The Energon Pub

Alright, so I can't be the only one confused about this, but I was under the impression that Generations was the line that we'd find all the upcoming G1/2 updates (like Laser OP, Scourge, Kup, Tracks and Jazz, etc) along with the WFC figs. I also thought that TF 2010 was going to be an in-between movie-verse line. However, I read on tfwiki.net that Tracks and Jazz (among others) are part of 2010 and not Generations.

WTF?

So if that's the case, in what line should we North Americans be expecting some of these upcoming (g1-ish) figs?

i though traks and jazz and all were reveal the shield line toys...i could be wrong though.

Reveal the Shield is a gimmick subline of 2010. For Tracks, Jazz, and Windcharger, despite being "Classics"-styled figure, they've been co-opted into the RTS line. As far as I've been able to determine, they are the only three Classics figures that will not be in Classics (Grapple is Voyager class and wouldn't have been in the Deluxe-only Generations anyway).

Okay, I have recently figured this out. Currently, the Hasbro brand Transformers series is divided up: Hunt for the Decepticons, Generations, Power Core Combiners, and Activators. In Japan, the TakaraTomy series is one large line, Transformers 2010. Since Hasbro will discontinue the movie series for several months until the next movie (as usual), and because the Generations classics line is limited to deluxe class, the Hunt for the Decepticons and Generations titles will be dropped, both being replaced by the Reveal the Shield classics line until about mid-May when the first wave of Transformers: Dark of the Moon movie preview figures will be released.
Also, if any of you are confused as to why the War for Cybertron characters are in with the classics, it is simply because there were not enough mainstream charcters in the game to field an independant line, so Hasbro released them with the classic figures instead.

OptiMagnus10 wrote:Okay, I have recently figured this out. Currently, the Hasbro brand Transformers series is divided up: Hunt for the Decepticons, Generations, Power Core Combiners, and Activators. In Japan, the TakaraTomy series is one large line, Transformers 2010. Since Hasbro will discontinue the movie series for several months until the next movie (as usual), and because the Generations classics line is limited to deluxe class, the Hunt for the Decepticons and Generations titles will be dropped, both being replaced by the Reveal the Shield classics line until about mid-May when the first wave of Transformers: Dark of the Moon movie preview figures will be released.
Also, if any of you are confused as to why the War for Cybertron characters are in with the classics, it is simply because there were not enough mainstream charcters in the game to field an independant line, so Hasbro released them with the classic figures instead.

Except that Thunderwing, Cybertronian Cliffjumper, and Skullgrin are all 2011 Generations figures, and I believe at least some of the other 2011 figures like Scourge, G2 Prime, Perceptor, Wreck Gar, et al are going to be Generations. Lines like Hunt for the Decepticons and Reveal the Shield are promotions and gimmicks within the overall product cycle to get people to buy the figures.

OptiMagnus10 wrote:In Japan, the TakaraTomy series is one large line, Transformers 2010.

No, Transformers 2010 features Masterpiece Rodimus, Unicron, Primus, Masterpiece Sleep Convoy, Animated Sons of Cybertron, Classics Sons of Cybertron and Predaking.

Takara Animated is Takara's Animated... while Transformers United is Takara's variant of Generations..

And who cares Strider? You're going to be buying them anyways.

I'm also confused! i thought thunderwing, cliffjumper, tracks, jazz, and the rest were 2011 figures, yet they are gonna be released in november? so when are the actual 2011 figs (g2 prime, kup, wheeljack, scourge, and the rest) gonna be released? i hope the lines dont get canned too early the way animated did.

Yeah, why not called them Universe 3.0 and made it simple. And Blurrz is right, no matter what they called, I will grab those toys and put them with my classics (oh well, and Universe 2.0, &$#&*@#^).

chrisc4 wrote:I'm also confused! i thought thunderwing, cliffjumper, tracks, jazz, and the rest were 2011 figures, yet they are gonna be released in november? so when are the actual 2011 figs (g2 prime, kup, wheeljack, scourge, and the rest) gonna be released? i hope the lines dont get canned too early the way animated did.

I think they are released near the end of february beginning of march 2011

OK, OK, here's the bunny again with the explanation of the lines for these two years (2010 and 2011).

In the US, the official encompassing line name is just "Transformers", which we fans have dubbed "TF 2010". It has three main parts: the side lines Generations and Power Core Combiners, and then the Hunt for the Decepticons campaign for the Movie. For the mid-line rebranding, we have "Reveal the Shield", which includes all styles of toys, but mostly has Classic style toys (The retools of Terradive and Tomahawk haven't been officially revealed). Power Core Combiners will remain its own independent subline. Put schematically:

2010:
Main Line:
- Transformers (with HftD Campaign)
Side Lines:
- Generations
- Power Core Combiners

2011:
Main Line:
- Transformers: Reveal the Shield (includes all styles)
Side Line:
- Power Core Combiners

For Japan, we have these lines: Autobot Alliance (which happens to be the store stock name for HtfD toys) for the Movie style toys and United for Generations and Reveal the Shield. 2010 is the celebrating campaign that includes toys from all kinds of lines.

