Transformers Is A Dying Brand

[@SGD_ToysDownUnder]

To clarify for those who aren't picking up from the backend of the video; the fans I'm referring to are not the consumers, but the people internal to Hasbro. Hasbro has a lot of fans working on their IPs now, as does Mattel. --- Word on the street is that marketing was 25m USD for One, which is an absolutely tiny amount and gives more credence to the idea Hasbro and Paramount had no faith in it. As of today, it looks like One has hit just around 95m USD globally. Half that to take out the cinema cut and compare to the total 100m USD costs. It did badly.

[@MyJamjar]

while it may not add too much of note, it is worth mentioning that ONE isn't yet out in the majority of europe including the UK, There's certainly potential to hit the 150M breakeven point and may even get a sequel greenlit, who knows, if we get a sequel, it may do a spiderverse and do better from the great reception of the first. The film is certainly facing challenges but I don't think in the end once it's released everywhere and digital sales are accounted that it will have lost money, time will tell if it becomes a cult hit and makes more money and fans down the line, but I think it has potential

[@SGD_ToysDownUnder]

@@MyJamjar Now we have that rumor that the marketing was 25m, 150m isn't break even, 200m is. I mean, it should have been expected that the goal would be beyond 150m, but I really doubt Europe would be even able to generate 150m. Keep in mind though, dead doesn't even mean gone. I would consider both MotU and GI Joe dead brands, yet they're still here in zombie status because of hardcore adult fans and adults toy enthusiasts finding them, along with the parent companies who keep trying to revive them in spectacularly poor efforts.

[@MyJamjar]

@@SGD_ToysDownUnder why would the marketing budget make the break even point 200m? Surely that would make the break even point 175 accounting for cinemas taking their cut

[@Grim2]

"Hasbro has a lot of fans working on their IPs now, as does Mattel." Neither do. They shut the doors to fans. Only bootlickers are allowed. That's your real cause of why things are going downhill. Same with fandoms even. Corporations have DESTROYED fandoms, filled them with that ilk, encouraging mindless consumerism (BTW, eff TF One). We, the actual fans are sick and tired of reinvented wheels. We're sick of being gaslit. We're sick of being told "Ur blinded by nostlagia" and other crud. Actual fans are the very foundation all these current managements stand on... and without us they're gonna plummet along with their bootlickers. That's what you see with TF One, Mutant Mayhem, latest Star Wars, latest Star Trek and so on and on. "Chocked to death by the past".... f*ck you, you utter poser.

[@raiders7294]

Too much forced "humor." Undercuts so much of the tension and drama. Bumblebee was a blight on the film. More obnoxious and annoying than Jar Jar Binks - and that's really saying something. Fans didn't do that. Terrible ideas and writing did that. Imagine the movie without all the constant bad jokes and Bumblebee being a decent character. I bet you the movie would've done much better.

[@Dynaman21]

Dying is a bit much, but the brand's biggest issues is that it needs a break. At least from big movies and shows. They've oversaturated the market and it's resulting in a confused audience.

[@MyJamjar]

Dying is definitely clickbait

[@SGD_ToysDownUnder]

Transformers hasn't had a break since G2, it just had things that worked prior and never cemented what Transformers was till rather recently.

[@jonarmstrong1961]

Hasbro should do what DC comics do which is make transformer movies based on there most popular comic book arcs. And instead of sending it to theaters, send it to streaming

[@Zodiac3107]

How Hasbro put it, yeah, it's dying. Sad to admit, but true. Reactivate just got canned, Hasbro has pulled funding for films, and toy production is drastically slowing. I realise your comment was 3 months ago, so it was a little bit different, but I'm from the future, pal. We dyin' out here, it's tragic 😭

[@vindicatorschannel7136]

Well the problem is we have kids who want some affordable transformer toys and we have adults who want every toy do be a masterpiece figure, and when one figure is not, it gets trashed upon.

[@WHYISMYNAMEZ]

I remember a time when they made good figures that were for kids and adults and were across affordable

[@ZX-Gear]

@WHYISMYNAMEZ The last time they did that was Cybertron.

[@WHYISMYNAMEZ]

@ZX-Gear nah i remember the tf prime rid 2015 and movie stuff being affordable and being good figures

[@ZX-Gear]

@WHYISMYNAMEZ Wasn't that after TF Prime? I had issues with some figures then due to how high a bar First Edition set. There were some stinkers then.

[@darrenbent7601]

Try the Magic Square products. There are many Legend-scale figures that are more or less mini masterpiece figures. The "Light Of Victory" figure (Legend scale Optimus Prime) is phenomenal. A solid G1 vehicle mode, a poseable G1 cartoon robot mode, and quite cheap too.

[@ArishemTheJudge-19]

This is exactly what I've been saying, the Transformers Brand as a whole needs to go on a hiatus for a few years. Make people miss it for a while then bring it back in a big way. If we're getting to the point where a well-written Transformers Movie can't even make 40MILLION at the box office something has to give. It's a tough pill to swallow but the Market is oversaturated.

[@CoolManCoolMan123]

They have too much stuff all at once which is confusing the general and silent majority. They could've worked around this if only they didn't kill off shows left and right. They are trying to pull of Call of Duty formula where each year is a different stuff with familiar feel. Except, TF is expensive, COD isn't expensive for the consumer. Last year was the nothing burger Rise of the Beast film(which should've been Beast focused for atleast 2 films, then bring in the Autobots for a team up in the 3rd), this year TF One(no complain, favorite movie of the year and favorite TF movie. Done bad by a shitty marketing team who didn't know what they were marketing). Now we're getting GI Joe crossover which I dont know what they're going for, they wanted to focus on Beasts, now they also need to focus on GI Joe(which I guarantee you wouldn't appeal to anyone outside US. Atleast TFO in India had theatres full(although that's probably because there was an offer on tickets being cheap)).

[@skeebas_2541]

We had that during the pandemic, but they completely dropped the ball on ROTB.

[@MILDMONSTER1234]

Transformers is in this same weird spot as other franchises like Power rangers , Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and Godzilla prior to Minus One (and i guess gundam too) where its a popular iconic brand that everyone recognizes but is also super niche at the same time where only dedicated fans stick with it

[@gundradestroyer4480]

godzilla prior minus one ? i am think more like before the monsterverse , because i am think that time between monsterverse and final wars, fit more in that list you made

[@BlitzStudiosIsinsideyourhome]

Nah i wouldn't say godzilla considering how well gxk performed

[@ironmaster6496]

Nah TMNT is still doing overall fine and Godzilla has been a constant success since Shin Godzilla, the rest are spot on thoufg

[@BraveBladeProductions]

I still think that AOE and TLK did some serious damage to the Transformers Brand. So much so that every theatrical film has struggled since. That first Bay Trilogy is peak and then it's like he gave up with the last two.

[@shinndig1293]

The movies have been going downhill ever since Revenge of the Fallen, Bumblebee was a promising fresh start for a new series but unfortunately Rise of the Beasts ended up wasting it by just resorting back to same old tired formula and now audiences are just burned out.

[@speedyazi5029]

"felt like he gave up n the last two" Yeah, he did. That's one of the things he stated. He was doing those for the money.

[@ark5076]

I hate to say it, especially from a bayformers fan. But after dotm they should've released BB

[@omalleycaboose5937]

Its simple, kids dont play with toys anymore, they play games

[@SGD_ToysDownUnder]

Yet they could co-exist through the 80s, 90s and 00s just fine. I've done some reading into this, it's more parents giving kids tablets to avoid parenting, the same way some parents from our generations sat kids in front of the TV to have a break. It's also cheaper in the long run to buy them a tablet and some cheap apps than buy them books and toys to interact with.

