The Energon Pub

[mordhelm]

There has been a general assumption that the new line will be the pre-Earth war. What if the War for Cybertron is a modern war for Cybertron, and thus inclusive of Earth? I don't recall any definitive answers on when this will be taking place, if I am wrong could someone correct me?

That, and the fact that none of the toys are really accurate to any particular car anymore, makes me think we aren't just going to see Cybertronian alt-modes.

And, as William pointed out, they explicitly stated that we will see old molds pop back up (reengineering, retools, etc) from time to time.

Now, what I am most curious about is the post 2021 timeframe. It sounds like Generations is on a 3 year lifecycle now. So anything can happen after 2021, and it would be very interesting to see how the figures change as the demographics change (older, more "G1" oriented fans bowing out, younger fans with different expectations from the more "mature" line).

[Skritz]

and be centered around G1 characters.

Which is somewhat a bit sad. During a previous interview Warden said the line need renewal and to be refreshed, I really had big hopes for new characters, a bit like we got during Unicron Trilogy, or even like the RiD ones, but with more generation-like engeenering than the over simplified toys kids currently have.

And you say it'll be 84 all over again.. I'm already tired.

This is what happens when the brand keep appealing to the only thing which keeps it going: nostalgia.

Edit: Btw I don't think I'm any better on the matter, since we know people of my generation would be quite excited for anything resembling even a loose take on Beast Wars. In my case what annoys me is that whenever they focus on G1, they invariably focus on the first three years and the most basic of characters, with Combiner Wars being a massive exception to this.

Personally I'd love to see some more late-G1 love and hope that showing off Spinister and Needlosenose as well as the useage of Pretender characters mean we can get more stuff from 1988-onward.

[william-james88]

G1 does not mean 84 characters necessarily. The current toy voting poll is a good indication that it will be a mix of all G1.

84, Marvel UK and Post 86 Movie toys are all now confirmed possibilities.

[Skritz]

G1 does not mean 84 characters necessarily. The current toy voting poll is a good indication that it will be a mix of all G1.

84, Marvel UK and Post 86 Movie toys are all now confirmed possibilities.

Yeah I just edited my post. Personally I'd love to see 1988-onward characters and Needlenose and Spinister gives me hope this may happen to 'spice up' up the lineup, given that each vote is late G1/comic character vs early G1.

[D-Maximal_Primal]

Still wish Hasbro had thought up a different, all new name for this line.

Agreed.

But even so, I am excited for 3 years of Cybertronian alternate modes. I'm looking forward to it, and what other characters they bring up. Maybe an actual Flywheels to go with a perfect Battletrap!

[Emerje]

Now, what I am most curious about is the post 2021 timeframe. It sounds like Generations is on a 3 year lifecycle now. So anything can happen after 2021, and it would be very interesting to see how the figures change as the demographics change (older, more "G1" oriented fans bowing out, younger fans with different expectations from the more "mature" line).

2021 was just how far they had planned ahead as of last year. Now that we know the next trilogy will only last for one year each part that just means they know (broadly) what they intend to do with WfC over those three years. It doesn't mean anything will really change toy-wise in 2022, just that a new story will start that they'll probably start planning in 2020, at which point they'll probably have a road map through 2024 if they keep doing trilogies.

Then again the whole design team could be turned over again by that point and they start doing themed toy lines (like with Prime Wars) again. But I still wouldn't expect any drastic changes in the Generations style.

They do seem to be going a bit more free form with WfC, even saying they're going to listen to fans on this line and mixing thing sup more so maybe more Unicron Trilogy stuff is coming our way. If it means Evolution style Leaders can still exist alongside Titans Return-style Leaders then I'm all for it.

Emerje

[Emerje]

But I still wouldn't expect any drastic changes in the Generations style.

OK, so, after listening to the Warden interview on the Twincast Podcast (last half hour or so if you want to listen, might have been posted on the site already, but I lost it in the news shuffle) I'm a little less confident in this being true. I'm not saying there will be a radical departure, but they've lead me to believe the WfC figures may not blend with previous Generations lines as well as we hoped. He specifically said it's being (paraphrased) "approached with a different brush" referring to the deco and a "gritty realism" with an "interesting edge" when referring to the the overall aesthetic. He does say he thinks fans will really like it, saying we'll find it "interesting and refreshing", but I'm sure he felt the same way about the stickers (which he thankfully says he hears us on). They also mentioned new design principals and WfC not being about remaking toys from the '80s which I know will interest a number of people wanting the line to do something different.

