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[Nekoman]

The Transformers Collector's Club's store has listed preorders for the first wave of 2011 Transformers we've been seeing over the past few days. This serves as our first look at the "Reveal the Shield" packaging that figures will be sold in starting near 2011. Click here for Jazz and Fallback and here for Mindset and Turbo Tracks.

[Megazarak]

So I thought that Reveal the Shield would entail rubsigns on the figures, so does that mean that Mindset and Fallback will have them too? That's fine by me if that's the case. It also looks like there are no factions indicated on the box, so I guess it's almost supposed to be a surprise as to what faction which character belongs to (at least to those who don't know very much about the more classic TF characters) when you 'rub' the signs.

[NuclearConvoy]

Packaging sort of looks like an intermediary in design concept between HFTD and Generations.

[Hairball178]

That must've been why they didn't go with names like "Autobot" Jazz & "Autobot" Tracks...they were too obvious.

[ashe5k]

'Reveal the Shield'? That's the best they could come up with for this?

I like the concept, I really do but it just seems... hokey and outdated seeing it splashed across the packaging like that.

Makes me glad they won't be staying in their packages when I get them.

[OptiMagnus]

Looks great! Kind of Allspark Power-esque.

[Overcracker]

O.K. so after Revenge of the Fallen, NEST Global Alliance, Hunt for the Decepticons, now we have: Reveal the Shield sub line.

Which will encompass both ROTF style figures and Generations style figures. So what's the criteria they follow to be in this sub-sub-sub line and not in Generations?

[Sabrblade]

I am not liking what I am seeing.

On one hand, this looks like they are deciding to merge the Generations line into the main 2010 line instead of keeping them separate like they currently are.

On the other hand, this looks like an entirely new line born out of the above-mentioned line blending.

And both hands are unappealing. Why can't they just keep the two lines going as they already are? They've barely been out in the stores long enough to warrant such a radical change. It's like Hasbro can't go two months without decidign to revamp everything they've already established.

And how will this affect the Autobot Alliance line and the upcoming United line? Are the Japanese going to have to hand pick out each figure to divide them up, instead of just going in the same flow as the U.S. lines like normal? That's a little extra work for them on their part.

[LOST Cybertronian]

O.K. so after Revenge of the Fallen, NEST Global Alliance, Hunt for the Decepticons, now we have: Reveal the Shield sub line.

Which will encompass both ROTF style figures and Generations style figures. So what's the criteria they follow to be in this sub-sub-sub line and not in Generations?

It seems to me that they are combining Generations and HFTD into this one line. Instead of two lines, we get this one.

[WeatherManNX01]

I get the feeling that select Classics-styled toys will appear in the Reveal the Shield promo, while others (Perceptor, Wreck-Gar) will still be in Generations packaging. I don't think they're fully merging the lines, just co-opting a few figures for the promo.

[Vicalliose]

Is this their idea of being clever and fresh? Ugh...
Rub symbols have been around since friggin G1! Why promote them on the box? Heck, why even use them?! They're garish, annoying, and they're usually either too sensitive or not sensitive enough.

I can understand that they probably have to combine HFTD with Generations for budget cuts. But why the useless tack on? Do they really lack that much creativity?

[Seibertron]

This lack of a "primary" parent line is going to kill my database. I was fine with "Generations" and "Hunt for the Decepticons" but now I'm not sure how this is going to work, especially with Movie characters in the same line with "Classics" characters. Everything for the past 26 years has fit perfectly in a series, but now ... ugh!

I'm refusing to call these the "Transformers 2010" and "Transformers 2011" lines for the time being.

[morphobots]

Is this their idea of being clever and fresh? Ugh...
Rub symbols have been around since friggin G1! Why promote them on the box? Heck, why even use them?! They're garish, annoying, and they're usually either too sensitive or not sensitive enough.

I can understand that they probably have to combine HFTD with Generations for budget cuts. But why the useless tack on? Do they really lack that much creativity?

As NBC once said, if you didn't see it the first time, it's new to you. Meaning: (1) kids today are too young to even know what rubsigns are, and (2) they're hoping the rest of us are too old and senile to remember Mini-Spies, the original "Reveal the Shield" faction guessing game. While I thought rubsigns were cool as a kid, I agree they have no place in today's lines as they don't fit the asthetics. Then again, I also don't understand why Habsro applied Animated faction signs as gold and silver.

[sabrigami]

Can't say I care too much about those rub stickers, but I'm just happy to see more classics Tfs. I personally couldn't care if it's one line or two, as long as there's of generations figures in there somewhere.