[@omalleycaboose5937]

@SGD_ToysDownUnder wasn't the same kinds of games, games then weren't designed to take all of your time, and be endlessly entertaining

[@MTC-hy6ig]

thats a lie lmao kids still play with toys

[@omalleycaboose5937]

@MTC-hy6ig they still exist. But it's clear to see, in general kids spend more time on the phone, computer or TV, than they do playing with toys. Especially I'm the age group that would have played with say, transformers before. Of course it's not true of everyone, but it is for the public at large. Some parents intentionally raise their kids not to have so much screentime, and they would likely play with toys more but a business model won't profit of exceptions

[@Lunar_Atronach]

i think one of the main issues, as someone who was into transformers as a kid and is still into it, the toys are fucking confusing. people always talk about the push for articulation and design being an issue with adult fans but no, as a kid i cared heavily about articulation, the entire appeal of transformers is the mechanical puzzle design. when i say they're confusing i mean that its impossible to know what to buy. you walk into the toy aisle and theres a thousand different transformer branded toys and now the ones that are hollow plastic that barely transform are 2/3 of the aisle! and when you waste your money on them as a kid you feel betrayed by the brand itself, making you drop it even easier. but not only is collecting difficult for kids, its hard for adults too! collecting official hasbro stuff is near impossible cause of scalpers and pulse being shit where you have to constantly study price fluctuations and stuff, its gotten to the point where third party is EASIER to buy from than first party hasbro. also, the series isn't paralyzed because of fans, thats a stupid argument, the fans are the reason hasbro has leeway to reinvent themselves, cause we're invested in it and what they will do. Fans have been clamoring for something new for a while but it never truly comes. Instead, it seems like since the pandemic hasbro, like most companies, has been paralyzed in fear of failure and refuses to make a big new push like armada or beastwars and decides to just push out the same things over and over again with diminishing returns.

[@SGD_ToysDownUnder]

Yeah, people didn't catch on that the fans I'm talking about aren't the people consuming, but behind the scenes. I mention in the video that the people managing the brand aren't creatives, but talented fans. Inmates running the asylum. There is also the influence of Evergreen forcing an idea of what Transformers is that I don't feel is the core of the IP, but the mantle. I'm mixed on the toys. I do think some Generations toys are way too fiddley and complicated, along with the materials not being sturdy enough to take the type of conversions they're developing. There are some transformers like SS Barricade I just hate transforming for that reason. I also did get enjoyment out of RiD Warrior Class and honestly, getting G1 Retro Shrapnel and Kickback recently? I quite enjoyed them, though I felt the original price was insane. On the other hand, I think it's hard to go back from what we have for many. So many enjoy the Mini Masterpiece style we have now. You'd really need to hit the kids and avoid adults to make it work. Though I'm not sure at this point if it would relax the prices as it should with less assembly.

[@LoneWolfInsane]

@Lunar_Atronach "the fans are the reason hasbro has leeway to reinvent themselves" " Fans have been clamoring for something new for a while but it never truly comes" Sad to say, but no they are not. Just look at all the transformers fans who constantly post about how "I was not going to see tf one, because i thought it was a kids movie, but my kids practically forced me to watch it with them and i actually liked it". A large part of the older fans immediately complain as soon as something is not g1 or bayverse. The constant whining that studio series should focus back on bayverse, to scrape the bottom of the barrel, to find obscure characters they have not made a figure of yet, even if that character barely has 2 seconds of screen time and no actual personality. The issue is that the brand is doing a horrible job at appealing to potential young newcomer fans. New shows are hidden away in places where it´s impossible for people discover them. The toylines that are supposed to go along with the new shows are of terrible quality and give terrible first impressions while the better figures are almost never on store shelves.

[@Sacrefiied]

I want my light-piping back. . . :(

[@deozila]

@@LoneWolfInsaneYou realize you just detailed most of the original posts points after disagreeing with, right?

[@LoneWolfInsane]

@ I quoted some of his sentences when i was arguing the polar opposite of the main point of his comment. I only agreed to some of his supplementary opinions.

[@aweirdredtoad3637]

To be honest, if it was having a break like how GI Joe is being marketed very loosely. That's what you would call dying, but Transformers has never had a point where it was exactly "dying" in popularity because people still recognize who the main characters are. The brand is and still has been reinventing itself while giving appreciation to the previous series like their Legacy line. I'm saying this as a Transformers Animated and Unicron Trilogy fan, people didn't like those shows but after awhile, it stuck with people. Same thing is happening with TFOne, we might never know if it will make bigger, but it's definitely doing better than the movies it's going up against.

[@SGD_ToysDownUnder]

@@aweirdredtoad3637 I get what you're trying to say, but Armada was a huge hit with its intended demographic, as I go over in the video. It's an important part of Transformers history. Likewise, Animated won everyone over the moment we saw it in motion rather than still images. It was really popular at the time.

[@CoolManCoolMan123]

​@@SGD_ToysDownUnderkinda surprising honestly. "Animated" looks great animated, not still

[@zhangdaddy9192]

Here's my two cents on the whole situation: I feel like the Bayverse while giving Transformers a short term boost in popularity has caused damage to the franchise's reputation to the general public in the long run due to it's lack of quality. I don't entirely agree about completely overhauling established characters' designs but I do agree with the idea of creating fresh new characters or focusing on deep cut characters who aren't particularly recognisable to the general public. The use of glup shittos and making them interesting flesh and blood characters is what made the MTMTE comics so special. But to give some credit to Transformers, the Skybound comics seem to be doing quite well.

[@SGD_ToysDownUnder]

The general public wouldn't think of Transformers if it wasn't for the Michael Bay movies. Prior to them, it was toy collector culture, maybe nerd culture at best, but definitely not pop culture. Love or hate film adaptations, of anything really, it's how IPs get noticed by general audiences, not just enthusiasts. The movies are for normies and kids, their gateway into the fandom. Comics, especially in current year, are a similar situation. They're doing great with enthusiasts, the only people that buy comics, GE doesn't know they exist and they aren't buying comic books. Manga maybe due to having higher market saturation, but not standard floppy comics.

[@CoolManCoolMan123]

​@@SGD_ToysDownUnder even manga ain't working, especially shonen jump which is trying to repeat what has come before. Same old Dark vibe main character with a Katana. The new big 3 has lost one to an international audience (MHA), Chainsaw Man has peaked, yet it's still not affordable especially for the animation. JJK was fumbled. I don't even know what the new big 3 is.

[@RomanHistoryFan476AD]

@@SGD_ToysDownUnder The first three Bay films helped, but after that 4-5 and rise of the beasts though I think damaged the brand afterwards so any goodwill gained has been washed away thanks to the later films.

[@mrspeigel3593]

The only thing killing Hasbro brands is Hasbro

[@SteamTrainTy]

It’s just too much G1 and overpriced. Other than that, Transformers is very popular.

[@isaacparker7634]

Even as a G1 collector with a significantly incomplete collection, i agree. The longevity of the brand depends on embracing new stories and designs instead of retreading the same material

[@SteamTrainTy]

@@isaacparker7634 I actually expected Geeunners to be trigger by my statement. I do wonder what would happen if Bay was brought back. Transformers seemed to fall after the Bayverse died and was only brought back by the BBM. Heck, TF '07 brought us TF Prime,KILLING Animated early. I'm still mad at Brian for that. And Animated is almost like G1 but stylized. I think if they brought that back, Transformers wouldn't be limping on toy shelves like Earthspark.

