The crew looks back at 2025 in Transformers, from HasLab Liokaiser’s 23,553 backers to HasLab Omega Prime’s breakage problems and replacement parts. Tariffs pushed Voyagers from $34.99 to $42.99, and the end of the de minimis exemption hit importers hard. Missing Link Arcee and Missing Link Delta Magnus top the good news. Matt wins bragging rights in the 2025 predictions scorecard. Chris then runs the 2025 RFC Awards, where Prototype Colors Missing Link Arcee takes best toy of the year.
News
Transformers: Reactivate Officially Canceled
In January, the crew learned Transformers: Reactivate was no longer in development. Nobody was surprised. The live service game switched engines and studios at least once, and its tie-in toys designed in 2022 didn’t arrive until late 2024. One host noted the live service market collapsed, so the game was dead on arrival. [Source: TFW2005]
Transformers Writer and Producer Roberto Orci Dies at 51
In sad news, Roberto Orci passed away in February at only 51. [Source: Deadline]
HasLab Liokaiser Launches at MegaCon and Funds With 23,553 Backers
Hasbro launched HasLab Liokaiser at its Orlando MegaCon panel on February 7. It passed its 10,000 funding goal within a week, hitting 11,882 by the first Liokaiser Watch, and soon unlocked Death Cobra. The crew credits Hasbro for putting the best stretch goal first. The final count landed at 23,553 after early, higher numbers were corrected. Brian recalled that Don’s 2025 predictions floated a mainline Liokaiser, and the crew laughed at the idea. One host still thinks Liokaiser would have sold more easily at retail than the Constructicons. [Source: TFW2005]
Missing Link Arcee Official Photos and Preorders
Official photos and preorders opened for the Missing Link G1 Arcees, which Chris called the most important day of Don’s life. Earlier in the year, Takara Tomy showed a development version built from 3D printed parts. The crew calls Missing Link Arcee the poster child for the whole line, and agrees the final toys turned out great. [Source: TFW2005]
Hasbro Lays Off 3% of Its Workforce
June brought more Hasbro layoffs. One host feels better leadership could solve some of Hasbro’s problems. Another called 2025 economically a layer cake of stupid, which makes blame hard to assign. The crew also tied the year to Hasbro’s licensing push, including Power Rangers going to Playmates. [Source: The Boston Globe]
End of the De Minimis Exemption Hits Collectors
In August, the U.S. suspended the de minimis exemption for low-value imports. That exemption had let shipments under $800 skip duties. One host said it was the news that hit him hardest, since filling out his Titans Return collection from Japan suddenly cost much more. Chris later picked it as the worst news of 2025. [Source: EY]
Activate Your Alt Mode Turns Shockwave Into a Sea Creature
Hasbro’s Activate Your Alt Mode fan vote picked Shockwave over Grimlock, Starscream and Mirage, then chose a sea alt mode and finally a sea creature. Collider revealed the result, which the crew calls Shockwhale, since everybody wanted Sharkwave. One host likes the concept art and thinks it borrows ideas from Sky-Byte, if it ever becomes a real product. [Source: Collider]
Hasbro Moves Its Headquarters to Boston
In September, Hasbro announced it was moving its headquarters from Rhode Island to Boston. The crew had speculated in 2024 that the company was pressuring Rhode Island for leverage. One host noted reports of a large financial incentive behind the move. [Source: CBS Boston]
Transformers Price Increases Hit Every Size Class
After an early warning from Chris Cocks, tariff-driven price increases arrived. Leaders went from $55.99 to $59.99 and deluxes from $24.99 to $27.99. Voyagers jumped from $34.99 to $42.99, which the crew found wildly disproportionate. One host believes years of small Voyager increases hit all at once, and another expects Voyagers to die on shelves. The crew also noted retailers handled preorder prices unevenly. [Source: TFW2005]
HasLab Omega Prime Replacement Parts Arrive With No New Tooling
HasLab Omega Prime shipped with a torso design flaw that made breakage easy. Replacement Optimus Prime robots began arriving in October, but they appear only sanded smoother, with no design changes. Don, who backed three, was very disappointed that Hasbro took the cheap way out. Some Ultra Magnus figures also yellowed right out of the box, and those replacements held up. The crew credits Hasbro for issuing replacements but says HasLab Liokaiser had better be near perfect. [Source: TFW2005]
Missing Link Delta Magnus Revealed
The show notes called Missing Link Delta Magnus the second-biggest news of the year, after Missing Link Arcee. The crew agreed it is gorgeous, and Rob and Brian later picked it as their best news of 2025. [Source: TFW2005]
Mbilia Studios Comic Book Edition Statues Draw Fan Outrage
The Transformers: Comic Book Edition limited statues cost about $3,800 each. Fans assumed AI designed them, and the crew called them indescribably hideous. One host hopes Hasbro uses its approval rights, though the crew doubts it does. [Source: TFW2005]
Generations Selects G2 Swoop and Sludge Revealed
Generations Selects G2 Swoop and Sludge rounded out the G2 Dinobots. Swoop sold one host on the whole G2 set, while another is happy stopping at blue Grimlock. Fans later split their favorite news vote between these two and Missing Link Ultra Magnus. [Source: TFW2005]
2025 Predictions Scorecard
Chris scored 0.8 points, with half a point for a Collaborative that could become the A-Team van and a third for deluxe price increases. Rob scored zero, and he is happy to be wrong that Hasbro would be sold off in pieces. Diecast earned a point for Hasbro layoffs and half a point for a Titan, since Trypticon came back.
