Editing Transformers timeline

{{disambig2|real world events|the 'Timelines' franchise|Timelines (franchise)}}
{{disambig2|real world events|the internal timeline of various stories|Continuity}}
[[Image:Dool logo.jpg|right|250px|thumb|Like sands through the breem glass...]]
''This is a timeline of Transformers-related events that occurred in the "real" world, including release dates and other major occurrences.''

==The dawn of time==
===13500000000 BCE===
* The Big Bang creates the universe as we know it.  The protons, neutrons, and electrons that will eventually compose Transformers are formed.  A [[wikipedia:Last_Thursdayism|Thursday]].

{{note|The above point contradicts the later account of God's creation of the universe. The later account is the one used in early recorded [[human]] history, but was later apparently [[Retcon|retconned]], replaced with the version of the story noted here. This version appeared in scientific literature and may be assumed to take precedence in [[canon]].}}

===4004 BCE===
*God creates the universe in six literal days starting [[October 23]].<ref>''Genesis'' 1:1; the time is determined by adding up the ages of Adam and his descendants.</ref> On the seventh day, he takes a break and does whatever omnipotent beings do for leisure.

==1920s==
===1923===
* Henry and Helal Hassenfeld form the Hassenfeld Brothers company, selling textile remnants.

===1924===
* The Japanese toy company [[TakaraTomy|Tomiyama]] is founded.

==1940s==
* The Hassenfeld brothers produce their first toys: pretend doctor and nurse sets.

==1950s==
===1955===
* [[September 17]] — The Japanese company Satō Vinyl Industries, Ltd., which would later become [[TakaraTomy|Takara]], is founded.

==1960s==
===1964===
* Hassenfeld Brothers introduces [[G.I. Joe (team)|G.I. Joe]], the first "action figure."

===1967===
* [[July 4]] - Takara introduces the [[Licca Kayama|Licca-chan]] fashion doll.

===1968===
* The big wheels at Hassenfeld Brothers decide to make it easier for fans of their future toylines to curse their name by rebranding the company Hasbro Industries.

==1970s==
===1970===
* Takara acquires the license to introduce ''G.I. Joe'' to Japan. Eventually, Takara takes advantage of the 12" Joe figures' interchangeable parts to create a spinoff toyline called ''Henshin Cyborg'' (Transforming Cyborg).

===1974===
* Takara launches the ''[[Microman]]'' toyline, which represents a scaled-down version of the ''Henshin Cyborg'' [[gimmick]], and which will later be exported to the West as ''Micronauts''.

===1975===
* Robotman, the first ever transforming robot/vehicle toy, is added to the ''Microman'' line. This toy will later become known in the West as the Micronaut Biotron.<ref>[http://www.microforever.com/Robotman-Biotron.htm Robotman Series / Victory Series]</ref>

==1980s==
===1980===
* Takara launches the ''[[Diaclone]]'' toyline.

===1982===
* March - The first two toys from Takara's ''Diaclone Car Robo'' line, No.1 Countach LP-500S Super Tuning (red version) and No.2 Onebox Cherry Vanette (black version), are released to stores in Japan. These toys' molds would later be used in ''Transformers'' as [[Sunstreaker (G1)|Sunstreaker]] and [[Ironhide (G1)|Ironhide]], respectively.

* April - The first four toys from the [[Popy]] company's ''[[Machine Robo]]'' line are released to stores in Japan. They will go on to be better known in the West as [[Cy-Kill (GoBots)|Cy-Kill]], Tank, Fitor, and Cop-Tur of the evil Renegades in the [[Tonka]] ''[[Tonka GoBots|GoBots]]'' line, the closest competitor to ''Transformers''.

* October 3 - ''The Super Dimension Fortress Macross'' debuts on Japanese television, featuring the transforming Valkyrie fighter jet. This vehicle will go on to be '''less''' known in the West as the Transformer [[Jetfire (G1)|Jetfire]].

===1983===
* January - The first three toys from Takara's ''New Microman: MicroChange'' line, MC-01 Micross (available as blue and red variations), MC-02 Jaguar (available as blue and black variations) and MC-03 Condor (available as blue and black variations), are released to stores. These would later make up the first wave of [[Mini-Cassette]]s.
* Unknown date - A Hasbro delegation discovers Takara's Diaclone and Microman toys at the Tokyo Toy Show.
* Late 1983 - Takara releases three of their ''Diaclone'' toys (red Sunstreaker, black Ironhide and blue [[Trailbreaker (G1)|Trailbreaker]]) in the USA under the name "''[[Diakron]]''". Due to the new licensing agreement with Hasbro, the Diakron line is discontinued following these three toys.