[@pIasticrabbits]

Hasbro stop sabotaging your own franchises challenge (IMPOSSIBLE). TLDR; This seems like an issue with Hasbro as a whole because this exact same thing is happening to My Little Pony with very similar reasons behind it. I go more in depth below. I dunno what they're smoking rn, or if they have no faith in any of their current stuff bc of the toy market supposedly suffering, but regardless this is a dark time for people who like Hasbro stuff. Being a longtime fan of both franchises, seeing Transformers One not do well mainly because of Hasbro's lack of faith in it makes me sad, especially right after they cancelled G5 of mlp instead of letting their writers do their own thing with it like how they let Lauren Faust do what she wanted with G4. Regardless I think this is less of a Transformers specific issue due to this pattern with two of their biggest franchises. Two of the main toylines Hasbro has constantly had since the 80's are both suddenly suffering because of lack of marketing/effort? This feels like a CEO issue or at the very least a problem with their higher ups. It feels like the second something doesn't work they throw it away and completely start new, but then when they do start new they don't market that new thing and then it doesn't work. Rinse and repeat. This exact same thing happened with the 5th generation of mlp. They refused to market the main CGI show for it, basically sabotaged it by not checking if they even still had the rights to certain characters, and then cancelled the show right as it starts a new arc and stick to their shorter youtube series for the generation. Majority of the people who even watched the show, let alone knew of its existence, had already been fans of mlp that haven't left yet, and that number was quickly dwindling due to lack of quality. Then they cancelled than soon after due to lack of people watching it and toy sales, despite selling almost no toys. I'm a little afraid they're going to start this cycle with Transformers as well. The reason I bring up G5 of mlp is because of your argument that the fans ruined it, and in one of your comments you clarified that there are fans working for Hasbro, since many people who once grew up with Transformers now can work there and make official stories for the toys they once loved. This same exact thing happened with G5, they got fans hired to work on the movie for it. Writers, artists, you name it. Word on the street is that for some weird reason, majority of that team for the movie was replaced for the show. Not just the voice actors, we're talking writers and artists, the people who had a plan for where this generation was gonna go, and that's why both make your mark and tell your tale were so different from the movie. Nobody really knows why they did this, and I don't know if the copyright issues they have with Discovery Family have anything to do with it. This weird shifting in who is making what for their franchises could be a contributing factor to Transformers struggling, that is if this is something that happens a lot company wide. I have no real evidence for this happening to Transformers though, this is only speculation based on Hasbro's patterns.

[@SGD_ToysDownUnder]

Things changed a lot at the end of Brian Goldner's tenure and under Chris Cox. I'm not sure where the designs for Gen 4 came from, I'm not very knowledgeable about MLP, but it used to be the case the toy designers would throw the media company the designs and premise, then tell them work your magic and let's make money together. Around 2007, the media companies took on design duties and Hasbro's staff went from Toy Design to "Design Realisers". Sometimes this can turn out beautifully, like Transformers Animated, and I'd assume MLP g4, or it can turn out uninspired and samey, like more recent media. You also get GI Joe Renegades, which was a great show but visually unappealing. At the same time, you have legacy product becoming far more prominent due to a combination of success creating demand and inmates running the asylum as generations shift. A lot of MLP g5 and Earthspark's treatment, along with Rise of the Beasts and One, could be attributed to Hasbro's financial woes in the last couple years. If the company isn't doing great, it's not wise to throw good money after bad. I'm sure it permeates their other brands too, GI Joe notably shifted from an update of classic designs to something akin to the fan favorite Pursuit of Cobra line in Classified. Gave up on the kids, likely because they cheaped out on the game that Classified was a stealth tie-in to and got a shoddy unmarketable product. Regarding MLP g5 movie vs show, I wonder if they were just unhappy with the output, probably from a speed and cost perspective. Fast Cheap Good venn diagram, you can only have two, Hasbro chose fast and cheap. Worked for Cyberverse.

[@pIasticrabbits]

@@SGD_ToysDownUnder I think you're right about the speed and cost perspective thing, because of the rumors that using the G4 characters for G5 was costing them money, because of a contract they signed with Discovery Family back when it was The Hub. This probably would've been avoided if they didn't connect G4 and G5 or just didn't make that contract with Netflix, but making them connected in the first place showed me that Hasbro had very little confidence in the movie and the generation as a whole. I'm not too keen on the details of the whole character rights issue, but from what I know it severely sabotaged the show, to the point where in she show they would only reference one or two G4 things, and then switch gears to referencing G1 and even have returning G1 characters, features, and concepts. Not in the way G4 did it either where it's rebooted and remade to fit the new show, I'm talking just one to one items, story elements, and even whole plot points. They brought back the rainbow of light from G1, including the locket it's stored inside, and the story hyped it up for it to be the next big thing before it got cancelled. So basically they cheaped out with both the animation and the story they had already planned for G5 ahead of time, since it's shown time and time again that Hasbro plans the next mlp generation years in advance to better transition into the next one (I assume this is because of the disaster that G2 was in the states.) Think of MLP G5 it like if they made a sequel to Transformers Animated, made this amazing movie that gets just about everything right lore wise, and feels like it's going to lead into a great show. But when they make the show they barely have any plot points from that specific iteration of the Transformers, and then suddenly brought back G1 exclusive stuff, and Bumblebee suddenly looked like his G1 self despite it being TFAnimated Bumblebee. And anytime you ask why Bumblebee looks like that they answer a completely different question you didn't have. Oh and also suddenly there's another Decepticon leader that looks threatening but does nothing for most of the series because his entire lore hinges on the TFAnimated version of Megatron, who isn't allowed to be mentioned in the show ever by staff. And the characters act like new guy was always there and always a threat despite never being mentioned ever in TFAnimated. It feels like that if you're going in as a G4 fan. Oddly enough I didn't mind it so much until they kept pushing the connected generations thing and only showed they had absolutely no trust in it if it didn't reference old generations. Like, yes I'm absolutely loving the fanservice of the first 6 released ponies being shown on screen for the first time in 40 years, but it was like the writers suddenly discovered that they couldn't use the characters they wanted due to more budget cuts, and scrambled to do something to make the fans happy all while saying "don't worry guys this is still connected to that other show." Ultimately Hasbro's lack of confidence as well as stubbornness to keep the original story and either knowing they couldn't afford the rights and going with it anyway or being too stubborn to change is what killed it. It's like they cheaped out with everything. Advertising, animation, writing, and even using their own characters.

[@JurassicRod]

Transformers movies have been awful for a decade or more now. The last decade of TV shows haven't been very good. IDW became unreadable. That's what's putting audiences/kids off becoming fans. There's nothing to pull them in.

[@GustavoAngelo-c4n]

The Skybound comics seem to be doing well, but your point still stands since that is a niche market.

[@hunted4blood]

As long as there are 7 year old boys on earth, there will be someone who wants to buy toy robots that transform into trucks & dinosaurs. That said, I really think Transformers desperately needs a rejection of Japanese/anime/mecha influence. Transformers used to be a cool mix of American and Japanese influences, but now it's lost that cool foreign charm it used to have.

[@SGD_ToysDownUnder]

@@hunted4blood do you mean "re-injection"?

[@hunted4blood]

@@SGD_ToysDownUnder Oops! Yes.

[@SGD_ToysDownUnder]

It's funny, I was discussing this very thing with someone on discord today. I too enjoy the anime influence, but the fandom is weird about it. They'll back projects on Haslab of characters from Anime Transformers, yet talk about Anime / Japan like Pearl Harbour was yesterday. I get it, KISS players, but that's such a tiny microcosm pocket of a universe

[@hunted4blood]

@@SGD_ToysDownUnder Yeah. I think that studio trigger 40th anniversary video really drove the point home for me. There used to be a whole other world of transformers and the Unicron trilogy was really the last of that.

[@SGD_ToysDownUnder]

@hunted4blood I have to agree. It's a very different feel to the CGI stuff we get now, it just hits better.

[@Jumacas666]

This is the dumbest take. This is the only franchise whose fans blame the first generation for every dumb reboot that misses the point. Somehow, it's never about quality, and it's always because the brand every so often makes a half assed effort to not outright exclude the original fans by completely breaking from familiar elements. Following your advice would only keep diluting the brand integrity, lead into more identity crisis, lessen brand loyalty and legacy, and make it harder for newcomers to invest in something that will be irrelevant after a few years (and is already far removed to the rest of the brand's history). Only Transformers fans keep coming back to these moronic conclusions. Transformers One simply failed because the brand has been destroyed by decades of low quality content, having become a prime example of corporate slop who no one would want to invest in. It's just too little, too late. Anything else is just mental gymnastics. If you want "new, fresh, original", just jump to a different brand altogether.

[@chrismaturino7938]

Fr I agree with him most of the time but here I don't and tlk is really when it started going downhill

[@SGD_ToysDownUnder]

Yet the history of the brand tells a different story. A story of reinvention and adaptation to the current market, until Aligned and Evergreen happened, preventing any further evolution. Transformers wasn't really a specific thing for over 20 years of its 40 year life. But let me ask you something, realistically, do you expect kids to enjoy your 40 year old cartoon with 40 year old designs and how many Optimus Primes do you realistically see buying after Commander Class?

