Walmart

Walmart (previously spelled Wal-Mart until 2008) is one of the biggest discount department store chains in the United States, with branches in many other countries.

Over the years, they have carried a lot of exclusive Transformers toys, in addition to the regular mass retail releases.

Walmart employees are also often accused of not really caring about what they sell in addition to a lax return policy, making Walmart one of the main victims of toy swapping.

Walmart is also the parent company of Sam's Club.

Fiction

Dreamwave Generation One continuity

The Transformers Trilogy

During a battle against Bumblebee and Prowl, Bonecrusher crashed through a Wal-Mart in Las Vegas. Hardwired

Walmart exclusive toys

Beast Wars



Transmetal Rattrap

Beast Wars didn't just have Walmart's first Transformers exclusive, but the first Transformers store exclusive period in the US in roughly a decade.

Deluxe Class Rattrap Tripredacus Agent




Robots in Disguise (2001)



Axer

The unexpected level of success 2001's Robots in Disguise line enjoyed meant Hasbro suddenly found themselves putting out quite a lot of exclusives to meet demand. Walmart would more or less have the lion's share of these through this line and the next several years.

Curiously, the "urban camo" Ruination set and yellow Black Friday (event) Landfill sets came out in the packaging style of the Armada toyline, but still labeled as part of Robots in Disguise. A few other stores got exclusives like this, and it only gets weirder in the next section....

Mega Class Sideways vs. Axer

Ultra Class Ruination (Armorhide, Mega-Octane, Movor, Ro-Tor, Rollbar)

Autobots Multi-Pack Landfill (Grimlock, Heavy Load, Hightower, Wedge)




Dinobots



Slapper

A very strange sub-line, Dinobots had Armada style packaging, complete with character "card" stickers, but was seemingly its own disconnected thing, with no fiction attached. Still, it brought US fans two molds that had previously only been available by importing them from Japan.

Two-packs Terranotron / Grimlock Snarl / Sludge Slapper / Triceradon




Universe (2003)



Sunstorm

With 2003's Universe toyline, Walmart got quite a few exclusives, and most of them ended up shelfwarming real bad, especially with of some of the prior line's exclusives being released around the same time. This had a knock-on effect, as Walmart scaled back the following year.

Spychanger 2-packs Ultra Magnus with Ironhide Optimus Prime with Prowl		Deluxe Class Side Burn Prowl		Deluxe + Mini-Cons Sunstorm with with Inferno and Street Action Mini-Con Team (Grindor, High Wire, Sureshock)		Ultra Class Ruination (Armorhide, Mega-Octane, Movor, Ro-Tor, Rollbar)
Deluxe 2-packs Opposites Attack (Excellion vs. Thundercracker) Search for the Pirate Moon (Downshift vs. Cannonball)




Unicron Trilogy toylines

Energon



Sir Not Appearing In This Toyline

After the glut of exclusives from the prior lines, Walmart's Energon exclusive output wasn't so much scaled back as almost obliterated. The two Mini-Con multi-packs, consisting of unchanged versions of regular-release toys, were a "shared" exclusive with Toys"R"Us, and the combiner set was outright canceled (but revived many years later through the Transformers Collectors' Club).

Mini-Con Team 2-packs Race Mini-Con Team & Space Mini-Con Team Dirt Boss Downshift Mirage Astroscope Payload Sky Blast

Road Wrecker Mini-Con Team & Night Attack Mini-Con Team Buzzsaw Drill Bit Dualor Broadside Fetch Scattor

Ultra Class (canceled/used later) Piranhaking ("Archerbot", Nautilator, Overbite, Seawing, Snaptrap, Tentakil)

Despite the name on the packaging, the "Road Wrecker Team" actually used the toys' original Destruction Team colors.




Cybertron



Red Alert & Dirt Boss with bonus Tiny Tins carrying tin

Cybertron's exclusive content mostly consisted of bonus Mini-Cons added to unchanged versions of previously-released toys. Most of these were tied in with the Tiny Tins license, where the Mini-Cons also came with a tin carrying case. The Tiny Tins Mini-Cons had new decos, at least.

There were also a run of "Value Packs" which were just two randomly-paired, fully-packaged Deluxes set in a cardboard sleeve and sold at somewhat less than the cost of two normal Deluxes, another "exclusive" shared with Toys"R"Us.

