The Energon Pub

[Wolfman Jake]

Here is the interview if you want the context. Though I warn you, its not great aside from that small tidbit. I cant stand the faces this guy makes to the camera and to the people he is interviewing:

I can't stand the interviewer's name. Yeesh.

[RodimusRex]

To be honest the next line I thought they were going to do after combiner wars was either a beast wars anniversary line or a line based on the plot currently in the comics were they are establishing contact with the different colonies ergo possibility for different styles within the line.

A Beast Wars anniversary line? Yeah, I wish. We got a couple BW figures in the 25th anniversary part of Universe, a small handful of them in Thrilling 30, so if the pattern holds, I'm not so sure they'll do more before 2019. They didn't do anything for the BW 15th, I'd be displeased but not surprised if they ignored the 20th too.

And isn't that second one kinda like Cybertron without the keys?

My sneaking suspicion is that BW will be part of a boxed set or will be the Souvenir set but not the whole thing.

Oddly, what springs to mind there for me is a vehicle mode Bat Primal from Ratbat/Scourge and a vehicle mode Gatortron from Sgt. Kup.

Interestingly, based on the toy bios, this would probably position these characters as Beast Wars era incarnations (clones or otherwise) of G1 Prime and Megatron who underwent beast alterations. Or they might be repurposed as new characters.

I know there are other BW characters who might get decos but I suspect the con exclusives will veer towards the Bat/Gator homage while the club sub will get more popular characters from the show.

I was kinda talking about what Hasbro would do, not FunPub, but okay.

But since he brought it up, if Fun Pub were to do something BW-related for 2016, I could see them doing a Beast Wars: Uprising set to go along with more of that universe's storyline to come (at least three more text stories are coming, with the third one--counting the first two that already came out--being titled "Burning Bridges", and the fifth one called "Trigger Warnings" which will also include the Predacon Wolfang).

I can see that. I think it's more likely for the club than the con because I think the majority of both will be expected to tie in more to what Hasbro is doing (ala the combiner TFSS) AND balance out with a theme for the con which will be mostly non-beast and probably but not necessarily share a mold with something else they're doing.

I think Wolfang makes more sense for the sub.

I doubt the main set for Botcon will be beast themed. It'll have a couple of beasts thrown into a different theme (like this year, actually) or the beasts off as the souvenirs. I also think an eclectic draw character like you're talking about seems more like a sub figure.

I dunno. I see Alligatortron and Convobat being more likely as homages to the beginning of Beast Wars because it homages the BEGINNING and because the characters have the kind of oddball space that you see with General Prime or the Euro G1.5 characters. I don't see a huge IDW overlap generally and I think the sub is where you'd be more likely to see that.

It seems to me like sub characters are an easier place for one offs that don't fit a set and general collection fillers whereas the con tends to go for strong themes and real oddity homages like canceled figures or figures of dubious continuity.

As for Hasbro, they're probably going to release Masterpiece Optimus Primal later next year, aren't they?

Beyond that, maybe Fall of Cybertron Grimlock decoed (and with the new head mold we've seen) as Transmetal BW Megatron. I can see that with 10th anniversary Primal in a new deco in 1-2 exclusive packs alongside Generations Rhinox, Universe Cheetor, Generations Rattrap, Legends Blackarachnia, Universe Tankor, the targetmaster Waspinator, etc. Seems like it'd be reasonable to see Versus packs at Toys 'R Us or Target.

[Zeedust]

As for Hasbro, they're probably going to release Masterpiece Optimus Primal later next year, aren't they?

They should, but it's far from a sure thing. And aside from that, maybe some redecoes or straight-up repackages like you said, but I certainly don't expect any new molds, certainly nothing along the lines of what G1 gets basically every year at this point.

But I'm not bitter or anything.

[Stuartmaximus]

To be honest the next line I thought they were going to do after combiner wars was either a beast wars anniversary line or a line based on the plot currently in the comics were they are establishing contact with the different colonies ergo possibility for different styles within the line.

