Round Up of Q&A from Google Hangout with Hasbro: Combiner Wars Titans Return and More
Friday, November 20th, 2015 11:12PM CST
Category: Event NewsPosted by: william-james88 Views: 46,645
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To those not yet aware, Hasbro held am online conference with different online news sites, providing us the abundance of news that appeared recently such as Power Master Prime, G2 Bruticus and a deluge of RID Minicons.
Ben Yee from bwtf was present as we were and he compiled the key elements from he Q&A which followed the presentation. You will see what Hasbro has to say about Deluxe Groove, the upcoming Titan figure, as well as the brand departure of Jerry Jivoin and more:
Ben Yee from bwtf was present as we were and he compiled the key elements from he Q&A which followed the presentation. You will see what Hasbro has to say about Deluxe Groove, the upcoming Titan figure, as well as the brand departure of Jerry Jivoin and more:
Questions & Answers
At the end of the session there was a round robin Q&A session. Here are some of the highlights of the information that came out of that session:
There are plans to bring in other generations into the 2016 line (including homages to the 1986 movie and Beast Wars).
The "Year of the Monkey" Optimus Primal is meant to celebrate the anniversary of "Beast Wars"
The Q&A confirmed Powermaster Optimus Prime is an extensive retool retaining only some of the joints, connection points and a couple parts. Even the cab has some differences.
The Battle Packs were a challenge to design due to having to turn the armor into weapons.
Fortress Maximus was very challenging to work on due to its size, costing, weight and the fact that it has to work with other bases in the "Titans Return" line. It is a retool of Metroplex, but an extensive one.
One of the hardest parts of designing the "Titans Return" line was the interaction of the "Master" figures across the line. The scales of robot heads in particular was an issue (which the "helmet sections" helped solve).
When asked why the more traditional "engine to humanoid" form wasn't used, Hasbro emphasized they wanted to keep the play pattern consistent (head to robot) instead of having too many types of "Masters" mixed up in the line.
No comment when asked about Masterpiece Decepticons.
Don't read into Decepticon Hammer have two different trees (one Autobot, one Decepticon) in the two pictures. It was a photo error.
The "Cybertron Con" trademark was positioned as a successful convention in Asia and they wanted to protect the trademark as much as possible. Botcon 2016 is happening as planned. No further information was provided.
Hasbro knows fans outside of Japan want the Deluxe Groove, but nothing specific was said other than "We love Groove".
Hasbro did not rule out more G1 reissues in 2016.
The "Stars City Neon" deal (the parent company of Victory Hill exhibitions) aims towards installments like an exhibition and not fan conventions.
Jerry Jivoin will be leaving the brand team at the end of the year for a position in marketing at Hasbro Italy.
Credit(s): bwtf.com
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Re: Round Up of Q&A from Google Hangout with Hasbro: Combiner Wars Titans Return and More (1743260)
Posted by Hellscream9999 on November 20th, 2015 @ 11:21pm CST
Posted by Hellscream9999 on November 20th, 2015 @ 11:21pm CST
Totally get their point about having 'too many 'master's' in the line' that still confuses me and strikes me as a fairly well beaten horse of a gimmick; I think 'power-masters' could stand to go, I wouldn't miss them 
Re: Round Up of Q&A from Google Hangout with Hasbro: Combiner Wars Titans Return and More (1743268)
Posted by D-Maximal_Primal on November 20th, 2015 @ 11:35pm CST
Posted by D-Maximal_Primal on November 20th, 2015 @ 11:35pm CST
Soooo...... does this mean headmaster Beast Wars characters??? 
Re: Round Up of Q&A from Google Hangout with Hasbro: Combiner Wars Titans Return and More (1743269)
Posted by Hellscream9999 on November 20th, 2015 @ 11:38pm CST
So long as the head figures have ball-jointed necks, I'll be okay with this
Posted by Hellscream9999 on November 20th, 2015 @ 11:38pm CST
D-Maximus_Prime wrote:Soooo...... does this mean headmaster Beast Wars characters???
