Transtech
| This article is about the cancelled toy line. For the race of highly evolved Transformers seen in Axiom Nexus, see Transcendent Technomorph. |
Transtech was originally planned as the follow-up to the Beast Machines franchise. It would have begun in summer 2001, but was instead replaced by Robots in Disguise while Hasbro geared up for Armada.
In 2008, the Transformers Collectors' Club used the Transtech designs as inspiration for the TransTech universe.
Fiction
Story-wise, not much is known about the original concept. It likely would have picked up on technorganic Cybertron following the events of Beast Machines. A Mainframe CGI animated series to support the line was likely in the discussion stage at some point.
Toys
The characters transformed into Cybertronic vehicles that in many cases had animal-like features/deco. Cheetor was a Cybertronic race-car with a cheetah-like paint job, for instance, and Prime (confusingly invoking Optimus Primal) was a truck whose front end looked like an ape's face. Designs were done by Draxhall Jump and had somewhat less traditional robot modes (Cheetor had large hoop "wheels" for shoulders and feet, for instance) and didn't always resemble older versions of the character very closely. The overall aesthetic was somewhere in-between Beast Machines' odder moments and the new 2007 movie designs. Many of these designs were first shown at BotCon 2002 (apparently without Hasbro's permission, as they were pulled from the booth halfway through the show) and subsequently made available online.
Online retailer Big Bad Toy Store posted a preliminary retailer list of early 2001 Transformers product in December 2000. In addition to revealing several unproduced and delayed Beast Machines toys, the listing indicated the intent of releasing Transtech in the summer of 2001 launching with 4 deluxes (Shockwave, Starscream, Cheetor and Silverbolt) along side 2 mega class figures and 2 Ultra class figures (the requisite Optimus and Megatron). A second wave consisting of a deluxe Rattrap and another unnamed deluxe was due shortly after this initial wave.
The line would have included Maximals carried over from Beast Machines:
a returning Beast Wars character:
returning Generation 1 characters:
and at least one new character
Design sketches for a Megatron and a Scavenger of uncertain identity also exist.
The toyline got to the early hardcopy prototype stage, and some prototypes, including Cheetor, Starscream, and Prime, have surfaced. None of them apparently reached a stage of production where real, usable molds were created, and so future release is extremely unlikely.
When Draxhall Jump made their design sketches for Transtech available, they also included a number of designs from other lines (such as GI Joe), but put them all under the "Transtech" header for their web page, causing a bit of confusion. This artwork included a work-up sketch of Soundwave as a souped-up blue boom-box, which is often mistaken to be a member of the Transtech line.
 Proceed on your way to oblivion. |
Cancellation
The reasons for Transtech's cancellation remain unknown for certain, though over the years, a number of possible reasons have been speculated, among them: negative fan reaction to Beast Machines, conflict with Mainframe, economic difficulties due to poor performance by other Hasbro toylines at the time, differences with Takara, or simply a desire to go in a new direction. The most likely explanation is not a singular culprit, but a number of corresponding culprits, perhaps culminating in the closing of Hasbro's Cincinnati offices and departures of staff, followed by the subsequent relocation to Hasbro's central offices in Rhode Island.
The cancellation of Transtech led to the Japanese Car Robots cartoon and toyline being imported as a stopgap measure while Hasbro and Takara began to work together to jointly create and launch the Armada line.
And look how that turned out.
Trivia
- According to the creative staff of Transformers Animated at BotCon 2008, Animated Blurr's design is partially inspired by TransTech Cheetor, most notably the hubless wheels making up part of his feet.
- Though the toyline was cancelled, several of the designs have been adapted into other toylines. Notably Armada Megatron, Armada Scavenger and Energon Landmine.
- The designs for Toy Biz's Marvel Megamorphs transforming superhero toyline were done by Draxhall Jump as well. These designs strongly resemble their Transtech work, specifically with Hulk using Immorticon's design and Ironman using Starscream's. Unfortunately, the final product was less than ideal.