A Beast Wars anniversary line? Yeah, I wish. We got a couple BW figures in the 25th anniversary part of Universe, a small handful of them in Thrilling 30, so if the pattern holds, I'm not so sure they'll do more before 2019. They didn't do anything for the BW 15th, I'd be displeased but not surprised if they ignored the 20th too.

And isn't that second one kinda like Cybertron without the keys?

My sneaking suspicion is that BW will be part of a boxed set or will be the Souvenir set but not the whole thing

Oddly, what springs to mind there for me is a vehicle mode Bat Primal from Ratbat/Scourge and a vehicle mode Gatortron from Sgt. Kup.

Interestingly, based on the toy bios, this would probably position these characters as Beast Wars era incarnations (clones or otherwise) of G1 Prime and Megatron who underwent beast alterations. Or they might be repurposed as new characters.

I know there are other BW characters who might get decos but I suspect the con exclusives will veer towards the Bat/Gator homage while the club sub will get more popular characters from the show.

I was kinda talking about what Hasbro would do, not FunPub, but okay.

But since he brought it up, if Fun Pub were to do something BW-related for 2016, I could see them doing a Beast Wars: Uprising set to go along with more of that universe's storyline to come (at least three more text stories are coming, with the third one--counting the first two that already came out--being titled "Burning Bridges", and the fifth one called "Trigger Warnings" which will also include the Predacon Wolfang).

I can see that. I think it's more likely for the club than the con because I think the majority of both will be expected to tie in more to what Hasbro is doing (ala the combiner TFSS) AND balance out with a theme for the con which will be mostly non-beast and probably but not necessarily share a mold with something else they're doing.

I think Wolfang makes more sense for the sub.

I doubt the main set for Botcon will be beast themed. It'll have a couple of beasts thrown into a different theme (like this year, actually) or the beasts off as the souvenirs. I also think an eclectic draw character like you're talking about seems more like a sub figure.

I dunno. I see Alligatortron and Convobat being more likely as homages to the beginning of Beast Wars because it homages the BEGINNING and because the characters have the kind of oddball space that you see with General Prime or the Euro G1.5 characters. I don't see a huge IDW overlap generally and I think the sub is where you'd be more likely to see that.

It seems to me like sub characters are an easier place for one offs that don't fit a set and general collection fillers whereas the con tends to go for strong themes and real oddity homages like canceled figures or figures of dubious continuity.

As for Hasbro, they're probably going to release Masterpiece Optimus Primal later next year, aren't they?

Beyond that, maybe Fall of Cybertron Grimlock decoed (and with the new head mold we've seen) as Transmetal BW Megatron. I can see that with 10th anniversary Primal in a new deco in 1-2 exclusive packs alongside Generations Rhinox, Universe Cheetor, Generations Rattrap, Legends Blackarachnia, Universe Tankor, the targetmaster Waspinator, etc. Seems like it'd be reasonable to see Versus packs at Toys 'R Us or Target.

You get Wolfang with Construct Bot Bulkhead, did you not see my review of it on the Construct Bots page?

[MemphisR56]

Cross posting from another thread because it seems more relevant here:

The Hasbro art for Ultra Prime isn't the same as the Ultra Prime on the back of the box.



Most significantly, his right arm is Firefly in Dragstrip's colors.

Which is just so bizarre that I want it in plastic.

...

Just me?

Always looked more like an obvious Blastoff in blastoff colours. wings are on the legs, single tailfin not folded back on the outside of the arm.

And his left arm is Alphabravo in Vortex' colours.

*and* his right leg is Air Raid, who wasn't even in wave 1

*AND* his left leg is Skydive in Firefly's colours.


I remember hearing that they had originally only planned the line to last a year, so things they were going to do got extended out into 2 years.

That's why so many of the bots we're getting are repaints, they're basically filler waves to pad out the line because it's selling so well.

Maybe the Onslaught Scattershot wave was originally planned to be Wave 4 2015 and that's why Ultra Prime's original art has Vortex and Blastoff in it. It's a remnant of the original plans for 2015.