So yeah, not sure how I feel about that and hopefully it really is a nice change of pace. As long as it isn't anything too far out of left field like Universe Cheetor they might be nice. Personally when I hear something is going to have a gritty look I think about paint washes which look great on movie figures, but I'm not so sure I want them on too many Generations figures. I feel like Cogman might have been a practice run on things to come. Personally I want a return to Thrilling 30 and the stuff we got ahead of it so we can continue to have the best version of characters without gimmicks messing them up.

Emerje

[Stormtalon]

The storyline is a discussion for another thread. But seriously, when was the last time Autobot and Decepticons were opposing factions and not just two groups that run into each other.

Thoughts on the Toyline:
In the back of my mind, the Prime Wars was Hasbro's attempt to undercut the third party market. (Why spend $80 for an Ironhide when you can get one from us for $15.) Now that their masterpiece line is fully operational they are giving the Prime Wars a fond farewell.

War for Cybertron can work. I myself would like to see some new transformers. I'd like to see other female Autobots that aren't named Windblade. I'd also love to see a real power struggle among the Decepticons.

The central problem here is that it always circles back to story. Needlenose and Tracks are brothers? Ok then you have to explain Transformer siblings. Spinister and Wheeljack have a rivalry, then you have to detail that rivalry somewhere. It looks like the direction WfC 2.0 is taking focuses on characters. I'm down for that, but you have to chronicle that rivalry not assume we've all read the comics. Maybe a series of 3-5 minute web shorts, but no the Machinima variety.

Just for fun, some rivalries I'd like to see in the new line:
Blaster v Soundwave - Most times, they are like two strangers. Blaster doesn't have the same position in command as Soundwave does in the Decepticons. I'd like to see how their rivalry started.

Camshaft v Barricade - We've had TF crime noir before, but I'd like a blaxploitation spin to it with that 'one bad motherboard -- shut your mouth. I'm just talking about Camshaft."

Visionaries v Terrocons - Knights need monsters to fight. What if magic had to go up against tech in the form of spectral knights fighting Monsterbots and Terrorcons?

[Skritz]

But I still wouldn't expect any drastic changes in the Generations style.

OK, so, after listening to the Warden interview on the Twincast Podcast (last half hour or so if you want to listen, might have been posted on the site already, but I lost it in the news shuffle) I'm a little less confident in this being true. I'm not saying there will be a radical departure, but they've lead me to believe the WfC figures may not blend with previous Generations lines as well as we hoped. He specifically said it's being (paraphrased) "approached with a different brush" referring to the deco and a "gritty realism" with an "interesting edge" when referring to the the overall aesthetic.

Well, I guess that's still a win-win for some people. If they are similar enough, they blend in fine. If they aren't similar enough and have their own visual flair then it give something to be excited about because then it's like having a whole 'new' incarnation of Transformers which we haven't quite had since the Aligned continuity kicked in. Sure it will still count as G1 but if it's visually distinct then it may have it's own identity in spite of continuity placement.

[ZeroWolf]

The storyline is a discussion for another thread. But seriously, when was the last time Autobot and Decepticons were opposing factions and not just two groups that run into each other.

Thoughts on the Toyline:
In the back of my mind, the Prime Wars was Hasbro's attempt to undercut the third party market. (Why spend $80 for an Ironhide when you can get one from us for $15.) Now that their masterpiece line is fully operational they are giving the Prime Wars a fond farewell.

War for Cybertron can work. I myself would like to see some new transformers. I'd like to see other female Autobots that aren't named Windblade. I'd also love to see a real power struggle among the Decepticons.