===[[1984]]===
''The Transformers'' launches in the US, in toy, comic and cartoon formats, [[Ruined FOREVER|forever ruining]] ''Transformers''.

* February - [[Hasbro Bradley]] unveils their new ''Transformers'' toyline at Toy Fair.
* March - [http://web.archive.org/web/20080225185312/http://www.electric-escape.net/node/590 ''Marvel Age'' #17] announces the April debut of the ''Transformers'' comic book.
* Spring - The first animated [[commercial]] advertising the Marvel comics airs on US TV.
* [[May 8]] - [[The Transformers (issue)|Issue one of the Marvel comic]] is released. 
* [[May 22]] - The [http://groups.google.com/group/net.comics/msg/1cdaf7df610e0376?dmode=source&amp;hl=en first Usenet post about Transformers] is posted by Ted Nolan to net.comics.  In a prediction of things to come, it is mostly complaints.
* Spring - ''Transformers'' toys start filtering into stores across the United States.
* [[September 17]] - "[[More than Meets the Eye, Part 1]]" premieres on U.S. television Saturday morning.
* Unknown date - the UK is the only European country to get ''Transformers'' toys this year. Toys are distributed by Hasbro. Megatron is not available until 1985.
* [[October 6]] - The [http://groups.google.com/group/net.comics/msg/fce7a2ddb7e35a81?dmode=source&amp;hl=en first Usenet post about the ''Transformers'' cartoon] is posted to net.comics by Bill Flanagan.
* [[September 20]] - The Marvel UK comic begins publication.
* December - ''Transformers'' mania is in full swing, as the figures fly off store shelves, becoming the year's best seller for Hasbro.
* December - The ''Transformers'' cartoon begins airing in Mexico.
* Unknown date - Takara conducts test market sales of the Hasbro toys in Japan, under the working name ''Henshin Sentai Transformers'' ("Transformation Taskforce Transformers").

===1985===
* From its Limited Series origins, the Marvel comic becomes an ongoing monthly.
* [[July 6]] - Seasons 1 and 2 of the US cartoon begin airing in Japan as ''Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformer''.
* The ''Transformers'' toyline starts getting released to most European markets, with Hasbro using Milton Bradley's facilities for the continental European market, due to an initial lack of resources on their own. The MB toys would be available in France, Belgium, the Netherlands, Denmark, Germany and Spain and include lots of oddities unique to Europe, such as a red version of [[Tracks (G1)|Tracks]]. Concurrently, [[GiG]] launches ''[[Trasformer]]'' in Italy (''Diaclone'' toys with no ''Transformers'' license), while [[El Greco]] launches their short-lived version of the line in Greece.
* [[IGA]] begins producing ''Transformers'' toys for the Mexican and Central American market.
* [[Estrela]] begins producing ''Transformers'' toys in Brazil, creating a distinctive local version of the toyline that was eventually brought to Argentina by the second-hand licensee [[Antex]].
* The ''Transformers'' cartoon begins airing in Peru... despite the fact that the toyline it was [[To sell toys|created to promote]] is unavailable in the Peruvian market.

===1986===
* The Transformers cartoon begins airing in the Netherlands.
* April - [[Scramble City]], the first Japanese originated Transformers animation, is released on video tape in Japan.
* [[August 8]] - ''[[The Transformers: The Movie]]'' is released in theatres in the United States.  International releases follow, except for Japan and Germany.
* The Transformers toyline is introduced to Peru in response to the cartoon's popularity in that country (rather than the other way around) with a combination of [[Hasbro]] and [[Takara]] toys imported by [[HUDE]] and [[BASA]], and cheaper [[Redeco|redecoed]] [[Mini Vehicle|Mini Vehicles]] made by [[Lynsa]].
* [[December 12]] - ''The Transformers: The Movie'' is released in the UK.
* [[December 26]] - ''The Transformers: The Movie'' is released in Australia.

===1987===
* February- ''The Transformers: The Movie'' is released in Brazil.
* [[July 3]] - The American version of the G1 cartoon ends its run, to be replaced in Japan by the [[The Headmasters (cartoon)|Headmasters cartoon]].

===1988===
* The [[Super-God Masterforce (franchise)|Masterforce]] [[franchise]] is launched, ushering in a period of significant deviation between the Western and Japanese Transformers franchises.
* [[April 12]] - The [[Super-God Masterforce (cartoon)|Masterforce cartoon]] begins airing in Japan.
* July - The translated version of the Marvel comic book hits Danish stores, lasting only 18 monthly issues (2 US comics per issue + random assortment of Universe profiles) with an editorial approach that wreaked havoc on any sort of continuity (skipping many key stories, resulting in sudden jumps in storylines, a condescending and ignorant letters page etc.)
* A [[Generation 1 (cartoon)|fifth season]] of the US Transformers cartoon begins airing, composed of re-edited episodes introduced by a stop-motion Powermaster Optimus Prime.