So long as the head figures have ball-jointed necks, I'll be okay with this
Re: Round Up of Q&A from Google Hangout with Hasbro: Combiner Wars Titans Return and More (1743274)
Posted by D-Maximal_Primal on November 21st, 2015 @ 12:03am CST
i wonder if....Headmaster Optimus Primal to go with powermaster Optimus Prime
Posted by D-Maximal_Primal on November 21st, 2015 @ 12:03am CST
Hellscream9999 wrote:D-Maximus_Prime wrote:Soooo...... does this mean headmaster Beast Wars characters???
So long as the head figures have ball-jointed necks, I'll be okay with this
i wonder if....Headmaster Optimus Primal to go with powermaster Optimus Prime
Re: Round Up of Q&A from Google Hangout with Hasbro: Combiner Wars Titans Return and More (1743275)
Posted by Hellscream9999 on November 21st, 2015 @ 12:05am CST
Posted by Hellscream9999 on November 21st, 2015 @ 12:05am CST
D-Maximus_Prime wrote:Hellscream9999 wrote:D-Maximus_Prime wrote:Soooo...... does this mean headmaster Beast Wars characters???
So long as the head figures have ball-jointed necks, I'll be okay with this
i wonder if....Headmaster Optimus Primal to go with powermaster Optimus Prime
Re: Round Up of Q&A from Google Hangout with Hasbro: Combiner Wars Titans Return and More (1743349)
Posted by Sabrblade on November 21st, 2015 @ 10:47am CST
Posted by Sabrblade on November 21st, 2015 @ 10:47am CST
Under-3 or bust!D-Maximus_Prime wrote:Soooo...... does this mean headmaster Beast Wars characters???
Re: Round Up of Q&A from Google Hangout with Hasbro: Combiner Wars Titans Return and More (1743350)
Posted by Munkky on November 21st, 2015 @ 10:54am CST
I would actually be okay with this if they did it right. Personally though I don't think Hasbro actually will make any Beast Wars characters for Titans Return, I think the Year of the Monkey Optimus and the BotCon Dawn of the Predacus set will be the only things Hasbro do to officially acknowledge Beast Wars' 20th birthday. I hope I'm wrong though.
Posted by Munkky on November 21st, 2015 @ 10:54am CST
D-Maximus_Prime wrote:Hellscream9999 wrote:D-Maximus_Prime wrote:Soooo...... does this mean headmaster Beast Wars characters???
So long as the head figures have ball-jointed necks, I'll be okay with this
i wonder if....Headmaster Optimus Primal to go with powermaster Optimus Prime
I would actually be okay with this if they did it right. Personally though I don't think Hasbro actually will make any Beast Wars characters for Titans Return, I think the Year of the Monkey Optimus and the BotCon Dawn of the Predacus set will be the only things Hasbro do to officially acknowledge Beast Wars' 20th birthday. I hope I'm wrong though.
Re: Round Up of Q&A from Google Hangout with Hasbro: Combiner Wars Titans Return and More (1743370)
Posted by Hellscream9999 on November 21st, 2015 @ 11:48am CST
Well, they said 'they wanted to' do that, but the figures are already done and set is stone pretty much, so that seems pretty contrived of them if it doesn't turn out to be true
Posted by Hellscream9999 on November 21st, 2015 @ 11:48am CST
Munkky wrote:D-Maximus_Prime wrote:Hellscream9999 wrote:D-Maximus_Prime wrote:Soooo...... does this mean headmaster Beast Wars characters???
So long as the head figures have ball-jointed necks, I'll be okay with this
i wonder if....Headmaster Optimus Primal to go with powermaster Optimus Prime
I would actually be okay with this if they did it right. Personally though I don't think Hasbro actually will make any Beast Wars characters for Titans Return, I think the Year of the Monkey Optimus and the BotCon Dawn of the Predacus set will be the only things Hasbro do to officially acknowledge Beast Wars' 20th birthday. I hope I'm wrong though.