The central problem here is that it always circles back to story. Needlenose and Tracks are brothers? Ok then you have to explain Transformer siblings. Spinister and Wheeljack have a rivalry, then you have to detail that rivalry somewhere. It looks like the direction WfC 2.0 is taking focuses on characters. I'm down for that, but you have to chronicle that rivalry not assume we've all read the comics. Maybe a series of 3-5 minute web shorts, but no the Machinima variety.

Just for fun, some rivalries I'd like to see in the new line:
Blaster v Soundwave - Most times, they are like two strangers. Blaster doesn't have the same position in command as Soundwave does in the Decepticons. I'd like to see how their rivalry started.

Camshaft v Barricade - We've had TF crime noir before, but I'd like a blaxploitation spin to it with that 'one bad motherboard -- shut your mouth. I'm just talking about Camshaft."

Visionaries v Terrocons - Knights need monsters to fight. What if magic had to go up against tech in the form of spectral knights fighting Monsterbots and Terrorcons?

I don't get that part about storyline...the autobots have always opposed the decepticons... (more or less)

Also transformers siblings have been a thing since G1 (sideswipe and sunstreaker)

Last point...transformers v visionaries has already proven itself was bad idea please don't give them ideas on how to expand it

[Acesmcgee]

I would love a "What if" type scenario, as in, what if the transformers never came to Earth. I expect an O.P., because it's Hasbro and they don't remember other leaders too often, but I want a non G1 car toon cybertroinian look. Even if they throw in some oft used characters. It could be a fun line.

[o.supreme]

Not much, but we are starting to get hints of what this line may entail, at least in terms of size classes:

Transformers Generations: War For Cybertron
•WFC Voyager: 6 Characters across 4 Waves
•WFC Leader: 3 Characters across 2 Waves
•WFC Micromaster: 11 Characters across 4 Waves
•WFC Battle Master: 10 Characters across 4 Waves
•WFC Deluxe 14 Characters across 4 Waves

Not sure what Micromaster and Battle Master will entail, but early rumors state both these size classes will have play patterns across the 3 larger sizes (Deluxe, Voyager & Leader)

Though this comes from a *reliable source*, its still an individual, and is subject to the grain of salt *rumor* at this point.

I know the Hasbro fan vote earlier went to Mirage and Impactor, but how these will be released still has not been confirmed. I would think as a "vs" 2-pack, but you never know, having them released as individuals defeats the whole "vs" perspective, IMHO but anything can happen.

This overall seems to be about the same amount of content as PotP (some size classes getting slightly more, others slightly less), and with a bit of a change up. (Battle Masters and Micromasters as opposed to Legends and TM's/PM's)

I'm a bit disappointed with the lack of info about a Titan for 2019, but again its still early. Also, while I know most are hoping for deluxes more along the lines of TR (unique molds not bound by the confines of being a limb of a combiner). I hope we get a mix. Kind of like the Legends Class in CW. I hope some new deluxes continue the Limb compatibility to finish off some incomplete PotP combiners, or perhaps to give us releases of Piranacon and Monstructor etc..., and the rest to be unique new deluxes of Original Series characters that have yet to receive them. Sunstreaker, most 1985 Autobots, Autobot Target Masters etc.... all come to mind.

[ZeroWolf]

Micromasters are coming back be still my beating heart! I love those little guys

[Skritz]

Micromasters are back: called it!

[o.supreme]

But whether or not they are like what we got in 1989, or something completely different remains to be seen. There have been a few Generations Legends Class (Blackjack etc...) that were originally Micromasters, so anything is possible...

[Overcracker]

The question I'd like to know the answer to, is whether they'll go back to the WFC design aesthetic, some designs from a particular comic book run, or have something completely different and not based on anything out there.

Because if they go back to the WFC game, I would not mind Voyager or even Leader versions of the Prime and Megatron designs.





Probably have completely new designs though. But one can dream.

[ZeroWolf]

They'll be new designs as, despite the name, it has absolutely nothing to do with the game.

Though I would happily bet that whatever designs they use in this line, will be used in idw going forward after the reboot.

Battle masters has me thinking if it will be connected to the micro masters, like the pairing of a scout sized bot with a micro (assuming they are going back to the old definition of micromasters)

[Overcracker]

They'll be new designs as, despite the name, it has absolutely nothing to do with the game.

