The Energon Pub

This one goes back a ways. Perennial Transformers artist Ken Christiansen has posted several pieces of his concept art from the 2007 Transformers: the Game to Facebook based loosely on the first live action movie. This game is notable for providing the basis for much of the additional lineup of characters found in the accompanying movie toy tie in line. This includes some really great figures like Longarm and Dropkick (the old one, not the new one). Below you'll find his thoughts on each design including some bits of trivia we likely haven't heard before.

Ken Christiansen wrote:Shockwave Triple Changer, from Transformers: the Game 2007

Here's an oldie, but one of my all time favorite designs. Time stamped August, 2006. Wow, that's getting old. So happy to see this character appear in G1 form in the #bumblebeemovie . Scroll through to get some purple action, along with black color variations for the game. Went from a 'Super Howitzer' to an Apache copter.

Ken Christiansen wrote:Swindle! Transformers : The Game, 2007

The first character I designed for the game, which turned out to be the first toy I ever contributed to. Scroll for concept art, initial concept sketch, and shots of the figure. So if this - getting to work on Transformers, designing characters for Transformers, having those designs being made into toys - wasn't enough of a mind blower for me, the figure was included in the press pack to support the film. It was fun times.

Ken Christiansen wrote:Dropkick! Transformers : The Game, 2007

The second character I designed for the game, which turned out to be another toy! Swipe for concept art, initial concept sketch, and shots of the figure. It was originally meant to be just a gray truck, but as Hasbro worked on the figure, they came up with the Decepticon symbol graphic, and asked us to add it to the in game character. Happily, because it looked awesome.

Ken Christiansen wrote:Dirtboss! Transformers : The Game, 2007

Dirtboss? That's a name! The third character I designed for the game, which turned out to be another toy! But not for Transformers : the Movie, he came in 2009 as part of the Revenge of the Fallen line. That made me happy, because he was my favorite drone design, a little scrappy guy, so I was glad to see him get a toy version.

Ken Christiansen wrote:Payload! Transformers : The Game, 2007

The second character set I designed after the initial 3 for the game, this was the kickoff, and turned out to be another toy. This one I got to do some graphics and I really got into it, made a stock armored car service logo, with a Decepticon symbol thrown in there. As fun as this one was to do, I think I like the toy even better. Except for the thing on his back. Owners know what I'm talking about.

Ken Christiansen wrote:Dreadwing! Transformers : The Game 2007

I admit, this is an oddly shaped bot mode. But the adaptation of this concept to toy was fantastic. He looked pretty good in the game too. And in the comics. I don't always nail the expression of the idea, but I love when other people can take it and make it better in different media.

Ken Christiansen wrote:Longarm! Transformers : The Game 2007

A tow truck was on the design list, so of course I wanted to do Hoist. But, they wanted to save the established character for future films (Though Hasbro did a Hoist repaint of the figure anyways, so...win!) I had to make him blue, but along the way, the tow truck scene from the movie came into play, and I was asked to repaint it to match the graphics from the film. And here he is. And again, the figure exceeded expectations, the team did such a great job of bringing it to the toy shelves.

Ken Christiansen wrote:Cement Truck! Transformers : The Game 2007

Well this one didn't get a toy, so he didn't get a name. But I colored him green so I call him Mixmaster. Of course later, Revenge of the Fallen put forth the actual Mixmaster...

Ken Christiansen wrote:Sector 7 Drone! Transformers : The Game 2007

Well,, the humans want to play too. Here's the design for the roaming drones from Sector 7.

Always liked the video game designs (apart from war/fall cyberetron), would be nice to see these as new toys in studio series if and when they run out versions of Bee and Prime

Ah yes, the Dropkick before he became cool

These designs are classic now, but I will admit there are other Bayformers designs that I prefer to these, like I prefer DOTM Shockwave to this one. To each their own, I guess

I've always liked the designs coming out of the first film and the respective tie-ins. Only later did they become too chaotic to understand, sadly. Either way, it's cool to see Payload again -- and it's good to know I wasn't the only one who loved his launching stomach thing. lol

Man, I really love the 2007 movie, non-movie molds. I had all the ones shown here and regret selling them off years ago (but not enough to go hunt them down, yet).

Once thing I never realized was how many had a belly button. Swindle I definitely remembered because of his pop-out gun and Dirtboss because his was red. But I had forgotten how many others also had some form of belly button.

Wow, I can't believe how much nostalgia I'm feeling for that game, it was a long time ago.

I love the Dropkick and Longarm toys, they were some of the best in the line, even if they didn't match these concept designs that well.