly older generations with a few gems like Spinister. Apart from redoing the other combiners G1 is basically done, so i'm vey interested to see the future in a few years if all the G1ers leave can TF sustain itself, will Habsro try redoing them all again? and will that be successful in convcing them to rebuy?

[@SideswipePrime606]

Yeah, the few Legacy stuff I own doesn't really do anything that Transformers couldn't have pulled off in the early 2010s. I often think back to how deluxes stayed $10 for over a decade, and then the prices on them have more than doubled over the course of the past 7 or so years. Granted, Hasbro isn't the only one doing this. S.H. Figuarts are on average $80 now, when they were $35-$40 back in 2009/2010.

[@jasonregimbal-kung6154]

TBH, my whole life sort of changed a couple of years ago and it necessitated a reduction in collecting. But I've been collecting since Classics. Over the course of time between all those lines and 3rd party I have the entire cast of Seasons 1 - the movie in modern form. So when it became clear that they were gonna do the entire cast again I made the conscious choice to only replace toys I have an active problem with. Said no to some good TFs and made some purchases I later regretted (Siege Soundwave, ER Ironhide and Ratchet). No regrets on my choice on not replacing my entire collection, though. It was the right choice for me. So I'll pick and choose from waves which ones I want. I actually really love crossovers even if the toys themselves aren't always "worth it", so I'm more than likely gonna pick up the Jurassic Park set. But I won't do it until it shows up at a Canada online store. I always preorder them, but maybe I ought to wait this time. Literally every single one winds up on sale at some point except for Maverick! That is the only one I never saw at a physical location.

[@LOSKOSKI]

MP44 pretty much changed my whole way of thinking when I say that price. Moved on to 3rd. And 4th party. I don't need all the extra goodies. 😵

[@4390BigBoss]

I have just become very selective I used to give characters I wasn’t familiar with like Tarn a chance because I wanted to experience new things but now I just have to stick to my absolute favorite characters

[@williammckinley1035]

They've started to price me out now. I feel really guilty spending that much for a voyager. I'm starting to buy my figures when they are on sale or clearance. Managed to get leader class galvatron for $20 and leader class Blitzwing for $15. Both at my local Wal-Mart brand new for clearance prices. I'm very selective now. The last takara MP I bought was sideswipe. And I managed to get MPM Megatron and Ironhide at Ross for fair prices. Commander and titan I'm out on unless they are on clearance. I too feel prices are going to inch up for deluxes here soon. Wal-Mart is starting to charge some star wars black series for $28. I can see transformer deluxe class going for that soon.

[@thisisme2982]

@TJOmega so where I live currently prices are 35 for a deluxe, 49.99 for a voyager and 79.99 for a leader and frankly I might be priced out if the prices go up any more then 5 bucks. Its insane because I remember when age of extinction came out deluxe was 16, voyager was 24 and leader was 49.99 . . . . . how have prices doubled in the last 10 years alone? idk

[@loha_1017]

I honestly would not care if they went back to ball joints because they really weren’t that bad and they improved articulation in some ways

[@joshuavis2736]

I prefer ball joints honestly as they allow for more fluid looking poses. Worst case over time they get a little loose and you have to use some nail polish to tighten up the joints. But even then it’s easier to fix a ball joint than a hinge joint

[@CarnoReviews]

Eh, I honestly will take higher price over ball joints. But that's just my opinion

[@Alverant]

FYI, it's not just Transformers and Hasbro. Lego increased the price of their Speed Champions cars from $20 to $25 as well as increases in other items. It sucks because I was moving from Transformers to Lego. Now it seems I should just stop collecting period.

[@jeremygregorio7472]

When I was a kid the reason I could afford transformers was they would go on clearance like anything else and I could get them for half off or less. But stuff doesn't really go on clearance anymore because Big Data means they know exactly how much to make. You might get 10% off if you're lucky but you're not going to get 50 60 or 70% off. I don't remember what I paid for scorponok back in the day but I know it was an absurdly low price

[@Benjamin0119]

G1 or Beast Wars Scorponok?

