Package refresh
{{#if:Left: Kingdom Core Class Autobot Hot RodRight: Legacy Core Class Autobot Hot Rod|
Right: Legacy Core Class Autobot Hot Rod
"Package refresh", also known as "packaging refresh" (or "PR" for short), is the current Hasbro design team terminology for a toy that has been re-released from a previous toyline in new packaging. Distinct from what TFWiki.net knows as rebranding, toys that have undergone a package refresh often feature minor or major variations compared to their previous releases, similar to what we call a running change.
Package refreshes can be used to grant less common toys more shelf time, to extend a line without the need for designing new product, or to keep popular or desirable characters in rotation. The term was used in a Hasbro Pulse livestream advertising Transformers: Legacy to emphasise that line's cross-compatibility with the previous War for Cybertron Trilogy series of toys.<ref>Fan First Tuesday | BACK-TO-BACK Transformers & Power Rangers Livestream</ref>
List of package refreshes
| Refreshed toy | Original toy | Variation |
|---|---|---|
| Earthrise Battle Master Smashdown | Siege Battle Master Smashdown | |
| Earthrise Battle Master Rung | Siege Battle Master Rung | Features a slightly lighter orange hue on the unpaintable polyamide plastic. |
| Earthrise Micromasters Direct-Hit & Power Punch | Siege Micromasters Direct-Hit & Power Punch | |
| Earthrise Leader Class Astrotrain | Siege Leader Class Astrotrain | |
| Kingdom Deluxe Class Arcee | Earthrise Deluxe Class Arcee | |
| Kingdom Deluxe Class Wheeljack | Earthrise Deluxe Class Wheeljack | |
| Kingdom Voyager Class Starscream (cancelled) | Earthrise Voyager Class Starscream | Presumably cancelled to avoid redundancy with the concurrent Studio Series Leader Class Coronation Starscream. |
| Kingdom Leader Class Optimus Prime | Earthrise Leader Class Optimus Prime | Prime's ion blaster is painted in a very slightly lighter shade of gunmetal grey. |
| Buzzworthy Bumblebee Deluxe Class 15BB Bumblebee (w/ Charlie) | Studio Series Deluxe Class 15 Bumblebee (w/ Charlie) | Bumblebee features both deco and tooling variations. See his toy entry for more information. |
| Buzzworthy Bumblebee Deluxe Class 26BB WWII Bumblebee | Studio Series Deluxe Class 26BB WWII Bumblebee | Additional dirt splash paint applications in vehicle mode. |
| Buzzworthy Bumblebee Deluxe Class 40BB Shatter | Studio Series Deluxe Class 40 Shatter | |
| Buzzworthy Bumblebee Deluxe Class 74BB Bumblebee (w/ Sam) | Studio Series Deluxe Class 74 Bumblebee (w/ Sam Witwicky) | No deco variations, though through happenstance, the package refresh happened to be released before the original toy. |
| Buzzworthy Bumblebee Deluxe Class 70BB B-127 | Studio Series Deluxe Class 70 B-127 | Deco colour and paint application differences, as well as an alternate head sculpt. |
| Buzzworthy Bumblebee Deluxe Class 86-02BB Kup | Studio Series Deluxe Class 86-02 Kup | Everything about Kup's deco has been altered, including replacing his transclucent plastic with opaque. Kup stretches the definition of a package refresh versus a redeco, but is listed here due to sharing the same ID number. |
| Legacy Core Class Autobot Hot Rod | Kingdom Core Class Autobot Hot Rod | |
| Legacy Core Class Optimus Prime | Kingdom Core Class Optimus Prime | |
| Legacy Voyager Class Autobot Blaster & Eject | Kingdom Voyager Class Autobot Blaster & Eject | |
| Legacy Voyager Class Soundwave | Siege Voyager Class Soundwave | Removal of battle damage paint applications. |
| Legacy Leader Class Galvatron | Kingdom Leader Class Galvatron | Removal of battle damage paint applications. |
Notes
- Package refreshes have an unfortunate habit of showing up as "Pr" on retailer toy listings; this caused quite some confusion when leaked word of a Legacy "Soundwave Pr" led fans to expect a new toy of Prime Soundwave.