Transformers: Exiles Cover

Amazon has posted the cover to Transformers: Exiles, the sequel to Transformers: Exodus that kicked off the War for Cybertron continuity that informs Transformers: Prime and used concepts from the movies. The paperback novel by Alex Irvine is set for release on September 27, 2011. Below is the Amazon description of the novel.

The epic battles between Optimus Prime and Megatron have long thrilled Transformers fans. But these two giants weren’t always great leaders and bitter foes. This new novel continues the electrifying saga that started with Transformers: Exodus, unveiling the origins of the conflict—the explosive events that unfolded before Optimus and Megatron arrived Earthside, forever altering the destiny of their kind.

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Hasbro Confirms Prime, War for Cybertron Continuity

A statement from Hasbro US has provided new insight on Transformers: Prime and War for Cybertron as it turns out these two stories are actually part of the same continuity. From AllSpark:

A question was recently posed to Hasbro’s UK office asking if the Transformers Prime television series and the Transformers War for Cybertron video game were in a connected continuity. Unfortunately the wrong answer was delivered and that answer has made its way to the fan community. The TRANSFORMERS brand team would like to confirm that Transformers War for Cybertron video game, Transformers Exodus novel, and the Transformers Prime television show are in the same aligned continuity. Hasbro is creating a single continuity to tell the bulk of our TRANSFORMERS stories going forward.

Please look for further details about the continuity plan and new projects over the next year.

I am not sure how the movies tie into this but I suspect they don't, instead providing inspiration for this new Hasbro driven continuity. Transfans will have their own interpretation but below is my summary of the main official Transformers universes created over the last 25 years.

TF G1 - 1984 cartoon series, Transformers: The Movie, comics (Marvel, Dreamwave, IDW), Beast Wars, and Beast Machines
TF G2 - Short lived Generation 2 toys
TF UK - TF G1 plus UK comic books (most by Simon Furman)
TF Japan - TF G1 1984 plus the many Japan cartoons that continued after US production stopped like The Headmasters, Super-God Masterforce, Beast Wars Neo, etc
TF RID - Robots in Disguise series
TF Unicron - Transformers: Armada, Energon and Cybertron series
TF MB - Michael Bay films of Transformers, Revenge of the Fallen and Dark of the Moon.
TF G3 - Hasbro supported continuity currently derived of War for Cybertron, W4C Prequel Exodus book, and Transformers: Prime. Inspired by TF G1 and TF MB concepts.

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War for Cybertron DLC #2 Released

For owners of Transformers: War for Cybertron on the XBox 360 and Playstation 3, if you have around $10 to spend then the second DLC pack for the game is officially out. The games adds two new characters with Zeta Prime and Dead End as playable characters for multi-player Escalation mode. Also five new multiplayer maps have been added. Press Release with details after the break. A gallery of images from the pack can be found here.Read More »

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War for Cybertron DLC #2 Dated

It seems the DLC packs for War for Cybertron are going to continue as the ticker in Multiplayer and Escalation mode has revealed the 2nd pack will be coming on September 7th. According to Seibertron.com, they figure the pack will follow the same format as the 1st with at least five new characters, 2 new Multiplayer maps and 2 Escalation maps. However, that is speculation so hopefully Activision will reveal something official soon. Not sure what the image the site posted is one of the new characters but it looks cool so used it to.

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W4C: Megatron, High Moon Studios, and Game Art

Game Informer has added additional articles to their Transformers: War for Cybertron article hub. Below are links to the latest updates about the game that is coming this next summer.

Megatron Character Profile

As the image shows, this isn't the Megatron of old but he shares a lot of features with his G1 incarnation such as the head shape, color scheme and large cannon. Ever since Generation Two, Megs' traditional alt mode has been a tank (due to US toy safety rules) and that hasn't changed here. Megatron's motivation remains the same, rule Cybertron, but for the game he is trying to find "Dark Energon" to achieve that goal. Meg's arm cannon is powerful enough to destroy city blocks, has Mark Targets (like Prime) and Drain abilities.