[@hypermegaman3145]

I'm riding the line, not only do I feel they're getting way too expensive, but they're pushing too many lines at the same time, I like really like bringing back the Beast Wars figures in the Legacy line many being more show accurate, but recently my local Wal-Mart has pretty much stopped carrying the Legacy line, all they're really are carrying right now is the RoTB and EarthSpark lines, maybe they're just having supply issues for Legacy, but it looks to me like they just don't want to carry that line anymore, which really sucks because there's still figures I want that I know about.

[@ezragrun]

I recently took out my Generations Drift that I bought back in 2010. He’s big, solid, has good paint apps, comes with three swords with weapon storage-I can’t believe he cost $14.

[@Alexisilver]

Funny thing, I got mainline RotB Prime and SS WFC Barricade on the same day And Barricade is actually just a hair heavier than Optimus, which speaks to both of them I guess. Prime is a very tiny voyager, and Barricade is one of the most massive deluxes of the past decade

[@toysmostwanted]

Between quitting my job 6 years ago, the pandemic and taking over the family business, I have stopped buying Transformers and I'm so close to disposing of a huge part of my collection. The hobby has priced me out and I've become just a consumer of media.

[@Tyrellbateman]

I’ve been thinking about this for a while and I really think that after ROTB I’m done with the franchise. I feel like it’s been on a downward spiral for some time now, it used to be that I could just buy a figure while out and about and have a fun little treat for myself when I get back home without a fuss but now I genuinely have to calculate the price of the figure into whatever I’m buying cause even the cheapest ones come out to near $30 with tax. I was so hyped for SS 102 but to preorder it was like $42 bucks all in for a voyager, I just can’t keep justifying it

[@Patolagos]

I can't get over the fact that the Prime Wars legends were like 8 bucks at their time, and now the current core class figures (which are actually smaller than some Prime Wars legends) are like 15-17.

[@johnmonroe2994]

Just like you TJ, I'm one more price hike away from saying I'm done, cause the price hikes on Transformers and other toy are already beyond absurd.

[@captainlink72]

I wonder if doing more Unicron Trilogy characters could help with this issue. They’re less complicated designs that (most likely) would require a lower part count.

[@that1guysittingthere]

I’d totally be down. They made a new Armada Hot Shot and Cybertron one (retooled Hound), hopefully there’ll be an Energon Hot Shot at some point. I also want a Cybertron Jetfire remake, too. Probably the one case I’d be fine with scaling down since the ‘05 Ultra was massive

[@rubiconprime1429]

I got into collecting at the tail end of Titans return. If I’m honest, ankle tilts were not worth another $10 at the time, and I never had a problem with ball joints (Ball jointed ankles superior BTW). Stupid as it sounds I feel kind of forced into this situation by the greater community, or at least the pre established community. Of course like with everything else, there’s no chance that prices will ever go down, so I guess our only hope is that the prices will stay where they are and inflation will catch up to them or something IDK.

[@Alverant]

If you think ball jointed ankles are superior, then explain what happened to the toy of IDW Skids and Crosscut. Their ball jointed ankles were so loose the only way you could stand the figure up is to lean him against something.

[@NerdyTransformed]

​@@Alverant Nobody is saying ball joints are superior to universal joints. But the added articulation and universal joints are no longer worth the constantly increasing prices

[@FireFury190]

Yeah Hasbro's prices are getting too much for me at this point. Both Transformers and Power Rangers. I wanna get DT Black, SPD Yellow, and Mesogog, but part of me feels like I should just wait for a sale. Especially because for some dumb reason my Target prices Lightning Collection figures at $27. Hell no. I wanna get Axlegrease and Animated Prowl but part of me can't justify it. The only TF toys I know I'm 100% getting on day one for the rest of the year are Armada Optimus and Megatron because I'm an Armada baby. Anything else I'm waiting for a sale/discount.