I wish I could remember the source where I heard that rumour, but there's so many of the damn things hanging around now it's hard to keep track.

[Sabrblade]

If Wolfang isn't a repaint of RiD Warrior Steeljaw, I'll be shocked. Furthermore, why Predacon Wolfang? He's a MAXIMAL, damnit! The only time he was a Predacon was when he was a new character with the same name for Takara's Beast Wars Telechroma series, because they were apparently OCD then about having equal numbers of good guys and bad guys in the line.

I think Wolfang makes more sense for the sub.

Back the track up there, guys. I never said Volfang was getting a toy. All I said was that the fifth BWU text story was gonna have him in it. There was no mention of a toy for Volfang. The second text story was about Buzzclaw and he got no new toy. Nor did any other Maximal or Predacon who showed up in the first two text stories beyond Lio Convoy (and the Autobot Eject). Volfang's gonna appear in the fifth story, but that's all we know. We don't know what role he'll play or how big said role of his will be. For all we know he could just be a background cameo or something.

Oh, and this is not the Maximal Wolfang/Howlinger, it IS the Predacon Volfang from BW Telemocha Series. Different guy, name's even spoken differently ("Volf" instead of "Wolf").

[D-Maximal_Primal]

Popping up late here, going through the stuff.

I firmly believe we will get a good "Computron" Come on guys! These are prototypes for toys coming out IN ALMOST A WHOLE YEAR! Bruticus will looks different, as will Scattershot and Sky Lynx. Yes, Victorion will too. If anything this is to gather a reaction. We didn't even see Defensor till what: February? I'm confident things will change.

I hope some parts of Scattershot change. The vehicle mode is good; the robot mode and combined mode needs some change. otherwise it's good.

So: If Bruticus and Sky Reign are combiners 1 and 2, who will be 3 and 4? Hopefully "computron", but that leaves 1 more to either make up or surprise us...

[Hellscream9999]

I think it would be really cool to see a Cybertron mudflap out of hotspot, or a decepticon wrecker-hook; anybody have any other cool re-uses of hotspot? (preferably decepticon, as there's plenty of autobot combiners right now)

[peaces]

grapple and art feather

[Sowndwave76]

Popping up late here, going through the stuff.

I firmly believe we will get a good "Computron" Come on guys! These are prototypes for toys coming out IN ALMOST A WHOLE YEAR! Bruticus will looks different, as will Scattershot and Sky Lynx. Yes, Victorion will too. If anything this is to gather a reaction. We didn't even see Defensor till what: February? I'm confident things will change.

I hope some parts of Scattershot change. The vehicle mode is good; the robot mode and combined mode needs some change. otherwise it's good.

So: If Bruticus and Sky Reign are combiners 1 and 2, who will be 3 and 4? Hopefully "computron", but that leaves 1 more to either make up or surprise us...

Great question... I really think Computron could be released next year...
No, I don't have any new "evidence". But it seems very possible, and pretty likely with the molds that are available for re-tooling.
And knowing there are going to be two more combiner teams...
*I get that one could be a torso figure with somewhat random figures for limbs.
But I also think that with how many molds are being re-used and re-tooled,
it doesn't seem too far out there to think there would be a combiner that uses at least 3-4 completely new molds at some point in 2016.

Is it known if the two mystery combiners are both made-up of 1 voyager and 4 delxues?
Could one of the "unknowns" be Titan class??

[william-james88]

Is it known if the two mystery combiners are both made-up of 1 voyager and 4 delxues?
Could one of the "unknowns" be Titan class??

"Titan Wars" related maybe. But not Titan Class, that will be one individual realease aside from the rest, like Devastator is.

[Sowndwave76]

Is it known if the two mystery combiners are both made-up of 1 voyager and 4 delxues?
Could one of the "unknowns" be Titan class??

"Titan Wars" related maybe. But not Titan Class, that will be one individual realease aside from the rest, like Devastator is.

Right, but is there a chance of a Titan class combiner release for next year?

So the two combiners we don't know about will be made of the the standard voyager w/ 4 deluxes??