High Moon Studios Profile
Activision is the publisher, but High Moon is the one actually making W4C. Owned by Activision, located in Carlsbad, California, the company got its start in as part of Sega when called Sammy Studios. Their other games include Darkwatch and The Bourne Conspiracy.

Behind the Art of War for Cybertron
A behind the scenes look at the art that was created for the game as this is probably the first extensive look at Cybertron for a video game. The planet was previously explored in season three of G1 Transformers and Beast Machines but not much sense. Click the link above for a video that shows off some of the art and sources of inspiration.

Transmission Recovery Codes
TransformersGame.com has new content relating to War for Cybertron but it requires you to choose the right Coordinate (yellow) and Transmission (blue) combinations. Thanks to TFormers, here are the codes.

Coordinate: 40, Transmission: 120 (art also in art profile video)
Coordinate: 21, Transmission: 284 (art also at Megs profile link)
Coordinate: 30, Transmission: 007 (video of seeker flying)
Coordinate: 298, Transmission: 85 (video of Decepticon symbol)
Coordinate: 11, Transmission: 265 (art of Optimus Prime)

After using all five codes get "100% total recovered" and "3rd batch will be available in 6 hrs" (or around midnight EST).

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War For Cybertron Interview, Details

TFW2005 has posted up a quick summary about Transformers: War for Cybertron and a quick interview with Game Director Matt Tieger. Below are highlights, the full article can be found here.

Also, TransformersGame.com has updated with the trailer. After the trailer plays a pretty click 3D view of Cybertron from space appears with what appears to be a blast coming from its surface (or engine?) with game to "locate a transmission". Click the "?" for instructions. The one I found was coordinate 011 and transmission 263 which switched and showed a still of Optimus Prime.

Highlights:
- Game not based on any generation or iteration of Transformers but uses elements, references, etc to create new cannon that Hasbro is considering using as the basis of new ongoing cannon for the franchise.
- Takes place on Cybertron, long before Transformers ever reached Earth.
- Familiar faces will be in game (Prime, Megatron, Soundwave, etc) with plans to use characters not seen for a long time (Omega Supreme) etc. Which will be playable, boss fights, etc was not indicated.
- "Character development is key", Cybertron will be expanded upon using past references from comics, cartoons, etc such as use of the city Iacon as Prime's home.
- Toys based on the game are under consideration but no firm plans yet.
- "I think there is a law against making a TF game without Peter Cullen."
- There will be online campaigns with co-op modes
- Confirmed game uses the Unreal Engine and will be 3rd person shooter. Not cover-based shooter but teamwork is involved, can transform anywhere, and each character has special abilities.
- There likely will be DLC packs but nothing specific planned yet.

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Transformers: War for Cybertron Dated, Cover Art

Amazon has posted their pre-order page for Transformers: War for Cybertron that reveals a release date of June 22, 2010 and a mock up of the cover art for the game. In addition is news that the game is also going to be coming to the Nintendo DS (oddly PSP isn't listed) in an Autobots or Decepticons version as the previous movie games were done for the system. The prices are the expected $60 (PS3, 360), $50 (Wii), and $30 (DS). There will probably pre-order specials coming so I would wait on ordering (but if do use the link above so blog gets credit).

In addition, Activision issued its press release about the game but it did not include the info from the Amazon listing.

“For the first time, Hasbro is working with Activision to drive the TRANSFORMERS fiction forward into new story arcs, demonstrating pivotal moments in Transformers history that defined who they are,” said Aaron Archer, Senior Design Director, Hasbro. “This remarkable video game helps us to tell a critical event in TRANSFORMERS lore that will be used as canon for future storylines in a way we could have only dreamed of a few years ago. It is a testament to the success of the TRANSFORMERS brand and a key element to the story we look forward to telling in 2010 and beyond.”