[@EternityKingdomsHeadHoncho]

WFC (and to a lesser extent Studio Series) is when things changed from “size classes” to “price points”. With that in mind, it’s less about how big the figure is and more so about how much the designers can do within the budget. They were able to give Blaster/Twincast a fully functional little buddy (shame about the clear plastic), and yet Soundwave’s Netflix release still had leftovers from the Siege mold because… well, it was just a retool. Origin Bumblebee is able to be a better all-in-one mini-bot; meanwhile, ER Cliffjumper has brought the curse of partsforming onto everyone he shares a mold with. Needlenose is able to pack in two extremely well-done Targetmasters and meanwhile Pointblank and his little buddy fail at being competently made in every area.

[@GinjeetX]

You want to hear something crazy? In my country, Chile, retailers raised prices on all classes on top of prices going up last year. Now Deluxes are roughly 44 bucks, Voyagers are 63, Leaders are 96, Core are 21, Commanders are 163 and the Titan class is 351

[@jacobrydstrom6565]

If you want to see another price confusion, take a look at lego and their price range

[@Yesitsmyrealname]

I understand how the Price Increase is affecting Americans but to be honest it's always been Expensive for us Australians and I'm personally long used to it. It does still help to be selective like a good friend of mine is

[@dukespino4990]

I wonder if that new deluxe optimus listing is an indication of what tjomega fears. Optimus is always an experimental character, and a deluxe one more so I guess we'll wait and see.

[@iodaspark]

Remember when the T30 Generations'Scouts came with triple-changer Targetmaster-Micromaster partners...? Subsequently, lack thereof became staple!

[@ORLY911]

Ever since I started buying them again when Power of the Primes started(previously stopped as a kid in Armada days) I thought prices were fair and when both engineering and sculpt quality shot up in WFC, I didn't mind the little bit more they were asking. But now they're feeling like prime Wars toys again but smaller, but the prices are going up on them. I have a few upcomings I wanna buy but man, if voyagers jump to 40 and deluxes 30 I dunno.

I live in Turkey. When I first started collecting in 2008, 1 USD was around 1,20 TRY. Now 1 USD is around 22 TRY. In 2008, you didn't have to pay import taxes for items below the value of €1500. Now nothing is tax-exempt (the customs duty rate is 20% if the item is imported from EU, 30% if not) and for shipments above €150 declared value, a formal confirmation from the Importer of Record is mandatory to proceed with the customs clearance, which means you'll have to pay all kinds of taxes and fees an importer has to pay (You bought something that costs €151? You'll probably end up spending an additional €250). And yet I and others continue to import stuff. Cheaper stuff, sure. And less frequently. But we still continue to collect. That means, if you are from the States or even, let's say Canada, you will continue to purchase Transformers for a long, LONG time.

[@ThatsMildlyAdequate]

At this point I only buy a few figures. Some smaller ones but mostly save up for the big ones that interest me

[@Hyodazo]

I'm real close to drop the mainline. Like, I've already gotten to the point where I only grab toys of characters I have a personal connection to. I don't grab someone just because they're cool looking anymore. 25 USD is just too much for impulse purchases. And the QC issues I've had with almost every single one I've bought in the last year or so has really put a damper into that as well. Like for 35 USD I would at least expect my Armada Starscream to be able to stand up unassisted.

[@DragoonMS]

Funny thing about parts count: someone had made a spreadsheet comparing the parts counts of certain Masterpiece figures, and I found something both hilarious and annoying at once: MP45 Bumblebee 2.0. Apparently, he clocks in at a higher price point than MP21 Bumblebee 1.0 w/Exo-Suit Spike, but he's also clocked in at a lower parts count. So between licensing with Volkswagen, parts budget (the molds for each part, etc.), engineering budget (gotta work that sorcery for a screen accurate robot mode), the plastics themselves, and paint budget, something went up substantially...if not everything. Otherwise it is just corporate greed...as there's no other reason why MP45 should have a higher price than MP21.