[william-james88]

Is it known if the two mystery combiners are both made-up of 1 voyager and 4 delxues?
Could one of the "unknowns" be Titan class??

"Titan Wars" related maybe. But not Titan Class, that will be one individual realease aside from the rest, like Devastator is.

Right, but is there a chance of a Titan class combiner release for next year?

So the two combiners we don't know about will be made of the the standard voyager w/ 4 deluxes??

There is a certainty of a titan class figure next year but it is not confirmed whether or not it will be a combiner (like predaking) or another release more like Metroplex (fortmax). However, it wouldnt replace the voyager and deluxe slots.

But we cant just assume there will be four combiners like this year. Combiner Wars might just be for half a year, who knows. Last year they had told us that we would be getting 6 voyager class figures (Of which 4 had deluxes to go with them specifically) but we werent told the same this year. So who knows, Skyreign could be the last voyager class combiner figure (and maybe not). Did we even have 6 voyagers in the 2014 Hasbro schedule? Let me see... Rhinox, Doubledealer, Roadbuster, Whirl and Skybyte. Am I missing one? I just wanted to show that I dont think there is an established release pattern for amount of different figures in different classes per year (but maybe there is, so please let me know).

[peaces]

it's been confirmed there will be new combiner wars molds after sky reign

[Zeedust]

Cross posting from another thread because it seems more relevant here:

The Hasbro art for Ultra Prime isn't the same as the Ultra Prime on the back of the box.



Most significantly, his right arm is Firefly in Dragstrip's colors.

Which is just so bizarre that I want it in plastic.

...

Just me?

Always looked more like an obvious Blastoff in blastoff colours. wings are on the legs, single tailfin not folded back on the outside of the arm.

And his left arm is Alphabravo in Vortex' colours.

*and* his right leg is Air Raid, who wasn't even in wave 1

*AND* his left leg is Skydive in Firefly's colours.


I remember hearing that they had originally only planned the line to last a year, so things they were going to do got extended out into 2 years.

That's why so many of the bots we're getting are repaints, they're basically filler waves to pad out the line because it's selling so well.

Maybe the Onslaught Scattershot wave was originally planned to be Wave 4 2015 and that's why Ultra Prime's original art has Vortex and Blastoff in it. It's a remnant of the original plans for 2015.

I wish I could remember the source where I heard that rumour, but there's so many of the damn things hanging around now it's hard to keep track.

I was just going off what the TFwiki page says.

Did we even have 6 voyagers in the 2014 Hasbro schedule? Let me see... Rhinox, Doubledealer, Roadbuster, Whirl and Skybyte. Am I missing one?

You actually are: Brainstorm.

[william-james88]

it's been confirmed there will be new combiner wars molds after sky reign

No, it was confirmed there would be new molds. Hasbro said nothing about combiners, they were very sure to leave it as vague as possible. And they said it with the added line "we have to keep things fresh" . Which could go both ways. Either introducing new toys completely or new molds for combiners. But new combiner molds was never confirmed, if so please state your source.

[william-james88]

You actually are: Brainstorm.

AHA! Thanks. Know wy I forgot him? Because he still hasnt come to Canada. All we have right now for pre combiner wars voyagers is Roadbuster and Skybyte.

So it was indeed six interesting.

Oh and you are spot on with Scattershot being for Fall 2015. It was said back at Botcon and look how they changed it:



SDCC:






This gives me further evidence that he was always planned as a torso with no specific limb accompanyment.

[ZeroWolf]

Interesting that his release changed in such a small amount of time.