Transformers: War for Cybertron features two distinct storylines: the AUTOBOT campaign tells a story of heroism to save their home planet against overwhelming odds, and the DECEPTICON campaign tells a story of an unquenchable thirst for power to control the universe. For the first time in a TRANSFORMERS title, fans will be able to play the game with their friends through team-based online co-op, or go head to head in a variety of intense, online multiplayer game modes. The game features a sci-fi art style that introduces to fans the entire living, metallic world of CYBERTRON, as well as all-new visualizations of the iconic TRANSFORMERS characters in their original Cybertronian forms.

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More War for Cybertron Coverage and Details

TFormers has posted a little more insight in what the game play will be like from talking with Transformers: War For Cybertron Game Director Matt Tieger.

Gameplay will feature shooting, in a third person style reminiscent of the Gears of War series. Expect the dynamic elements of Transformation, including into air craft, to weigh in on that tried formula though. Most weapons will be standardized, be changeable and use ammo. Health will regenerate when fire is avoided.

A co-op feature is planned, and while it is unknown what the final number of simultaneous players will be, the levels available for play all had 2 AI controlled players fighting alongside the player character. Online multiplayer has been a part of design from day one, High Moon hasn’t given any of those features away just yet.

The campaigns are set one after the other, the first is from the Decepticon perspective, as Megatron pursues something called “Dark Energon”, once he is victorious, the Autobot campaign begins. Apparently this story is so compelling that Hasbro is accepting it as canon for the franchise.

Game Informer has started a rather long series of articles that will be posted periodically here throughout the month for W4C video game. Here is a summary of what they have so far.

Sterner Stuff
A good History 101 summary of the Transformers franchise from the Generation One cartoons to today including summaries on the toy lines, comics and more. A nice primer for anyone wanting to play catch-up on some of the terms you might have read about here and there (including on this blog).

Optimus Prime Character Profile
The first of a series of profiles on the major characters of the game including a look at some concept art (example above). For the game, this is Optimus before he rises to leader of the Autobots that joins the war after his home city of Iacon is attacked by Decepticons.

Teaser Trailer
In case you didn't already see it, another look at the teaser trailer for the game.

Transformers Trivia
An amusing video as Game Informer editors and W4C Cinematics Director Dave Cravens quiz each other on aspects of Transformers history.

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Transformers: War for Cybertron Teaser Trailer (Updated)

GameTrailers.com has officially and exclusively released the teaser trailer for Transformers: War for Cybertron to go with the leaked art from the other day. The trailer shows lots of quick shots of a cinematic with teasers of various characters like Optimus Prime and Omega Supreme, all redesigned but clearly inspired by their original Generation One counterparts.

I assume this game is set at some point during "The Great War" that first pits the Autobots against the Decepticons in a long lasting civil war that eventually reaches Earth as indicated in the various cartoons, comics and movies. Also the official website, TransformersGames.com, has been updated to reflect the new game with a countdown clock in the Cybertronian language and a link to sign up for "future transmissions."

The game's release date is to be determined, the platforms are PS3, XBox 360, and PC. Below is the video or click here for the embiggened version.

Update: Click here for nearly a frame by frame gallary of images from the trailer.

Video Games | Transformers: War for Cybertron | Exclusive Debut Trailer HD

XBox 360 | Playstation 3 | Nintendo Wii

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Transformers: The War for Cybertron Video Game First Look

Activision has released new art to Game Informers announcing a new video game from the company for the Transformers franchise. This game, which is being created by High Moon Studios (Darkwatch, Bourne Conspiracy), is called Transformers: The War for Cybertron, appears to take place in the Generation One sandbox. No further details have been released beyond the images and the studio, but judging from those this appears to be the first game that I can remember that appears to take place in the Generation One universe (rather than movies or other recent cartoons) and on Cybertron.

It appears that some of the designs might have been inspired by Don Figueroa's art for Transformers: The War Within comic books series from Dreamwave back in 2002 with a mix of other more recent concepts like the Classic line. Below are some images, click here for the full gallery.

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