[@Jumacas666]

@@SGD_ToysDownUnder You are asking the wrong question. The whole point of bothering to create fiction, was for people (not only kids) to become emotionally invested in the characters and story, so that they'll want to buy the toys. Nobody cares about this and that class. Especially if the characters and story mean nothing and the strategy is as transparent as it has become lately. The brand keeps returning to G1, because it works as fiction. It has a unique mythology and aesthetic. Changing everything every couple of years to chase after whatever trends the kids might be into has never been a successful strategy with anything. And maybe, after all these decades and experiments, it is time to admit that the brand is and always has been way more than children's toys.

[@SGD_ToysDownUnder]

@@Jumacas666 Well I have a hard time believing G1 made anyone feel anything, it's not that deep or well written, but I need to ask before I continue the conversation; what do we consider G1? That specific forms for the characters or those characters? Is Classics Bumblebee G1 because it's G1 Bumblebee or is it Classics Bumblebee because it's not a VW Beetle?

[@Jumacas666]

@@SGD_ToysDownUnder It made a whole generation of people feel things, evidently. The fact that even "Bumblebee" refers to a million different things within the same brand should be alarming. Imagine being a newcomer faced with this realisation. It's like homework. Why the hell invest in this thing if they can't even decide and settle on a single idea for a second? And then you have bored 40 year olds bored of their own obsession, wanting the franchise to magically turn into a different franchise, because they're too bored to try a new things themselves. Absolute batshit.

[@pizzathehut2264]

I too have noticed how everything is G1 looking. I still to this day buy Transformers. I’m about to be 32. I’m kinda tired of the same rehash over and over.

[@glory2cybertron]

TF needs a new, daring anime series, the kind that saved both Terminator and Cyberpunk 2077

[@mooliciousmaul6514]

Or a show like TFP that is well written

[@giovonniiclayton]

While I agree that transformers got stale the only thing hasbro can do know is come up with completely new designs like they did with transformers 2007 and transformers animated we won’t get another fresh new concept in terms of being like beast wars because we already have transformers that turn into beast,vehicle,

[@CoolManCoolMan123]

Earth needs a big species update. Aliens from outer worlds would save TF

[@garthdavis4320]

Transformers still thrives as action figures. We mostly have Barbie dolls these days.

[@jallyward]

What are you talking about? It's one of the only currently profitable brands at Hasbro at the moment. What research did you do that was not either an assumption or anecdote

[@SGD_ToysDownUnder]

I don't work at Hasbro, chances are no one here does. All we have is either emotions or educated observations paired with statements from people with actual experience like Protoman and Aaron Archer. The business hat and an understanding of how to read a store / stock also helps a lot. We know Generations is profitable enough to continue, not the same as healthy. Hasbro's only IPs to be actually healthy come under the WotC banner.

[@boarpsimson8675]

sure. if you exclude Monopoly, Uno and NERF, transformers is the "only" profitable brand at hasbro. Transformers is the most middle-of-the-road brand they have. Its sold internationally so its a little bigger than gi joe, but it shelfwarms constantly and its movies haven't been successful in 10 years. It could disappear tomorrow and it wouldnt make a dent in hasbro

[@scourgemeltface]

​​@@SGD_ToysDownUnderuh no. Just this year hasbro stated transformers was one of its most profitable brands of 2023. If it wasn't healthy there wouldn't be generations, studio series, earthspark, movie lines, and selects on the shelves at the same time...

[@scourgemeltface]

​@@boarpsimson8675transformers is more popular and sells better than all those brands combined

[@scourgemeltface]

​@@boarpsimson8675 transformers sells better than all those brands. Do you consider them to be dying?

[@edenfire]

No it isn't.

[@scourgemeltface]

Yeah. Hasbro said it was its best brand in 2023

[@aperson8627]

Observe how after the bay films almost every single new show uses the G1/Evergreen designs. Any innovation is just thrown out the window.

[@SGD_ToysDownUnder]

I think Animated's art style gives it a unique flavor, but you're right. This is also about the time I believe Aaron Archer is kicked upstairs and no longer has design duty.

[@LoneWolfInsane]

@@SGD_ToysDownUnder animated was in production before the movie released and if i remember was delayed to come out after the movie.

[@shenzyreal]

Ironically enough, Earthspark was the closest thing we really GOT to something new and fresh lately; it was what pulled me back into the franchise. It had a fresh concept, new characters, was meaningfully and artfully made; yet ended up flopping anyway (I'd guess due to being condemned onto a streaming service no one uses and having mediocre toys). I adore the show in ways I cannot describe but even I don't wanna spend on figures that can't turn their heads or don't resemble their appearance from the show. Also, it's getting more episodes later this month. 😂

[@ZX-Gear]

Bingo. The toys being shit is what killed any lesser brand and honestly we have had a drop off in quality even with TF Prime with the 1st Edition Toys not even made for mass retail but gave us heightened expectations. Everything nowadays feel so cheap with crappy plastics,no paint and pins instead of screws.

[@LobotomyDC]

It would help if they even marketed the new Transformers movie. This is the first I've heard of One.

[@kidkatanatv]

I love how this video dropped when I was having an idea of my own transformers lol

[@mr.end-game711]

The big problem is the lack children to support the franchises. Most Transformers are made for older collectors(generations/studio series). It's not entirely Hasbro's fault, its society's and economy"s fault. Hasbro is action in catering to older fans is reactionary to adult collectors more or less taking over the main consumer base. Legacy getting more and more outside of the main G1 may help shack something loose. We are see a lot of Japanese exclusive characters be used (Star Saber, Deathsaurus, Metal Hawk and Dinoking) maybe we could see a series where Optimus is not the leader.

[@dragon_ninja_2186]

I think “dying” is too strong of a word. Not gonna deny it’s in a bit of a slump and things have been slow and not been at their peak/full blast lately. Also it’s a bit unfair to just say it’s the fans fault. Hasbro/Paramount themselves, current day culture, consumers, etc. should be considered too.

[@theleaderturtle]

Transformers peaked with my favorite Transformers show, Transformers Prime, and yet Transformers One is up there with Prime's excellence.

[@Big-Image]