Don earned a point for a Titan reissue, though the crew says he was right for the wrong reasons. Matt won bragging rights with 2.5 points. He scored on the G2 Legacy Stunticons staying incomplete and on Windcharger and Powerglide leaks. John and ChatGPT ended with one and one-seventh points after a debate over whether crossover toys count. Brian scored on more licensed products but missed on a Hasbro executive shakeup and Missing Link Masters.
2025 RFC Awards
In Age of the Primes, Micronus Prime won best deluxe with hosts and fans. Sky-Byte took best Voyager with 56% of the fan vote. Megatronus the Fallen swept best leader, unanimously among hosts and with 65% of fans.
In Studio Series, Bonecrusher won best deluxe and Scrapper won best Voyager, with hosts and fans in agreement. Studio Series 86 Megatron won best leader by about a mile. In the Titan and Commander class category, Titan class Star Optimus Prime beat Commander class Silverbolt once host votes broke a fan tie.
MPG-15 Rattrap won best Masterpiece among hosts. Fans picked MPG-14 God Ginrai, but over half reported buying no Masterpiece at all. EarthSpark Deluxe Soundwave won its category. The hosts chose Prototype Colors Missing Link Arcee, while fans narrowly preferred Animation Colors Arcee, and nobody voted for Cordon.
Sky-Byte also won best small Cyberworld toy, and Scorponok took the large category. World Dragnus won best large Wild King toy. Cybertron Sideways won best Walmart exclusive, and the Carnivac versus Fisitron set won best Amazon exclusive. The Age of the Primes four-pack with Ultra Magnus, Bumper, Horri-Bull and Nemesis Prime won best Target exclusive.
Skybound Jetfire narrowly won the fan vote for best event exclusive, though 46% bought neither set. Trypticon won best Generations Selects, and the Hearts of Steel Bumblebee versus Megatron set won best Timelines two-pack. Hot Wheels Bone Shaker won best Collaborative with hosts and fans. For Dramatic Capture, Brian, Matt and Rob picked Decepticons Part 1, while fans tied Triple Takeover and Cybertron Chase.
Best and Worst of 2025
For best get, Chris landed a Perfect Effect Ginrai Prime with Godmaster parts for about $50. Rob chose Rathalos Prime, and Diecast picked the Calvin Johnson Megatron. Don chose his cartoon Trypticon at a deep discount, and Matt picked his G1 Raiden because it is more complete than Brian’s. Brian finally found the Rally’s and Checkers Rhinox after years of searching.
Rob, Diecast, Matt and Brian named Missing Link Arcee the best toy of 2025, while one host picked Age of the Primes Sky-Byte. For worst toy, Chris picked the $90 Devastator three-pack he calls the short pants set. Rob chose Age of the Primes Solus Prime, Diecast the Devastation Optimus Prime deluxe, Don the Sonic and Tails Collaborative and Matt Age of the Primes Venom.
For best news, Chris picked the possibility of Beast Wars remasters, and Rob and Brian chose Missing Link Delta Magnus. Diecast picked MPG Optimus Prime Style Gen, Don chose Missing Link Arcee and Matt picked the Titan class Age of Extinction Dinobots. With price increases ruled out, worst news went to the end of de minimis for Chris and a rumored Michael Bay return for Rob. Brian chose the Hasbro layoffs, Diecast picked tariffs, and the crew assigned Don the HasLab Omega Prime disaster.
Fans’ Best of 2025
Fans named Studio Series 86 Megatron their favorite official toy of 2025, with Blokees a combined second. Dr. Wu, especially its cassettes, won favorite third-party toy. Trypticon won best toy on clearance, and favorite news split between Missing Link Ultra Magnus and G2 Swoop and Sludge.