[@Benjamin0119]

The last new Transformers I collected were the Classics and the 07 movie toys. I don't remember any particular reason why I stopped collecting. Maybe because I lost my job at the time. But I remember walking down the toy aisle one day and saw the deluxe Transformers had been jacked up from $10 to $15, which I thought was ridiculous. Then more recently they are now $23, and the Beast Wars reissues were like $30! I just cant justify it in my mind. And yes I do enjoy the new toys vicariously through review channels like yourself, and I greatly appreciate that.

[@notrod0918]

Definitely agree with everything you said here. But my problem with my country anyways is that the prices are so inconsistent. Like the ROTB stuff is way too overpriced. Deluxes are 38$, 60$ for a small voyager. Meanwhile Studio series Deluxes are 30$ and Voyagers are 40$ (A bit more affordable but still expensive). For being simpler figures, they're way too expensive. Hell, the dumbest prices I've seen are ROTB legion classes (The smallest size class) are 17$...

[@Yorakhunt117]

In Australia leader classes are 100 bucks which really sucks.

[@palaguin]

The last price hike has really cooled down my collecting. Now I usually only buy if they are on sale. I still need a modern Cosmos, and I want the Omnibot Overdrive. After the SS86 Snarl and Swoop come out there is nothing else I want beyond a good Metroplex.

[@megatronacepticon]

When I got the 2 Core Dinobots the other day they were $25 each, so that's $50, so we're talking $150 for a Deluxe-sized Volcanicus, and that's assuming that I don't have to pay extra to import any of the Dinobots, which is unlikely because New Zealand where we didn't get Evolution past Wave 1 outside dribs and drabs in specialist/expensive and online shops. I had to import 3 of the 5 Stunticons, although Breakdown is showing up now for anyone who didn't import him, but we still skipped Dead End and Wildrider.

[@thomasrickelman5468]

I can only imagine a Transformers collector winning the lottery and then trying to be a completionist... millions of dollars spent, and still not enough to buy EVERYTHING that's been made available AND what's coming from the good folks at Hasbro / Takara-Tomy - I mean, who really needs all of their internal organs... we have to sell them for yet another version of the same characters we already have dozens of, right?

[@thomasrickelman5468]

Yes, I enjoy the franchise, and I understand that this is a business, but DANG this isn't a cheap hobby.

[@MrMajorasmask101]

It’s getting a little close for me and it scares me since love this franchise dearly. Although I’ll admit I find my self collecting vintage figures at my local comic book/retro toy stores more so for me if it comes to that It won’t entirely be a loss but it will deeply upset me still.

[@chuckdawg1999]

The things I have to do for a transformer, I can't look at myself in a mirror.

[@dpompor1351]

The situation is so bad here in middle europe and the balkans. Deluxes are already around equivalent 30 usd. I legit have to resort to only the aftermarket and some suprise finds and sales here and there. Im so incredibly jealous of us collectors man,you have it so good

[@robrice7246]

This is why nowadays, I've been going to places like Ross, Burlington & TJMaxx since I can get these toys at lower prices (if I'm extremely lucky).

[@TrevorR36]

I am almost out too. I actually find myself looking at ebay and thrift stores and buying older toys at discount. I have more connection to the older toys anyway. Back when seige came out I had a feeling that hasbro was getting ready to kill off G1. I think they are done and want collectors out of the game so they are releasing final, definitive versions of characters. Most likely so they can turn it back into a toyline for kids only, like when it started. It was fun while it lasted guys.

[@Gabtool]

Diaclone reboot collector here. Everything is too much and yet they STILL suck me in with all of the cool gimmicks and cross compatibility

[@that1guysittingthere]

Remember back when Deluxes were half the price, and how Voyagers used to be that $20 range? Pepperidge Farm remembers

[@krishacz]

"are you ready to pay thirty dollars for a deluxe?" europeans: "what do you mean are you ready?" seriously I saw potp dinobots going for 700 CZK (almost $30) in _2021_!