You can definitely call me nostalgia-blind, and maybe you're right. I've been a fan of Transformers toys ever since the 2007 movie, right up until Dark of the Moon. Back then, the toys captured my imagination-the high-quality plastic, the reasonable prices, and the creative gimmicks all came together in a way that felt special. But I eventually stopped collecting, not just because I grew older, but also because I had to prioritize spending my money on things that felt more important. Yet, even as I distanced myself from collecting, I kept following the toyline through videos and news, always holding on to the thought that I might return someday. But as the Age of Extinction toys and the Prime Wars Trilogy were released, I couldn’t ignore a growing sense that something had changed-and not for the better. The quality of the toys had noticeably declined. Figures were smaller, their transformations were less complex, and the intricate engineering that I had admired seemed stripped down. Even the Leader Class toys, which once boasted fun gimmicks like lights and sounds, were now devoid of these features. I understood that these changes were probably meant to cut costs or appeal to a broader market, but to me, it just didn’t feel right. This wasn’t the Transformers I had fallen in love with. I tried to dismiss it, thinking maybe I was just being stuck in the past, but I held on to hope that the next toyline would be an improvement. When Combiner Wars and Titans Return were released, the scale and engineering issues persisted, but at least the gimmicks felt true to the toys’ spirit. I liked the combining feature in Combiner Wars and the Titan Master gimmick from Titans Return. These lines, despite their flaws, still felt like actual toys. Then Power of the Primes came out, and it felt like more of the same-essentially Combiner Wars part two, but with a half-baked Power Master gimmick using poorly repurposed Titan Masters. That was the tipping point for me. My hope for the franchise started to wane, and my passion for collecting was slipping away, yet some part of me still longed for the toy quality of the early 2000s. Then came WFC Siege. For the first time in years, I felt that spark again. Despite some disappointments, the engineering of the toys was a notable improvement over the Prime Wars Trilogy. The figures were still smaller, and yes, they still lacked the beloved missile-firing action features, but the attention to detail in their design reeled me back in. I began to feel optimistic again, looking forward to what the future held for the line. But that optimism was short-lived. When Earthrise hit the shelves, it felt like a step backward. Many of the toys were downgrades from Siege, with a good number being simple retools. Still, I held on, hoping that the next line would deliver. Then came Kingdom. It fell somewhere in the middle for me-not quite as good as Siege, but not as disappointing as Earthrise. The overemphasis on Generation 1 characters, in a toyline that was supposed to celebrate Beast Wars, left me feeling more disillusioned. At that point, I realized I was just coping, yearning for the magic of the early 2000s that simply wasn’t coming back. When Legacy was announced, it became clear to me that the spark had finally gone out. I had always hoped that the WFC trilogy would reinvigorate the franchise for a new generation, but it dawned on me that these toys weren’t meant for them-they were meant for us, the older fans, feeding on our nostalgia. The WFC trilogy, and now Legacy, seemed tailor-made for collectors, not for the kids who might be discovering Transformers for the first time. It felt like the franchise had become a hollow shell of what it once was, designed to cash in on nostalgia rather than innovate. As prices skyrocketed and the quality of materials continued to decline, it became harder to justify even considering a return to collecting. The toyline that I grew up with, the one that used to fill me with excitement and joy, had become something unrecognizable-soulless, even. As I stand now, I’ve lost all hope for the franchise. Unless something drastic changes, I fear it will continue to get worse, drifting further away from the heart and soul that made it so special in the first place. As for what I would do if I were to reimagine the Transformers brand, I would conceptualize the Transformers as energy-based lifeforms rather than mechanical beings. These energy beings would not have physical forms of their own but would possess and inhabit everyday objects, vehicles, and machines, using them as vessels to interact with the world. By drawing power from the objects they inhabit, they could adapt to various forms, allowing them to transform them into their robot modes and take on new abilities depending on the environment or the needs of the moment. This approach would add a new layer of versatility to the Transformers, as they could shift between objects as needed, blending more seamlessly into human society while still engaging in epic battles. This transformation into energy beings would give the brand a fresh take on identity, as the core of the Transformers would no longer be tied to their mechanical shells, but to the dynamic energy that gives them life.

[@SGD_ToysDownUnder]

I can resonate with a lot of what you said. Despite understanding the business side of manufacturing, I find Transformers hard to justify without a sale and even then, the repetitiveness means I skip a lot. While I understand the disdain Prime Wars generates, that was the last time I genuinely enjoyed collecting the brand. Plastic quality, yeah, but they're still fun toys with an enjoyable playpattern. On the cost cutting though, it actually goes back further than 2018's Combiner Wars, by nearly a decade. If you remember back to 2010's Prime toyline, the initial releases, Premier Edition, got cut for cheaper to produce toys that became the mainline. Then later into the line, a wave that ended up Euro Exclusive was literally blown-up versions of Cyberverse toys, the Legion class of the time. RID 2015 was a step up from that, but a step down from Prime proper.

[@RatusTheRat]

I haven’t watched the video yet but as of now here’s my take: We’ve just had too much transformers lately. Rise of the Beasts released like a year ago and we already have another one. If we just took a break from movies for a year or two the transformers brand would probably earn a lot more. Oh and maybe try not to have the newest movie sandwiched in between large Hollywood movies…

[@SGD_ToysDownUnder]

Rise of the Beasts was a while after Bumblebee, 5 years. That break didn't do it any favors.

[@CoolManCoolMan123]

​@@SGD_ToysDownUnder because it seemed stale. The movie itself was a nothing burger

[@NiallByrne]

I agree with the points you making. Honestly in terms of shows/cartoons and movies. I think they need to use newer characters, or repackage less used characters and not rely on legacy characters the entire time. Kinda the reason I respected what was done with Rescuebots, even thats almost a decade old now. I have scene artist make transformers designs I would love to see get a mainstream cartoon. also I think they should put more budget into the newer cartoons toyline to give kids better toys the represent the shows they are watching not saying they are all bad but definitely could be better.

[@SGD_ToysDownUnder]

Rescue Robots is something I really wish I could have fit into the video, but it really is its own thing due to the specific demo it's aimed at. Strangely enough, probably the best show of the recent batch despite being what it is.

[@soularprimestudios5930]

Transformers is on a decline....Paramount lacks the same confidence they use to have in the brand they did not put in alot of promotion as they should have been...Why? Because the the proformance is not good currently and we need to look at that facts and data.Why would a company put in alot of promo for somthing thats not gonna promise a very huge success financially?Hasbro has also made a financial move of no longer supporting the Transformers movies I wonder why? Also games are being canceled like every 4 years while in development due to no confidence or no one wanting to finish them....

[@SGD_ToysDownUnder]

It needs a reinvention that the team behind the brand aren't talented enough to make.

[@HK47_115]

With how hard times are financially speaking, I'm surprised a general industry and economy hasn't flopped yet. Never mind specific films within specific franchises. When people less trusting with what studios produce nowadays, I'm not surprised that even good films are flopping.

[@cooler3613]

i see a lot of disagreement in the comments here but honestly, i just have to say this is pretty much 100% spot on. if its not dying yet, its getting pretty damn close. as you stated, this was once a brand that thrived on reinventing itself, in fact i'd say that separated from most other brands, especially the 80s legacy brands that you again mentioned. the toys are held back by referencing the past, especially the constant redos of g1 chars that don't even need updates and the comical lack of anything slightly new to offer in the last 10-15 years is, whether anyone wants to admit it or not, detrimental to the brand's success going forward Anyway, i know i'm basically just restating what you said lol, this is just something i've thought about a lot and aside from talking about it with my bf you're the only person i've seen mention it and i'm very glad to see it getting more attention. all in all, great video man

[@noodles2459]

Children would rather play video games and watch anime. Make video games that have online play.

[@SGD_ToysDownUnder]

@@noodles2459 Online game is possibly what Chris Cocks wants to replace everything with, just licensed out.

[@ThePlasticUnderworld1313]

I’ve been a TF fan since the G1 days and i enjoyed BW but i’ve noticed over the past 2 years that my purchases/consumption of TF media, toys etc etc has slowed right down to barely even a whimper. I don’t preorder anything anymore and i haven’t read a TF comic in over 10 years.

[@trashboat5388]

Go read skybound

[@ThePlasticUnderworld1313]

@@trashboat5388 nah i’m good. Thanks though.

[@Quill538]

@@ThePlasticUnderworld1313 its really good

[@trashboat5388]

@@ThePlasticUnderworld1313 it’s literally the best transformers comics. They are also reprinting the marvel and idw comics. You can preorder the marvel compendium right now.

[@SGD_ToysDownUnder]

@Pop.Culture.In.Plastic666 Getting satisfied with what you have or just not interested in what is being produced? I'm a G1.5/G2 kid as my earliest, been collecting properly since Armada, I've experienced the same.

[@TrenchMan93]

Kids don’t want dolls; they want Stanley stainless cups and to style their hair like muffins while pranking people in the hood. Get Optimus to do a prime ad with Jake Paul. I hate every word I just typed.

[@rustyshackleford1114]

1990 called and it wants it's defeatism back.

[@SGD_ToysDownUnder]

@@rustyshackleford1114 the issues the brand faced back then were an easier fix, the world and target demographic was so different back then.

[@rustyshackleford1114]

@@SGD_ToysDownUnder Action Masters were the best Transformers made. There. I said it.

[@SGD_ToysDownUnder]

@@rustyshackleford1114 Hasbro were really high on them back in the day, expected them to be much bigger than they were. Given so many people just transform their toys like twice then shove them on a shelf, and both Yolo Park and Super 7 seem to be doing ok, maybe they were onto something, just happened at the wrong time.

[@TorridPrime217]

Keep supporting the G1 aesthetic -which is only aging like milk in the Texan heat, and of course the brand is going to die

[@greywolf7583]

Sometime things need to Fade away for a time so it can be Missed and Appreciate and then it can makes it Triumphant Return.

