Continuity family

A continuity family is MediaWiki's term for a group of distinct but closely-related individual continuities. For example, Generation 1, the original Transformers toyline and franchise, had several separate continuities. Therefore, there is no single Generation 1 continuity, but many related ones. Further, these continuities are clearly distinguishable from the various Unicron Trilogy continuities, or from Robots in Disguise.

Transformers' four major continuity families are:

• The Generation 1 continuity family. This includes the original toyline and all related media, the divergent Japanese exclusive material begun in 1987, the Generation 2 revival of the franchise from the 1990's, as well as later "rebooted" versions of the Generation 1 story, such as those created by Dreamwave and IDW. Additionally, the so-called "Beast Era" also belongs to this continuity family. This includes Beast Wars, Beast Wars II, Beast Wars Neo, and Beast Machines.

• The Robots in Disguise continuity family. This includes the television series, the short comic stroy from the Dreamwave Summer Special and the expanded toyline-spawned fiction. The original Car Robots version, however, has been retconned into a part of Japan's Generation 1 continuity family. Good luck figuring that one out.

• The Unicron Trilogy continuity family. This includes the Armada, Energon, and Cybertron toylines and all related media.

• The Movie continuity family. This was created by the Transformers (2007) live action film and includes the film and all ancillary media: novels, comics, toys, and any potential sequels. (Some view the live-action movie franchise as a subsection of the Generation 1 continuity family as it features many G1 characters.)

Additionally, a fifth rather minor continuity family also exists:

• The Go-Bots continuity family, encompassing the Playskool Transformers lines aimed at ages five and below. (Sometimes called Go-Go-Go-Bots by fans.)

Trivia

• The Universe franchise features a meta-cross continuity family storyline which begins as part of the Generation 1/Beast Era continuity family, but also includes characters from the Unicron Trilogy and Robots in Disguise. If it had continued, at least one character from the Go-Bots franchise would have turned up as well.
  
  
  From Teletraan I: The Transformers Wiki, a Wikia wiki.