HasLab Liokaiser unlocks Deathcobra at 13,636 backers and goes up for preorder in Japan, and one host bets it will rank second only to Fire Convoy. The panel remembers Transformers film writer Roberto Orci, who died at 51. Hasbro’s Q4 earnings show Transformers growing, and its new Play to Win strategy leans on licensing. Hasbro also baffles everyone by reissuing Siege Prowl, while the Generations Selects Trypticon redeco is the one the crew wishes they had bought the first time. In What We Got This Week, Don rescues a crushed Studio Series Apelinq, and Brian lands a carded Beast Machines Motorcycle Drone.

News

Toy Fair Live Stream This Saturday

RFC will stream live from 5 p.m. Eastern on Saturday for Toy Fair, with chat at tfradio.net/discord and video on YouTube. The stream will also land in the podcast feed. Diecast may attend the Hasbro event, though Hasbro had not replied to the invitation survey by recording time.

HasLab Liokaiser Unlocks Deathcobra

HasLab Liokaiser unlocked Deathcobra and stood at 13,636 backers. It is also up for the Japanese market on the TakaraTomy Mall. The crew guesses a final count of about 25,000, against roughly 27,000 for Victory Saber and 28,000 for Deathsaurus. One host notes the Robots in Disguise Optimus Prime project remains the most successful HasLab. Another expects Liokaiser to finish second after it, since Deathsaurus backers will want the set. [Source: TFW2005]

Transformers Writer and Producer Roberto Orci Passes Away

Roberto Orci, who co-wrote Transformers and Revenge of the Fallen, has died at 51. One host recalled him as an executive producer on Transformers Prime, and he also co-wrote the 2009 Star Trek. One host said his Transformers work wasn’t a personal favorite but had a sizable impact. Another called him a catalyst for much of what fans have enjoyed over the last 15 to 20 years. The crew can’t believe the live-action films are nearing their 20th anniversary. [Source: TFW2005]

Hasbro Q4 Earnings Show Transformers Growth

Hasbro’s Q4 earnings call showed solid growth for Transformers, while consumer products fell 12 percent overall, likely led by Star Wars and Nerf. Hasbro expects toy sales to be flat in 2025. [Source: ToyNewsI]

Hasbro Unveils Its Play to Win Strategy

Hasbro’s new Play to Win strategy focuses on play-fueled engagement and partnerships, which the crew reads as a bet on gaming and licensing. One host said a surprise licensed item showed up in this week’s haul. That host speculates that a non-Hasbro company could make transforming Transformers within a couple of years, though he stressed it is not insider news. [Source: Business Wire]

Walmart Collector Con Coming March 13 and 14

Walmart Collector Con runs March 13 and 14. The crew already knows about the Galaxy Force Cybertron anniversary capsule due this summer, and listings for retro Seaspray and Brawn. One host noted Hasbro Pulse’s retro Bumblebee is shipping. A Discord member warned, “Beware the Ides of Walmart Collector Con.” [Source: not found]

Hasbro Reissues Earthrise Trailbreaker and Siege Prowl

Hasbro is reissuing Earthrise Trailbreaker, which was hard to find until the five-pack. It is also reissuing Siege Prowl, which nobody on the panel understands. Earthrise Prowl, from a hard-to-get two-pack, seems the more obvious choice, even if Siege Prowl’s aftermarket price did rise. One host wondered if an intern looked up the wrong Prowl, or if an exclusivity deal limited the options. Don joked they were really looking for Transmetal 2 Prowl, and one host was slow to catch the owl joke. [Source: Hasbro Pulse]

Generations Selects Titan Class Trypticon In-Hand Images

The Generations Selects Trypticon redeco looks so good the crew wishes it were the Trypticon they bought years ago. Nobody wants to buy it again, and the jokes ran from anti-time Trypticon to “all good things, Trypticon.” Don thinks its teal, which he calls close enough to AllSpark blue, actually works. [Source: TFW2005]

Masterpiece MPG-10 Lift Ticket and MPG-11 DK-2 Guard In-Hand Images

Matt ordered DK-2 Guard long ago and is just waiting for it, but Lift Ticket is asking a lot. One host is tempted by Lift Ticket for the Hoist mold, since Masterpiece Trailbreaker felt designed as Hoist first. Another thinks Lift Ticket’s mostly monochrome legs need the yellow shorts the Generations Selects version had. [Source: TFW2005]

Yolopark AMK Pro Rise of the Beasts Mirage In-Hand Images

Yolopark’s AMK Pro Rise of the Beasts Mirage looks good. One host expected to hate Pete Davidson’s Mirage but ended up liking the character, though not enough to spend $60 on a model kit. [Source: TFW2005]

Bearbrick x Transformers 400% Optimus Prime BAPE and Baby Milo Variants

New 400 percent Bearbrick Optimus Primes come in BAPE and Baby Milo versions, as limited releases at 41,800 yen, or about $280. Chris added them because Brian has been wanting the BAPE Optimus Prime variants of the Masterpiece and other figures. [Source: TFW2005]

EXG Digiplates Transformers Starter Pack

EXG Digiplates appear to be metal collector cards with a stand and a digital version for your phone. Diecast compared them to Hasbro Pulse’s metal Optimus Prime and Megatron 40th anniversary cards, which just shipped. He got one of each. [Source: TFW2005]

What We Got This Week

Don

During Target’s Leader-class sale, Don found Studio Series Apelinq, but it wouldn’t ring up and then went missing for two weeks. It reappeared on the shelf with a crushed box. An employee who remembered him took $10 off for the damage, and a gift card brought his total to about $20.

Diecast

Diecast had nothing in Transformers this week.

Rob

Rob had nothing in Transformers this week.

Chris

Chris had nothing in Transformers this week.

John

John had nothing in Transformers this week.

Brian

Brian got a 25-ounce Zak! Transformers water bottle from Aldi. He also bought a carded Beast Machines Motorcycle Drone during last week’s show, his favorite Beast Machines toy. His goal is to own all of Beast Wars and Beast Machines boxed or carded. One host argued the Motorcycle Drone and Tank Drone were better than the deluxes, though another strongly disputes that Tank Drone beats Tankor.

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