Well, they said 'they wanted to' do that, but the figures are already done and set is stone pretty much, so that seems pretty contrived of them if it doesn't turn out to be true
Re: Round Up of Q&A from Google Hangout with Hasbro: Combiner Wars Titans Return and More (1743375)
Posted by william-james88 on November 21st, 2015 @ 11:53am CST
Posted by william-james88 on November 21st, 2015 @ 11:53am CST
I think people are misunderstanding what Hasbro is saying. They said there will be some more figures but that doesnt mean they will all have the titan master gimmick. We know that for the movie figures, they will have target masters and I dont think the Beast Wars characters will have a particular gimmick. What I think they will do is rerelease some beast war toys in a platinum edition since that is also part of the generations line. And the G1 reissues they are talking about is a platinum galvatron and rodimus set featuring their g1 molds (hopefully with Galvatron sporting the right deco).
Re: Round Up of Q&A from Google Hangout with Hasbro: Combiner Wars Titans Return and More (1743376)
Posted by Hellscream9999 on November 21st, 2015 @ 11:57am CST
I'm tellin' ya, mindwipe and skullcruncher as optibat and megalligator - though if mindwipe does come out, I want me an Onyx Primal
Posted by Hellscream9999 on November 21st, 2015 @ 11:57am CST
william-james88 wrote:I think people are misunderstanding what Hasbro is saying. They said there will be some more figures but that doesnt mean they will all have the titan master gimmick. We know that for the movie figures, they will have target masters and I dont think the Beast Wars characters will have a particular gimmick. What I think they will do is rerelease some beast war toys in a platinum edition since that is also part of the generations line. And the G1 reissues they are talking about is a platinum galvatron and rodimus set featuring their g1 molds (hopefully with Galvatron sporting the right deco).
I'm tellin' ya, mindwipe and skullcruncher as optibat and megalligator - though if mindwipe does come out, I want me an Onyx Primal
Re: Round Up of Q&A from Google Hangout with Hasbro: Combiner Wars Titans Return and More (1743384)
Posted by RAR on November 21st, 2015 @ 12:48pm CST
Posted by RAR on November 21st, 2015 @ 12:48pm CST
Generations (as it was before) has effectively stopped since Combiner Wars came out.
What I mean by that is that although it shares the name and the comic the quality of the product is so much relative lower than what preceded it that CW Deluxes feel more like a different line entirely.
I will be keen to see "Proper" Generations return as a flanker line to the Titans Returns line - with RID being readied for the knackers yard in 2016 it looks like what was happening already in name only will happen for real which is that the (lets call it Transformers War Trilogy - for lack of a better name at the moment) will become the main kids line.
Hopefully leaving some space for the proper - reintroduction of new Generations toys.
Yes some will say "Titans Returns is Generations" - yes sure it is but it's still stylistically different from what preceded it if you lump it in with CW and separate it from the earlier lines called Generations.
I see there being a gap in the market for there being an applied distinction and the addition of more regular Generations releases in future.
especially if some might be looking Titans Returns as a bit to kiddy.
What I mean by that is that although it shares the name and the comic the quality of the product is so much relative lower than what preceded it that CW Deluxes feel more like a different line entirely.
I will be keen to see "Proper" Generations return as a flanker line to the Titans Returns line - with RID being readied for the knackers yard in 2016 it looks like what was happening already in name only will happen for real which is that the (lets call it Transformers War Trilogy - for lack of a better name at the moment) will become the main kids line.
Hopefully leaving some space for the proper - reintroduction of new Generations toys.
Yes some will say "Titans Returns is Generations" - yes sure it is but it's still stylistically different from what preceded it if you lump it in with CW and separate it from the earlier lines called Generations.
I see there being a gap in the market for there being an applied distinction and the addition of more regular Generations releases in future.
especially if some might be looking Titans Returns as a bit to kiddy.
Re: Round Up of Q&A from Google Hangout with Hasbro: Combiner Wars Titans Return and More (1743399)
Posted by william-james88 on November 21st, 2015 @ 1:39pm CST
Posted by william-james88 on November 21st, 2015 @ 1:39pm CST
I wholeheartedly disgree on a slew of points and while I may go into further detail as to how the line was always a mishmash and the quality started as far worse (shockwave and scoop have really shitty plastic) I will instead show how figures released at different points of the generations line (including combiner wars) work really well together:
Transformers Generations Combiner Wars Ultra Magnus Gallery
Transformers Generations Combiner Wars Ultra Magnus Gallery
Re: Round Up of Q&A from Google Hangout with Hasbro: Combiner Wars Titans Return and More (1743424)
Posted by D-Maximal_Primal on November 21st, 2015 @ 2:59pm CST
I would honestly be perfectly ok with a headmaster Primal. that would be sweet.