===1989===
* Unofficially imported Mexican IGA Transformers become a common sight on European store shelves.
* The Transformers cartoon begins airing in Germany.
* [[March 14]] - The [[Victory (cartoon)|Victory cartoon]] begins airing in Japan.
* August - Hasbro begins manufacturing and selling Transformers toys in mainland China. <ref>[http://www.allspark.com/content/view/1743/37/ The Little Sticker in the Corner: The Truth about Early-1990's Chinese G1 Transformers Toys]</ref>
* [[August 9]] - ''The Transformers: The Movie'' finally is released in Japan, where it is not actually called "Matrix Forever".

==1990s==
===1990===
*The last year of Generation 1 toys are released in North America, while the franchise continues in Japan and Europe.
*July - [[Enter the New Supreme Commander, Dai Atlas!|Transformers Zone]] is released in Japan.

===1991===
* (Cover date of July) - The Marvel Comic ends in the United States with [[End of the Road! (US)|issue 80]].

===1992===
*[[January 4]] (cover date [[January 18]]) - The Marvel Comic ends in the United Kingdom with [[End of the Road! (US)|issue #332]].
*[[Operation Combination (franchise)|Operation Combination]] comes to an end, signalling the end of the original ''Transformers'' series in Japan.

===1993===
*''[[Generation 2 (franchise)|Generation 2]]'' attempts to revive the ''Transformers'' franchise in North America.
* The last year of Generation 1 toys are released in Europe.
* On [[September 11|September 11th]], the Usenet newsgroup [[alt.toys.transformers]] is established.  Fans now have a dedicated online public forum on which to discuss whatever is ruining Transformers.

===1994===
* [[July 16]] - The first [[BotCon]] is held, in [[Fort Wayne]], Indiana.
* ''Generation 2'' is released in Europe.
* Antex briefly introduces ''Generation 2'' to Argentina with [[Robot-Man X]] and [[Robot-Man Z]].

===1995===
* ''Generation 2'' begins in Japan, the first ''Transformers'' series there in years.
* ''Generation 2'' craps out in every market, including Japan.
* The [[Generation 1 (Chinese toyline)|Chinese G1 toyline]] comes to a close with the reissuing of several [[Victory (toyline)|Victory]] toys for the Chinese market.
* The South Korean toy company [[Sonokong]] enters into a licensing agreement with [[Hasbro International]], paving the way for the introduction of officially licensed Transformers toys in a country where Transformers [[Knockoff|knockoffs]] were once popular enough to inspire their own animated movies.
* [[August 5]][[August 6|-6]] - [[BotCon 1995]] is held in Dayton, Ohio.

===1996===
* ''[[Beast Wars (franchise)|Beast Wars]]'' is launched. The fandom declares it will forever destroy ''Transformers'' and nobody will ever like it ever, certainly not ten years into the future.
* ''Beast Wars'' revives the franchise.
* ''Beast Wars'' is one of the best ''Transformers'' anythings ever.
* [[July 12]][[July 14|-14]] - [[BotCon 1996]] is held in Rosemont, Illinois.

===1997===
* Hasbro releases the twelve [[Machine Wars]] toys, to little acclaim.
* [[July 18]][[July 20|-20]] - [[BotCon 1997]] is held in Rochester, New York, by the newly-formed [[3H Enterprises]].
* The target audience of the original cartoon reaches college age.

===1998===
* [[April 10]] - The ''Beast Wars'' TV show premieres in the UK.
* [[June 19]][[June 20|-20]] - [[BotCon 1998]] is held in Anaheim, California.
* Summer - Hasbro's Nordic subsidiary (located in Denmark) releases UK Beast Wars stock to Scandinavian stores. The CGI show is not picked up in any of the Scandinavian countries, as it is deemed "too graphic" for children.

===1999===
* [[July 16]][[July 18|-18]] - At [[BotCon 1999]] in Saint Paul, Minnesota, the first episode of ''[[Beast Machines (cartoon)|Beast Machines]]'', "[[The Reformatting]]" is previewed, to overwhelming fan enjoyment.

==2000s==
===[[2000]]===
* Everyone hates ''[[Beast Machines (franchise)|Beast Machines]]''.
* [[July 28]][[July 30|-30]] - [[BotCon 2000]] is held in [[Fort Wayne]], Indiana.

