View source for Help:Franchise identifiers

The terminology used on this Wiki to refer to each "era" of Transformers is as follows. Note that these are ''franchise'' or more crudely "toyline" distinctions, not continuity distinctions.

New series identifiers will be added as needed, after being agreed upon by a consensus of users.

Many objects, ideas, or entities will have articles which apply in whole or in part to many continuities, sometimes even across continuity family boundaries. Examples include [[energon]] and [[Vector Sigma]]. In general, these entries should be inclusive of all relevant continuities, discussing their commonalities first, followed by details of each in turn. It is not neccessary to have separate articles for Vector Sigma's Generation 1 and ''Beast Machines'' incarnations, for example. In fact, the entry is better served by incorporating and synthesizing as much information as possible. Such inclusive articles, obviously, do not need a continuity signifier in their title.

==Hasbro franchises==
*'''[[The Transformers (franchise)|Generation 1]]''', abbreviated '''G1'''.
**This includes most Transformers material produced worldwide between 1984 and 1992.
**This also includes the newer "Generation 1" comics from companies such as Dreamwave and IDW, as well as Generation 1 toy reissues and any new characters introduced by those stories or toys, such as [[Sunstorm (G1)|Sunstorm]] and the [[G1 GoBots]].
**Although ''[[Transformers: Alternators|Alternators]]'' and ''[[Robotmasters (franchise)|Robotmasters]]'' are part of the Generation 1 continuity family, they are new franchises ''within'' that continuity and as such are labelled differently.

*'''''[[Transformers: Generation 2 (franchise)|Generation 2]]''''', abbreviated '''G2'''.
**For the purposes of this Wiki, the ''Generation 2'' television series is treated as no different than the Generation 1 series.
**Includes [[BotCon 1994]] exclusive toy [[Breakdown (G1)|Breakdown]], although the ''character'' is the same as Generation 1 Breakdown.

*'''''[[Beast Wars: Transformers (franchise)|Beast Wars]]''''', abbreviated '''BW'''.
**Excludes the ''Animorphs'' subline, but includes ''[[Transformers: Mutant Beast Wars| Mutant Beast Wars]]''.
**Includes all BotCon exclusive toys from 1995–2001, except for Apelinq. BotCon-original characters from this time period are considered ''Beast Wars'' characters—despite being later incorporated into ''Universe''—because they originated with toys and stories that were branded as ''Beast Wars''.

*'''''[[Machine Wars: Transformers|Machine Wars]]''''', abbreviated '''MW'''.

*'''''[[Beast Machines: Transformers (franchise)|Beast Machines]]''''', abbreviated '''BM'''.
**Includes the first (non-Wal-Mart [[exclusive]]) [[Dinobot (BM)|Dinobots]] subline.
**Includes [[BotCon 2000]] exclusive toy/character [[Apelinq (BM)|Apelinq]].

*'''''[[Transformers: Robots in Disguise (2001 franchise)|Robots in Disguise]]''''', abbreviated '''RID''' or '''RID 2001''' if necessary to distinguish it from the 2015 franchise.
**Includes the "main" ''Robots in Disguise'' line from 2001/2002 as well as a variety of [[redeco]]es that were released under the same brand name after the main line ended.

*'''''Universe''''', not abbreviated.
**Both the [[Transformers: Universe (2003 franchise)|2003]] and [[Transformers: Universe (2008 franchise)|2008]] franchises use this disambiguation tag. A date should only be added when absolutely necessary, such as with [[Air Raid (Universe 2003)|Air Raid]] and [[Air Raid (Universe 2008)|Air Raid]].
**As well as the widely-available redeco lines, this includes BotCon/OTFCC exclusives from 2002–2004. (The name first appeared in 2002 as "Expanded Universe".)
**The fandom often uses the abbreviation "TFU" for this line, but it is this Wiki's policy not to abbreviate one-word franchise names in article titles. "TFU" is not acceptable within the text of articles.

