Toy Fair 2015

[andrew8798]

That time of the year again

From TFW

Presentation highlights :

• Hasbro : Creating Brand Experience.
• 2015 will improve upon what was already done.
• Revenue increased in 2014.
• Emerging markets grew in 2014.
• Grew across all geographic regions.
• Hoping to grow 25% by 2017.
• Media consumption is expected to grow.
• Power of Story. Creates meaning and power.
• China is expected to become the 2nd largest country for the movie industry.
• Discover Family (previously Hub) will still get programming. Hasbro will be providing the kids programming, but the new agreement with Discovery lets Hasbro also shop around their older kids programming to other networks (Cartoon Network)
• Transformers 5 pre-production has officially started.
• Jem And The Holograms releasing October 2015. Trailer shown to the audience.
• Allspark Pictures logo released. Allspark pictures will be the home of smaller-scale projects - big-budget projects will continue the partnership with major studios.
• Transformers brand has fans from preschoolers to adults.

John Frascotti entered the stage...

Presentation highlights :

• Showed the brand architecture.
• My Little Pony is highlighted this year. The brand grew 47% last year.
• MLP is Hasbro's new Billion Dollar Brand. It's clear that Transformers has lost the crown to MLP.
• Transformers next...
• Runs under 3 categories; Recruit (Ages 2 - 4), Engage (Ages 5 -10) and Expand (Ages 10+)
• Combiner Wars will have more than just toys. Will even bring t-shirts to the adults.
• New Rescue Bots toys revealed - High Tide, Salvage and Blurr. The show continues to do well and Hasbro plans to continue to invest in the line.
• Robots in Disguise is being called the new chapter for Transformers. More story, more humor - Hasbro says this one is all about the fun.
• Gave a sneak peek to the audience.
• New initiative "Transformers360". This project is to make Transformers brand accessible at all times on multiple platforms ranging from Toys to Games.
• Combiner Wars also shown. The idea was to let the core size classes interact, and to play to the customisation angle of the line.
• Titan Davastator was also shown!
• The Fan Built Combiner will be revealed at San Diego Comic Con 2015.

Leader Magnus confirmed
Voyager Cyclonus confirmed

16 figures will be available in
2015 including PROTECTOBOT STREETWISE, PROTECTOBOT BLADES, Protectobot First Aid, and Protectobot Rook. and Protectobot Hot Spot Each
sold separately.

More to come later

 

[andrew8798]

Notes from the Panel

[13:46] Hasbro loves Transformers fans, and is saying it with a Shockwave valentine.

[13:47] Rescue Bots up first. Showing a clip with NEW RECRUITS.

[13:48] New recruits are Salvage, Blurr, and High Tide

[13:48] On to Robots in Disguise. Showing a clip we've already seen. Bumblebee in Optimus' shadow.

[13:49] The Robots in Disguise premiere on 14 March will be the first two episodes.

[13:50] Talking about the Robots in Disguise app. A McDonalds promotion was also discussed briefly.

[13:51] On to the toys! One Steps, we've seen already.

Legion Wave 3, Underbite, Fixit.

Drift, Fracture and Thunderhoof One Steps

Sideswipe and Jazz Warriors. Jazz looks good. Very G1.

Slipstream and Jetstorm Minicons for Drift. Beast Box is one of the other ones coming.

3-Step Changer Steeljaw

[13:53] The Mini-Con single packs feature clear, removable peg armors. The Deployers, Drift and Fracture, were shown.

Showed off the Mega Optimus and the Super Bumblebee "biggest Bumblebee ever". Mega Optimus can attach a load of Mini-Cons - around 10.

[13:54] On to the Combiner Wars!

Kicking off with hype for the books, issues 40 and 41 of Transformers with Defensor and Devastator covers. Bit of discussion on the Fan-Built Combiner poll too.

[13:56] Hasbro rep wonders if they could do an all-female combiner?

[13:57] Defensor confirmed.

[13:58] Combiner Wars Legends Wave 3 has the Warpath from Megatron retool, blue Powerglide "Viper" (who is based on the G.I. Joe Cobra Rattler), and the Legends class Groove! Groove forms the chest of Defensor.

Deluxes, Blades is confirmed as an Alpha Bravo redeco. New head.

Rook and Streetwise were also shown. Rook is a SWAT truck, he's white

[13:59] Deluxe First Aid shown, he's a jeep

[14:00] voyager Wave 3, Cyclonus and Hot Spot. Cyclonus in combined mode has Galvatron's head. Cyclonus is a retool of Silverbolt. Hot Spot looks vaguely like Onslaught, so possible retool potential there.

Leader class Magnus shown. Leader Wave 3 release, IDW look.

[14:01] MINIMUS AMBUS comes with Leader Ultra Magnus. Is in the chest. Can transform on his own, into a car. Not needed for the main transformation - he's small, like a Mini-con

[14:02] Hyping Devastator now. Showing some G1 clips.

[14:03] New Devastator is big. Like, Scrapper on his own bigger than original G1 Devastator big.

[14:04] All six Constructicons present. Hook, Long Haul, Scavenger, Bonecrusher, Mixmaster, Scrapper. Limb connectors are their individual guns. All six look great, seem to have knees, elbows etc, and vehicles all look as they should. Looks structurally like their G1 counterparts with some upgraded proportions and articulation.

Pics to come later

 

[TJapes]

That Ultra Magnus looks amazing. 100% buy for me. Cyclonus looks good but I'm happy with my Battle in Space version. Hot Spot looks ace but Defensor not so much - it hopefully means that a new Bruticus is coming though! Devastator looks ace, not sure if I'll bite yet or not though.

Either way, it's looking bright for TFs this year...

 

[andrew8798]

 

[GNT]

Want it all

 

[Masterfett]

Seriously, MLP took the crown???

I never cared for the Combiner War stuff.