crowd-funded "War for Cybertron" Unicron (2019 HasLab)

The modern comics universe has had such a different take on G1, one that's significantly represented by the Generations toys, so they share a forum. A modern take on a Real Cybertronian Hero. Currently starring Generations toys, IDW "The Transformers" comics, MTMTE, TF vs GI Joe, and Windblade. Oh wait, and now Skybound, wheee!
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JediTricks
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Re: crowd-funded "War for Cybertron" Unicron (2019 HasLab)

Post by JediTricks »

There's still shockingly little support for this campaign from the campaign-runners. They keep putting out drips of content that in no way are conducive to getting people to drop $575 on a toy not much taller than one costing a quarter as much and doesn't have a bunch of panels stapled to the back of it.

Looks like ol' Unicron is gonna be 1 for 4 in the prototypes department. A real shame, but not a surprise.
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Re: crowd-funded "War for Cybertron" Unicron (2019 HasLab)

Post by Dominic »

How much can Hasbro really do?

That Unicron never should have got past the planning stage. At this point,no amount of marketing support is going to save it. Any effort beyond extending the deadline (which is relatively simple and easy) would be wasted.
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Monday, September 23

Post by Dominic »

Monday, September 23 (deadline +23)
https://hasbropulse.com/collections/has ... on-unicron


Current buy-in:
5,704

Current shortfall:
2,296

Days remaining:
13 and change
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Wednesday 9/25

Post by Dominic »

Current number: 5,697

This is a slight drop from 5,704 a few days ago.

Current shortfall: 2,303


Is there any hard data (or at least credible estimates) about order numbers through BigBadToyStore (and similar vendors)?

The people who needed more time (obligating Hasbro to extend the deadline) are being at least partially cancelled by existing buyers losing interest. And, we can probably assume that the spike of ~2,000 buyers in late August was the last minute surge. Most of the uncounted demand is likely going to manifest through on-line sellers (most of which are fronting for international buyers).
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Re: crowd-funded "War for Cybertron" Unicron (2019 HasLab)

Post by andersonh1 »

It's interesting to follow this. I wonder if they'll decide that enough people have put money forward and that enough will buy this after it exists to make up the difference? It could be that they'll go ahead and put these into production.
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Re: crowd-funded "War for Cybertron" Unicron (2019 HasLab)

Post by Dominic »

I doubt that. The point of a crowd-funding push like this is to assess demand. The fact that Hasbro is having trouble drawing interested buyers, even after extending the deadline, is pretty strong evidence that demand does not exist.

Between the small number of new buyers, and the buyers who have dropped out, the buy-in number has hovered around 5,700.
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Re: crowd-funded "War for Cybertron" Unicron (2019 HasLab)

Post by Dominic »

Current buy-in: 5,722

A bit more than a week before the extended deadline, and 4 weeks after the original deadline, the shortfall is 2,278. That shortfall is (at best) comparable to the late-August surge. On August 31, buy-in was ~5,600.

Since August 31, the buy-in for HasLab Unicron has increased by <150, less than a 10th of the shortfall from the original deadline.

https://hasbropulse.com/collections/has ... on-unicron


Because this is functionally unprecedented, it is difficult to apply any existing models. The only thing that can be assumed with any confidence is that on-line retailers (such as BigBadToyStore will be what decides the result of this campaign.
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Re: crowd-funded "War for Cybertron" Unicron (2019 HasLab)

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5,749 backers means $3.3 million, the minimum funding would be $4.6 million. Hasbro has exactly one week to find another 25% of buyers to make this work, and I don't see them throwing away $1.3 million of their own to make up the difference.

Hasbro should never have let this project's budget come in so high, this should have been a modest $375 item with 6,000 backers, something out there but not this far out there. It's not significantly taller than the other titans in the line, and it's all panels panels panels. I want them to succeed, but to succeed you need to be realistic and this one misses the mark in some ways.
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Re: crowd-funded "War for Cybertron" Unicron (2019 HasLab)

Post by Dominic »

I mostly agree.

The only point I disagree about is the scale of the toy being an issue. I tend to think that Hasbro could have sold a similarly scaled toy if the end result had been better. But, as is, Hasbro is selling a $600 Transformer that only displays well from certain angles in either mode. Something that is supposed to be the centerpiece of any collection (especially the large collections that HasLab Unicron would likely be part of) needs to display better from all angles.


There is still an off chance that the on-line stores will make HasLab Unicron viable.
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Re: crowd-funded "War for Cybertron" Unicron (2019 HasLab)

Post by Shockwave »

I also can't help wondering if Unicron would be cheaper if it does happen. Like, once they get the 8000, would they then sell it through Hasbro Pulse for around $200? And I wonder if people are waiting for that to happen.
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