Unreleased toy

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For every Transformer that makes it to store shelves, there are always some that fall by the wayside. Lines get canceled, retailers back off on exclusives, designs go over budget, focus groups pass on a concept, or maybe they just weren't cool enough. Regardless of the whys and wherefores, this article aims to document the unreleased toys that never quite saw retail.

Note that this list will likely never be "complete," as for every concept design that makes it into collectors' hands, a countless number wind up in the garbage can.

(Quick! Get to the landfill outside Providence and START DIGGING.)

Notable examples

Regular releases

Generation 1

Concepts

• Rock Bots

Concept art

Yup, they wanted to make me, but oh well.

• A Headmaster version of Arcee, based on a redecoed Chromedome.

• New Rodimus

• Skywarp/Megatron Triple Changer.

• Megatron/Galvatron Triple Changer.

• Big Bang

• A Rodimus figure with a strange design and transformation. It is believed that the Target exclusive transforming Optimus Prime gift card is based on this figure, as it is similar in design and transformation.

• A "Decepticon Stingray" revealed in Transformers Vault. Though the image caption identifies it as "an unreleased and nameless Decepticon Headmaster", the artwork shown does not appear to agree with the "Headmaster" description.

Prototypes

Unicron wanted a toy, but his bargaining posture was highly dubious.

• Two Unicron prototypes were created during G1, neither saw full release.

• Diaclone Triple Changer - His design was later used for Dropshot.

• Double Pretenders

• A Micromaster carrier-base, which has some similarities to the released Rocket Base.

Toys

• The tank Deluxe Vehicle.

Generation "1.5"

"Hi, I'm the Bonecrusher-Bonecrusher fuzor!"

(This section is about the line between the US G1 and G2.)

Concept art

• Buffalo Dump
• Hyperdrive

Generation 2

Prototypes

• General Optimus Prime and Sgt. Hound

• Two additional Auto Rollers that eventually wound up as Beast Wars II Autojetter and Autolauncher.

• Greasepit

• Cyberjets remolded with armored limbs and larger weapons.

• Block Town series

• Two new-mold Go-Bots

• G.I. Joe Transformer

• A version of Starscream in jungle colors. Whether this figure would have actually been Starscream or not is unknown.

• A version of Starscream in a black deco. Whether this figure would have actually been Starscream or not is unknown.

• A version of Ramjet in sky blue colors. Whether this figure would have actually been Ramjet or not is unknown.

• Sandstorm

• The four "flipchanger" molds which were later released as Machine Wars Megatron/Megaplex, Skywarp/Thundercracker, Hoist/Hubcap and Mirage/Prowl.

• Motormaster (as hand-painted Generation 1 toys)

• Hot Spot (as hand-painted Generation 1 toys)

Packaged samples (test packaging)

• Four new-mold Go-Bots, packaged on High Beam cards.

Packaged samples (final packaging)

• Redecoes of the two G2 Hero molds: Optimus Prime in a dark-blue and red color scheme, and Megatron in a gray and black camouflage.

• Laser Cycle Jazz

• Laser Cycle Soundwave

• Megatron ATB with Starscream

• All of the Stunticon limbs except for Breakdown, who was released as a BotCon exclusive.

• All of the Protectobot limbs.

Beast Wars

Concept art

• Transmetals Dinobot

Prototypes

• Beast Wars Neo Unicron

Packaged samples

• Ramulus (Green version)

Transtech

It was not to be.

Concept art

• Megatron; unsure whether this would have been the G1 or beast era character.
• Depth Charge
• Shockwave
• Silverbolt
• Soundwave
• Blackarachnia
• Nightscream
• Immorticon

Prototypes

• Optimus Prime
• Cheetor
• Starscream

Robots In Disguise

Prototypes

• Hasbro-release Fortress Maximus

Armada

Prototypes

• Built to Rule Ramjet

Packaged samples

• Adventure Mini-Con Team repaint
• Space Mini-Con Team repaint
• Street Speed Mini-Con Team repaint

Alternators/Binaltech

Concepts

• VW New Beetle Bumblebee
• VW New Beetle Cliffjumper
• Honda S2000 Blackwidow (prototype sporting the long gun barrel and right-hand steering wheel of Binaltech Overdrive and the head sculpt, hardtop roof and rear spoiler of Alternators Decepticharge, originally announced as Wildrider but then given a deco based on Beast Wars Blackarachnia; ultimately released in Japan in new colors as Binaltech Arcee)

Prototypes

• Jazz (Porsche 986 Boxster)
• Smokescreen (Subaru Impreza WRX, Deluxe-sized)

Attacktix

Prototypes

• Uh... the entire second wave, pretty much.

Universe (2003)

Concepts

• Menasor - a redeco of Thunder Clash as the Stunticon leader.

Energon

Packaged samples

• Mini-Cons Brakedown, Override, and Clocker were originally intended to come with Energon Ultra Magnus, but were swapped out at essentially the last possible minute for a redecoed Space Mini-Con Team.