And Will, I get ya. One can still hope though (cause it would be cool if done right)
Posted by D-Maximal_Primal on November 21st, 2015 @ 2:59pm CST
Hellscream9999 wrote:D-Maximus_Prime wrote:Hellscream9999 wrote:D-Maximus_Prime wrote:Soooo...... does this mean headmaster Beast Wars characters???
So long as the head figures have ball-jointed necks, I'll be okay with this
i wonder if....Headmaster Optimus Primal to go with powermaster Optimus Prime
I would honestly be perfectly ok with a headmaster Primal. that would be sweet.
And Will, I get ya. One can still hope though (cause it would be cool if done right)
Re: Round Up of Q&A from Google Hangout with Hasbro: Combiner Wars Titans Return and More (1743598)
Posted by RAR on November 22nd, 2015 @ 8:05am CST
I think I fail to frame my points in the best way sometimes.
I'll try to elaborate & re-praise it a bit.
I'm not objecting to Combiner Wars Ultra Magnus, if they make a Titans Returns Legends Wheelie that looks like wheelie - I'll not object to that either - when they put things inside the brand that don't match the brand concept but do make sense for the character I'm fine with that.
I don't usually object either to a character gaining an extra feature - so making someone a Targetmaster who previously wasn't one is fine with me - so is Powerglide's extra gun mode.
What I don't care for over much is when a Character has an established personality and or Gimic and then they change that - while not going out of there way to say why they are doing it.
Now yes that is me being a wee bit resistant to change.
But I'm simply a bit hesitant of Optimus being a Headmaster instead of a Powermaster (even if in the specific case it does have some mold advantages for that to be the case) or Galvatron being a headmaster seems even odder to me than he was as a Combiner Torso as Galvatron has a proven dislike of Headmasters (at least some of the time).
To me it seems inconsistent that the implied lack of control of a Headmaster is used on characters in a leadership role - though in part that is due to the influence on my thoughts of the Neo-Tector system in Masterforce I guess.
In simple terms I would rather Hotrod was a normal Generation release (like Arcee was) and not have him be lumped in with Titans Returns if in the process he ends up having to fruitlessly be made a Headmaster simply as he's in that line.
I would rather have a two themes even if it's simply Headmasters and everything else as the theme than try to make everyone and everything a Headmaster.
Posted by RAR on November 22nd, 2015 @ 8:05am CST
william-james88 wrote:I wholeheartedly disagree on a slew of points and while I may go into further detail as to how the line was always a mishmash and the quality started as far worse (shockwave and scoop have really shitty plastic) I will instead show how figures released at different points of the generations line (including combiner wars) work really well together:
I think I fail to frame my points in the best way sometimes.
I'll try to elaborate & re-praise it a bit.
I'm not objecting to Combiner Wars Ultra Magnus, if they make a Titans Returns Legends Wheelie that looks like wheelie - I'll not object to that either - when they put things inside the brand that don't match the brand concept but do make sense for the character I'm fine with that.
I don't usually object either to a character gaining an extra feature - so making someone a Targetmaster who previously wasn't one is fine with me - so is Powerglide's extra gun mode.
What I don't care for over much is when a Character has an established personality and or Gimic and then they change that - while not going out of there way to say why they are doing it.
Now yes that is me being a wee bit resistant to change.
But I'm simply a bit hesitant of Optimus being a Headmaster instead of a Powermaster (even if in the specific case it does have some mold advantages for that to be the case) or Galvatron being a headmaster seems even odder to me than he was as a Combiner Torso as Galvatron has a proven dislike of Headmasters (at least some of the time).
To me it seems inconsistent that the implied lack of control of a Headmaster is used on characters in a leadership role - though in part that is due to the influence on my thoughts of the Neo-Tector system in Masterforce I guess.
In simple terms I would rather Hotrod was a normal Generation release (like Arcee was) and not have him be lumped in with Titans Returns if in the process he ends up having to fruitlessly be made a Headmaster simply as he's in that line.
