I very recently bought some Transformers Prime - First Edition figures on eBay. The blue packaging is also used by TakaraTomy, with from what I can see just a sticker in Japanese on the bubble to differentiate from the Hasbro release. But the figures seemed to be quite scarce (perhaps not the Deluxe size figures) and I was unable to find Voyager Megatron as a First Edition, only as a Transformers Prime: Robots In Disguise toy in white and red packaging (see example). Does this mean the First Edition packaging was a failed attempt or just some marketing ploy? Will we for example see the very short-lived Cliffjumper in Transformers Prime: Robots In Disguise packaging?

The First Edition line was offered to retailers as a very limited release to tease the Prime line and only a handful of characters were made part of it. (Entertainment pack with Deluxe Optimus Prime, Megatron & the kids. Voyager Optimus & Bulkhead as well as deluxes of Bumblebee, Arcee, Starscream, Cliffjumper and Deluxe Megatron and Vehicon as standalone releases in Japan). As it turns out, only Toys'R'Us in North America and a handfull of retailers in Asia ended up picking up the line. Hence why the FE toys are a bit scarce and often overpriced.

The RID line is meant to be the fullblown Prime toyline. We didn't even know that a Voyager Megatron existed until it appeared in RID packaging. It seems as if most characters are either getting remolds from their FE counterparts or entirely new molds. The RID Voyager Optimus is for example completely different from the FE Voyager. Same goes for Deluxe Bumblebee and Arcee appears to be following suit.

I don't think we'll see the FE Cliffjumper mold in RID packaging, as there's already a new Cliffjumper in that line. If we do see the first mold it'll most likely be the Terrorcon zombie version. Unless that has been scrapped entirely.

People seems to be rather pissed off: http://www.seibertron.com/transformers/new...hipments/23825/

Wow... Some people over there are taking plastic toys WAY too seriously. While I agree that the cancellation sucks (I still need Arcee, Bumblebee, Bulkhead and the Entertainment pack, and the prices have already gone up ), there's no reason to cry bloody murder over it... At the end of the day they're toys and not a life necessity.

I'm looking forward to an official explanation at Botcon though. Unless we get one before that. Most likely it has to do with the dwindling sales of DOTM and the decision to launch Prime as a full blown line, as opposed to just a handful of figures that were to be inserted into Generations.

Yeah, whatever happened to the DOTM line? Only now is finally Human Alliance Soundwave (the AMG Mercedes) coming out and I have yet to see the Target-exclusive Deluxe Leadfoot around (the TakaraTomy version is fortunately available on eBay, for a price). I do understand why people (ie. collectors) are upset by Hasbro cancelling the TF Prime First Edition toy line; I have to admit I liked the blue cards and boxes more than the white and red RID versions. And with the reported changes you mention, including several figures possibly not being released in the RID line in their original conception, I too would go for TakaraTomy if I had to. I did get hold of most of the First Edition figures, but I'm missing the Deluxe Megatron, Deluxe Vehicon and possibly Deluxe Soundwave (I believe I saw the latter being allegedly released by TakaraTomy, but I have not found one on eBay. Or I missed the window of opportunity). I hope any changes they make to the figures are just purely cosmetic and that it has nothing to do with quality control issues.

PS! The new Transformers Prime: Robots In Disguise packaging looks rather similar to TakaraTomy's striking Transformers United packaging. Could be this is better at capturing the interest of potential buyers (young AND old(er))?

PS (2)! This sight could perhaps ease our worries on the Cliffjumper situation. Looks very much the same as the First Edition, at least on the outside. Not sure what they mean by "Revealers", but it seems to be the Deluxe size class. The Voyager Megatron has a "Powerizer" sub-name attached to it because of built-in electronic features, so I'm taking a guess (probably could have verified this by googling a bit, but I'm feeling lazy at the moment ).

The Revealers and Powerizers are the new names for the size classes (completely illogical...). Also, so far, all of the RID Prime toys have been crap compared to their FE counterparts. And they're even smaller!

Is it like the "DOTM" treatment, ie. the figures were shrinked from previous movie versions and the weapons got bigger? I don't know what they hope to gain by making the figures smaller, but I guess it's an economical strategy behind this. It will make assembly fiddlier, so I guess we could be in for more future quality control issues.

How much crappier are the RID Prime toys compared to the FE Prime toys, other than RID being smaller?

Revealers Bumblebee is smaller, has a new head, less paint, and the chest area is completely ruined by an automorph feature. The FE version looks better and is vastly more accurate.
Powerizer Prime is again smaller, new head, elongated arms, less paint, and has translucent parts seemingly placed at random. The FE version wins again.
I don't know about Cliffjumper. I haven't had a chance to compare those two yet.
The best RID remake I've seen so far is the Vehicon, but I won't know for sure until I actually have it in-hand

Thanks for the run-down! I too was completely flabber-gasted at the new (what I've now learned to be) size class definitions. Now *there's* some mighty fine confusion for old and new fans alike...

OK, then I'm convinced I made the right choice, even if the FE figures are more expensive. Thanks, buddy !

Oh, I see. That's too bad. Maybe I will get a Vehicon atleast.

And I agree with Fighbird and everyone else that the new class names are confusing.

The new Prime Revealers are smaller than DOTM deluxes, so they've downscaled the toys twice in less than a year now.


EDIT: New name for Leader Class is Weaponizer.

Comparison between FE and RID Cliffjumper:

http://www.seibertron.com/energonpub/downl...6&mode=view

FE CJ is the same size as DOTM deluxe figures, which in turn were downsized from ROTF. The RID Revealers are between old scouts and deluxes in size now.

I don't really understand why they have to make the toys smaller and smaller. It seems rather unnecessarily if you ask me. :/

I would guess production costs. We are in turbulent economic times with raw materials fluctuating in price, especially oil, and with toys being luxury items in general, it's no wonder downsizing (pun intended) is a sign of the times.

Weaponizer Optimus Prime looks to be packing shoulder-mounted cannons. Hm....

To quote BW "Well this is just Prime!".
That's it, I'd had it! I'm not buying any new transformers, period. From now on, it's strikly second hand market for me.

You have to look it in wider perspective. Take the G1 deluxes for example. Those are comparable to the scout size nowadays. The ones we consider deluxe have been pretty big compared to the G1 deluxes. Then of course the deluxes already got bigger, when all the Diaclone/Microman molds were used up, not to mention the loss of articulation. Just to say bigger isn't always better.

Haven't really compared G1 toys to other lines, so I'm not 100% how the differences in size were. But yeah, I guess you're right.
Bigger isn't always better. But what I have heard here so doesn't the new smaller Prime toys seem good, unless I have one in hand hand, for they may still be good in their own way.