So, JTPrime unleashed what is presumably 90% of the Studio Series 2025 lineup last night. No commander class was listed, so maybe there will not be one, or more likely he just couldn't get the info on it yet.
I just wanted to do a rundown of the list, as it's a pretty interesting mix with a few surprises!
First is deluxe class "A-level" TF One B-127. I'm still not solid on what is meant by A-level, but most know that TF One is the new CG animated movie set on Cybertron. I don't care too much for the B-127 designation being carried over from the 2018 movie, but I am interested to see what the designs will look like for the new film.
Another A-level release is deluxe class "DEV" Optimus Prime. Speculation says this is a Devastation video game reference, and some think that it may therefore be a cel-shaded repaint of the upcoming Legacy deluxe Optimus. We'll see, it could be something totally different.
Double Punch (another deluxe) we already know will be an RotB Scorponok repaint. The SS-107 got released in purple, which was supposed to be Double Punch's colors according to concept art, which also showed a red Sandstorm variant. Not sure what this repaint will look like, but I hope it is the green deco that SS-107 was intended to have.
Next up is deluxe Hatchet, of which we've already seen a render. He looked a bit rough, and I didn't buy the other SS Dreads, so I'll likely pass on this.
Deluxe MV6 Bumblebee: not exactly sure what this will be. We could be entering the era of SS revisions, as 2018 VW BB was first released through SS, or it could be the Camaro design from the film's ending that isn't the same as the RotB design. I could really go for a new VW mold, as the original SS mold is not great nor very accurate.
SS86 Preceptor package refresh: I can think of better choices for a PR, but whatever
Deluxe class TF One Starscream: kind of weird to get a deluxe Starscream after he has consistently been a voyager for years now, I'm interested to see the design regardless.
Deluxe class Que: Finally! Wheeljaq never got a domestic release, so it's about time he gets an SS showing. I hope it's a good take.
Deluxe class SS86 Bonecrusher: So, they're finally doing it! People have been asking for an SS86 Devastator for years now, and we are finally getting one. As you'll see down the list, other Constructicons show up across both deluxe and voyager price points. It is a bit curious that Bonecrusher and (spoiler) Scavenger are deluxes, as this presumably means that Devastator will overall be smaller than the Combiner Wars version, but we'll see how it shakes out. I'm assuming that the forearms/fists, which are traditionally add-ons to Bonecrusher and Scavenger, will be included with someone else, maybe a leader class Long Haul (some even anticipate a commander-class set including Long Haul, Hook and the various combiner accessories).
Deluxe class SS86 Jazz package refresh: like many others, I am not really sure why Jazz gets a PR when we know that a more toon-accurate version is coming via the autobot 5-pack. He's certainly the best choice from the initial SS86 wave (Blurr and Kup shelfwarmed for a long time), but he wasn't exactly rare, either.
Deluxe class SS86 Scavenger: see my entry above for Bonecrusher. I've always preferred Scavenger to Bonecrusher (backhoes are cool), so I kind of hope he gets released first.
Deluxe class WFC Autobot Solider: This is a High Moon/Gamer Edition release, and I don't know exactly what they'll do here, as they could make a dedicated mold for the in-game fodder models, or it could just be a slight retool of an existing figure. Hopefully it turns out to be a compelling offering, as most of the GE deluxes so far haven't been so.
Deluxe TF4 Widow Maker: this is an interesting one. Widow Maker is an Age of Extinction concept art character, often thought to be the precursor for what became Stinger. While this may just be a rehash of Stinger (which was is in the first SS wave), it certainly won't be an exact recreation of Widow Maker's concept art appearance for what are hopefully clear reasons. Despite its less than retail-friendly features, the design could be easily modified. I do find it weird that a pretty great Widow Maker custom, primarily based on SS-107 Scorponok, just appeared online the other day, and there is a halfway-decent chance that we could get something like that in an official format next year.
Voyager class WFC Skywarp: I'm one of those that is actually looking forward to owning Gamer Edition Starscream, and as always, Skywarp is just a better-looking Starscream, so I'll happily pick this up, especially if it comes with some better weapons.
Voyager class TF7 Optimus Prime package refresh: I totally looked over this listing until now! Is SS-102 actually getting a mass-retail release? I hope so, with how difficult it was to obtain. I can't believe that this isn't getting talked about more.
Voyager class WFC Ironhide: I've wanted a High Moon Ironhide since 2010, but I'm glad he gets to be released as a voyager rather than being stuck as a deluxe as he would have been in the initial Generations lineup. Granted, I don't expect this voyager to be tall, based on Gamer Edition Optimus and Megatron.
Voyager class TF One Sentinel Prime: I'm intrigued, if only because it's so rare for us to get a Sentinel Prime. I wasn't impressed by the Titans Return version being a weird pretool for Astrotrain, and I foolishly skipped SS DotM Sentinel (he should get a package refresh), so I wonder how this version will turn out. Glad it's not a deluxe, at any rate.
Voyager class WFC Thundercracker: less exciting than Skywarp, but yes I'll get him to complete the trio. Not sure that I'll sell off my original deluxes as that is one of the better FoC Generations molds.
