The 2022 prediction show is here, and the crew calls price increases, more HasLab projects and a G2-themed exclusive line. Toy Fair New York 2022 is canceled after Walmart, Target and Amazon pull out.
TakaraTomy reveals Masterpiece MPG-02 Getsuei, and stock photos hint at a clean, battle-damage-free Legacy Galvatron. Legacy Blaster lands for several hosts, and RFC Reviews returns.
News
Toy Fair New York 2022 Officially Canceled
The Toy Association canceled Toy Fair New York 2022, a week after insisting it would go ahead. Walmart, Target and Amazon had already backed out, and Hasbro withdrew earlier. One host notes that The Toy Book left out the association’s line blaming social media rumors for the decision. He adds that smaller exhibitors faced losing booth fees or risking exposure to Omicron. RFC still plans its annual February livestream. [Source: The Toyark]
Hasbro named Chris Cocks as CEO following the death of Brian Goldner. Cocks previously led Wizards of the Coast and is credited with raising its profile and profits. One host says he at least knows how to make a company work. [Source: TFRadio]
New Authentics and Rescue Bots Academy Racers
JT Prime’s stock images show new Authentics toys, including vinyl figures for Walmart and reused Rescue Bots Academy mini racers in new colors. One host’s kids love the masks in the assortment. [Source: TFRadio]
Studio Series 86 Core Class Exosuit Spike
Studio Series 86 Core Class Spike transforms in his Exosuit. The crew is pleased that the arms no longer use the ball joints that popped off the Masterpiece Bumblebee version. One host wants it far more than the first Core Class assortment. The crew jokes about whether a Daniel version would get a subtly different head. [Source: TFRadio]
Legacy Stock Images: Buzzworthy Cliffjumper and a Clean Galvatron
In Demand Toys posted stock images of Legacy, Buzzworthy Bumblebee and Coronation Starscream product. The stock Buzzworthy Cliffjumper shows clear windows, but one host says retail copies in Asia have the opaque roof. He thinks the photos show an early factory sample. More interesting, the Legacy reissue of Kingdom Galvatron appears to have no battle damage or cannon charge deco. One host thinks a clean variant is plausible, and several hosts would buy one. The crew warns that windowless boxes make swapped toys harder to spot. [Source: TFRadio]
MPG-02 Getsuei Officially Revealed
TakaraTomy revealed Masterpiece MPG-02 Getsuei at a list price of 16,000 yen. One host notes that Getsuei is far smaller than Shouki, so the price is proportionally similar. Amazon Japan lists it at 19,799 yen, with the yen strong at about 115 to the dollar. Getsuei ships in September, three months after Shouki. The crew expects the full Raiden combiner to stretch into 2023. [Source: TFRadio]
2022 Predictions
Don predicts more G2 Selects, including Buster and Hydra, G2 Jazz on the Studio Series mold, and a G2 Starscream with Sunstorm. He also predicts a Deathsaurus or Tigerhawk to pair with Star Saber. His bold calls are Marvel Legends Circuit Breaker and a Selects Commander Sky Lynx as a purple Decepticon griffin.
Chris predicts $25 deluxes and $40 voyagers, with collectors vowing to quit and buying everything anyway. He predicts the last three Masterpiece Trainbots become a made-to-order box set. His bold call is a Masterpiece Stepper with no Jazz in sight.
Matt predicts another Transformers HasLab announced before Victory Saber ships, and Rise of the Beasts pushed to Christmas 2023.
Rob also predicts a price increase. His bold call is a HasLab G1 Titan Class Metroplex.
Diecast predicts news of a Titan Class Ark redeco and a later Legacy year moving away from G1 makeovers. His bold call is that Don gets a Supreme Cheetor, which Don firmly rejects.
Brian predicts two Transformers HasLab projects and a Masterpiece Jetfire at 60,000 yen. His bold call is a G2-themed Hasbro Pulse repaint line, following 2021’s Shattered Glass, with Machine Wars as his fallback.
RFC Reviews Returns
Diecast has relaunched RFC Reviews with reviews of Fans Toys Huffer and Kingdom Pipes.
What We Got This Week
Don got ReAction Galvatron and Hot Rod for the card art, plus a GRC Designs shoulder adapter for Kingdom Mirage and Galvatron hand covers. He found Legacy Blaster at Target and loves Pipes’ bold colors. From Chosen Prime he got Fans Hobby Cab, completing his Headmaster Juniors, and X-Transbots Jensen, a Perceptor about $100 cheaper than the Fans Toys version.
Chris praises Legacy Blaster’s quality control and a transformation joint that doubles as an extra elbow. Eject arrived with stress marks on every clear-plastic joint. He also got Slammer, whose tank mode he enjoyed puzzling out despite loose joints, and Pipes, though he prefers Huffer’s colors. Birthday gifts brought Kingdom Waspinator, Kingdom Shadow Panther and Cyberverse Deluxe Sludge.
Rob got Pipes, the one he owned as a kid, in colors true to the original toy.
Matt finally got the Hasbro Pulse Artfire on the Inferno mold.
Diecast got Shattered Glass Jetfire and loves the black and neon green.
Brian got Legacy Blaster, Artfire and Shattered Glass Jetfire, which stays boxed. He found Botbots Series 3 blind packs at a dollar store, and Kim found World’s Smallest Transformers in new packaging at Big Lots. He also got a Transformers kite and hand-painted Transformers Monopoly tokens from his friend Dusty.