The Transformers Brand Team held a Google Hangout earlier this week where they revealed some new items and initiatives set for the rest of the year into 2016. There was a lot of big news, of which you can see high res pictures of after the break. The short version is as follows:
Fortress Maximus confirmed
Titan fan vote – Omega Supreme vs. Trypticon vs. Scorponok
G2 Bruticus boxset
Leader class Powermaster Optimus Prime
New Minicon type for RID
New product line – Alt-Modes
Read on to check out images and details!
Generations: Fortress Maximus Confirmed
Way back at Botcon 2015 we saw hints at Fortress Maximus via some artwork on display at the booth. Various rumors and leaks have surfaced since then, but now it’s official. Fortress Maximus is coming in 2016 in the Titan Class scale. He looks to be a heavy remold of Metroplex. Only artwork was shown, see the attached images below.
Update – additional artwork added courtesy of Hasbro Pulse.
Vote for the next Titan Class Figure
Starting November 24th on the official Transformers Facebook Page (Facebook.com/Transformers), fans will be able to cast a vote for which of the following fan-favorite characters should be added to the line:
Scorponok
Trypticon
Omega Supreme
Starting on 11/20, fans will be treated to campaign-style posts featuring each of the three characters, leading up to the official voting post, which will go up on 11/24 at 1 pm EST. The vote will be active from 1:00 PM EST to 3:00 AM EST. Fans will be able to vote in the comments section of the post.
Additionally, this will be the first Transformers Fan Vote that will include fans from China. Chinese fans will be voting on WeChat, and their vote totals will be joined with the Facebook vote totals to determine the winner, whose identity will be shared with fans in the near future.
The winner is planned for release in Fall 2017.
Generations: G2 Bruticus Box Set Confirmed
Bruticus will also be getting the G2 treatment to go along with Menasor and Superion in boxset form. All the funky colors are present, and he will come with Shockwave, featuring his Actionmaster deco. No word on where he will be available, exclusive or not.
Generations: Leader Class Optimus Prime Confirmed
The second Leader figure to go along with Blaster in the Titans Returns line next year will be none other than Powermaster Optimus Prime. He comes with a Headmaster Apex, the Powermaster / Engine angle is not present, tho references to the old school figure’s gimmick is present in robot mode. He is a super heavy retool of Leader Class Ultra Magnus. He is also a triple changer with a base mode like Blaster.
Update – additional artwork added courtesy of Hasbro Pulse.
Robots In Disguise: New Minicons and Deployers
RID will be getting several new offerings next year. Battle Packs which feature an almost-Warrior scale figure (between commander and warrior) and Minicon, with Energon like weapons and armor that then combine into a big super weapon. Drift and Overload get the Deployers treatment and interact with a new type of Minicon – Cyclones. We will also be getting a Minicon 4 Pack with Blizzard and Desert themes. Check all the pics below, waves and names are in the file names / captions. All due out in early 2016.
ALT-Modes: New Line
A new sub-line of Generations will be hitting called ALT-Modes which feature a tiny body and giant head, that does transform with a one step action. The giant head just rests on the tiny body / alt mod regardless of the mode. A mix of bobble heads, POP! and those Burger King Movie toys from a couple years ago. Looks to focus on G1 characters and should provide ample character shelf filler. These will be available via blind box.
We were able to ask some questions as well, here is a summary of what was asked and answered (paraphrased from audio recording):
TFW2005: Might there be a possibility of seeing some homages to other Transformers shows such as Beast Wars, the original Robots in Disguise, or Transformers Armada in the future?
Yes, nothing specific mentioned. Generations is a place to celebrate all versions of Transformers past, and they are aware of the anniversaries next year (86 Movie, Beast Wars, OGRID). Generations can be the place to celebrate those beyond the Titans Return story line.
TFW2005: Any characters the team would liked to have done but couldn’t for timing, cost, or other reasoning?
Answers swung into the Titans offered in the vote, all members mentioned one or the other. Biggest challenge long term is getting the figures they want to do in the proper scale.