Voyager class SS86 Scrapper: see below.
Voyager class SS86 Mixmaster: I'll just discuss both of these here. I already kind of talked about Devastator under the Bonecrusher listing, but it's hard to miss that both voyager class Constructicons are the legs. This makes sense it we are trying to keep relatively human proportions for Devastator, but I do still expect that the combiner thighs will somehow be separate from these voyager components. Of the two, I prefer Scrapper, in part because he's the leader, but I'm also anticipating now having a Scrapper with elbows, so that's a plus. I also hope Mixmaster has a more traditional headsculpt than the CW version (as cool as that one looked, it didn't seem accurate to the original toy or cartoon) and that more will be done with his mixing barrel in robot mode.
Leader Class TF7 Apelinq: SS-106 Primal was one of my favorite 2023 releases, so I'm very happy that we are getting the most reasonable option for reusing the mold. I expect that most of the weapon accessories for Primal will be be dropped in favor of removable armor/blades for Apelinq's gorilla mode, but I'm also interested to see what they do with the robot mode. Maybe he will even come with an extra faceplate head that can be given to Primal?
Leader class TF4 Optimus Prime: I guess this could either be the evasion OR knight design, right? Most suppose it'll be the latter, which I agree with. I am pretty happy with the TLK Voyager, but it definitely had room for improvement. I'm expecting/hoping for something like SS-106 Primal here - a robot that is still mostly voyager-sized, but comes with plenty of weapons - shield and sword are a must, but a gun would help as well, and possibly even removable knight upgrade gauntlets. I hope he doesn't overshadow Galvatron!
And finally, two leader class package refreshes: DotM Shockwave (not a bad choice - it came out 4 years ago and I don't remember it being incredibly common) and...wait for it...SS86 Grimlock! Yes, despite the original release definitely being a shelfwarmer and now getting three repaints (SG, G2/Toxitron, and Comic/40th Anniversary), SS86 Grimlock is returning to mass retail. Presumably Swoop will be released by this fall, so it makes sense to get the normal Grimlock release back into rotation so people late to the party can round out their collection for a reasonable price. I kind of hope that this release dispenses with the Wheelie figure and includes at least one of the Comic/40th edition swords; I'd be ok with them leaving the crown out. I suppose I'm a bit put out that, in order to get sword for Grimlock, Slag, and Sludge I need to buy the Comic/40th edition, which I don't really care for otherwise. I suppose my suggestion has a shot if only because it'll be released in 2025, unlike the 40th edition which is releasing this year sometime.
So what's missing? As noted, the commander class is absent. Also, we're only seeing one new leader mold here (and that's making an assumption that the TLK voyager isn't getting retooled for TF4 Optimus) and two new leader releases total. Last year saw 3 new leader SS molds - Snarl, Scourge and Primal - along with continued shipments of Sludge and the Fallen (and maybe more Coronation Starscreams). I'm not sure if Long Haul is a safer bet as a stand-alone leader or as part of a Commander-ish 2-pack with Hook, but if any of the SS86 Constructicons will be notably larger, it'd probably be Long Haul, following suit with the CW version. At the same time, we are getting 2 mass-retail leader package refreshes, so I don't know if those "replace" a new release in Hasbro's mind, so maybe AoE Optimus and Apelinq really are all we are getting in this size class that's new for 2025.
And what if the commander class isn't a Hook/Long Haul set? We're supposedly getting Commander SS86 Optimus this year, and we got SS86 Magnus last year. I suppose it's time for an SS Decepticon Commander, but aside from the Devastator Torso Kit, I'm not sure what you'd want to do. If it's G1, it ostensibly needs to be from TFTM (the biggest stretch of that has been Snarl) and I don't think we have any big TFTM Decepticons aside from Devastator except MAYBE a new take on Galvatron that comes with a bunch of stuff. I know people never shut up about a commander class DotM Devcon, but I just don't see that one happening. I'd love a new take on 2007 Megatron, but commander would be overkill for that design; it could be done effectively as a leader. I think there are a lot more Autobot options for commander, so that's probably what will happen if the Torso Kit doesn't pan out.
Also, where are the core class releases? I really want to see RotF Ravage in core class, though I'd like BB Ravage to be finally gone from shelves first. There are more tapes to be done (is Ratbat in TFTM? I hope so), and we still need the AoE Steeljaw that was teased (?). Also, is it weird that the wiki has core class Ratchet, Wheelie, DotM Laserbeak and Blue Rumble as 2022 releases? I didn't see Spike until late December 2022, and the others I mentioned were definitely 2023 releases, with the Arcee/Freezer wave not really showing up until May 2023. Anyhow, I'm sure there are plenty more releases to do that I'm not thinking of. A core class 2007 Scorponok would be great - my favorite toy for him was the 2007/8 legends class, but it has a broken GPS stinger. They could even just release that mold with better plastic and I'd take it. 2007 Frenzy, of course. A better bird mode DotM Laserbeak would be great. RotF Wheelie for sure, and possibly Brains. Maybe even some kind of Reedman release?
Who knows, maybe we'll have a decent chunk of 2025 "Legacy" leaks soon. But for now, there is plenty to chew on here.
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