Pretty damned confusing, and yet not. *Sigh* Frustrating, too. Just gimme my 1984 Classics-styled and I'll be happy, k?

Blurrz wrote:And who cares Strider? You're going to be buying them anyways. [/color]

True enough...

However, it just seems wierd that the "reveal the shield" subline isn't part of Generations, which is a Classics themed line, when the characters that we've seen so far (Tracks, Jazz) are in the Classics style. Duh!

JelZe GoldRabbit wrote:OK, OK, here's the bunny again with the explanation of the lines for these two years (2010 and 2011).

In the US, the official encompassing line name is just "Transformers", which we fans have dubbed "TF 2010". It has three main parts: the side lines Generations and Power Core Combiners, and then the Hunt for the Decepticons campaign for the Movie. For the mid-line rebranding, we have "Reveal the Shield", which includes all styles of toys, but mostly has Classic style toys (The retools of Terradive and Tomahawk haven't been officially revealed). Power Core Combiners will remain its own independent subline.

Okay, so if I understand what you are saying, since there is no longer an actual "movie line", they've just incorporated it all under the basic heading of "Transformers", which includes both Universe/Classic style figs and Movie-verse style figs.

Generations is just a subline of "Classic" styled figs, HFTD is just a subline of "Movie" figs, and "Reveal the Shield" is just a subline of figs with rubsigns.

Does that make any sense?

Here's the deal: Update figures you want, such as G1 stuff, will be released in both HFTD/Reveal The Shield (they are the same line, regardless of the name change) and Generations. If you stick to those two lines, you'll be fine. Power Core Combiners is the kid line, and the other two are collector/fan oriented.

Yellow or red packaging: Good. PCC: No.

Both Reveal the Shield and Generations will run through 2011. To me, by having two "main lines" they are able to pump out more figures fans want while still keeping the movie brand alive for kids.

I think everyone thinks that what we see is it for Generations and Reveal the Shield. I personally think we've only seen about half of what we'll get out of the the line.

Autobot Strider wrote:

JelZe GoldRabbit wrote:OK, OK, here's the bunny again with the explanation of the lines for these two years (2010 and 2011).

In the US, the official encompassing line name is just "Transformers", which we fans have dubbed "TF 2010". It has three main parts: the side lines Generations and Power Core Combiners, and then the Hunt for the Decepticons campaign for the Movie. For the mid-line rebranding, we have "Reveal the Shield", which includes all styles of toys, but mostly has Classic style toys (The retools of Terradive and Tomahawk haven't been officially revealed). Power Core Combiners will remain its own independent subline.

Okay, so if I understand what you are saying, since there is no longer an actual "movie line", they've just incorporated it all under the basic heading of "Transformers", which includes both Universe/Classic style figs and Movie-verse style figs.

Generations is just a subline of "Classic" styled figs, HFTD is just a subline of "Movie" figs, and "Reveal the Shield" is just a subline of figs with rubsigns.

Does that make any sense?

You nailed it, basically. The upside to merging two main styles into a single line is that Classics styles figures are no longer limited to one size class like they were in Generations.

Autobot032 wrote:Here's the deal: Update figures you want, such as G1 stuff, will be released in both HFTD/Reveal The Shield (they are the same line, regardless of the name change) and Generations. If you stick to those two lines, you'll be fine. Power Core Combiners is the kid line, and the other two are collector/fan oriented.

Yellow or red packaging: Good. PCC: No.

Not entirely. Reveal the Shield is just picking up where HFTD leaves off basically, but replacing the characters with classic figures, not more movie figures. We will not see the movie series return until May which will last most likely until near the end of 2012 when the movie universe is axed completely .