*'''''[[Transformers: Dinobots|Dinobots]]''''', the Wal-mart exclusive line, not abbreviated.

*'''''[[Transformers: Armada (franchise)|Armada]]''''', not abbreviated.

*'''''[[Transformers: Energon (franchise)|Energon]]''''', not abbreviated.

*'''''[[Transformers: Cybertron (franchise)|Cybertron]]''''', not abbreviated.
**Includes the comic story published in [[Fun Publications]]' fan club magazine from issue 1 (Feb/Mar 05) through 12 (Dec06/Jan07), as indicated by the logo at beginning of each story.

*'''[[Unicron Trilogy]]''', abbreviated '''UT'''.
**This is a meta-franchise encompassing the above three franchises (''Armada'', ''Energon'', and ''Cybertron''). Article titles should generally not be disambiguated as "UT" but instead by the subject's specific franchise of origin. "UT" is not acceptable within the text of articles or in their titles.

*'''''[[Transformers Timelines (fiction)|Timelines]]''''', not abbreviated.
**Includes BotCon material (both toys and fiction) starting in 2005 and going forward.
**Only used in article names when absolutely necessary (ex. [[Dirge (Timelines)]]).

*'''''[[Transformers: Alternators|Alternators]]''''', not abbreviated.
**''Binaltech'' story material and ''Binaltech''-exclusive toys are not part of ''Alternators''.

*'''''[[Transformers: Classics|Classics]]''''', not abbreviated.
**Includes all toys released in ''Classics''-style packaging, even if the word "classics" does not appear on that packaging. For example, the Magnus/Skywarp "Battle for Autobot City" versus set is included here.
**Includes the comic story published in [[Fun Publications]]' fan club magazine from issue 13 (Feb/Mar07) to issue 18 (Dec07/Jan08) and other stories, as indicated by the logo at beginning of each story.

*'''[[Movie (franchise)|Movie]]''', not abbreviated.
**The franchise surrounding the 2007 live-action movie.

*'''''[[Transformers Animated (franchise)|Animated]]''''', abbreviated '''TFA'''.
**Franchise with a new visual style starting in 2008.

*'''''[[1-2-3 Transformers]]''''' and '''''[[Transformers: Go-Bots (franchise)|Go-Bots]]'''''.
**The former can be abbreviated as '''123''', the latter should simply be called '''Go-Bots'''. Note that '''Go-Bots''' also is used for the Takara ''Rescue Hero Go-Bots'' franchise.

*'''''[[Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (franchise)|Revenge of the Fallen]]''''', abbreviated '''ROTF'''.

*'''''[[Transformers: Shattered Glass (franchise)|Shattered Glass]]''''', abbreviated '''SG'''.

*'''''[[Transformers: War for Cybertron (franchise)|War for Cybertron]]''''', abbreviated '''WFC'''.

*'''''[[Transformers: Prime (franchise)|Prime]]''''', abbreviated '''TFP'''.

*'''''[[Transformers: Dark of the Moon (franchise)|Dark of the Moon]]''''', abbreviated '''DOTM'''.

*'''''[[Transformers: Rescue Bots (franchise)|Rescue Bots]]''''', abbreviated '''RB'''.

*'''''[[Transformers: Fall of Cybertron|Fall of Cybertron]]''''', abbreviated '''FOC'''.

*'''''[[Transformers: Age of Extinction (franchise)|Age of Extinction]]''''', abbreviated '''AOE'''.

*'''''[[Transformers: Robots in Disguise (2015 franchise)|Robots in Disguise]]''''', abbreviated '''RID''' or '''RID 2015''' if necessary to distinguish it from the 2001 franchise.
**Includes the "main" ''Robots in Disguise'' line begun in 2015.

*'''''[[Transformers: The Last Knight (franchise)|The Last Knight]]''''', abbreviated '''TLK'''.