I also think that by combining the two lines they are probably going to save on shelf space at least. Which is great because my local TRU doesn't even have any space on the shelves for Generations atm because of HftD and other lines.

[Flashwave]

Seibs, I wouldn't worry about movie figures being in this, if yo can do a reference link to their original movie release, then great, otherwise just treat them like bleed-over figures into the Generations Line, like Cryotek became RID.

It does seem Odd that Hasbro pulled out a new card backing for the rubsign figs, but I kinda like them. For one, it gets around (almost) the fact that robots in disguise have their logos tatooed to them. Though, now all you have to do is look for a black faction-shaped blob, but still. No LOOK! IT has AUTOBOT! I MUST SHOOT IT!

[Wolfman Jake]

So, am I to assume that upcoming voyager figures Grapple and Lugnut, as well as scout figures like Windcharger and various announced repaints from ROTF/HFTD will also fall under this continuity-ambiguous packaging? I'm getting the sense that the first half of 2011 Transformers figures will follow this pattern:

After X-mas, when stores reset their toy ailses and reallocate shelf space, "Reveal the Shield" will indeed be a consolidation measure for Hasbro. They'll burn off the last few "Movie 2" figures in the pipeline and then let that branch of the franchise rest until Summer 2011 when the third movie and its specific line eventually launch. During that movie toy haitus, when sales are probably going to slide a bit and the need for supply will drop, the rest of the Generations figures that have been announced will fill the gap, probably counting on nostalgic fans to buy up a sizeable portion of the supply. Then Generations (AKA Classics) will go on haitus yet again while the "Movie 3" figures have a year to dominate the Transformers shelves once more, with expanded shelf space, end caps, and special displays to boast increased supply to meet the latest surge of movie-inspired demand.

It may be a logistical nightmare for those of us who are very detail oriented about exactly which character representations fit where, etc., but it's a very smooth strategy on Hasbro's part. Ultimately, the collectors probably win too, as the "Reveal the Shield" promo will likely get the product most of us want (more "Classics" figures) on the shelves faster than if they were competing for shelf space with the tail end of the HFTD toys. That means no filler refreshes of previously released HFTD toys would be needed to fill out a case assortment, and so there would be fewer peg warmers to clutter the shelves. Also, there would be no preferrential ordering of "Movie" figures over "Classics" figures for stores with limited shelf space.

[Noideaforaname]

Wait, is Lugnut going to be in this? He'd be the last TF I'd expect to hide his (GLORIOUS) allegiance.

[Wolfman Jake]

Wait, is Lugnut going to be in this? He'd be the last TF I'd expect to hide his (GLORIOUS) allegiance.

I'm assuming so, as there wouldn't be any other likely Decepticon wavemate to accompany Autobots Grapple and Strafe. I'm pretty sure that Highbrow and The Fallen comprise wave 3 of HFTD Voyager toys. The only other voyagers in the pipeline are Grapple, Strafe, and Lugnut.

[kirbenvost]

Weird. I wish they'd stuck with red packaging as I think it looks a whole lot better, but other than that I don't really care one way or another. Bring on the classics-styled TFs!

[Seibertron]

I might just do a "Reveal The Shield" subline under the "Classics Universe" and a "Reveal The Shield" subline under the Movie Universe, and then have a separate parent "Reveal The Shield" line. A figure such as Classics Scout class Windcharger would have the parent "Reveal The Shield" category selected as well as the Classics subline "Reveal The Shield", that way you can find it either way on the site.

Hopefully, in due time, there will an all encompassing title for Generations, Hunt for the Decepticons, and Reveal The Shield ala "Unicron Trilogy" or "Beast Era" or "Generation One". Time will tell ...

[cartoonconvoy]

From the photos of China Cybertron Con, Perceptor should be under the "Reveal the Shield" toyline. I think most probably Wreck-Gar will also come under this line.

As for scourge will be under generations line

[NIVINCo]

It would be weird if Generations is only a 10-figure line.

[Pretender Skywarp]

We should have seen something like this coming. We have had a tonne of figs revealed/confirmed over the last few weeks with zero announcements about waves and case assortments.

Looks like this is why?

[Cyber Bishop]

Can't say I care too much about those rub stickers, but I'm just happy to see more classics Tfs. I personally couldn't care if it's one line or two, as long as there's of generations figures in there somewhere.

I could not agree with you more!

[cartoonconvoy]

It would be weird if Generations is only a 10-figure line.

There will be some more figures which are not revealed as Hasbro always say "it is too early to talk about the plan for next year"....They also said that the Generations line is for long term right.....