[@leftygurl]

if i wasn’t in a position where im not spending money on anything essential, i would be buying like one transformer a year. the price hike from potp to siege was already close to cutting me out of my newfound fandom, and it’s only gotten worse, the main difference is going from allowance and holidays to money i make myself. after tax, a voyager is 55cad, that’s the better part of a shift for me. this cant keep going on.

[@thecuriousone6878]

Pricing has been going up since I started proper collecting back when the '07 movie came out. When it was easy to just grab a Deluxe class without worry. Even in those days, I was very mindful of going anything past that because I didn't want to cut into my living wages. Now, it's double that price. I just got the two Junkion deluxes, and it was over 50 dollars to grab those. I would HAPPILY take a lack of articulation and complexity cost if it means the figures were actually priced to where they can be available. I feel like the Animated line was the perfect price point of you getting a figure with its own unique gimmick, but it also was VERY easy to transform and play with. The show accuracy still baffles me on how well they translate as well as a nice bonus. I feel like the Earthspark figures could be a nice inbetween, in that they're show accurate with a little bonus figure for collectors on that price. Yet the extra 5 asking for, say, a 10 dollar figure would be MUCH more bearable. Not an economist though, so this is mere idea throwing on my behalf.

[@nabro1750]

I wouldn't be surprised if they stop including weapons and accessories with figures and start selling them in multipacks

[@RialVestro]

Here's where I stand on the subject... anything over $50 is too expensive. I don't care how complicated the engineering is, how big the figure is, inflation... and let's get something clear here inflation is based on supply and demand, if there's no demand for a $300 chunk of plastic than it's not worth $300. They can only sell it for that much so long as people are willing to pay that much. I am not. As much as I would love the Ark it is not worth the price to me unless they come WAY don't on the price. And personally I don't like the large scale figures, I never have. I'm 6'4" and I find anything bigger than deluxe to just been too big, it takes up too much space, it's not fun to play with so if I'm saying that as an adult what do you think a kid is going to do with a giant transformer that's about as tall as they are? They're not going to be able to transform it. I feel like at some point when 3D printers become more affordable and more common instead of different size classes Hasbro is just going to sell files so you can print the figures at any size you want. There are 3rd parties already doing that and it's oddly getting to a point where 3rd Party Transformers are becoming cheaper than official transformers because of that.

[@HidaAtarasi]

I still insist that Hasbro takes into account unlicensed figure prices AND resale prices when they hike their pricing. Scalpers aren’t just preying on the fandom, they’re fueling it’s demise!

[@eyiss7236]

I stopped buying new figures after Covid, I can’t even justify $20 2 - 3 years ago, let atone $25 now. I met my limit ages ago, glad you’re in the situation where you can get the new figures, TJ.

[@francobonazzola5012]

Here at Argentina the prices aren't a pain in the butt....BECAUSE INSTEAD THEY BREAK OUR ASSES. Literally triple or quadruple the price that you get. To the point that in a flea market i can get a g1 Optimus Prime for half the price a new Deluxe or voyager is now on days . Last time i got a modern figure was PotP Beachcomber back in 2018.

[@joshuavis2736]

Collecting is hard in australia, like yea we don’t get a lot of exclusives but yea it costs a lot more money, I’m fine with the cost of transformers but they are shrinking which is the problem. Lego also has a problem as their prices can get pretty crazy

[@EviltheNub]

MP's are price gouging, plain and simple. They know the Geewunners will throw an absurd amount of money to get an Optimus Prime that's 7% mOaR gEeWuN than the last one they bought. The movie MP's are just as complex, if not more so, plus they have licensing fees on top of it and they're generally like half the price.

