The Energon Pub

[RK_Striker_JK_5]

I dunno about you Striker, but I'll take it over repaints any day.

I'd rather have the work and raw materials put into another line, like Universe.

[UltraPrimal]

The... game is getting a toyline?

I think this might actually a part of a Collectors Edition version of the game. It's fairly popular these days to have these kinds of things. You'll probably get the game, the soundtrack, an art book, and this figure. I've bought quite a few collectors editions of games with that kind of stuff. Halo 3 had a Master Chief helmet. Modern Warfare 2 had the Soap head and Night Vision goggles. Fallout 3 had the Lunch Tin and Bobblehead. Assassin's Creed 2 had the Ezio statuette. It would only make sense that a Transformers CE game come with some sort of exclusive Transformer figure.

[Blurrz]

I dunno about you Striker, but I'll take it over repaints any day.

I'd rather have the work and raw materials put into another line, like Universe.

But... we are getting Universe anyways.

[Mechastrike]

toy needs fixing. looks like a legends class.

[RK_Striker_JK_5]

I dunno about you Striker, but I'll take it over repaints any day.

I'd rather have the work and raw materials put into another line, like Universe.

But... we are getting Universe anyways.

So make it more awesome by taking the materials for this line and put it into that one.

[SlyTF1]

HOLY SHIZZ! Definate buy already!

[Hairball178]

Release it as part of Universe--Hasbro's already put Beast Wars, Armada, Cybertron (and G2, if you don't count Inferno as G1)under the Universe umbrella (and the TRU reissues), and they've expressed interest in the past of putting in other non-G1 Transformers (Rhinox).

[Loki God Of Mischief]

The... game is getting a toyline?

Moar liek the cartoon is getting a video game and a toyline. Come on guys. Think about it for a second. Why would just a video game get toys based on it? If that is a Hasbro/Takara Tomy toy then it's going to come from a cartoon or a movie. They've never released toys to tie into video games. But they've released video games to tie into toylines.

[Samsonator]

Hasbro's stated previously that this new game is a jumping on point for an entire new TF continuity, which means a show isn't totally out of the question, and with that, a new toyline. Something else to bridge the gap between ROTF, Classics 3, and TF3, similar to how between TF1 and ROTF we had the Allspark power and premium version movie characters, Animated, and Universe.

- Sam

[Convotron]

What's the problem with a video game getting a toyline? The Transformers franchise is based on selling products to adolescents. Since when did toylines become too good for video games? Since when did a toyline, which originally depended on a cartoon to advertise it, become too good for video games? I almost expect someone to exclaim that these aren't toys, they're action figures.

As far as the possible OP prototype, I'm not digging the design. It's a bit simplistic at this point, it really looks cartoonish and not in a good way. I'm surprised no anti TFA folks are howling for blood over the photo.

[Valandar]

This fig actualy looks ever so slightly too large and complex to be a Legends, too small to be a Deluxe, and I DOUBT there will ever be a Scout sized Optimus Prime. I say it's one of two things:

1 ) A Scout sized "Orion Pax" type toy (or whatever they decide he was called before becoming the Prime) - which explains why he looks so different from the previous shot we saw, and why he would be a Scout size

2 ) An Activators or similar Prime.

[Kibble]

As far as the possible OP prototype, I'm not digging the design. It's a bit simplistic at this point, it really looks cartoonish and not in a good way. I'm surprised no anti TFA folks are howling for blood over the photo.

The first time I saw the game preview, or whatever it is, I was wondering if the game was based off Animated or something... I still don't much care for the alt mode of Animated Prime, but the bot mode is growing on me...and I actually like the game's alt mode better, so I'm finding this decent.

[lowman_x]

Firstly, the bonnet and front grill are missing so I'm assuming that's what that grey arm is meant to hold.

Secondly, people seem a little incredulous towards the idea of a computer game having a toy line. Why? The computer game industry makes a hell of a lot of money and it's only looking to grow. Until the global financial crisis hit the Australian games industry was, according to The Age, growing at an average of 15% per annum - one of the fastest growing industries on the planet - and it's expected to start churning along again once consumer confidence stabilises. I've even heard of reports that show that the games industry rivals (if not beats) the world's movie industry in making money from their products. So, with that in mind, why WOULDN'T you have a line of toys for a game? It seems like a smarter thing to do than to make toys for, say, a comic line (eg Spawn). Also, it's not like it'd be the first to do it either. I've seen Halo and Gears of War toys out for some time - and they're Xbox 360 exclusives so the market is much smaller than a cross-platform game like War for Cybertron. Also, it's Transformers with a built-in fanbase that will be all over the figures like fat kids on cupcakes.

[Nickolai]

I think a video game would merit a toyline if it were a planned long-term franchise (Halo), MMORPG (WoW) or has lots of downloadable expansion content. What genre is WFC purported to be, anyway? Something like Fallout 3?

[im ruined]

def a missing panel. but ill buy it

[First-Aid]

The... game is getting a toyline?

I think this might actually a part of a Collectors Edition version of the game. It's fairly popular these days to have these kinds of things. You'll probably get the game, the soundtrack, an art book, and this figure. I've bought quite a few collectors editions of games with that kind of stuff. Halo 3 had a Master Chief helmet. Modern Warfare 2 had the Soap head and Night Vision goggles. Fallout 3 had the Lunch Tin and Bobblehead. Assassin's Creed 2 had the Ezio statuette. It would only make sense that a Transformers CE game come with some sort of exclusive Transformer figure.