Tiny Tins Bonus Packs Landmine with Dirt Boss Red Alert with Dirt Boss		Dirt Boss with Downshift Thundercracker with Downshift		Hot Shot with Mirage Override with Mirage		Supreme Class Cybertron Primus (w/ Knockdown, Nightscream, Offshoot, Strongarm)
Value Packs (Could contain any two of the following toys) Dirt Boss Hot Shot Override Red Alert Sideways Snarl




Classics (2006)



Hightower, the Constructicon nobody remembers.

Classics product was quite the mixed bag, with "bonus buy" still a factor. Remember those? Anyone else miss this?

Ultra Class Constructicon Devastator (Bonecrusher, Hightower, Long Haul, Scavenger, Decepticon Scrapper)

Masterpiece Masterpiece Starscream

Bonus Value set The Ultimate Battle (Optimus Prime, Megatron, and two of the following Mini-Cons: Deepdive, Longarm, Overcast)




Live-action movie toylines

Hoo boy. Here we go.

Transformers (2007)



Fracture, not intended to be movie product, but ain't no-one complaining.



"The Legacy of Bumblebee", just different enough to make you mad.

The massive popularity explosion thanks to the 2007 Transformers movie led to a massive explosion of movie-tie-in product, and Walmart got a lot of exclusives. This was mostly in the form of multi-packs of unchanged product, thanks to the need to crank out stuff fast, but what really stood out to fans were the two waves of Deluxe-class redecoes of prior-series molds that had originally been slated for release in the 2008 Universe line (see below).

Curiously, there is also a Robot Heroes multi-pack that is incredibly "Generation 1", but was labeled as movie product, so shrug emoji.

Deluxes w/ poster Protoform Optimus Prime Protoform Starscream		Deluxes Wave 1 Big Daddy Divebomb Grindcore Jolt		Deluxes Wave 2 Breakaway Crankcase Decepticon Fracture		Multi-packs Bumblebee vs. Barricade: First Encounter Leader for the Ages (2007 Optimus Prime, 1984 Optimus Prime) The Legacy of Bumblebee (Classic Bumblebee, Movie Bumblebee Premium Series, Animated Bumblebee)
Real Gear Robots 2-packs Brain Scrambler Team (Power Up VT6 / Zoom Out 25X) Mass Media Battle (Speed Dial 800 / Booster X10) Robo Recon Team (Spy Shot 6 / Longview)		"Bonus Value" packs Ultimate Bumblebee (w/ Deluxe Decepticon Brawl & Scorponok) Cyber Stompin' Optimus Prime (w/ Cyber Slammers Bumblebee) Cyber Stompin' Bumblebee (w/ Cyber Slammers Barricade)		Robot Replicas packs Megatron vs. Optimus Prime		Role-play packs Optimus Prime Blaster Optimus Prime Voice Changer (w/ T.E.C.H. Digital Dagger)
Robot Heroes multi-packs Decepticon Sneak Attack (Cliffjumper, Supermetal Finish Megatron, Hologram Mirage, Supermetal Finish Optimus Prime, Skywarp)		The Finale Battle (Battle Damaged Blackout, Battle Damaged Autobot Jazz, Megatron with Metallic Finish, Optimus Prime with AllSpark Power, Autobot Ratchet with AllSpark Power)




Revenge of the Fallen



The Fury of Fearswoop

Come 2009's Revenge of the Fallen line, Walmart went more in on redecos and new "off-screen" characters, once again leaning into multi-toy packs.

Scout Class 2-packs Road Rival Showdown (Beachcomber / Deadlift) Windy City Chase (Slap Dash / Trenchmouth)

Voyager Class Ramjet Skywarp

Multi-packs Constructicon Devastator The Fury of Fearswoop (Fearswoop / Mudflap & Sideswipe) Super Tuner Throwdown (Blowpipe / Sideways)

Leader "Bonus Value" sets Optimus Prime (w/ Autobot Camshaft) Megatron (w/ Autobot Camshaft)




Transformers (2010)



"Bombing Run Battle" set

The subtitle-less Transformers line gave us a bunch of multi-packs, with some pretty out-there decos.

Deluxe/Legends packs Bombing Run Battle (Bumblebee / Grindor)

Desert Ruins Brawl (Decepticon Brawl / Jolt)

Voyager/Deluxe packs Starscream's Assault (Starscream / Mudflap)

The Fury Of Bonecrusher (Ironhide / Bonecrusher)




Dark of the Moon



Bumblebee / Soundwave with Rodimus

With Dark of the Moon, the new hotness was Cyberverse sets, the newest iteration of the Legends Class toys. Of course, what with the "Moon" theming of the film, space exploration also played into set choices.