[@dennismoon6693]

First and foremost, don't go by the prices on Amazon, because those tend to be items being re-sold by either smaller shops that don't have their own on-line portal, or individuals trying to make a profit from a hobby. They're already too expensive for me, but to be fair, that is a hold-over from getting laid off a few years ago and the realization that for me they're basically glorified fidget toys that, after a couple transformations just sit on a shelf. I broke down and started the mini-version of the Predacons from Cang Toys last year because they looked good and, for a 3rd party were a decent price. Beyond that, I'm pretty much done. If I happen to be in Target or Walmart for something else, out of habit I'll take a look to see if anything catches my eye, but by and large, I just can't justify them as a part of my recreational spending, whether it be planned or an impulse purchase. I think a big part of the bloat on the MP figures is all the little accessories that they put into it. My biggest beef with mainline and studio series was that they had the same increase across all the size classes. We had legends/core, voyager, deluxe and leader classes for 10, 20, 30 and 50; then all of them increased by $3. I'm sure if I talked to Hasbro execs, they would be able to lay out all the reasons why they needed the same flat increase across the board, but the fact remains they had a 30% increase for the smallest figures, but only 6% for the largest. Following on TJ's prediction that the toys will start seeing simplifications such as ball joints, I have to wonder how long it will be before they're back to the quality of G1 toys: no joints except where needed for transformation, and cutting corners with parts-forming (yay! missing essential pieces!)

[@superalfredchicken]

75 bucks is basically the price of 2 deluxes in Canada

[@SideswipePrime606]

Concerning the question presented in the title, I'll be honest, the prices that mainline Transformers are currently at is my upper limit. If deluxes ever go up to $30, I'm out and at that point Hasbro could burn down for all I care.

[@Megalotron]

Riding the line for me, I've already limited myself to leaders and characters I REALLY like and from shows I truly enjoy. Space is also a factor as well. But I've rarely been buying as it is with the recent lines as I'd prefer a bigger Earthspark Prime and Megs. I haven't even gotten any legacy even though they look good. And while the Armada Galvs is confirmed, I feel Fans Hobby has done the better job and will likely be getting it.

[@jacobrydstrom6565]

I love collecting transformers, but these price risings is a bit nuts. I buy at best one or two deluxe/ core class figurines, or one Voyager class, or one leader class if it goes on clearance. I also once saw masterpieces at retail. I am not paying over 100 something dollars for one figurine that is mainly used for display use due to the complexity of it as well as the paint job. The only time i saw a fair priced masterpiece figurine was at a flea market for 20-25 bucks. Complete+used og skywarp.

[@KeybladeWeilder87]

For me the peak as far as price for quality was back in the Generations days. Good prices for a really solid figure in most cases

[@Ultra-Magnus-]

If deluxe class ever needs to be $30 they need to make each one like SS86 Hotrod. Deluxe with a bunch of accessories imo. Different faces, hand options, ect.

[@bpboo9222]

Sunstreaker was my last MP and definitely checked out when the OP 3.0 was released as well

[@mikef8846]

I didn't feel that great paying $55 for ROTB Scourge. Legs are thin and the truck is very hollow in the back.

[@TaliaIGhul]

The latest MP Optimus Prime figure is the same price as the optical drive version of the PlayStation 5. That's an example of these prices getting crazy.

[@Fuzzy_Barbarian]

A big thing that price increases do is make it harder to get into the hobby. Sure, some current collectors will be priced out, but worse still you're not bringing people in to replace them or others leaving the hobby. So, to maintain/increase profits with fewer customers, you have to charge even more, and when that keeps happening... well, just ask the comic book industry how *that* goes. Me? I'm buying much less than I did a few years ago, and it's almost always when there's a sale. Some people I know stopped altogether thanks to a combination of price increases and other hobbies, or even toylines, providing better value. While Transformers got me into toy collecting as an adult, I've shifted over to other toylines like S.H.Figuarts, Mafex, Legions and Jada. While most are more expensive, it feels like I'm getting more for my money. Still, Transformers is still hanging in there, since I *will* still buy some things at full price, but another price increase or noticeable dip in value may put it right next to Marvel Legends in the "only buy when on sale" category.

[@albertorodrigomolinasortiz471]

I live in a place where leader class is 120US$. So I already base my collection on whatever is on sale.

[@austinhinton3944]

$25 for modern deluxes is absolutely absurd.

[@vxrdrummer]

FOMO is my problem when it comes to the price hikes. I struggle to not buy them.