We also slid in a strong request for Brave Max before asking our question. 🙂
TFW2005 – Takara Tomy Groove – any plans to bring him over?
Long pause, looks. Anything they do is up for grabs, they follow the chatter, nothing planned at the moment, they love Groove, keep an eye out.
BWTF – Most challenging piece to design out of all the ones you’ve shown.
RID – Weapon play, making them more than just a static weapon, the combining aspect.
Fort Max – size, weight, working with rest of line in base modes, layers upon layers of challenges.
ASM – How has switching from combiners to “Masters” / city modes changed the design process?
Dealing with base inter-connectivity, the miniature aspect of the characters, cockpit size across figures, being able to mine characters from late 80s. Head scale, went back and forth with Takara in relation to having them work across scales and figuring best size. Helmet gimmick addresses them being used on multiple class figures.
Seibertron – Repaint opportunities – Metrotitan, Black Zarak if Scorponok is done, etc.
Definitely possible, either from past lore or even current IDW series as there are Titans out there who haven’t been discovered yet. None yet planned. Metrotitan was talked about already and may be looked at in future.
Seibertron – Decision to not do Powermasters properly, the engine master etc?
Lots of “Masters” types in 80s. Wanted to make sure new fans could understand and they wanted to utilize a universal system in these new toys.
TRV – Any plans for more Masterpiece Decepticons?
Nothing that can be revealed at this time.
TFU – RID – Minicons on Auto / Decepticon sprue in slides?
Slides were reversed, Autobots will come on Autobot sprues, and vice versa, at retail.
BWTF – Are the RID armored Prime / Sideswipe Warrior class?
Little smaller, tried to keep articulation, comparable to old Commander, little bigger. Warrior style figure with the transforming weapons. Can hold (a pose) with weapon regardless of how big the weapon is.
TRV – CybertronCon – re-branding for Botcon or something else?
Hasbro looks to protect their trademarks as aggressively as they can – toys, characters or events around the world. Wanted to make sure it was protected in Asia. Committed to providing a fan experience around the world going forward, including Botcon 2016.
Seibertron – Overlord please. Can’t do PM OP without Overlord.
Laughs around the panel.
TFU – Victory Hill – will it affect Botcon?
Goal is to provide experience in all different forms. Children’s museum, traveling exhibits in Latin America, Casino stuff, Animatronic tour. It is not a fan convention, it’s an installment as seen with their other offerings for Avengers. Don’t see it replacing a fan convention, different experience.
TRV – Any more word on Machinima plans?
Nothing to announce at the moment. Machinima team is great, really understand Transformers. Should see a cross over with the toys and vice versa.
Statement from Jerry Jivoin – leaving main team, becoming head of marketing for Hasbro Italy, wants to say thanks to all the fans he’s met at the Conventions, excited for the brand and believes it’s in good hands.
TFW2005 would like to say thanks to the Transformers Brand Team and HPR for doing the Hangout and giving us some goods before Toy Fair 2016!
ZacWilliam
The dates we are given are always "saturation dates." They are the dates by which Hasbro expects the toys to be at pretty much every retailer in the country. Generally, although this varies, you can expect the first sightings a month or two before the Official saturation date.
-ZacWilliam, so Summer is accurate for what Hasbro is trying to say with that date, it's just some folks will get lucky and find them on the build up before then.
Hanzkaz
Has Wave 4 Battle Core Optimus turned up around there? I haven't seen any sign of him.
Raiyuki
Obviously not the retailers in my area seeing as the 84 Autobots and Grooves are the only thing I can find.
Purple Heart
Yep.
Sammael
Good thing is, in the US, "summer" means late March/early April.
OriginalFire
What a bummer, oh well. Thank for letting me know
God Ginrai
Titans Return is supposed to begin this summer.
OriginalFire
Anybody know when Powermaster Prime is coming out, I haven't heard anything in a while so I thought I would ask. I'm guessing within the next three months
EagleTron
That pmop looks real good to me. That the best cybertronian Optimus I have seen in a while.
8bitboy
Haha! Really creative! Love the Magnus Turret idea for Minimus! I was about to post my image as well after getting back home. Wanted to try the base mode on my Magnus as well!
