The official Transformers Instagram account has updated with a look at the behind-the-scenes process of creating a Transformer. On show here is a look at a stage of the design process called “pretengineering” or “pretend engineering”, where the Transformers design team at Hasbro work out a design on paper before proceeding to make a prototype. To illustrate the process, Hasbro are using an upcoming iteration of Megatron, and you can see how some of the functionality is being worked out on paper. It’s a look at a stage of the process that showcases just how much work goes into the process of creating a Transformer and working out its engineering. Check out a mirror of the image, attached to this post.
WishfulThinking
The remold question is probably the larger question over whether or not the alt-mode concept is somehow controversial. However, I do think that a NERF-Crossover line (similar to the NERF incorporated Star Wars toys recently, where blasters and alt-modes would focus on NERF dart ballistics) would be the logical place to see Megatron as a gun. We'd skip over the retooling idea at that point and just get various colors of Megatron, I think. Here's Classic series green/off-white/purple, here's Galvatron purple/silver/orange, here's Megaplex blue/grey/orange…
Starscream Gaga
I don't know. The fact that they did that red and silver redeco of the Classics mold not all that long ago suggests to me they're fine with the NERF-style guns… they just probably won't as, not only is a tank-mode more appealing, but it's been awhile since we've had a Megatron that hasn't been retooled as someone else. Who would a gun Megatron be retooled as? Browning? Megaplex?
RodimusSupreme
Nerf has the luxury of not having to deal with the Transformers fandom, so they can make those wildly colorful and extremely un-gun like things.
We all disagree with you.
WishfulThinking
It's no more riskier than producing a NERF gun. We're just going to have to disagree on this.
RKillian
They should do a follow up on pretend purchasing.
RodimusSupreme
"Several times in the past decade" doesn't mean it's currently possible. We've given you every reason under the sun why Hasbro won't do that again, at least not for a loooong time, but you keep ignoring the simple, logical reasons why it won't happen. It's. Too. Risky. And you're the only one here saying that they could do it if they wanted too.
WishfulThinking
Because that's never been what I was talking about. But everyone keeps debating me on Megatron as a pure G1 reissue…I've never claimed to want that or debate that. Of course we'll never see another Walter P38…that's lunacy.
I've been talking about Megatron being a NERF gun or other fun-style gun toys. And everyone else keeps saying "nuh-uh" when we've had a NERF-looking Megatron several times in the past decade.
RodimusSupreme
I'm not talking about Classics Megatron dummy, I'm talking about Megatron's that turn into real looking guns. And why can't you just accept that you've lost this argument?
WishfulThinking
Who here from Australia has registered their Classic Megatrons as replica firearms? I'd like to know.
The only thing I've found is from an article dated 2015:
"In 2010 the state government amended the legal definition of an imitation weapon, following years of confusion, to be “an object that, regardless of its colour, weight or composition or the presence or absence of any movable parts, substantially duplicates in appearance a firearm but that is not a firearm”.
But a loophole exempts “children’s toy” guns, no matter how realistic they look, and all manufacturers have to do to bypass the law is to write “toy” on the packaging or put a removable plug in the barrel."
That pretty much puts it on par with the U.S.
We’re for Sydney | Daily Telegraph
And Australia's NERF sales seem fine according to this TRU website sales page…so I'm assuming they're exempt (which is what I'm talking about anyway, not Airsoft rifles):
Nerf Blasters | Darts, Super Soakers & More | ToysRUs Australia
RodimusSupreme
In Australia, you have to register your Megatron gun toy as a "replica firearm". The US is reasonable compared to some countries. And I believe some European countries have to have giant rubber balls on the ends on a toy's fire-able missiles.
And they won't make one. I can say that all I want because the evidence is stacked against it happening.
WishfulThinking
Hasbro has been an international company for a very, very long time. The first effort to include tri-lingual packaging even in the U.S. came in 2001 with RiD. Megatron has been a gun 3 times since then.
When it comes to international toy laws, none of us probably know what those are. Members here would have to compile research from their own countries and post them here to know for sure as doing online research is proving difficult on this matter. The one thing we do know is that HLJ has a separate entry for Masterpiece Megatron that is U.S. only, as they have to open it up and install orange plugs…so it appears that the U.S. is the most hard-lined of all countries when it comes to toy guns. But in the end, neither of us can say for certain one way or the other.
Look, Hasbro can make Megatron a gun (just not a realistic looking one) whenever they feel like it's worth the effort and when they feel like the marketing is appropriate. There's always a chance Megatron can return to being a gun in some weird or fun fashion. And unless you are a current Hasbro employee steeped in their Transformers brand business, you really can't say they can't.
RodimusSupreme
That is a hilarious parody that I'd love to see.
Night Flame
This debate still going is sorta funny to me.
FWIW, I always liked the idea of the Decepticon leader turning into something that essentially relied on someone else to function properly. I just didn't think they took the idea far enough into the absurd. Don't mass-shift. Let him be a little feller that bosses around all the bigger fellers and have the others all constantly smirking behind his back, plotting with Starscream to overthrow him, then have him find out every few episodes and somehow pull off a massive beatdown on all the bigger bots.
That'd get you tank guys on board.
Prime Aspect
Yes, this. Just give it up, gun fans. Gun Megatron inferior, tank Megatron superior. No weird scale issues, no mass shifting nonsense needed, just a big old tank turning into a big old robot. And really, what is a tank if not just a giant self-propelled gun?
Philip164
Hasbro can't even make Missile Launchers, because toy safety laws are different, Country to Country.
Hasbro is an International Company, with International Markets, International Markets have different Laws. Megatron is never going to be a Gun in any size class other than something that can be held by an actual 5mm port, and it's going to be a Canon.
Hasbro is condensing it's brand, similar designs Line to Line.
Case Closed. Good Day.
RodimusSupreme
…You totally didn’t get it. Hasbro were sneaky with their design by making the gun mode without making it “officially” a gun. You keep saying that “they released that classics mold several years ago, so it MUST be OK”, but Sixshot was created and released later than that, and did Hasbro try to sell the gun mode? No, they tried a trick, which worked. And Sixshot has never turned into an realistic gun. It may not look like a Nerf gun, but it’s still not a realistic looking gun. So wouldn’t they find it easier to release him with an “official” gun mode? Apparently not, as they didn’t do that. It looks like they just aren’t/can‘t do it anymore.
WishfulThinking
That's an iffy example. That's supposedly his "official" mode…one even TakaraTOMY even went along with, and there are no such gun laws in Japan. As far as Hasbro and TT are concerned, it's a submarine, but you can turn it upside if you want to *wink wink* *nudge nudge*.
RodimusSupreme
Hasbro has to sneak and make Sixshot’s gun mode a “submarine” to release it AFTER that Classics Megatron you keep trying to tout in our faces and Sizshot never even turned into a real-looking gun. Case Closed.
WishfulThinking
That really doesn't mean anything. Hasbro is willing to sell Megatron as a gun. Case closed.
Movie Convoy
I said at mass retail and no, getting released as an online exclusive does not count as getting released at mass retail. Getting released at mass retail means being sold at all stores have a decent toy section such as Walmart or Target or any other store that sells things including both online retailers and brick and mortar retailers.