Events

ToyFair 2012 - Full Report

Presentation begins with Stephen Davis, President, Hasbro Studios

•  Hasbro Studios produced shows are now being seen on over 140 networks across the globe.
•  Not just a “toy-show” we are wanting to to create a world and relm that sustain long-term interest with fans.
•  >330 new half hour shows coming in 2012. Well over 600 hours already produced That’s more than any other studio in the world producing programming for kids.
•  6 new shows including Transformers Rescue Bots; My Little Pony: transcending age demographics! 20-30-something watching it too! Followed by clips from upcoming seasons of Duel Masters Kaijudo & Duel Masters.
•  Rescue Bots: 4 young Autobots living among people learning together, footage shown, intro of Jeff Kline (in the audience) producer of both Rescue Bots and Transformers Prime series, stands to applause…
•  Transformers Prime: Needs little introduction. New second season starting 2/18. Then treated to new footage from Season 2…Knockout and breakdown… “We’ll be sure to tell the big O (referring to Orion/Optimus) you said hello!” Arcee follows them into ground bridge back to Deception's base… Another eye-popping fight scene, Arcee in action.

TRANSFORMERS Presentation first...

Presenters: Jerry Jivoin Marketing director. Joshua Lamb, Sr. Design director’.
2012 will be the biggest yet!

Transformers The Ride: Opens universal studios Hollywood in May.
•  Gift shop willl include 6 new Transformers toys: Evac, deluxe scale and legion. Each on its own packaging
•  Universal studios to include deluxe OP and BB, Voyager OP and Megatron

Virtual World MMO will launch in 2012: showed trailer. War is coming, chose your side, shape your destiny.  
•  Fantastic graphics intro. Joint the battle online… transformersuniverse rich levels of characters. 
•  A great toy opportunity down the road… hint, hint...

Rescue Bots: Heatwave, Chase, Blades, Boulder. Great introduction to Transformers for kids.
•  Shows also start Feb 18. Mobile HQ a new item

2012 - Rescue Bots

Kre-O: great new theme. A great new storyline, energon cubes in each set
•  New devastator. 29 new Kreons,
•  16 Transformers Robots in the line

2012 - KRE-O

Movie Trilogy Set:  Basically discontinued --crowd in stunned silence...
•  Bumblebee, Wheeljack, Ratchet Soundwave these will be available in Asia only!
•  Deluxe Optimus Prime:  the line's lone non-casualty. WILL be available in U.S.

Transformers Prime: March 6, DVD on Blu Ray
•  Enhanced e-book Apps
•  Toys: Launch March 1
•  Regarding "First Edition" Wave 2 Deluxe/Voyagers “This one is on us. We will get thes out later in 2012 in some form or another."

•  Deluxe: a mech tech-like incorporated wave 2 Ratchet and Arcee, Wave 3 Knockout, Hotshot, Vehicon
•  Voyager: Wave 1 Optimus Prime, Megatron.  "Just wait till you transform wave 2 voyager Starscream and Bulkhead… 

•  Weaponizer:  (a new price point at $29.99 suggested retail)  “similar to a leader scale.  Weaponizing feature, functions in both modes. Very exciting Cannons come out and spin both modes. 
•  Prime Entertainment pack Bumblebee vs. starscream with MECH human figures will be available in Asia only
•  Prime Remote controlled wave 1: Bumblebee and Knockout. Electronic transformination and electronic battling. 

•  Role Play battle masks w/ TF:Prime OP and Bumblebee
•  2/18 TFP Season 2 premiere, 3/1 Prime toys (finally) hit retail

Cyberverse:  
•  Wave 1: vehicon, Ratchet, Cliffjumper • Wave 2 Breakown Soundwave, … ….
•  Commander serries Ironhide commander: a red pickup truck, meched out.
•  Cyberverse Vehicles Wave 1: Wheeljack w/ vehicle, and lots of glowing energon. also includes Vehicon driller. 
•  New price point for cyberverse: Legion, Commander and next Maximus scale. Optimus Robot mode base w/a “sort of “ vehicle mode… Not recognizable as truck. Looks like... a giant base(?) w/ wheels.  Yikes the least impressive TF item shown, in editor's humble opinion.

Bot Shots:  led with TV commercial, which make these little toys pretty likable... 
•  “Small bots, big attitude…” Coupled w/ online . By May 1 player vs. player.
•  The Clear figures have special power, will be hard to find.
•  Wave 2… Botshot launchers w/ OP and Meg. 3-pack Chase Battle for the matrix battle set.
•  online game launches 3/1.

2012 - Bot Shots

GENERATIONS:  Probably the highlight of the presentation, since nothing new was seen during TF:Prime portion 
•  Revamp!  FoC game coming in the fall.  Great new stories coming...  
•  Talked about comics growing, story getting better, electronic distribution… 
•  Matt Tieger, game director to talk about the game development. To talk about some additional material. 
o  Iacon, backgrounds o Iacon wastelands, Sea of Rust, really quite spectacular 
o  Yes there are insecticons 
o  The guy I REALLY wanted to talk about…. Combiner was the one we wanted.. BRUTICUS! Easy choice for us
   o  Because of the unique personalites... Vortex has a big part of the story.
   o  On the other side of the challenge spectrum Blastoff but they managed to come up w/ a fantastic design that even included his chocolate brown color scheme!
o  Then showed us game play, what it’s like to play as BRUTICUS! 
o  Individual Giant Transformers wrecking havoc on the world of Cybertron. Devastatingly huge compared to others… 
o  As anticipated, game play/graphics look very impressive:  In Bruticus form: Vortex blades as shield weapon. Blastoff engines forearm as blaster. Laying waste to armies of Autobots. Wow!  Glowing w/ Dark energon, individual components each have their  own abilities.
o  Then another segment intro. Game play as Megatron, Cliffjumper, Jazz, Grimlock chowing down on Insecticons…. WOW. Crowd goes wild. 
o  Then they start to talk toys!  Optimus Prime, Jazz, and Shockwave.  All new molds, very sharp, very detailed… 
o  Fall of Cybertron coming in the fall of 2012, Blastoff, Vortex, Brawl, Swindle, Onslaught, which of course UNITE! 
o  Big news here, Generations line is EXPANDING.  20? nope, 30? nope  In 2014 Generations line will expand to OVER 40 figures.

2012 - Generations - Deluxe

GIJoe Presentation: Retaliation, a way to re-connect in a different and better way to bring this stories to better appeal to fans. • On shelf late may, early June. Overall >50 3 ¾” figures • Roadblock, Snake Eyes, Cobra Commander. • GIJoe Trooper, Cobra Trooper (w/ cloth parachute) Red Ninja “Army Builders • Wave 2. Battle-Kata Roadblock, Firefly, Flint Movie accurate • More troop builders w/ Ninjas! Alley Viper, Cyber Ninja, Dragon Ninja. Crimson Guard, Night Viper.

Star Wars presentation: Lots coming, light up light sabers on 3 ¾“ figures… and more…

Marvel Presentation: Intersting twist for Transformers fans, Death’s Head (recall UK Simon Furmon did Transformers-Death’s Head crossover)
•  Someone yelled “Circuit Breaker” … Presenter laughed and said, “I knew you were going to say that!”

2012 - ToyFair (general)