[King Kuuga]

Oh and you are spot on with Scattershot being for Fall 2015. It was said back at Botcon and look how they changed it:



SDCC:

There's no way they changed their minds on Scattershot's release period in the intervening weeks between Botcon and SDCC. We were told at SDCC or NYCC last year that Combiner Wars 2015 would have 16 deluxes and 6 voyagers, and ultimately through various channels we discovered what the second half of the year's releases would be before Hasbro told us, and Scattershot wasn't in '15. (I would attempt to verify these claims but Seibertron's event coverage links in the banner only take me to galleries, not the full panel rundowns, and the article archives are a mess to sort through.) I also seem to recall that we knew, fairly early on, that this theme would continue into 2016 with a further 16 deluxe and 6 voyager figures. I don't know why they showed Betatron's silhouette on a 2015 slide at Botcon, but that has to have been a mistake.
Anyway, assuming 2016 is exactly like 2015, we've seen exactly half of what we're getting: Two full combiners and an extra torso. We were promised new molds, which we can expect to see as the final two releases of the year.

[MemphisR56]

Interesting. Maybe it was supposed to be in a case with Battlecore prime?

Begs the question why is that no longer the case (pun not intended) and what will be packing in with prime in voyager wave 4.

Maybe they delayed him to give him more work?

[King Kuuga]

Battle Core Prime is probably two to a case, with one each of Hot Spot and Cyclonus with him.

[william-james88]

There's no way they changed their minds on Scattershot's release period in the intervening weeks between Botcon and SDCC. We were told at SDCC or NYCC last year that Combiner Wars 2015 would have 16 deluxes and 6 voyagers, and ultimately through various channels we discovered what the second half of the year's releases would be before Hasbro told us, and Scattershot wasn't in '15. (I would attempt to verify these claims but Seibertron's event coverage links in the banner only take me to galleries, not the full panel rundowns, and the article archives are a mess to sort through.) I also seem to recall that we knew, fairly early on, that this theme would continue into 2016 with a further 16 deluxe and 6 voyager figures. I don't know why they showed Betatron's silhouette on a 2015 slide at Botcon, but that has to have been a mistake.
Anyway, assuming 2016 is exactly like 2015, we've seen exactly half of what we're getting: Two full combiners and an extra torso. We were promised new molds, which we can expect to see as the final two releases of the year.

Yeah, even though we were talking about it all through this time, I discarded the fixed number of voyagers info and relied on the evidence in the presentation's dated which is probably a mistake, as you say. Any reason we should assume 2016 to be the same as 2015? I think there might be a changeup midway. They are introducing legends buzzsaw and we have seen links of Blaster and the two probably link up or interact in a way. If Titan Wars was indeed coming in 2017 so that Combiner Wars can have another full year, I dont think we would have gotten a leak this early, in both the toy image and the backdrop. If Titan Wars was 2017, it would only be announced at Botcon 2016, no?

[ThunderThruster]

Battle Core Prime is probably two to a case, with one each of Hot Spot and Cyclonus with him.

I thought that battle Core Prime (Voyager Wave 4) was coming packed with Motormaster?

[Hellscream9999]

Battle Core Prime is probably two to a case, with one each of Hot Spot and Cyclonus with him.

I thought that battle Core Prime (Voyager Wave 4) was coming packed with Motormaster?

It does case assortments are probably not subject to random changes like that, due to the figures needing to be made, packaging printed and cases formed. But this is a good way for people who missed out on MM to pick him up, as he is an excellent stand-alone figure, though he is very lackluster as a torso.

[william-james88]

Battle Core Prime is probably two to a case, with one each of Hot Spot and Cyclonus with him.

I thought that battle Core Prime (Voyager Wave 4) was coming packed with Motormaster?

It does case assortments are probably not subject to random changes like that, due to the figures needing to be made, packaging printed and cases formed. But this is a good way for people who missed out on MM to pick him up, as he is an excellent stand-alone figure, though he is very lackluster as a torso.

I love MM but regardless, you are totally right on the wave 4 assortment. Here is the actual case description:

Transformers Generations Combiner Wars Voyager Wave 4:
Build the next big thing! Transformers Generations Combiner Wars Voyager Wave 4 contains the central core of all combiners - each 8-inch robot transforms into a vehicle, or turns into the body of a combiner super-robot! Ages 8 and up.

Case of 2 individually packaged action figures includes:
1x Motormaster
1x TRA GEN VOY OPTIMUS MAXIMUS
(subject to change)