Don't forget the Batarang with certain Arkham Asylum editions.

I agree though; the lack of any other figure prototypes being leaked leads me to also think we're looking at an exclusive or collector's edition figure. Honestly, I'm not impressed with the figure myself at this point. Colors are too bright; I'd rather he was colored more like in the game pics- a darker red and blue with minimal bright red highlights. It's just too Go-Bot-ish right now...

[Exic]

Sweet~ but i don't think i will buy it for $250..

[Blurrz]

Sweet~ but i don't think i will buy it for $250..

s250 is our informer.. it's not worth $250.

[Autobot032]

Part of me wants to jump the gun (in both directions), but I will restrain myself here. I will be patient, and wait until we receive a great many more pictures, detailing exactly what we're getting here, before making a final decision on how I feel about the design and whatnot.

I might be less impressed than I hope, or I might be pleasantly surprised and shocked. I must be patient and wait for the final product to be shown before I go and waste precious energy, whining on a messageboard. (Sad but true, for all of us. lol)

In fact, I will refrain from commenting at the present time, other than to say "Wow, I never expected that prototype to be Optimus." and it's true.

But, this does bring up one point I'd like to make...

I realize that pictures can easily fool the best of us, but to me, that screams "Deluxe Class!" and you know what? I'd be FINE with that. If we had Legends Class giving us gems like Bumblebee, etc (Legends Brawn was a really nice figure, honestly.), while some of the smaller grunts could fill up the Scout Class, while Megatron, Optimus, and other big bruisers could take the Deluxe Class size. Voyager or Leader (If they decide to use Leader outside of Bayverse) would be suitable for the larger robots (seen in the trailer).

Plus, it would bring costs down, as well. Mom, Dad, and your fellow collectors only having one or two big robots to buy, while the rest are all under the most affordable price points? Yeah, I think we'd all buy into that.

Don't get me wrong, I loves me some Voyager and Leader Class goodness, but if it's not part of the line from the getgo, we won't miss it anyway, plus it'll save us some dough.

Hasbro should take note from Bandai on this one...downsize, just make it worth it, and put some real work into it. (Unlike Bandai who downsizes, but didn't put a great deal of effort into the final product.)

Sweet~ but i don't think i will buy it for $250..

s250 is our informer.. it's not worth $250.

Heh. That depends on the buyer, and you'd be surprised.

[Counterpunch]

Sounds like a lot of people missed the interview with Hasbro and Activision and the info it provided.

I completely expect there to be connected media and toys to the game.

I absolutely do not think that this toy will be a bonus for ordering the collector's edition of the game. They don't make new molds of toys to give away.

[Cyhwuhx]

Sounds like a lot of people missed the interview with Hasbro and Activision and the info it provided.

I completely expect there to be connected media and toys to the game.

I absolutely do not think that this toy will be a bonus for ordering the collector's edition of the game. They don't make new molds of toys to give away.

How about a battle-damage repaint?

[HECTOR]

Yeah Hasbro did say that the game was the beginning of something new so figures make a lot of sense. Plus video game figures are awesome! I've got 2 Star Wars: The Force Unleashed figures on my desk here at work right now! I'm also pretty excited about having Cybertronian versions of my classics/universe figures. While I agree that this is likely a pre-order exclusive I wouldn't be surprised if Hasbro had more up their sleeves. They've managed to keep War for Cybertron pretty hush hush.

[starfish]

I think the reason why people are a bit incredulous about all of this is that, whilst toys backed by TV shows or films are generally a safe bet, a video game is a whole nother thing entirely.

Video games live or die by their reviews. Hasbro and their programming buddies can pump all the money they want into this game, but there's no actual guarantee that this game is going to be a hit. I think Hasbro are taking a big gamble here - if the game bombs, who will be buying the toys?

True, there have been Transformers games in the past, some of which have done very well. But what all previous games have in common is that, like the toys themselves, they are being supported by either a cartoon or a film.

So the question is, can a game be self-sustaining? Can a game based on Transformers do well in a crowded market, without a big-budget movie behind it to boost sales?

How will it be perceived by the general public? Will they just assume that it's based on some new cartoon show that they haven't seen yet and pass on it, assuming it's for the kiddies? Will people accept a new version of Optimus Prime that they've not yet seen before in the media?

With the new cartoon show coming out, and the TF3 Movie, and of course more Universe and this Power Core combiner stuff, I just can't see how Hasbro are going to squeeze out a whole new toyline, especially when it could all blow up in their faces if the game gets slated on Metacritic.

[lowman_x]

I won't be surprised if this game is the beginning of a new cartoon. In fact, seeing as how 3D games use the same principles and programs as 3D animation I wouldn't be at all surprised if they supported the game with a new 3D animated series using the same models as the game. Why not? They have the models and the environments and they've never really told the backstory of the TFs outside of the various comic incarnations...

Now that could be cool...

[UltraPrimal]

I absolutely do not think that this toy will be a bonus for ordering the collector's edition of the game. They don't make new molds of toys to give away.

*cough*Universe Swerve*cough*