Wednesday, October 19, 2016

HasCon Official Hasbro Convention Announced

Yesterday Hasbro announced their replacement for Botcon and the other conventions they stopped supporting as of this year. Called "HasCon" the convention will be on September 8-10 in Providence, Rhode Island at the Rhode Island Convention Center and Dunkin Donuts Center. The three day event will focus on all things Hasbro including Transformers, My Little Pony, Star Wars, Magic The Gathering, and more with panels and more.

What this means for Botcon remains unclear. I think its defunct but not entirely sure. Since this convention is a celebration of all things Hasbro, that means Transformers fans will not get the TF exclusive experience they are use too but conventions have long been able to multitask fandom so not seeing an issue there. There is no mention of a preview day that Botcon had so something to be aware of in planning. Third party Transformers will be forbidden, but then they were not allowed at Botcon either for its last few years.

The location of the convention is no coincidence as its very near Hasbro HQ in Pawtucket, Rhode Island so I wouldn't be surprised if the convention (assuming Hasbro deems it profitable), will be held at the same location each year. It should be interesting as to hear how it works out since anything placed under a corporate umbrella inevitable brings an increased level of oversight and complexity to it but the sheer volume of fandom (besides Transformers) that Hasbro touches is large so the potential any age entertainment value could be immense.

In addition Hasbro announced a new Transformers Fan Club for 2017. The current one was licensed out to the same company that ran Botcon with that license ending at the end of the year. No details on what the new fan club will offer but if head over to Transformers.com you can join the mailing list and get a 20% off coupon for the Hasbro Toy Shop.

Below is the press release for HasCon and click here for the official website.

Hasbro to Create the Ultimate Entertainment and Play Experience by Bringing Its Iconic Brands to Life with First-Ever ‘HASCON’

First-of-Its-Kind Convention Will Bring Fans and Families Together for Three Days of Immersive Entertainment Experiences, Talent and Character Appearances, Panels and More in September 2017

PAWTUCKET, R.I.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Today Hasbro, Inc. (NASDAQ:HAS), a global play and entertainment company, announced it is creating the first-ever HASCON fan and family convention in September 2017. The massive event, which will be held in Providence at the Rhode Island Convention Center and Dunkin Donuts Center from September 8-10, 2017, will treat attendees to three unforgettable days featuring a celebration of Hasbro’s powerful characters and stories, including live interactive experiences, exclusive products, talent appearances, panels and much more.

From bringing the first action figure to life with G.I. JOE, to creating a world where robots are truly ‘more than meets the eye’ with TRANSFORMERS, Hasbro’s brands have always overflowed with rich stories and dynamic, multi-faceted characters, providing an incredible platform to capture the imaginations of fans of all ages. The premiere HASCON event will bring the magic of decades of storytelling under one roof for the ultimate, immersive Hasbro fan and family experience. Hasbro’s top properties, including TRANSFORMERS, MY LITTLE PONY, NERF, MAGIC THE GATHERING, PLAY-DOH, MONOPOLY, G.I. JOE and many others will be reimagined through dynamic stage performances and unique opportunities for fans to engage with their favorite characters. In addition to interactive experiences designed to offer attendees a glimpse into Hasbro’s imaginative storytelling in action, visitors will have the chance to see first-look previews of Hasbro’s biggest television and movie series, attend panels and meet-and-greets with celebrities and creative talent associated with Hasbro brands, take part in Hasbro Gaming competitions and purchase special limited-edition Hasbro products.

“Hasbro is home to many of the world’s most recognizable brands, each of them with their own group of passionate and engaged fans,” said John Frascotti, President of Hasbro Brands. “HASCON will deliver an extraordinary peek behind the curtain of our brands, storytelling, and iconic characters while giving us the opportunity to invite fans and families to our hometown for the most memorable, unified Hasbro experience ever.”

For all of the latest information on HASCON 2017, please visit http://hascon.hasbro.com

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