Deluxe Class Bumblebee Optimus Prime Lunarfire Optimus Prime Track Battle Roadbuster Sideswipe

Bonus Value packs Bumblebee (w/ Starscream) Optimus Prime (w/ Comettor)

Cyberverse multi-packs Battle in the Moonlight (Crankcase, Optimus Prime, Autobot Ratchet) Bumblebee / Soundwave with Rodimus

Ultimate Gift Set (Bumblebee, Crowbar, Optimus Prime, Powerglide, Sideswipe)




The Last Knight



Deluxe Class Autobot Hot Rod.

Walmart's The Last Knight exclusive product was given the subline name "Autobots Unite", though it probably should have been called "The Only Way To Get Hot Rod Toys".

Yes, for reasons unknown, Hot Rod was not available in the normal retail line, with every one of his Last Knight-era toys (save the Tiny Turbo Changer) being exclusive to Walmart... at least, until they started appearing in discount chains.

Legion Class Autobot Hot Rod		Legion Class 2-packs Bumblebee / Autobot Hot Rod Megatron / Berserker Optimus Prime / Ravenspar		Deluxe Class Autobot Hot Rod		One-Step Turbo Changer packs Bumblebee / Hot Rod
Flip N' Change Bumblebee Autobot Hot Rod




Universe (2008)



Skyfall, aka "Skyjack with a less outrage-inducing name"

Universe mostly went heavy on the higher size-classes, with a trio of Ultra-Class toys and another Masterpiece release. Curiously, the Scout-class 2-packs are repackaged Target exclusives from 2007, albeit representing Cybertron-era incarnations of the characters.

Scout Class 2-packs The Data War (Clocker / Hardtop) War of the Waves (Air Raid / Storm Surge)

Ultra Class Hardhead Powerglide Skyfall

Masterpiece Masterpiece Skywarp




Animated

Transformers Animated exclusive content was light. Really, really light. As in "unchanged versions of toys in two-pack form" light.

Deluxe Class 2-packs Battle in Space (Prowl / Megatron) The Revenge of Blackarachnia (Optimus Prime / Blackarachnia)




Power Core Combiners



Over-Run with bonus Sledge

After most stores had long gotten rid of Power Core Combiners (and a few waves of product virtually never hit normal retail shelves), Walmart put out these bonus packs of a 5-piece combiner team with a two-pack taped to the side... all for the whopping price of ten dollars. TEN DOLLARS. These were placed mostly on pallets pretty much wherever there was room in the aisle. There does not appear to be any particular order to who got packed with what, but reported combinations include:

Power Core Combiners Special Value Offers: Crankcase with Destrons plus: Salvage with Bomb-Burst Skyhammer with Airlift Sledge with Throttler Undertow with Waterlog		Double Clutch with Rallybots plus: Huffer with Caliburst Salvage with Bomb-Burst Steelshot with Beacon Undertow with Waterlog Windburn with Darkray		Grimstone with Dinobots plus: Icepick with Chainclaw Leadfoot with Pinpoint Salvage with Bomb-Burst Skyhammer with Airlift Undertow with Waterlog		Mudslinger with Destructicons plus: Darkstream with Razorbeam Icepick with Chainclaw Searchlight with Backwind Smolder with Chopster Skyhammer with Airlift
Over-Run with Stunticons plus: Salvage with Bomb-Burst Sledge with Throttler Steelshot with Beacon		Stakeout with Protectobots plus: Heavytread with Groundspike Huffer with Caliburst Searchlight with Backwind Skyhammer with Airlift		Steamhammer with Constructions plus: Heavytread with Groundspike Icepick with Chainclaw Leadfoot with Pinpoint Salvage with Bomb-Burst Sledge with Throttler




Rescue Bots

Weirdly, Rescue Bots was the only one of the "Aligned" series to get Walmart exclusives. And most of that they got were big sets with freebies tossed in, all unchanged from their normal-retail individual releases.

Bonus Packs Electronic Fire Station Prime (w/ Cody Burns & Rescue Hose, and Chief Charlie Burns & Rescue Cutter)

Optimus Prime Rescue Trailer with Bonus Bumblebee & 2 Human Hero Figures (w/ Graham & Cody Burns)

Optimus Prime Race Track Trailer (w/ Heatwave the Fire-Bot and Morbot)




Vintage



Vintage Starscream



Vintage Scorponok

Vintage is basically the return of Commemorative Series, only with more "retro" packaging. Reissues of classic molds, with a few concessions to modern construction, increased durability, and safety standards.