[@dubuyajay9964]

Sure, blame the customers for the cutting of corners on modern "Hollowformers" and Hasblo's bad decisions when it comes to storytelling and advertising. 🙄

[@SGD_ToysDownUnder]

Well strictly speaking, you aren't Hasbro's customer. You are the store's customer and they are Hasbro's customer. But that's semantics :P I was never blaming customers, I was blaming fans. Not all fans are customers and if you watch the back end of the video you'll know who I'm talking about.

[@CoolManCoolMan123]

Are you the woke screamer?

[@dubuyajay9964]

@@CoolManCoolMan123 Hell no.

[@arcticroar]

You have lots of good points. I have been an adult collector for over 20 years and at one point amassed over 1500 Transformers. However, I am burnt out on the brand and have sold or given away a lot and still have plans to downsize more. I grew up with G1 and still have some nostalgia for a few characters there, but outside of that Beast Wars is the only thing I still like. I think the reason I like Beast Wars still is because they haven't killed it with rehashes (yet). They need to take a break from Megatron/Optimus/Bumblebee and try something new. They need something good in media - I no longer buy or watch Transformers comics, movies or TV shows. They've taken things to a point where I don't care anymore. The toy prices are too high now as well. There were a few figures on sale recently and I ultimately decided I didn't want them - even at sale prices. Of course the sale prices are higher than the figures used to retail for. I may buy the odd Transformer from time to time in the future, but I can't see myself ever really getting back into the brand as I once was. It's strange to think about as I was a fan for most of my life. Transformers isn't the only brand that is burning out. I think Star Wars and Marvel are also there, among others. I was never as big of a fan of those properties, but I have zero interest in anything new from them. Companies don't want to take a risk on anything new and so they keep doing rehashes to the point people get sick of them. Some are also pushing their social agenda too hard. Focus on the entertainment before you worry about lecturing people.

[@FireFury190]

I do agree with this. The problem is that retailers don't want to buy Transformers toys to put on shelves unless they have the big names like Optimus, Megatron, etc. So the hope of pushing newer or lesser used characters into the forefront is very difficult. We even saw this with Earthspark. The Terrans by in large are the star Transformers of the show and have the most focus than the big name characters. But it's still Bumblebee and Optimus who are given the most toys and put in the forefront in marketing despite being minor characters in the show. Cause retailers don't give a crap about these new characters. They want the big names because they know they'll sell.

[@Gigi4u]

I think transformers should still adhere to stuff from the past but not steer to close to end up stagnating or stray to far to become unrecognizable. Id say beast wars was the prime example of how to do it right. They took the consept and design philosophy of transformers(G1) and took it in a new direction with animals and other technoorganic altmodes. It was still recognizable as transformers but with a new spin on it.

[@SGD_ToysDownUnder]

When BW started, I didn't even register it as Transformers initially. I just thought Transformers wasn't being made anymore. I was 8 at the time. I guess the plans at Kenner to obscure the IP worked.

[@Gigi4u]

@@SGD_ToysDownUnder I remember when I first watched beast wars and thinking wow is this transformers? And then when they later on showed the connections to G1 it was magical. I will never forget that moments like them finding the Ark and the Nemesis rising from the ocean. No show has rivaled that experience since because usually shows just end, which isn't always a bad thing. The one other time a sequel did happen it was rather disappointing if not anger introducing for existing (it was RID 2015)

[@chun-bonntang5391]

Nah. True Transformers fans were already there before the bay movies and will remain after this. We're the ones who hunt for the studio series, masterpiece or 3rd party figures for collection. The current trend is that the mainstream audience had enough with the movies.

[@dotmbarricade3424]

Hasbro can do nothing but milking the past. They have no innovation. Same thing with power rangers they did. Meat ride mighty morphin to death

[@SGD_ToysDownUnder]

Well Hasbro staff didn't even want to work on Power Rangers, Goldner just dropped it on them before he passed. But yeah, I think part of it is a side effect of toy fans entering the companies rather than toy designers. Inmates running the asylum.

[@PowerRangersLostGalaxyFanFilm]

Hate to say it. Power Rangers is dead. Thanks Hasbro. MMPR dick riding and Cosmic Fury stealing my ideas for a fan film that could've been a better epic Kyuranger adaptation.

[@LoneWolfInsane]

@@SGD_ToysDownUnder The guy that was in charge of power rangers while it was dying was before that in charge of transformers during the war for cybertron trilogy. And now that he killed Powerrangers they moved him to be practically in charge of basically all of Hasbro's toy lines.

[@legotimefuntime5438]

One word: Sabotage. The lack of marketing and faith in the movie was evident and it ruined the box office numbers. T1 was one of the best transformers movie. Hollywood doesn’t like it when you put in their woke garbage ideology in films. Need I say more?

[@isabeladamacena7768]

They did dirty with Joker 2 what is the point of doing this?What Hollywood wants, lose money and fans?

[@SGD_ToysDownUnder]

I do wonder if all the early screenings was their attempt at generating good word for the film, developing it into a sleeper hit. It really is a good movie, but I have to admit, while I am going to buy the SS toys, I did leave the cinema questioning the movie's ability to sell toys. Sentinel is the only really toyetic one in the film, that was a brilliant design and a fantastic character. Easily the breakout hit of the film.

[@CakeorDeath1989]

They're releasing Transformers One digitally before it's even out in cinemas in Europe. Absolutely no clue why.

[@LoneWolfInsane]

The irony of saying that about a movie so blatantly inspired by idw miner megatron is astounding.

[@isabeladamacena7768]

@@LoneWolfInsane The movie was saboted on purpose because is no woke enough that's what he saying.

[@mcviper270]

Not sure Hasbro as a business can afford to have TF disappear for any period of time with zero toys, movies, etc available for purchase even if it will re-energise the TF brand. Hasbro execs have quarterly revenue targets and bonuses to earn.

[@Sacrefiied]

NEVER! *megatron smashing sounds*

[@VAULT-TEC_INC.]

The figures are too hard to transform for kids, and the more simple ones are of very poor quality and don’t hold up to play. When I was 9, I could make my whole Autobot army “transform and roll out” in about 3 minutes. It can take longer than that to transform a single fiddly figure now a days. And pray the arm doesn’t pop off while you do it. My young son likes transformers shows but doesn’t like playing with the toys. I finally took my own vintage G1 figures out of the display cabinet and let him play with those and he loved them. “Animation accuracy” be dammed. Doesn’t mean a thing if the toys aren’t fun to play with. That’s not how you build a new, young fan base.

[@SGD_ToysDownUnder]

I can agree there. A lot of Generations, be it SS or Legacy / WfC, are not fun to transform. I have never been onboard with Mini Masterpiece being appropriate for general retail. It's a very harsh thing to say, but I think the appeal of those toys are for people who can't afford Masterpiece. I can see exactly why your son would feel that way. It's not for him and the things meant for him just aren't good. He's better off with the past and that's not a good thing for the brand.

[@Wizard66]

That’s why Armada was such a hit in the 2000s. The toys were quality but didn’t take an hour to transform. Gets to acting out your fantasy quicker as a kid. I was a 20 something collector at the time. But I saw the playability of the figures with the mini-cons a big plus’s over RID over articulated “autobot” bros. I wish kids could get something like that again for the brand to evolve. Armada was more G1 in spirit than adult collectors have it credit for at the time.

[@ControllerAkimbo]

I agree, same thing is happening with DC now

[@robertj.3383]

That "progressive" BS on earth Spark is THE MAIN REASON why I didn't finish watching it.

[@sharkanenoa5928]

Then you're BS

[@Starsaber97]

And is a big reason why the toy line failed as the show was very dependent on parent sales for success . As that does not match up with careful parents. Plus at the same time caused a big rift to form in the TF fan base of the identity politics.