[@Cadeho3]

People complained so much that G1 got all the attention, but don't realize how huge that toyline was or how many characters it had. Well now there is a shift to the newer shows I have no connection with enough to buy their characters. I still wish they would complete the G1 teams and move on to making characters craved by the younger generations. For me, all I NEED to complete the G1 cast are Buzzsaw, Overkill, Slugfest, Ramhorn, Rollbar, Searchlight, Wideload, Freeway, and Chase. I will also buy any updated mini-bots to the new deluxe scale. With Gears and Brawn coming, we know Swerve and Outback are coming. After that, I would buy a new Windcharger/Tailgate, Powerglide and Seaspray. Sureshot I believe has had his number leaked, so I will be waiting. What I would like to have to complete teams would be Hosehead, Siren, Nightbeat, Horri-bull, Squeezeplay, Slapdash, Joyride, Getaway, Submarauder, Landmine, Waverider, and Cloudburst. I know the other Triggercons are coming and I will get them. Bonus buys would be Flamefeather and Sparkstalker to go with Cindersaur. I would also buy Diaclone homages. Not sure why the pause. People want red Mirage. I would buy the yellow Trailbreaker, blue Hoist, Loudpedal, Reboost, the other red Skids, Diaclone Topspin, Overcharge, and the Insecticons in their Diaclone colors. Then there's the other wishlist stuff that who knows if they will ever get to... the rest of the main Go-Bots... Cy-Kill, Cop-Tur, Scooter, Turbo, and Leader-1. And if they do Warpath as Treds, Cosmos as Pathfinder, Gears as Smallfoot, and Powerglide as Bad Boy... count me in... I am not sure why we didn't see another Nautica from Blurr, a Slipstream from ER Starscream, or Bitstream and Sunstorm from the Siege mold. My wallet will find a way to acquire them if they ever make them. For now, I welcome the break with the focus on characters from other series. I can pretend my Scorponok is Black Zarak... I don't see a reason to get him if I can't get Grand Maximus. I am waiting on the Guardian to come down. I know I listed a long wishlist... I don't think we will see all of them, but at least can I complete the original show? Oh I forgot! How the heck did they not give us Cybertronian modes for all the 1984 Autobots? Since we got Smokescreen, the other 1985 cars should have Cybertronian modes too.

[@trailersic]

3rd Party MP Trainbot combiner is $100 per figure.

[@lorddotcom1527]

Marvel Legends and Power Rangers Lighting Collection going from $19.99 to $24.99 USD is what priced me out, I can't justify these $30+ toys more than once or twice a year at this point.

[@Ranma_Leopard]

Tbh i dont really like the look of the dilophisaurus. It just looked too janky to me.

[@muigokublack6487]

Too much robot kibble is showing frankly. At least the T-Rex could SORTA hide the kibble and the color scheme helps. This one not so much.

[@normanhendroff9462]

Due to purchasing power differences, deluxe classes are 100$, voyagers are 170$ & leaders are 280$ around in my part of the world. Ive buying nothing but items on clearance or on hugely discounted items at retail or hobby stores over the last few years :’)

[@capatialvinjohn2753]

The ROTB Gimmick Lines are roughly $32 usd a pop here in Asia.... and it doesnt help that the QC sank to horrendous levels

[@RollerChoster]

This is the biggest reason why I should be careful with what bots I want to shell out my money for. How many G1 Optimus Primes does one collector need? Do I need a Masterpiece version/3rd party of this character? (Six Shot, Dinobot as examples for me). Almost everything in my wish list consist of either 3rd party figures of my absolute favorite Decepticons and vintage Unicron trilogy figures as I have nostalgia for those toys. Hasbro and every major toy company are going to have a wake up call one day when all of their stuff becomes shelf warmers because nobody wants to spend the money stuff they already have as a different version or simply can't afford with their budgets.

