Transformer Pretenders RoadBlock

G1 Transformer

Uitgebracht door: Hasbro

Jaar van uitgave: 1989

By 1989, The Transformers toyline was practically bifurcated into two nearly separate lines. The new Micromasters, sold with miniature playsets or in teams of four, formed half of the year's releases, while a new variety of Pretenders comprised the other half. The year showed a small surge in popularity, as the new Micromasters rode the craze of miniature toys spawned by Galoob's Micro Machines. However, the modern-day scarcity of 1989's Pretenders indicates the original sales of that line.

In Europe, a different scene was unfolding. Hasbro released most of the same toys seen in the US, but for some reason unlicensed versions of the original 1984 and 1985 characters were cropping up in stores with bargain-basement prices. As it turned out, Hasbro's Mexican licensee, Plasticos IGA, had huge amounts of overstock that couldn't be sold anywhere in Central America. In order to get out from under the stock, they exported it wholesale to Europe, where it competed directly with Hasbro's new products. Hasbro had to formulate an answer – IGA's unlicensed (in Europe) sales posed a legitimate threat. As it turns out, there was still a demand for the classic characters of 1984/5.