Hasbro has dropped a few hints about what character they're planning to develop as their next HasLab project. We don't know for sure who it's going to be, but we do know for sure that:

1) It's not a character from Transformers: Victory (unlike Star Saber and Deathsaurus).

2) It's not any version of Optimus Prime.

3) It's not gun-mode Megatron.

Let's look at this logically. It's most likely going to be a large and fairly expensive toy. They're not going to do HasLab crowdfunding for a $25 or $30 toy they could easily release at retail. It's also a character that they think is going to be sufficiently popular that they'll be able to reach their crowdfunding goals, so there need to be at least 8,000 to 12,000 people in the world who would actually want to own it. But, it probably won't be a top-tier character, either, because they know they can sell those guys without having to do any crowdfunding.

Wouldn't it be wild if they did a movie-accurate Autobot City playset? Everybody in the fandom, and likely everybody at Hasbro, knows that Metroplex isn't a very good representation of Autobot City as seen in The Transformers: the Movie. But, it likely wouldn't be marketed as part of the Transformers toy line unless it transformed into a robot, and at that point they might as well just do a new Metroplex instead.

I think a toy of Halonix Maximus would be awesome (the giant Autobot hologram from the end of "Heavy Metal War"), but I think he's just this side of too obscure. I don't think enough people know who he is to actually want to own a toy of him, especially if he runs $200-ish.

I keep running a list of names of large characters through my mind with possible HasLab potential (Grandus, Dark Nova, Majin Zarak, etc.) and nobody really jumps out at me.

Zob (maybe it's Sky Garry?)

On Friday, February 3, 2023 at 1:20:37 PM UTC-6, Zobovor wrote:
> Hasbro has dropped a few hints about what character they're planning to develop as their next HasLab project. We don't know for sure who it's going to be, but we do know for sure that:
>
> 1) It's not a character from Transformers: Victory (unlike Star Saber and Deathsaurus).
>
> 2) It's not any version of Optimus Prime.
>
> 3) It's not gun-mode Megatron.
>
> Let's look at this logically. It's most likely going to be a large and fairly expensive toy. They're not going to do HasLab crowdfunding for a $25 or $30 toy they could easily release at retail. It's also a character that they think is going to be sufficiently popular that they'll be able to reach their crowdfunding goals, so there need to be at least 8,000 to 12,000 people in the world who would actually want to own it. But, it probably won't be a top-tier character, either, because they know they can sell those guys without having to do any crowdfunding.
>
> Wouldn't it be wild if they did a movie-accurate Autobot City playset? Everybody in the fandom, and likely everybody at Hasbro, knows that Metroplex isn't a very good representation of Autobot City as seen in The Transformers: the Movie. But, it likely wouldn't be marketed as part of the Transformers toy line unless it transformed into a robot, and at that point they might as well just do a new Metroplex instead.
>
> I think a toy of Halonix Maximus would be awesome (the giant Autobot hologram from the end of "Heavy Metal War"), but I think he's just this side of too obscure. I don't think enough people know who he is to actually want to own a toy of him, especially if he runs $200-ish.
>
> I keep running a list of names of large characters through my mind with possible HasLab potential (Grandus, Dark Nova, Majin Zarak, etc.) and nobody really jumps out at me.
>
>
> Zob (maybe it's Sky Garry?)

Could they go with another Primus to rival Unicron?
Since we are getting the repaint Galaxy Shuttle, maybe a Fire Dagwon and more accurate Galaxy Shuttle combo?
MP Big Powered?
Maybe make a Planet Junk sized Junkion?
Make the Quinteson ship Rodimus arrives on Junk as into a character?
Maybe this is where we get The Nemesis to counter The Ark?
Kranix?
Axalon?

On Friday, February 3, 2023 at 8:23:43 PM UTC-5, Ob1k...@att.net wrote:
> On Friday, February 3, 2023 at 1:20:37 PM UTC-6, Zobovor wrote:
> > Hasbro has dropped a few hints about what character they're planning to develop as their next HasLab project. We don't know for sure who it's going to be, but we do know for sure that:
> >
> > 1) It's not a character from Transformers: Victory (unlike Star Saber and Deathsaurus).
> >
> > 2) It's not any version of Optimus Prime.
> >
> > 3) It's not gun-mode Megatron.
> >
> > Let's look at this logically. It's most likely going to be a large and fairly expensive toy. They're not going to do HasLab crowdfunding for a $25 or $30 toy they could easily release at retail. It's also a character that they think is going to be sufficiently popular that they'll be able to reach their crowdfunding goals, so there need to be at least 8,000 to 12,000 people in the world who would actually want to own it. But, it probably won't be a top-tier character, either, because they know they can sell those guys without having to do any crowdfunding.
> >
> > Wouldn't it be wild if they did a movie-accurate Autobot City playset? Everybody in the fandom, and likely everybody at Hasbro, knows that Metroplex isn't a very good representation of Autobot City as seen in The Transformers: the Movie. But, it likely wouldn't be marketed as part of the Transformers toy line unless it transformed into a robot, and at that point they might as well just do a new Metroplex instead.
> >
> > I think a toy of Halonix Maximus would be awesome (the giant Autobot hologram from the end of "Heavy Metal War"), but I think he's just this side of too obscure. I don't think enough people know who he is to actually want to own a toy of him, especially if he runs $200-ish.
> >
> > I keep running a list of names of large characters through my mind with possible HasLab potential (Grandus, Dark Nova, Majin Zarak, etc.) and nobody really jumps out at me.
> >
> >
> > Zob (maybe it's Sky Garry?)
> Could they go with another Primus to rival Unicron?
> Since we are getting the repaint Galaxy Shuttle, maybe a Fire Dagwon and more accurate Galaxy Shuttle combo?
> MP Big Powered?
> Maybe make a Planet Junk sized Junkion?
> Make the Quinteson ship Rodimus arrives on Junk as into a character?
> Maybe this is where we get The Nemesis to counter The Ark?
> Kranix?
> Axalon?

