Animated toys released next week in America.

Hasbro's own online store in America is releasing the first wave of Animated toys for sale next week (25th March), three months before their retail release. Unfortunately it means us outside of America can't get them directly, and would need to organise through an American to get them (if desperately wanting them).
http://www.tfw2005.com/transformers-...t-week-164453/

Deluxes Cybertron Mode Optimus Prime, Bumblebee, Lockdown and Prowl will be $9.99 and Voyagers Starscream and Cybertron Mode Megatron will be $19.99. http://www.hasbrotoyshop.com/

It's looking more likely that the Animated toys were indeed originally planned to be released early 2008, but unforseen circumstances must have forced Hasbro to push back their release until June, despite producing the toys in time for the earlier release date.
Seeing packaged Transformers on ebay usually means that their retail release is only around the corner, so having heaps of Animated toys appear on ebay in the last month or so made it more puzzling that they were still three months away from official retail release.

BBTS.com has the first wave of TF:A figures up for preorder.

http://www.bigbadtoystore.com/bbts/menu.aspx?menu=1632

Release date is June.

This might be a good opportunity for those who wish to do group buys. Might not. However they retail for about half the price they cost here so it depends upon shipping charges and weather you want to go through the rigmarole or enjoy the challenge of the discount hunt associated with finding them here.

And now the good news, the Hasbrotoyshop.com pieces are really only pre-orders, the figures will not actually ship until June 2008, meaning the toys are all but sure to not arrive on shelves until then either.

If it's true that the listings put up on the website this week are pre-order listings... Ha ha hah haha hahahahh hahh hah..... :)
(makes me feel better that the americans aren't getting them months before the rest of us)

The BBTS case prices work out to be cheaper than AU sale price at least with the Deluxes.... and it appears to be an even assortment too.