*'''''[[Transformers: Cyberverse (franchise)|Cyberverse]]''''', not abbreviated.

*'''''[[Transformers: Rescue Bots Academy (franchise)|Rescue Bots Academy]]''''', abbreviated '''RBA'''.

*'''''[[Transformers: EarthSpark (franchise)|EarthSpark]]''''', abbreviated '''ES'''.

*'''''[[Transformers: Rise of the Beasts (franchise)|Rise of the Beasts]]''''', abbreviated '''ROTB'''.

==Japanese-exclusive franchises==
Note that the first six items on the following list—everything up to the first ''Beast Wars'' franchise—are a part of Generation 1. The term "Generation 1" is used to refer to several things in the fandom, including the original franchise, a continuity family, and also the grouping of all Transformers franchises until the advent of ''Generation 2''. As these franchises were treated as sub-lines of the original toyline in Japan, with toys in these lines being released under that branding, we have elected to treat characters introduced in these sub-franchises as "G1", and are disambiguated as such except in instances where another character already had the name, in which case the name of the individual line is used. In contrast, while fiction like ''Kiss Players'' is canonically treated as part of "G1 the story continuity", it is not part of "G1 the toyline and multimedia franchise". To further complicate things, the American G1 franchise was presented in Japan as two separate franchises: '''''Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers''''' and '''''[[Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers 2010 (franchise)|Transformers 2010]]'''''. However, as before, we treat them both as a part of what we consider "G1".

Confused yet? Trust us, we get it.

By the same token, ''Beast Wars II'' and ''Beast Wars Neo'' are treated as sub-lines to the larger ''Beast Wars'' franchise, as their toys were all similarly released under the same shared branding rather than as independent toylines.

*'''''[[Transformers: The Headmasters (franchise)|The Headmasters]]''''', shortened to '''Headmasters'''.

*'''''[[Transformers: Super-God Masterforce (franchise)|Super-God Masterforce]]''''', shortened to '''Masterforce'''.

*'''''[[Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers: Victory (franchise)|Victory]]''''', not abbreviated.

*'''''[[Transformers: Zone (franchise)|Zone]]''''', not abbreviated.

*'''''[[Transformers: Return of Convoy (franchise)|Return of Convoy]]''''', abbreviated '''ROC'''.

*'''''[[Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers: Operation Combination (franchise)|Operation Combination]]''''', abbreviated '''OC'''.

*'''''[[Beast Wars II: Super Lifeform Transformers (franchise)|Beast Wars II]]''''', abbreviated '''BWII'''.

*'''''[[Super Lifeform Transformers: Beast Wars Neo (franchise)|Beast Wars Neo]]''''', abbreviated '''BWN'''.

*'''''[[Robotmasters (franchise)|Robotmasters]]''''', abbreviated '''RM'''.

*'''''[[Transformers: Alternators#Binaltech|Binaltech]]''''', abbreviated '''BT'''.
**Includes ''Binaltech Asterisk''.
**Because of the English-centric focus of this Wiki, material or toys which are common to both ''Binaltech'' and ''Alternators'' should be considered "Alternators". There are a lot of ''Binaltech''-exclusive characters and fiction, however, which would not be properly labelled as part of ''Alternators''.

*'''''[[Transformers: Kiss Players (franchise)|Kiss Players]]''''', abbreviated '''KP'''.

*'''''[[Henkei! Henkei! Transformers (franchise)|Henkei! Henkei! Transformers]]''''', abbreviated '''Henkei!''' 

*'''''[[Kids' Transformers: Rescue Hero Go-Bots (franchise)|Rescue Hero Go-Bots]]''''', abbreviated '''Go-Bots'''. Note that '''Go-Bots''' also is used for the Hasbro ''Go-Bots'' franchise.

*'''''[[Triple Combination: Transformers Go! (franchise)|Go!]]''''', not abbreviated.

[[Category:Help]]