I would rather have a two themes even if it's simply Headmasters and everything else as the theme than try to make everyone and everything a Headmaster.
Re: Round Up of Q&A from Google Hangout with Hasbro: Combiner Wars Titans Return and More (1743608)
Posted by william-james88 on November 22nd, 2015 @ 9:01am CST
I see now, your comment was more about the Titans Return line, and I cant deny any point you bring up. However, I can show a silver lining: Rewind and the titans return deluxes shown so far (as well as Metroplex) all still fall in line with what the generations line has represented so far in giving us updated versions of characters and toys from long ago, some with nods to recent incarnations.
Posted by william-james88 on November 22nd, 2015 @ 9:01am CST
RAR wrote:william-james88 wrote:I wholeheartedly disagree on a slew of points and while I may go into further detail as to how the line was always a mishmash and the quality started as far worse (shockwave and scoop have really shitty plastic) I will instead show how figures released at different points of the generations line (including combiner wars) work really well together:
I think I fail to frame my points in the best way sometimes.
I'll try to elaborate & re-praise it a bit.
I see now, your comment was more about the Titans Return line, and I cant deny any point you bring up. However, I can show a silver lining: Rewind and the titans return deluxes shown so far (as well as Metroplex) all still fall in line with what the generations line has represented so far in giving us updated versions of characters and toys from long ago, some with nods to recent incarnations.
Re: Round Up of Q&A from Google Hangout with Hasbro: Combiner Wars Titans Return and More (1743626)
Posted by steals_your_goats on November 22nd, 2015 @ 12:09pm CST
Actually scourge and blurr are rumored to also be headmasters not target masters. I would honestly just prepare yourself for all the figures coming out to have the headmaster gimmick. Also when Hasbro released the official images and descriptions for the titans return figures it said that ALL titans return deluxe, voyager and leader figures will be headmasters.
Posted by steals_your_goats on November 22nd, 2015 @ 12:09pm CST
william-james88 wrote:They said there will be some more figures but that doesnt mean they will all have the titan master gimmick. We know that for the movie figures, they will have target masters
Actually scourge and blurr are rumored to also be headmasters not target masters. I would honestly just prepare yourself for all the figures coming out to have the headmaster gimmick. Also when Hasbro released the official images and descriptions for the titans return figures it said that ALL titans return deluxe, voyager and leader figures will be headmasters.
Re: Round Up of Q&A from Google Hangout with Hasbro: Combiner Wars Titans Return and More (1743641)
Posted by william-james88 on November 22nd, 2015 @ 12:53pm CST
Oh ok, thanks for the warning. It will help me set my expectations.
Posted by william-james88 on November 22nd, 2015 @ 12:53pm CST
steals_your_goats wrote:william-james88 wrote:They said there will be some more figures but that doesnt mean they will all have the titan master gimmick. We know that for the movie figures, they will have target masters
Actually scourge and blurr are rumored to also be headmasters not tarþget masters. I would honestly just prepare yourself for all the figures coming out to have the headmaster gimmick. Also when Hasbro released the official images and descriptions for the titans return figures it said that ALL titans return deluxe, voyager and leader figures will be headmasters.
Oh ok, thanks for the warning. It will help me set my expectations.
Re: Round Up of Q&A from Google Hangout with Hasbro: Combiner Wars Titans Return and More (1743673)
Posted by steals_your_goats on November 22nd, 2015 @ 3:56pm CST
Sorry to ruin any hopes, I too would like non headmaster figures in this line and nothings been officially released yet so I guess there's still a sliver of hope. But t any rate best to prepare for the worst, hope for the best and all that jazz.
Posted by steals_your_goats on November 22nd, 2015 @ 3:56pm CST
william-james88 wrote:steals_your_goats wrote:william-james88 wrote:They said there will be some more figures but that doesnt mean they will all have the titan master gimmick. We know that for the movie figures, they will have target masters
Actually scourge and blurr are rumored to also be headmasters not tarþget masters. I would honestly just prepare yourself for all the figures coming out to have the headmaster gimmick. Also when Hasbro released the official images and descriptions for the titans return figures it said that ALL titans return deluxe, voyager and leader figures will be headmasters.
Oh ok, thanks for the warning. It will help me set my expectations.
