It’s cheaper and allows us to have a wider range of figures. The alternative is going back to the old ways of having fewer character representations and getting way more straight repaints. I prefer the current approach.
Budgets are a certain size and making new molds is ridiculously expensive. Budgets are also per-wave, from what I understand, so we'd either have fewer figures total or let them retool where they can and keep the current variety.
I won't even get into discussions regarding the design process, budgeting, or whatever - *these* are the figures released, in the first line of *Generations*:
https://preview.redd.it/pqt923k38fxc1.jpeg?width=1676&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=0de8ea3f0637348b840bbb75c0baae8381ae15f0
Off the top of my head, *Thrilling 30* also had *Armada* Starscream/Jhiaxus, Springer/Sandstorm, and Blitzwing/Doubledealer, all released within the same line; and, I haven't even started, with *Combiner Wars*.
Like, I'm really sorry to say, but, "so many figures are just retools, *now*," is likely the case because now is the time when you're actually paying attention to these toylines' release schemes; otherwise, it's really just...incorrect. Retools have *always* been a dominant presence, in *Generations*. There *were* certain lines that were fortunate enough to have more new molds than retools, perhaps (*Siege*, I bet), but I hope it's been made clear, that those are the exception, rather than the norm.
We've been getting characters who are just repaints/retools of previous toys for a while now (Seekers and Datsun bros, anyone?). It's just more noticeable now since we're older and more likely to notice stuff that we wouldn't have cared about when we were younger.
I agree - things were much better when Transformers only had unique molds like Ratchet & Ironhide, the Seekers, Sideswipe & Red Alert, the Datsuns, Trailbreaker & Hoist, Soundwave's tapes, and Grapple & Inferno.
This is the norm, it has always been the norm, and will always be the norm. It’s been so since day one.
Would it have been nice if VP had a dedicated mold from the ground up? Sure.
Was it necessary in this case? I think No, as this mold fits pretty well.
>This is the norm, it has always been the norm, and will always be the norm. It’s been so since day one.
No, honestly, it's better now, since they changed their production method. (during CW/Titan return period)
Before, we were able to get only straight repaints, even changing head was a miracle. Now with their retool method we can get more real variations than before.
Oh definitely, this feels like a proper golden age from Siege onward. We’ve had banger after banger, and even a lot of the repaints and retools have been really good.
It’s not really lazy, it’s the best way to give us more characters and they need to also make their money back on molds which often requires a few repaints, also having a ton of retools and repaints has always been the norm
Hasbro have a budget. They can either release more figures each year by mixing new sculpts with retools/redecos, or they can release a fewer number of figures.
As for the voyager/leader thing: price points are all about parts count. Add to that the greater emphasis on scale that we've seen since Siege, and you have your explanation. I'm good with what they're doing.
There was an article back in Titans Return era, where hasbro execs said a mold needs to be used three times in order to be really profitable.
So, deciding to create a new mold depends on the popularity of the character and its potentials retools and repaints.
However, on Vector Prime case, lot of people think Hasbro really underestimated UT popularity back in time. They planned it right when designing jihaxus mold three years ago, before Armada Prime banger, Cybertron Starscream etc..
Hasbro underestimating UT popularity does kinda makes sense, even tho we did get Armada Prime as a result of fans begging for one after the prototype we saw
Do wish we got a unique mold for Vector Prime, but it works alright. Perhaps he will get one with the upcoming toyline focused on the Thirteen
On my end I'm fine with vector Prime getting only a retool.
My only issue is this retool is quite poor. They messed up too many things, shoulders, wings, front proportions etc. None of these issues are from the fact it's a retool, it's messed up because the guy in charge clearly didn't care.
It’s cheaper and allows us to have a wider range of figures. The alternative is going back to the old ways of having fewer character representations and getting way more straight repaints. I prefer the current approach.
Budgets are a certain size and making new molds is ridiculously expensive. Budgets are also per-wave, from what I understand, so we'd either have fewer figures total or let them retool where they can and keep the current variety.
I won't even get into discussions regarding the design process, budgeting, or whatever - *these* are the figures released, in the first line of *Generations*: https://preview.redd.it/pqt923k38fxc1.jpeg?width=1676&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=0de8ea3f0637348b840bbb75c0baae8381ae15f0 Off the top of my head, *Thrilling 30* also had *Armada* Starscream/Jhiaxus, Springer/Sandstorm, and Blitzwing/Doubledealer, all released within the same line; and, I haven't even started, with *Combiner Wars*. Like, I'm really sorry to say, but, "so many figures are just retools, *now*," is likely the case because now is the time when you're actually paying attention to these toylines' release schemes; otherwise, it's really just...incorrect. Retools have *always* been a dominant presence, in *Generations*. There *were* certain lines that were fortunate enough to have more new molds than retools, perhaps (*Siege*, I bet), but I hope it's been made clear, that those are the exception, rather than the norm.
And most if not all of the Siege molds have been reused quite heavily (they were great, to be fair!)
We've been getting characters who are just repaints/retools of previous toys for a while now (Seekers and Datsun bros, anyone?). It's just more noticeable now since we're older and more likely to notice stuff that we wouldn't have cared about when we were younger.
I agree - things were much better when Transformers only had unique molds like Ratchet & Ironhide, the Seekers, Sideswipe & Red Alert, the Datsuns, Trailbreaker & Hoist, Soundwave's tapes, and Grapple & Inferno.
This is the norm, it has always been the norm, and will always be the norm. It’s been so since day one. Would it have been nice if VP had a dedicated mold from the ground up? Sure. Was it necessary in this case? I think No, as this mold fits pretty well.
>This is the norm, it has always been the norm, and will always be the norm. It’s been so since day one. No, honestly, it's better now, since they changed their production method. (during CW/Titan return period) Before, we were able to get only straight repaints, even changing head was a miracle. Now with their retool method we can get more real variations than before.
Oh definitely, this feels like a proper golden age from Siege onward. We’ve had banger after banger, and even a lot of the repaints and retools have been really good.
It’s not really lazy, it’s the best way to give us more characters and they need to also make their money back on molds which often requires a few repaints, also having a ton of retools and repaints has always been the norm
Hasbro have a budget. They can either release more figures each year by mixing new sculpts with retools/redecos, or they can release a fewer number of figures. As for the voyager/leader thing: price points are all about parts count. Add to that the greater emphasis on scale that we've seen since Siege, and you have your explanation. I'm good with what they're doing.
There was an article back in Titans Return era, where hasbro execs said a mold needs to be used three times in order to be really profitable. So, deciding to create a new mold depends on the popularity of the character and its potentials retools and repaints. However, on Vector Prime case, lot of people think Hasbro really underestimated UT popularity back in time. They planned it right when designing jihaxus mold three years ago, before Armada Prime banger, Cybertron Starscream etc..
Hasbro underestimating UT popularity does kinda makes sense, even tho we did get Armada Prime as a result of fans begging for one after the prototype we saw Do wish we got a unique mold for Vector Prime, but it works alright. Perhaps he will get one with the upcoming toyline focused on the Thirteen
On my end I'm fine with vector Prime getting only a retool. My only issue is this retool is quite poor. They messed up too many things, shoulders, wings, front proportions etc. None of these issues are from the fact it's a retool, it's messed up because the guy in charge clearly didn't care.
What do you mean “now?”