Hasbro’s third-quarter earnings send its stock down to about $65 a share, and the crew debates whether price increases backfired. Transformers: Forged to Fight is shutting down, and Hound and Hatchet join the Buzzworthy Bumblebee line at Target. Studio Series Rumble, Legacy Scraphook and Legacy Needlenose get closer looks. Don returns from his honeymoon with a 20-minute haul that includes Titan Metroplex, LEGO Optimus Prime and a Minerva wedding gift.
Brian kicks off a Twitter giveaway on @TFRadio for episode 800 and the 23rd anniversary, with the winner named on episode 802. He also thanks an anonymous donor for two G.I. Joe Snake Eyes roleplay toys sent to the Elf on a Shelf Warmer wish list at tfradio.net/shelf. The crew suggests domestic abuse shelters and Toys for Tots as year-round places to donate.
News
Hasbro’s Third-Quarter Earnings Sink the Stock
Hasbro’s stock dropped as low as $65 a share after the report, and Seibertron framed it as about $3 billion in lost value this year. Don is confused that Hasbro cited higher prices for lower profits. Brian explains that profit is only one indicator and margin may be the goal. Chris compares the limit of price increases to hitting black ice: you do not know until you are skidding. [Source: CNBC]
Transformers: Forged to Fight Will Shut Down
The mobile fighting game is ending, with servers going offline January 13 and real-money purchases already suspended. Brian says Transformers games need a physical disc to last, and Chris says that goes for most licensed games. Brian also notes a new card-collection Transformers mobile game launching in Japan. [Source: Kabam]
The crew expects the members-only stream to stand in for a New York Comic Con reveal. Chris says the next Titan is believed to be Nemesis, with The Fallen’s face on the Legacy Evolution poster representing its robot mode. Don still wants a Blue Omega Supreme. Hyper Shadow in Discord says the next Commander Class figure is Armada Optimus Prime. Chris expects an all-new toy rather than the 2018 Winter Wonderfest prototype. [Source: Hasbro Pulse, Twitter]
Hound and Hatchet Become Buzzworthy
Target’s Buzzworthy Bumblebee line adds a Studio Series 86 Hound in Earth mode and a Dark of the Moon Hatchet, a partial Crowbar retool. Chris walked through the new parts on RFC News Desk. JT Prime says they are due at Target around December, alongside reships of Kup, Cliffjumper and B-127. The crew jokes about a Studio Series 86 Windcharger and pitches a Core Class Kranix.
In-Hand Photos of Studio Series Rumble
The blue Core Class Rumble comes with his piledrivers and guns, which make up the price point. Chris says the figure matches the Siege Micromasters in size with more normal proportions. The crew wishes Hasbro had started with red Frenzy. [Source: TFW2005 boards]
Detailed Look at Legacy Scraphook
In-hand screenshots show Scraphook roughly the height of Earthrise Wheeljack. Chris says the colors are nearly perfect, and the crew loves him. [Source: TFW2005]
Designer Behind the Scenes for Legacy Needlenose
The photos show the nose cone flipping up and the tail fin doubling as an arm blade. The Targetmasters fold out into guns like the G1 originals. Needlenose is expected around January. [Source: Instagram]
What We Got This Week
Chris
Chris had nothing this week.
Rob
Rob had nothing this week.
Brian
A second blue Cliffjumper from the 1985 St. Louis Happy Meal set arrived, cleaner than his first at half the price. He also landed the Beast Wars Amazon Showdown PC CD-ROM two-pack from Mandarake for a third of what he expected. It includes a bat in G2 Optimus Prime colors and an alligator in G2 Megatron colors. He ordered it on the way to Don’s wedding.
Don
Don bought two G2 blue Grimlocks, one to keep carded and one he took on his cruise. At Toymeister Toys in Virginia Beach he found a carded Universe Side Burn for $25. He also found two Core Class Bomb-bursts and has a spare to share. From eBay he got arm fillers for Black Zarak and the third-party pink and white Prime Arcee. He also got Fans Toys Aussie for $35 less than he paid domestically. Diaclone Trailbreaker arrived from Pulse. He ordered the G.I. Joe x Transformers H.I.S.S. Tank Megatron from Amazon. A Target price-match on LEGO Optimus Prime and a 15% coupon brought both that and Titan Metroplex to about $100 each. NewAge Firefox, a Legends-scale Skyfire, cost $78. Rob notes the packaging homages Takatoku’s Macross Valkyrie boxes. A friend sent him a Minerva as a wedding gift.