===[[2001]]===
* Everyone loves "[[Transformers 2000]]," but they hate ''[[Robots in Disguise (franchise)|Robots in Disguise]]''.
* [[February 19]] - ''[[Beast Machines (cartoon)|Beast Machines]]'' begins airing in the UK on Fox Kids.
* [[July 13]][[July 15|-15]] - [[BotCon 2001]] is held in Durham, North Carolina.
* Hasbro introduces Transformers to Turkey through its recently acquired subsidiary [[Intertoy]].

===[[2002]]===
* Hasbro ''Transformers'' lead designer [[Aaron Archer]] begins to post on the Transfandom.com boards as ORSON, at first primarily to refute various false claims about [[Armada (franchise)|''Transformers: Armada'']]. Skeptical fans remark that if he is a Hasbro designer, then they are various members of the British Monarchy.
* [[April 3]] - [[Dreamwave Productions]] begins publishing Transformers comics with [[Prime Directive issue 1|Transformers Generation 1 #1]].  There is much rejoicing, even though everyone started noticing how bad [[Pat Lee|Pat "Dull-Surprise" Lee's]] art really was.
* [[Aaron Archer]] does his best to kill ''Transformers'' through incredible sales; ''[[Armada (franchise)|Armada]]'' kicks off the [[Unicron Trilogy]], the toys appear on store shelves in mid-July, the cartoon premieres in August.
* [[June 1]] - The [[Robots in Disguise (cartoon)|Robots in Disguise]] cartoon premieres in the UK in a run which includes several episodes originally withheld from US broadcast.
* [[July 6]] - ''Armada'' toys begin arriving in small toy stores and Kay-Bee. <ref>[http://groups.google.com/group/alt.toys.transformers/msg/b22311a4862b3c07?dmode=source Armada has been spotted!] on alt.toys.transformers</ref>
* [[July 26]][[July 28|-28]] - [[BotCon 2002]] is held in Fort Wayne, Indiana.

===[[2003]]===
* [[June 11]] - [[Don Murphy]] and [[Tom DeSanto]] team up to produce a feature-length, [[Transformers (2007)|live-action ''Transformers'']] movie. They claim it will be exactly the same as ''Generation 1''. Really. 
* [[July 25]][[July 27|-27]] - [[OTFCC 2003]] is held in Chicago, Illinois.
* Everybody loves ''[[Masterpiece]]/20th Anniversary'' [[Optimus Prime (G1)|Optimus Prime]].
* Everyone loves [[Binaltech]]/[[Alternators]].

===[[2004]]===
* [[June 19]][[June 20|-20]] - Although no longer the official convention, [[BotCon 2004]] is held at the Pasadena Convention Center in Pasadena, California.
* [[July 22]] - [[DreamWorks]], [[Paramount Pictures]] and [[Hasbro]] sign an agreement to produce a [[Transformers (2007)|live-action ''Transformers'']] movie.
* [[July 30]]-[[August 1]] - [[OTFCC 2004]] is held in Chicago, Illinois.

===[[2005]]===
* [[January 4]] - [[Dreamwave Productions]] goes bankrupt.  Many artists complain about being unpaid for their work and/or being stuck with FedEx fees.  [[Pat Lee|Pat "serfdom" Lee]] gives them the finger and drives off in his Porsche.
* [[April 18]] - Don Murphy reports that he wants to please the fans, Dreamworks want to change everything, and Hasbro don't care either way as long as the movie gets done in time. 
* [[Michael Bay]] announced as the director for ''Transformers''. It will still totally be ''Generation 1'', honest.
* [[May 19]] - [[IDW Publishing]] acquires the ''Transformers'' comic book license. There is much rejoicing, and, as usual, much complaining.
* [[September 22]][[September 25|-25]] - [[BotCon 2005]] is held in Frisco, Texas, for the first time by [[Fun Publications]].  It's the official convention again.
* [[October 19]] - [[Infiltration]] #0, [[IDW Publishing]]'s first ''Transformers'' comic, is released in comic book stores.

===[[2006]]===
* [[January 18]] - ''[[Infiltration|Transformers: Infiltration]]'' #1 is released in comic book stores.
* [[April 19]] - Filming begins on the live-action [[Transformers (2007)|''Transformers'']] motion picture.
* [[July 24]] - [[Peter Cullen]] is announced at San Diego Comic-Con as the voice of [[Optimus Prime (G1)|Optimus Prime]] in the ''Transformers'' film. There is much rejoicing (yay).
* [[September 15]] - The first ''[[Classics (2006)|Classics]]'' toys arrive at a small store in Canada.
* [[September 28]]-[[October 1]] - [[BotCon 2006]] is held at the Lexington Center in Lexington, Kentucky.
* [[November 28]] - ''[[Escalation (IDW)|Transformers: Escalation]]'' #1 is released in comic book stores.
* Takara settles the ''[[Michael Bay]] is raping my childhood'' debate by ''[[Kiss Players (franchise)|actually raping your childhood]]''. Realizing that Michael Bay only touched your childhood in the swimsuit area, you apologize.