[@blueraccoon1088]

Earthspark show. The toys I'd say is modern it's repaints recycling from cyberverse. All gimmicks won't leave the shelf so ways to see it didn't make deluxe

[@Luke_Stoltenberg]

It all start at the core competencies - 3-8 year old boys toys. The kid focused toys are cheap feeling and uninspiring. They don't resemble real life cars, objects or animals. The narratives are pretty decent but that's not what captivates the imagination of play. A cheap piece of junk does not manifest any anthropomorphic qualities.A young boy's toys should be his best buddies when he is lonely, like in Toy Story. The toys have to be 'must have' when seen in packaging, before any marketing or other effort can pay off. Since 2007 the media has driven the toy decisions - this is arse-backwards, as the core competency of TF's is the play value of the toys. Toys first, fabricate marketing, characters, animation models and fiction around THAT! On top of that you have the iPad babysitter generation who are too addicted to a screen to use their hands to play with a toy, you need to have a toy that is more enticing than these cynically designed dopamine dispensing apps. It's a tough sell but it can be done.

[@SGD_ToysDownUnder]

Friends I have with really young children are already learning from the iPad generation, not letting their kids have screen time. They have books and toys, so there is some hope on that front. Personally I'm of the same mind. I don't think sitting kids in front of iPads or tablets is doing them any good. So you bring up an interesting point about the processes at Hasbro being backwards and that has a lot of truth to it. It used to be the case till 2007 that the team in Pawtucket and Cincinnati would develop toys with Japan, then those toys, or working designs, were given to the media staff as a toolbox. Here's your premise, here's your dudes, work your magic and let's make money together. Things changed. Now the media comes first, either by Hasbro themselves in their California offices or by their media partners. Hasbro's toy dept morphed from toy designers to "design realisers". I think Animated was a success via this process, though it came at a time when throwback designs were rarer so felt more fresh than it would had it released today, but I think it's got more misses than hits. Plus it had a lot of heart and innovated from time to time.

[@LoneWolfInsane]

Most of the most successful transformers lines did barely resembled life. A lot of g1 stuff was either extremely out of proportion like g1 bumbelbee or stuff like jetfire or the insecticons. The beastwars animal modes where extremely inaccurate to real life. None of the vehicle modes from armada where real life vehicles. outside of the live action movies the closest we had to toys resembling real life was altinators or masterpiece, and they were only really successful with old fans.

[@tasiashiraori]

I hope TFO can gives Transformers new life....

[@ryanmcmahon3555]

G1 kid here who loved Beastwars. I always thought they should have CGI'd the 1986 movie in the same way they CGI'd the G1 transformers in Beastwars & then re-released it & the G1 Transformers, I think they would've made a heap of money if they had. I'm not sure what they can do with the franchise anymore maybe they just need to let it rest for now & focus on a dif franchise until they can think of something good to do it.

[@SGD_ToysDownUnder]

I think a CGI version of the original movie only works for fans of the original movie.

[@robertban871]

yea i'd agree its dying, but my feeling is that it is due to all the re-imagining that has happened over the decades. rather than re-imagining the same characters every 2 or 3 years, they could have been starting a whole new cast of characters, possibly belonging to a new faction or subgroup and focus in on their struggles rather than showing us Optimus Prime, Bumblebee, Megatron, Starscream etc all over again. Gundam proves that you dont have to completely re-invent the look and style of the these robots, beveled boxes will always have a simplistic cool factor to them

[@AfzalBruton]

The problem is that Transformers has become VERY STALE AND BORING NOW!!! Overpriced figures, cheap feeling plastic, medicore TV Shows and Movies, rehash the same idea over and over again, the annoying and chlidish fandom, AND I'M SICK OF IT.!!! I just miss the good old days of 2000s until 2010s era of Transformers, those are like peak of Transformers or the Golden Age of Transformers like the Animated, Prime, The OG Bayverse Trilogy, High Moon Cybertron games, I want those days back. But after aroun 2014, the cracks have begun to show and something bad is going to happened to this franchise. Ans it did, and it went downhill from there until now. I want to continue to be a fan but at this point, I'M TIRED WITH TRANSFORMERS. I have a life, a part time job, assignments, friends and families to talk to. I'm all grown up. Now, I'M A TRANSFORMERS FAN NO MORE!!!

[@Wumpa_Goji]

I think the discussion about the box office of the movies in this video is abit disingenuous; tf one hasn’t made its way to countries like the uk and you compare the box office run of the 07 film in which you use the worldwide box office full run while tf one hasn’t completed its full run just yet.

[@SGD_ToysDownUnder]

One is not going to magically generate hundreds of millions from one market. I don't even think it'll break even. I get what you mean, and I left an update in the pin, but we also have to be realistic. It needs 175-200M to reach a return on investment, if it hits 125M it will be lucky.

[@Gorrbo]

This dude needs to stfu it’s not over at all the numbers are climbing and hope is alive and well this is just bait for views

[@dotmbarricade3424]

Nah, transformers is dying. Fans like u are delusional

[@DoomyRei]

Only Michael Bay can revive the franchise

[@assapoopshitsmassachusetts2194]

Ok I have two points to make: 1 ) One of the fatal flaws in transformers marketing is that they only focus on straight male and child audiences. Yes, kids are the main audience for transformers, but you know who’s at every comic convention? every transformers convention? who’s dropping insane amounts of money on both official and fan merchandise online and in person? Women and queer fans. 2 ) You said there were three sub categories of transformers media, but you forgot about the fourth one: The comics! The MTMTE series alone is rich with lore, deep themes, and great character development and storytelling. Plus they’re full of underused characters. All I’m saying is if an IDW cinematic universe was made, we could see a fresh start and new reputation for this franchise (but they better not make Rewind and Chromedome “cousins”)

[@BerzerkDC]

Too complex for a cinema franchise but the mtme story as an anime would be great

[@camaradiop3731]

If #1 happens, I'm OUT--I'm TIRED of that confusion being forced upon people.

[@RevengeRevisited]

Ah yes, the "put a chick in it and make it lame and gay" approach. I'm sure that strategy will save the franchise!

[@assapoopshitsmassachusetts2194]

@@RevengeRevisited you’re clearly like 15 years old so I’m gonna be nice to you. I’m mainly talking about deeper plots and more character based story lines and utilizing more characters that women and gay people like (Tailgate, Drift, Whirl, Rung, etc.) and using less ugly character designs. Plus I wouldn’t mind acknowledging CANNON transformers relationships such as Lug and Anode and Rewind and Chromedome in tasteful amounts. Id love for the concept of conjunx/amica endurae to be explored more.

[@camaradiop3731]

@@assapoopshitsmassachusetts2194 "Canon"

[@zillauniverse7208]

I agree 100% that Hasbro is just too stuck in the past and now it should be the right time to revitalize the brand, I really wants Transformers to get risky again and move away from the conventional standards, it should do what Beast Wars did and give us a totally new setting, new good guy vs bad guy faction and brand new characters, yeah were gonna miss Optmuis Prime, Megaton and Bumblebee but it is for the best especially with since how Bumblebee has oversaturated market.

[@SGD_ToysDownUnder]

It's not like the core characters can't come back later, just give them a rest and expand the brand. BW and the Unicron Trilogy gave so much to the IP, as has Aligned and the films, something new is a perfect opportunity to add to the brand in a meaningful way.

[@jonathanboetto8849]

Generations, or "Classics" as it was originally known, began the year *before* TF 2007. Michael Bay is not responsible for the Generations toy line... aside from possibly amplifying the desire for toys based of classic G1 designs...

[@SGD_ToysDownUnder]

Classics was a filler line due to a gap between Cybertron and 07. It was very popular amongst the fanbase, but was never intended to be a thing beyond that. When 07 became the hit it was, retailers asked for more and more product, resulting in Universe 2.0 in 2008, which became our modern Generations line.

[@jonathanboetto8849]

@SGD_ToysDownUnder True, but it was very much the beginning of what would later be Universe and then Generations. That's why people used to refer to all three as CHUG to save time-- it's functionally and conceptually all one big toy line. That said, I do agree with your core thesis here. We very much need a refresh in the style of Beast Wars or Armada right now, at the very least at the streaming/TV level... I'm still (perhaps foolishly) holding out hope that the TF vs. G.I.Joe movie next year or a (unlikely) sequel to TFOne could turn things around at the box office...