My vote is for Cybertron, preferably as a gigantic, detailed, Cybertron planet that looks like the G1 rendition, but unfolds into a playset/display for Core/Micro/other small scale figures. At the Haslab price, they wouldn't have to bother with a half-baked transformation a la the Titan-class Ark to justify its existence. After all, the transformation into Primus has no basis in G1 canon - that came later, in TF: Cybertron.

It would be the Castle Grayskull or USS Flagg of G1 - the holy grail that no self-respecting hardcore collector would be seen without.

Plus, Cybertron cuts across all continuities, G1 to Japanese G1, Beast Era, and beyond. There isn't a single TF fan who wouldn't be happy with that monstrosity in their home. (Their significant others, on the other hand).

On Friday, February 3, 2023 at 7:07:45 PM UTC-7, Codigo Postal wrote:

> My vote is for Cybertron, preferably as a gigantic, detailed, Cybertron planet that looks like the G1 rendition, but unfolds into a playset/display for Core/Micro/other small scale figures.

Something tells me that a Microverse-style playset wouldn't be as popular with fans, especially since most collectors display their toys in robot mode.. I think if they were going to do another toy of Cybertron, people would expect it to unfold into Primus. If they go that route, I expect it would rival HasLab Unicron in size and price.

I don't hate the idea, certainly, and I would buy it if they produced something like that. But it would greatly surprise me if they hit the required number of backers. Fans are a fickle bunch. I mean, they refused to fund the gigantic Rancor monster from Star Wars, and I thought Star Wars fans (counting myself as one) were as obsessive as they came.

Zob (alas, poor Cookie Monster)

On Friday, February 3, 2023 at 6:23:43 PM UTC-7, Ob1k...@att.net wrote:

> Could they go with another Primus to rival Unicron?

It seems like a logical move, especially if it allowed them to reuse some of the Unicron tooling. I'm not sure the fandom is ready for another $600 Transformers toy, though.

> Maybe make a Planet Junk sized Junkion?

There does seem to be a BIG push for Junkion-related things these days. Of your suggestions, this seems like the most probable to me. (As an aside, it's beginning to look like the Junkions might actually have a combiner configuration, so I may have to reverse my stance and buy some of those off-screen characters...)

> Make the Quinteson ship Rodimus arrives on Junk as into a character?

I would absolutely LOVE one of those spiral-shaped Quintesson cruisers for my collection. I don't care if they have to give it a robot mode to justify selling it. I'm there. Star Wars toy lines always get their iconic ships, but Transformers always seems to get short shrift, if it's not a sentient machine that can turn into a robot.

> Maybe this is where we get The Nemesis to counter The Ark?

I had gotten the impression that the Nemesis was going to be the next Titan-class toy, and that they were just going to sell it through normal retail channels.

> Kranix?

We do need a good-sized Deluxe or Voyager version of this character, but I don't think it would be a HasLab project. Unless they threw him in as a bonus tier with something else that was bigger and more expensive.

> Axalon?

The Axalon isn't quite as iconic as the Ark, but it would make sense, given the recent push towards Beast Wars. The idea doesn't excite me very much. Maybe if it had a beast mode, and transformed into an axolotl...

Zob (hee hee)

On Saturday, February 4, 2023 at 10:10:27 AM UTC-6, Zobovor wrote:
> On Friday, February 3, 2023 at 6:23:43 PM UTC-7, Ob1k...@att.net wrote:
>
> > Could they go with another Primus to rival Unicron?
> It seems like a logical move, especially if it allowed them to reuse some of the Unicron tooling. I'm not sure the fandom is ready for another $600 Transformers toy, though.
> > Maybe make a Planet Junk sized Junkion?
> There does seem to be a BIG push for Junkion-related things these days. Of your suggestions, this seems like the most probable to me. (As an aside, it's beginning to look like the Junkions might actually have a combiner configuration, so I may have to reverse my stance and buy some of those off-screen characters...)
> > Make the Quinteson ship Rodimus arrives on Junk as into a character?
> I would absolutely LOVE one of those spiral-shaped Quintesson cruisers for my collection. I don't care if they have to give it a robot mode to justify selling it. I'm there. Star Wars toy lines always get their iconic ships, but Transformers always seems to get short shrift, if it's not a sentient machine that can turn into a robot.
> > Maybe this is where we get The Nemesis to counter The Ark?
> I had gotten the impression that the Nemesis was going to be the next Titan-class toy, and that they were just going to sell it through normal retail channels.
>
> > Kranix?
>
> We do need a good-sized Deluxe or Voyager version of this character, but I don't think it would be a HasLab project. Unless they threw him in as a bonus tier with something else that was bigger and more expensive.
>
> > Axalon?
>
> The Axalon isn't quite as iconic as the Ark, but it would make sense, given the recent push towards Beast Wars. The idea doesn't excite me very much.. Maybe if it had a beast mode, and transformed into an axolotl...
>
>
> Zob (hee hee)

I'd love a Titan class but I'd settle for a Commander class Broadside or Tidal Wave. Imgine if we could land CW Aerialbots on carrier mode
Maybe Monstructor but that idea bores me just thinking of it.
Comic universe Thunderwing?
Roadblock? Skyhammer?