Though I would happily bet that whatever designs they use in this line, will be used in idw going forward after the reboot.

Battle masters has me thinking if it will be connected to the micro masters, like the pairing of a scout sized bot with a micro (assuming they are going back to the old definition of micromasters)

Was not suggesting any relation to the Game. Just maybe usage of general design cues.

As to Battlemasters, maybe Micromasters paired with a base components, much like Cement Head and Terror Tread, or Retro and Surge. That would be real awesome.

Or things like Countdown, or Overload.

[ZeroWolf]

A new countdown would be very nice, hopefully we can get more info closer we get to sdcc

[Skritz]

Battlemasters could very well be re-imagined Targetmasters for all we know, with the addition that they could also be melee weapons and not just guns. Pure speculation on my part, of course as that class could be anything. However, given the absence of the Legends class we have to assume either Micromaster or Battlemasters replace them with the question of which is which:

If Micromasters are the Legends class we can assume they're unlikely to be that different from previous Legends. However if the Micromasters are the replacement for the Titan/Prime Master class we can assume they'll be very very tiny and we can extrapolate from it that the Battlemasters are the bigger class or a Micromaster+something else as pointed out.

[Wolfman Jake]

Not much, but we are starting to get hints of what this line may entail, at least in terms of size classes:

Transformers Generations: War For Cybertron
•WFC Voyager: 6 Characters across 4 Waves
•WFC Leader: 3 Characters across 2 Waves
•WFC Micromaster: 11 Characters across 4 Waves
•WFC Battle Master: 10 Characters across 4 Waves
•WFC Deluxe 14 Characters across 4 Waves

Where'd this info come from, allegedly?

[william-james88]

Not much, but we are starting to get hints of what this line may entail, at least in terms of size classes:

Transformers Generations: War For Cybertron
•WFC Voyager: 6 Characters across 4 Waves
•WFC Leader: 3 Characters across 2 Waves
•WFC Micromaster: 11 Characters across 4 Waves
•WFC Battle Master: 10 Characters across 4 Waves
•WFC Deluxe 14 Characters across 4 Waves

Where'd this info come from, allegedly?

Someone wrote this on TFW2005. There was no verifiable source to back it up.

[Skritz]

Well, it might be fake but admittedly it does seem to line up what we've seen with Generations during Power of the Primes, not to mention the last leak proved to be true. In hindsight I probably should have doublechecked how valid and true this is but, admittedly, nothing in there seems all that unusual and you'd think someone trying to drum up a fake leak would throw in some really ridiculous stuff to get people falsely excited, like going "We are getting Leader Class Thunder Clash, Star Saber and Deathsaurus!" or announcing a new Titan Class Omega Supreme.

This is very tame by comparison.

[Wolfman Jake]

Well, it might be fake but admittedly it does seem to line up what we've seen with Generations during Power of the Primes, not to mention the last leak proved to be true. In hindsight I probably should have doublechecked how valid and true this is but, admittedly, nothing in there seems all that unusual and you'd think someone trying to drum up a fake leak would throw in some really ridiculous stuff to get people falsely excited, like going "We are getting Leader Class Thunder Clash, Star Saber and Deathsaurus!" or announcing a new Titan Class Omega Supreme.

This is very tame by comparison.

The last leak was an entire PowerPoint presentation, though. It's veracity was supported by Hasbro's very swift response, requesting that Transformers news sites, such as Seibertron.com, take the pictures down.

[Va'al]

In what is not a reveal of anything upcoming, but could easily work in a new War for Cybertron line, at least in potential (but I'll repeat, it is not), the official Hasbro Transformers and Pulse social media accounts have posted an image of a conceptual design of a new Megatron figure in robot mode, working out its pretend engineering, or 'pretengineering', to understand which parts of the figure/character are moveable, its structure, functions, movements, and shifts - as they the say, the 'dynamic functionality of the robot'.

Take a look at the image below, and join the discussion in the Energon Pub! Again, this is not an upcoming Megatron figure - but would you like to see something like it in any of the current or future lines?

MEGATRON PRETENGINEERING. Pretengineering is pretend engineering created to explain the dynamic functionality of each Transformers robot.