[@rascal7855]

I personally wouldn't say that there dying, how many times have we heard that in the last 45 yrs

[@tiagosales4913]

I think the franchise needs to take inspiration more from unicron trilogy and beast wars and less from G1 and the bayverse

[@katamattyon]

Yeah we need something that is spiritually RID/UnicronTrilogy, rather than evergreen spiritually G1 toys/comics/cartoons. Actually new characters. Maybe go wilder and not have Optimus Prime and Megatron carried over. Maybe new characters can lead, or carry over other leaders. Maybe Star Saber and Deathsaurus, maybe give Rodimus Prime some actual time in the sun as an outright leader. Replace Bumblebee, maybe with a new character, maybe with Hot Shot. Maybe swap out the Fallen for Liege Maximo and have Jhiaxus as the Megatron equivalent. Just switch things up!

[@Warpath.Studios]

also prime and mgatron from tf one are not from siege nore do they even repersent the same version of seige. but i can see gamer bee is close

[@fritztopher]

I only started caring about transformers in 2024 and I could care less about that movie I just wanted all g1 auto bot cars

[@kcnoise]

Dying? Far from it. The movies have been run by idiots. That has hurt its cinematic appeal.

[@BerzerkDC]

Transformers toys sell really well, so it's far from dying. Another perspective on TF One and "low faith", perhaps Hasbro restricted Paramount marketing spend because Hasbro believes in the franchise word of mouth. This is shortsighted in terms of a wider audience as the first trailer was an impact full misstep, but there's a perspective there which suggests high confidence in it, and perhaps a little over reliance on fan engagement

[@就活-z9m]

Hasbro will make Fortnite Transformers cartoon series

[@HadesGamesolosgowverseandkrato]

Been thinking about this too On two notes Transformers used to have alot of unique designs for megatron now everything is same variant on g1 Look at cybertron/galaxy force megatron as compared to robots in diguise 01/car robots megatron Completely different right Look at cyberverse compared to earthspark megatron design wise, it's really the same sorta thing done over and over Which is made worse by how popluar ipads are and how phones are

[@calibvr]

i just want tidal wave

[@Warpath.Studios]

i do feel like transformers is dying but the fan base is to big to let it die let alone fail

[@DoomyRei]

Bring back Michael Bay

[@GM-qm9mk]

The movie as a whole has done almost $100 million as of today so I am not sure if that changes things?

[@SGD_ToysDownUnder]

I hit that in the pin the moment I uploaded this video. 100m puts it halfway to a return on investment.

[@JeeJeeBeats]

I wouldn't say no to a totally fresh concept à la BeastWars. Would need the same secret sauce as BW....excellent writing. . . And...an open world à la BoTW but with Transformers. Best way to use the transformation in an open world it's fun to change into a plane or fast car , know what im sayin?

[@jakethegreatest473]

The Bayformers got to bloated by the end.....kinda made it hard for non super fans to have any interest in a new movie.....and the economy sucks

[@shadowninja4835]

You did not help transformers at all you are one of the reasons why the franchise will die by slandering it into the ground most of your takes made no sense especially the toy one the main line toys aren’t the only piece of transformers action figures people buy there are much better options that people buy but the majority still buy a lot of mainline toys for cheap

[@shadowninja4835]

Most of the reason why hasbro keeps reusing old stuff from the past is not because they are repetitive they just don’t want to get rid of the old fans who like the things from the past just for the new comers, and they still make new action figures/ new molds too that a lot of people buy and enjoy so much so that people steal and replace the newly released figures with old figures in stores to not get caught

[@shadowninja4835]

And the reason why transformers one is floping is because of the first trailer a lot of people said the movie looked too childish so they didn’t see it at least that’s what the majority of people said so that’s the marketing teams fault not the fans and previous installments

[@AwesomeCardGames]

I agree legacy brands need to rebrand their products with exciting anew content for the next generation.

[@alanimet_es]

nope the last 3 films where pretty orginal in ideas so that not the problem.

[@rock10zxa]

why's the like/dislike ratio almost 50-50? even if you saying "dying" is a bit of an exaggeration, you've got factual proof on the franchise's pathetic state compared to the past. are One and Earthspark shills just really that butthurt to accept numbers?

[@foyoGames]

U know what Transformers needs... A New Megan Fox & more Chesty Bots 🤷‍♀️

[@SGD_ToysDownUnder]

I argued for Thunderblast to come back in the hot takes video lol

[@foyoGames]

​@@SGD_ToysDownUnderbring her back

[@conradojavier7547]

How about Change them to Humans as a Fresh Concept.

[@Zodiac3107]

8:20 Kids can't buy toys anyway. So, how was this statistic measured?

[@SGD_ToysDownUnder]

@@Zodiac3107 it measured for whom the toys were bought for.

[@Zodiac3107]

@SGD_ToysDownUnder So like, do the people at the cash registers ask, "Hey! Is this for you or your kid?" Or like, is there another way that works? Because it's always going to be adults buying toys. Either way, Transformers is dying. Reactivate just got canned, Hasbro pulled funding for future films, and the production of toys is slowing.

[@SGD_ToysDownUnder]

@Zodiac3107 They probably get participating stores to conduct just this behaviour, yes. Either that or researchers go cold canvas shoppers for data.

[@benncourt]

My opinion is that the fandom is infested with adult fans that are unable to move on and let the franchise bloom once again

[@SGD_ToysDownUnder]

Kinda. I think it'd be more accurate to say a lot of adult fans like "their" Transformers, or what they are influenced into, rather than the general concept or IP.

[@conradojavier7547]

What Gimmick Transformers never tried?

[@Warpath.Studios]

Also i feel like the live action needs to take a break. but they need to work on there shows being some of the best transformers content every made such as armada Og rescue bots Tf Prime and even the og show and espiacly the animated seiris.. also sorry for my grammer

[@choostopher5018]

I wanted to go see it but I couldn’t find anyone interested…. I would have taken my wife but the cinema experience is so bloody awful it didn’t seem worth it when it will hit Paramount Puss soon. Even without seeing it I bought the Studio Series Optimus and the mainline Bee but that’s it for decent TFOne toys the dopey farks

[@jonathanstone1081]

Transformers one is awesome watched it alot sad 7f it wasn't financially successful it needs some sequels I honestly didn't know bout it was recommended by friend. So same company owns transformers and gi joe only last couple years they realized to make gi joe scaled transformers lol that seems like an easy money maker.

[@PrimeAdvance]

The adverts on your video are out of control, unwatchable.

[@jamesvuk9761]

Dying, NOT !!!

[@sonaldon-w1f]

huh?

[@YourFired-md8tq]

Tfone grossed over 97 million dollars it just flopped on the opening weekend what the franchise needs now is another saving grace show earthspark was woke so of course it will fail upon that

[@waaaaaaah]

Woke is so diluted now. A woman being better at something than a man is considered woke in some circles, and at that point it's just a matter of opinion and bias. If Earthspark failed, it was down to poor writing and bad storytelling.

[@SGD_ToysDownUnder]

Go Woke Go Broke doesn't have the best track record. Like 50/50 and it's more "piss people off, don't attract new people by offering something they'd like, enjoy failure." But that's not as punchy lol. TFOne won't even break even with Europe.

[@metrosaurusrex7012]

Why your breath so audible, bruh?

[@SGD_ToysDownUnder]

@@metrosaurusrex7012 I was getting over illness while recording this. I do noise removal, but couldn't pick up everything.

[@goldengamer-b2z]

Yeah I guess that another thing Japan got one up when it came to reinvention I guess they got that down

[@greenbean325]

Tfo is the best ngl

[@scifiguy26]

Well I'm a G1 fan the first few seasons then the movie but after they killed off Optimus prime i kind of lost interest I love the first few minutes of the first bumblebee movie & that's it the rest of the series and movies was just too much for me to keep track of & i really lost interest then i gave Transformers one a chance but when Elita -1 told Orion peck "I'm better than you in every way" took me out the movie more woke 💩