In 2021, Vintage expanded into reissues of Beast Wars toys, seemingly to take advantage of the line's 25th anniversary as well as Transformers: Rise of the Beasts (though repeated film production delays kinda missed that mark).

Vintage G1 2018 Bumblebee Devastator (Bonecrusher, Hook, Long Haul, Mixmaster, Scavenger, Scrapper) Hot Rod

Outback Swerve Tailgate Starscream

Vintage G1 2019 Frenzy / Laserbeak Gears Optimus Prime Rumble / Ravage Soundwave & Condor Cassette: Buzzsaw Warpath

Vintage G1 2020 Blaster

Vintage Beast Wars 2021 Cheetor Optimus Primal Megatron Rattrap

Vintage Beast Wars 2022 Maximal Cybershark Maximal K-9 Predacon Retrax Scorponok

Terrorsaur Tigatron Maximal Wolfang

Vintage Beast Wars 2023 Iguanus




War for Cybertron Trilogy

Wave 1

• Chromia
• Autobot Hound
• Decepticon Mirage
• Scrapface
• Sideswipe
• Hotlink
  (w/ Heatstroke and Heartburn)
• Megatron
  (w/ Captive Lionizer and Captive Pinpointer)
• Spoiler Pack:

Ultra Magnus

Battlefield Rung

Wave 2

• Bumblebee
• Autobot Elita-1
• Autobot Impactor
• Red Alert
• Wheeljack
• Optimus Prime
  (w/ Enerax and Sheeldron)
• Soundwave
  (w/ Ravage and Laserbeak)
• Spoiler Pack:

Nemesis Prime

Giza

Fangtron

Wave 3

• Cheetor
• Deep Cover
• Deseeus Army Drone
• Sparkless Bot
• Optimus Primal
  (w/ Rattrap)
• Sparkless Seeker
  (w/ Sparkless Caliburst and Sparkless Singe)
• Spoiler Pack:

Megatron

Fossilizer Skelivore

Legacy

• Buzzsaw
• Autobot Nightprowler
• Predacon Sandstorm

Velocitron Speedia 500 Collection

• Blurr
• Diaclone Universe Burn Out
• Diaclone Universe Clampdown
• Autobot Cosmos
• Cybertron Universe Override
• Road Hauler
• G2 Universe Road Rocket
• Robots in Disguise 2000
  Universe Scourge
• Decepticon Crasher
• G2 Universe Shadowstrip
• Autobot Hot Rod
• Victory Universe Galaxy Shuttle

List of non-toy Walmart exclusives

Movie (2007)

• Transformers movie DVD with exclusive bonus DVD Beginnings

Revenge of the Fallen (2009)

• To commemorate their exclusive release of Revenge of the Fallen, Walmart issued a foil gift card with Bumblebee on it. Included with it was a four piece cardboard figure of Bumblebee.

Unreleased toys

Over the years, some toys that were originally intended as Walmart exclusives were ultimately never released. In some cases, they were ultimately made available through other venues instead.

Universe

• Leatherhide vs. Blackarachnia (Halloween Horrorcons)
• Nightprowler vs. Waspinator (Halloween Horrorcons)
• Piranhaking giftset, contains:
  • • Archerbot
    • Nautilator
    • Overbite
    • Seawing
    • Snaptrap
    • Tentakil
  This set of "Piranhacons" was originally intended for the Universe line, but Walmart had later asked Hasbro to release it in Energon packaging instead before backing out of the deal altogether. Eventually, the toys, now named "Seacons" again, were released via the Transformers Collectors' Club in 2008.

  Dark of the Moon

• Leader Class Sentinel Prime and Bonus Value Deluxe Class Nitro Bumblebee
This giftset would have contained a Dark of the Moon Deluxe Class Nitro Bumblebee figure and a Dark of the Moon Leader Class Sentinel Prime figure. They would have been unchanged from their individual releases. The existence of this unreleased set was revealed by an eBay auction after the DOTM toyline was effectively over.

Notes

• A 2009 television ad for Walmart's "Cyber Week" deals featured two moms discussing the "Revenge of the Fallen Ramjet Raptor" figure available at Walmart, only to be interrupted by a "nerd" who gleefully informs them that the "Ramjet raptor figure was added to the Transformers family in 2009," although he personally prefers Skywarp.
  • God dammit. We're totally the new Trekkies, aren't we?
• For the 2011 release of Dark of the Moon, Walmart had exclusive retailer rights to use Sentinel Prime in their signage and marketing as part of their "Power of the Primes" campaign.

Footnotes

External links

• Official Walmart website
• Walmart at Wikipedia