Sorry to ruin any hopes, I too would like non headmaster figures in this line and nothings been officially released yet so I guess there's still a sliver of hope. But t any rate best to prepare for the worst, hope for the best and all that jazz.
Re: Round Up of Q&A from Google Hangout with Hasbro: Combiner Wars Titans Return and More (1743795)
Posted by RAR on November 23rd, 2015 @ 12:29pm CST
Posted by RAR on November 23rd, 2015 @ 12:29pm CST
I don't know why Sentinel Prime & Blaster & Soundwave doesn't bother me being a Titanmaster at all _ I'm a bit hesitant about Astrotrain & Galvatron to some degree. I'm happy about the ones who always were Headmasters, a little sceptical about some of the choices with regard to the smaller toys perhaps.
But I can only say that I see Hot Rod being a Headmaster would be a mistake to me - if only because it then fails as a homage to the animated Movie of the 1980's and would feel like a brand new character or toy and not a homage to the original even partially so like Arcee, Springer and Magnus do.
I can understand some IDW sprinkles but the idea of such a drastic change to Hot Rodimus has me a lot more disappointed than the cloud toy ever did.
Now if they absolutely nail the vehicle modes and drastically improve the toys over the previous ones they I'll likely be more forgiving - but it's still going to take me a while to adjust to the idea of Headmaster Astrotrain and Headmasters Blurr I suspect.
But I can only say that I see Hot Rod being a Headmaster would be a mistake to me - if only because it then fails as a homage to the animated Movie of the 1980's and would feel like a brand new character or toy and not a homage to the original even partially so like Arcee, Springer and Magnus do.
I can understand some IDW sprinkles but the idea of such a drastic change to Hot Rodimus has me a lot more disappointed than the cloud toy ever did.
Now if they absolutely nail the vehicle modes and drastically improve the toys over the previous ones they I'll likely be more forgiving - but it's still going to take me a while to adjust to the idea of Headmaster Astrotrain and Headmasters Blurr I suspect.
Re: Round Up of Q&A from Google Hangout with Hasbro: Combiner Wars Titans Return and More (1743804)
Posted by D-Maximal_Primal on November 23rd, 2015 @ 2:14pm CST
Posted by D-Maximal_Primal on November 23rd, 2015 @ 2:14pm CST
I would be cool with an IDW inspired Rodimus as a deluxe or voyager headmaster. He is not that in the comics, so they are not to blame for him, but I love his IDW style and I sorely need a Rodimus to captain the Lost Light crew
Re: Round Up of Q&A from Google Hangout with Hasbro: Combiner Wars Titans Return and More (1743848)
Posted by Emerje on November 23rd, 2015 @ 8:44pm CST
Posted by Emerje on November 23rd, 2015 @ 8:44pm CST
Hmmm, if they did make a an Optimus Primal head then I'd want it to go with an Optimal Optimus body. OpOp would actually make for an ideal Headmaster since he already has a cockpit. And then they could remold him into Apeface because that's about the only way that'll happen.
I do agree about not being thrilled with turning one type of 'master into a different type of 'master. And they don't want to do Targetmasters and Powermasters because it would be confusing? What's confusing is taking a Powermaster, keeping the title, making him a Headmaster, and then changing THAT name into Titan Masters. I'm fine with a Headmaster Optimus Prime, but it's incredibly stupid to make a figure called Powermaster Optimus Prime that isn't a Powermaster at all.
I think we'll get a G1 Optimus Prime crocodile before we get a Beast Wars croc Megatron. Probably see a pre-Beast Wars Terragator at BotCon 2017 before any of that.
Emerje
I do agree about not being thrilled with turning one type of 'master into a different type of 'master. And they don't want to do Targetmasters and Powermasters because it would be confusing? What's confusing is taking a Powermaster, keeping the title, making him a Headmaster, and then changing THAT name into Titan Masters. I'm fine with a Headmaster Optimus Prime, but it's incredibly stupid to make a figure called Powermaster Optimus Prime that isn't a Powermaster at all.
I think we'll get a G1 Optimus Prime crocodile before we get a Beast Wars croc Megatron. Probably see a pre-Beast Wars Terragator at BotCon 2017 before any of that.
Emerje