Ok here's the bottom line on the Hasbro line for the second half of 2010:
There is basically ONE whole toyline, divided into SUBLINES. The entire toyline itself is just "Transformers". What a novel idea! Now, here are the sublines:
Hunt for the Decepticons: The new movie refresh series, similar concept to "AllSpark Power" form the forst movie series. It consists of legends, scout, deluxe, voyager, and leader classes. This is the largest series of all of the current ones, to satisfy demand of new movie figures. This will continue until the end of 2010. This is also the only series with a yellow packaging to denote its differences in being a movie series. The SpeedStars line may also be considered a component of this line.
Generations: The current classics "intro" line. It consists of "deluxe class only" (my nickname for it". It consists of all new molds of classic figures and also features figures from the "War for Cybertron" video game. This series is expected to continue until the end of the first quarter of 2011 (my estimate at least). It features a red packaging.
*The following could be considered their own sublines or generic lines. They all feature a red packaging:
Power Core Combiners: Consists of two packs (scout class and mini con) and five packs (scout class and four drones). They have interchangeable drones, robots, and mini cons. These are expected to last until the first quarter of 2011 also.
Activators: Spring loaded transformation, targeted at much younger collectors. These are movie figures, ironically, and are not HFTDs. I do not know the fate of the line after December 2010.
Power Bots: Large, non-transformable figures for very young buyers. These are also movie figures. Probably will phase into different figures later on.
Role Play: This is the name I give it at least. The packaging is generic. The products are based on movie characters, also. The products consist of costumes, masks, and toy weapons. The line will probably either phase into different characters or be dropped.
Ok here's the new stuff for 2011:
Reveal the Shield: This is the new placeholder for HFTD for the first quarter of 2011. It is based on classic characters featuring rubsigns. The packaging will still remain yellow.
Transformers: Dark of the Moon: The new toyline for the new movie. This will be phased in in May 2011 and will replace all of the aforementioned lines and will be phased out sometime in the second half of 2012 to continue the cycle and introduce a new classic line, although it is unknown if we will get movie and classics simultaneously like the current lines.

paul053 wrote:Yeah, why not called them Universe 3.0 and made it simple. And Blurrz is right, no matter what they called, I will grab those toys and put them with my classics (oh well, and Universe 2.0, &$#&*@#^).

Because they would need to be called Classics 3.0 or Universe 2.0!

If we knew what line they were under it would make searching online retailers easier I'm in England, we can't buy this stuff in brick shops.

OptiMagnus10 wrote:Ok here's the bottom line on the Hasbro line for the second half of 2010:
There is basically ONE whole toyline, divided into SUBLINES. The entire toyline itself is just "Transformers". What a novel idea! Now, here are the sublines:
Hunt for the Decepticons: The new movie refresh series, similar concept to "AllSpark Power" form the forst movie series. It consists of legends, scout, deluxe, voyager, and leader classes. This is the largest series of all of the current ones, to satisfy demand of new movie figures. This will continue until the end of 2010. This is also the only series with a yellow packaging to denote its differences in being a movie series. The SpeedStars line may also be considered a component of this line.
Generations: The current classics "intro" line. It consists of "deluxe class only" (my nickname for it". It consists of all new molds of classic figures and also features figures from the "War for Cybertron" video game. This series is expected to continue until the end of the first quarter of 2011 (my estimate at least). It features a red packaging.
*The following could be considered their own sublines or generic lines. They all feature a red packaging:
Power Core Combiners: Consists of two packs (scout class and mini con) and five packs (scout class and four drones). They have interchangeable drones, robots, and mini cons. These are expected to last until the first quarter of 2011 also.
Activators: Spring loaded transformation, targeted at much younger collectors. These are movie figures, ironically, and are not HFTDs. I do not know the fate of the line after December 2010.
Power Bots: Large, non-transformable figures for very young buyers. These are also movie figures. Probably will phase into different figures later on.
Role Play: This is the name I give it at least. The packaging is generic. The products are based on movie characters, also. The products consist of costumes, masks, and toy weapons. The line will probably either phase into different characters or be dropped.
Ok here's the new stuff for 2011:
Reveal the Shield: This is the new placeholder for HFTD for the first quarter of 2011. It is based on classic characters featuring rubsigns. The packaging will still remain yellow.
Transformers: Dark of the Moon: The new toyline for the new movie. This will be phased in in May 2011 and will replace all of the aforementioned lines and will be phased out sometime in the second half of 2012 to continue the cycle and introduce a new classic line, although it is unknown if we will get movie and classics simultaneously like the current lines.

Next time brake up your categories, all of that up there is hard to read.

You got most of it right, but your making it seem like your estimations are more like facts.

Generations for example will go all the way until the release of the movie, running along side Reveal the Shield. The differnce between the two is that Reveal the Shield will have movie style figures as well as Classics style figures that all include rub signs as there gimmick. It also gives them the chance to put out more size options as opposed to Generations.

Generations on the other hand caters to the fans. Fans like Deluxe size figures the most so we get a line that's only Deluxe size figures. It's Hasbro/TTs throw to us as fans and will continue up until the movie then pick up again after the movie line ends. This line is too popular with fans and sells way better then any movie figure for them to stop designing figures like this.

In all honesty does it matter what line a toy is from? If it is a figure you like and it has a place in your collection, it doesn't matter what it says on the package. You should be opening your toys and throwing away the package anyway .

LOST Cybertronian wrote:In all honesty does it matter what line a toy is from? If it is a figure you like and it has a place in your collection, it doesn't matter what it says on the package. You should be opening your toys and throwing away the package anyway .

We like to categorize when talking about toys. Besides, such monnickers are a must for correct toy identification. Ask any TF site webmaster.

OK, now I'm sounding like a real geek