===[[2007]]===
* June - The first promotional images for ''[[Transformers Animated (cartoon)|Transformers Animated]]'' are released. Take a guess as to the reaction. G'wan.

* [[June 27]]-[[July 1]] - [[BotCon 2007]] is held at the Rhode Island Convention Center in Providence, Rhode Island, Hasbro's hometown. It was expected to be the best Transformers convention ''ever''. It was also expected to be the worst Transformers convention ''ever''.

* [[July 2]] - US theatres start showing the live-action [[Transformers (2007)|''Transformers'']] motion picture at 8:00 PM. By midnight, it's made $8.8 million USD.

* [[July 3]] - The ''Transformers'' release date. It makes $27.85 million, more money on a Tuesday than any film in history. Transformers ruined forever.

* [[July 4]] - Americans celebrate their Independence Day by giving $29 million to that Hollywood movie about an [[Bumblebee (Movie)|alien robot]] summoning his friends to [[Earth]] where they disguise themselves as [[General Motors]] vehicles and team up with the [[United States military]] to smash the evil robots. Unsurprisingly, this is more money than a movie's ever earned on the Fourth of July. Apparently, what's good for General Motors really ''is'' good for the country.

* [[July 25]] - As of this writing, the ''Transformers'' movie has grossed $270 million in the United States, with worldwide gross earnings of nearly '''one half billion dollars US'''.

* [[July 28]] - A ''Transformers Animated'' preview is shown to the public. The fandom rejoiced (and complained).

* [[October 16]] - ''[[Transformers (2007)|Transformers]]'' is released on DVD.

* November 3 - a specially edited 11-minute preview of ''Transformers Animated'' episode 1 is shown at the NTFA Mini-Con in Arlöv, Sweden, to the disdain of many a US fan. <ref>http://www.tfw2005.com/boards/transformers-news-rumors/156331-new-transformers-animated-series-details-revealed-ntfa-mini-con.html</ref>

* [[December 26]] - ''Transformers Animated'' ruins Transformers forever slightly ahead of schedule when the premiere episodes are shown as a "movie" on the [[Cartoon Network]].<ref>[http://www.allspark.com/content/view/2125/20/ Date And Time For Transformers: Animated Debut!]</ref>

===[[2008]]===
* [[January 5]] - ''Transformers Animated'' begins airing regularly Saturdays at 10:30 a.m.
* [[April 24]][[April 27|-27]] - [[BotCon 2008]] is held at the Duke Energy Center in Cincinnati, Ohio.
* June - ''[[Transformers Animated (toyline)|Transformers Animated]]'' toys are scheduled to be released.

===[[2009]]===
* [[May 8]] - Transformers turns 25 (25th Anniversary of the release of [[The Transformers (issue)|''The Transformers'' #1]], the first publically-released TF merchandise.)
* [[May 28]]-[[May 31|31]] - [[BotCon 2009]] is held - again - at the Pasadena Convention Center in Pasadena, California.
* [[June 24]] - ''[[Revenge of the Fallen (film)|Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen]]'' is released, ruining Transformers forever by raking in '''enormous''' profits.
* [[October 1]] - Michael Bay officially announces that preproduction has begun on ''[[Transformers 3]]''.<ref name="open">[http://www.shootfortheedit.com/forum/showthread.php?t=5976 "Official 2011," Shootfortheedit.com]</ref>

==2010s==
===2010===
* [[June 22]] - ''[[Transformers: War for Cybertron]]'' is released on the PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, PC, Nintendo Wii, and Nintendo DS. ''[[Exodus: The Official History of the War for Cybertron]]'' is released, ruining ''Transformers'' forever on continuity.
* [[June 24]]-[[June 27|27]] - [[BotCon 2010]] is held at the Walt Disney World Dolphin Hotel and Convention Center in Orlando, Florida.

===2011===
* [[July 1]] - ''[[The Dark of the Moon (film)|Transformers: The Dark of the Moon]]'' is currently scheduled to ruin Transformers forever by opening on this date.

==References==
<references />

[[Category:Chronologies]]
[[Category:Franchises]]