Transformers Toy Rumours (must note a source)

[JJJ]

Photos of the altmode of the rumoured official MP Cliffjumper from a few weeks ago. Alt-mode looks nicely animation accurate. If licensed, it'll pave the way for an MP Jazz.

Why would it be licenced? It's the squashed-balloon cartoon version, not a real car.

[High_Q]

Why would it be licenced? It's the squashed-balloon cartoon version, not a real car.

Super-deformed MP-45 Bumblebee was licensed even though the altmode does not sport a VW logo, as were the Q-Transformers line from a few years back. It makes the items more expensive but maybe Takara worries about IP infringement, and also perhaps putting the car logo on the toy packaging increases sales.

[griffin]

Some more store listings of what could be from next year's toyline...

• Iguanus ($9.99)
• Shockwave ($8.49)
• Shockwave ($9.99)
• Skywarp ($9.99)
• Energon Monster ($22.99)
• Jhaxus (Jhiaxus) ($29.99)
• Wild Rider ($22.99)

[JJJ]

Iguanus is ... intriguing.

That's the core class price point, so this'll be something tiny with relatively poor articulation. But why revive that character as a core class toy?

Pretenders were a stupid concept; even as a kid I could spot it. And it wasn't just the implementation that was limited by the technology of the day. But apparently lots of people have a soft spot for them.

Is there a plan to revive the pretender toys? Perhaps as a core class toy inside a toy of a larger class? If so, would it just be a shell, or would it be a fully transforming toy on its own? Perhaps if the core robot is sold separately, this is being done as a mix-and-match thing, much like the idea of being able to swap the titan-masters and prime-masters around (did anyone actually do that?).

As stupid as I think the 80s idea was, Hasbro these days does seem to know how to make toys that are playable and appeal to people. I really don't see the attraction of the fossilisers, but hey, look at them sell

[JJJ]

Oh, okay, one of the leakers who works somewhere within Hasbro has confirmed that the core class toy is it, the entirety of pretender Iguanus. The robot will look like the old shell, and the alt-mode will look like the old vehicle mode. Really not sure how that'll work at core class size.

Heh. Oddly enough, now I'm a little disappointed that they didn't take the two-part option. Would at least have been interesting to see...

[DELTAprime]

Time to throw out my POTP Pretenders. Also, Wildrider is a concern. Are they doing another full Menasor?

[JJJ]

Also, Wildrider is a concern. Are they doing another full Menasor?

Yes, we've known about new Stunticons for something over 6 months now. Well, as much as we can know given our sources are leakers. Anyway, Motormaster is next year's commander class toy (because of the unique cars-on-a-frame nature of Menasor), and the rest of the team will be deluxes. This much appears to be certain at this point. The rest of the rumour is that there will be one combiner team per year, scattered throughout the waves.