Tada!
Anyway I like the look of PMOP. We'll see how he turns out after release
Nevermore
Europe (not just "the UK") didn't get Combiner Wars wave 2 at least in part because retailers over here stocked wave 1 in such large quantities that you can still find wave 1 figures warming shelves at some stores to this very day.
009*
I'm actually curious to see if Hasbro will release a figure to make the Apex Armor. Looks like some of the box art alludes to that.
Powerglide1991
Urm, wrong.
They have said that Deceptions generally sell less than Autobots, but by no means does that mean they think kids don't buy villain toys.
Yeh sure you never really see Decepticon centric waves (which is why i think us in the UK didn't get CW wave 2) but it's not as if it doesn't happen, we still got CW Leader wave 1, (Megs and Armada Megs)
Where you got that notion from is beyond me, if Hasbro thought this we would never have Decepticon figures, if anything the cons are gaining more popularity.
Automorpher
Could happen I guess.
Torque
Anyone else look at Powermaster Prime and cant help but see Thunderclash?
general saberwi
It's not just you, I have observed this to. I actually weighed some of my leader class figures, and UM weighs almost 25% less than a 2011 leader figure. And, what's more, they're making the hollowing more and more prominent. On UM, I thought they got it better by having the hollow area on the thighs face rearwards, but nope, on PM Prime they had to put it on the inside, where it is blatantly on display. I don't understand it, and I don't like it. I haven't lost interest in Transformers, except for the part that the quality is going down, and I don't want to give hasbro money if they keep doing that. I don't know for sure, but it seems as if the brand is being run by somebody who doesn't understand what makes Transformers great, or even work.
That aside, looking at the figures, I am still quite ambivalent to RID2015 as a whole, as I feel it manages to come of even worse in terms of quality. But, at least they finally made some Deployers figures that actually look good in alt mode.
Aside from Blast Off, the Combaticons look great. So, the Unite Warriors version will be even better, and might have a new Blast Off. I'm waiting for the reveal of that before I make a decision.
I'm eagerly awaiting pictures of the actual figure, but if the art is any indication, Fortress Maximus is probably going to be great.
And last, and certainly least, Optimus Prime. I'm a bit tired of all the remolding, and what is up with this figure? I feel like it's even more hollow and empty than the base mold, and they somehow manage to keep all of UM's flaws, and add a bunch of new ones. The cost cutting is getting out of control, and this figure is just a symptom. I just feel there shouldn't be any reason for this to happen, but I simply don't know enough to say for sure. YMMV, but I find this figure to not be worth my money. As a bonus, other than a half arsed base mode that looked like it was thought up in 2 minutes, in spite of homaging Powermaster Optimus Prime, it share none of the features that made that figure interesting. No detachable cab, no cab robot, not even a good vehicle mode.
mikequillm
SkyLynx for me too as far as hasbro is concerned. Was an awesome toy as a kid
Rodimus
Seriously, if that's the case why are they asking for a vote between 2 Decepticons? Deal with that… and go back to trolling a bridge rather than TFW.
What he said.
dec0y13
Those bobblehead TF's are about the dumbest things I've seen!
All of RID is STILL a big pass for me.
and… Is it just me, or are Transformers getting crazy hollow in general since the thrilling 30 line? (Ultra Mag seems to have the same amount of plastic as a deluxe.)
The Powermaster Prime is just a crazy Ultra hollow, Ultra disappointing UltraMagnus remold. (Same hollow guns, same super-cheap wheels and I'm sure from the back the figure is pretty terrible. Same as Ultra Mag.)
OK, the good!
I'm Supper happy to see the FortMax. I hope it's an extensive enough re-tool to make him distinct from Metroplex. I need more pics on that guy!
I'm happy to see Shockwave. Is he small? yeah, but now he's a good weapon for combiners. It does look like a really handsome mold
There is a good chance I'll grab the Blaster (even though the cassette's/Smartphones look pretty terrible)
Still, The biggest thing for me this coming year I think is gonna be SkyLynx! (he looks super promising) Whoot!