[@tracytron7162]

None of this would be an issue at all if the corpos just weren't so damn greedy. I think it's about time the execs take the hit for this shit for once and let their profit margins dip. They don't need their 100th damn yacht and thousandth vacation home that they're never even going to actually use.

[@BrappyHour]

I love Jurassic Park more than most, but I’m not paying $75. Especially after paying full price for the first crossover, and then seeing it for less that half off on clearance.

[@thisisbadcomedy5156]

I'm already saying no to the new Titan class price of $200 I am only willing to make an exception for a few like maybe Tidal wave. As soon as deluxes are $30 they can say goodbye to my money.

[@isuckatusernames4297]

isn't the upcoming tidal wave 350 ?

[@pancho855]

Eventually transformers will get so expensive that the newest thing I'll be willing to buy would be a 2009 deluxe at the flea market

[@RiderManX0]

The increase in cost and decrease in quality's pretty much turned me off of collecting modern mainline transformers all together.

[@mikef8846]

I am relatively new to collecting, but I have a Power of the Primes Optimus and a Revenge of the Fallen Jetfire and today's leader class can't compete with either of those.

[@pauld3694]

I think I'm riding the edge too. I don't have the disposable income to buy everything, plus I've gotten into buying other hobbies as well lately. I think I'm about your age (I'm 42), so I'm another "back in my day, Deluxes were $10 a pop, and Voyagers were $20". But admittedly, I've been choosy about what figures I buy; I've got ss Snarl, Dirge and Motormaster on pre order (Motormaster was one I hoped would come down, but clearly didn't, so I just jumped on this second pre-order). But at least I've got most of the characters I want; I'm really hoping for them to finish off the minibots in the same scale (Gears anyone?), and maybe a few more characters. And after that... maybe just G1 collecting, since vintage seems to be cheaper in some places.

[@redalert697]

Yeah it always was hard here in Poland to get transformers, and it looks like nowadays it's way worse. I'm glad that on Aaron Archer times he took in the consideration other countries like mine. Same with movie figures if I think more, even later almost all Animated waves also came in : ) But Today like War for Cybetron trilogy was non existent and only now after so much time went by I've found some of smaller core or deluxe figrues on sales but the recent generations with Arcee and Bulkhead prices are 3 or 4 times higher that what I've could get with Armada or Energon Scout or Deluxe, It's literally doesn't pay off and I don't collect transformers becasue of that like for 10 years if not more. I'm so much more appreciate Unicron Trilogy the toys were great especially Cybertron was peak imo.

[@CarnoReviews]

If there’s no new video in the next two hours than the streak will be broken.

[@user-lynKx]

they just decide to move left on the market demand curve, which means dropping a ton of individual demand curves (ours) from consideration at an exponential rate in other words, they don't care if more people say no to buying their toys, because there are richer parents and collectors who still choose to say yes; their demand for transformers seem to trump the commoners' demand in the eyes of hasbro and takara tomy this makes sense since relatively less rich people have other stuff they need to pay off to survive, and can drop toys as a priority meanwhile, hasbro and takara can still get their money from those who choose not to drop buying their toys, because their money is more plentiful and less valuable to them

[@me-kd7bw]

Also the worst part is they get loose in a month

[@tubetop123]

I've basically stopped buying Transformers. Went to GI Joe and Star Wars figures

[@jeepdino7353]

Personally, if they went back to unicron trilogy style figures, drop an extra joint or two in and I would be glad to continue to participate. Energon megatron? I would still buy that to this day, especially with Bicep swivels for manipulating his sword tank. Cybertron vector Prime? I will be pre-ordering the 2024 edition the day it drops. All I hope for is a bicep swivel and a waist twist over the original and I will be content. Though I do hope they would continue to keep character sized as they are now. Like relative to eachother, I mean. Scout Class overhaul was painful to see back in the day.

[@Big_006]

I’ve been collecting since I was a kid when bayverse came out, when core class was scout or legends toys were $5-10. Nowadays I just shop on eBay for lots of figures so I feel a lil justified spending that much. Ex: all the kingdom beast wars characters for only $140 (an absolute steal)