Titanium Series

Concepts

• Soundblaster redeco of Soundwave with Ravage.

Prototypes

• Arcee
• War Within Bumblebee
• War Within Cliffjumper (Bumblebee redeco/retool with a new head sculpt)
• Cosmos
• Shockwave

Revoltech

Prototypes

• Energon Optimus Prime

Cybertron

Concepts

• Landslide

Prototypes

• More Minicon partners for Soundwave
• A Scrapmetal redeco

Classics

Concepts

Tapedeck superior SUV inferior!

• Cosmos
• Soundwave

Prototypes

• A Deluxe Class Optimus Prime that looks a lot like the Voyager Class version, with fixed on knee parts. Apparently, an early plan was for this toy to be released without a trailer at the Deluxe price point, and with a trailer at the Voyager price point. It's unclear whether the trailer ever made it past the early planning stage before the decision was made to uspscale Optimus to Voyager size.

Animated

Prototypes

• Toxic Oil Slick
• Fugitive Waspinator
• Vortex Blurr
• Mercenary Swindle
• Hydrodrive Bumblebee (Voyager Class, released in Japan)
• Goldfire Grimlock (Voyager Class)
• Thundercracker (Voyager Class, released in Japan)
• Blackout (released in Japan)
• Wingblade Optimus Prime (Voyager Class, released in Japan)
• Mudbuster Bulkhead (Voyager Class)
• Electromagnetic Soundwave (Activator)

Transformers (2010)

Packaged samples

• Bodyblock (Breacher redeco)
• Demolition Rumble (sculpt/character released under United in Japan)
• Downshift (Hubcap redeco)

Exclusives

Conventions

Transcon

Concepts

• Albitron and Swoop. These figures were advertised as convention exclusives by Men in Black Productions, but never materialized.

OTFCC

Concepts

• Brawn
• Devcon
• Megatron (post-Beast Machines)
• Roadbuster

Prototypes

• Defensor
• A limited repaint of Defensor as Midnight Shield Defensor
• Alpha Trion
• Fractyl
• Devcon

Wonder Festival

Packaged samples

• A black redeco of the Classics Optimus Prime mold, but as a black version of the heroic Convoy character with Autobot faction symbols, not a Nemesis Prime/Black Convoy character.

Store

Universe (2003)

Prototypes

• Toxitron
• Megatron (Energon redeco)/Soundwave (Smallest Transforming Transformers) two-pack (intended for Target)
• Optimus Prime (Energon redeco)/Optimus Prime (Smallest Transforming Transformers) two-pack (intended for Target)
• Smokescreen vs. Drench Drench (Battle in a Box, intended for Target, Drench later came out as Timelines/Shattered Glass Sideswipe)
• Spacewarp with Space Mini-Con Team (intended for Toys"R"Us, later released as Timelines Astrotrain with a new head sculpt and different Mini-Cons)
• "Halloween Horrorcons" Leatherhide vs. Blackarachnia (intended for Walmart)
• "Halloween Horrorcons" Nightprowler vs. Waspinator (intended for Walmart)

Movie (2007)

Packaged samples

• Backtrack (intended for Target)
• Decepticon Reverb (intended for Target)
• Gunbarrel (intended for Target)

Transformers (2010)

Prototypes

• Blue Maximus vs. Crosshairs (redecos of Revenge of the Fallen Ransack and Rollbar)
• Drydock vs. Undertow (redecos of Revenge of the Fallen Depthcharge and Cybertron Shortround)

Packaged samples

• "Sideways Sneak Attack" multi-pack (intended for Target), containing:

• Sideways (Deluxe Class)
• Arcee (Legends Class)
• Chromia (Legends Class)
• Elita-One (Legends Class)

• "Megatron Rising" five pack, containing:

• Megatron (Revenge of the Fallen Voyager Class Megatron redeco)
• Long Haul (Legends Devastator component)
• Mixmaster (Legends Devastator component)
• Rampage (Legends Devastator component, yellow deco)
• Scrapper (Legends Devastator component, red redeco)

Miscellaneous

Concepts

• A supposed Hooligan
• A supposed Megatron
• A supposed Starscream
• A supposed Optimus Prime

Statues/Busts

Prototypes

• Transformers vs GI. Joe Baroness and Ravage.
• A Soundwave bust that didn't work well once it was downscaled for release.

Merchandise

Robot Heroes

Packaged samples (final packaging)

• Optimus Prime & Megatron (Robots in Disguise Series)
• Prowl & Laserbeak (Generation 1 Series)
• Victory Saber & Dessaras (Generation 1 Series)
• Optimus Primal & Jetstorm (Beast Machines Series)

See also

• Pre-Transformer

External links

• Galleries of various unreleased toys (photos compiled from various websites and eBay auctions)
• Dairycon 2008 report featuring the concepts for the supposed Hooligan, Starscream, Megatron and Optimus Prime