I don’t know, do we need to retitle this thread “Authentics and Transformers Core” or something like that?
So, just as a general “catch up” before Toy Fair next month:
Earthspark seems to be dead at this point. What few retailers around me that did carry ES stuff have started the grand clearance. Right now, Cyberworld is carrying the bulk of the media momentum and is off in its own thing. Without a “main cartoon/media” line, it appears that Hasbro is simply going to leverage their basic “Transformers Authentics” branding into a generalized kids line, at least for 2026.
I get the feeling this wasn’t a big plan going forward, but the state of the Earthspark product seemed to have made it a necessity. As a result of that, most of the 2026 “kids stuff” is recycled Cyberverse items (largely due to that line being HEAVILY defined by the generalized Authentics designs).
Seems like, at this stage, ”Transformers Core” is about filling the gaps in retail offerings from Cyberworld. From what has been leaked, Core is going to be focused around the $19.99 “Prime Changers” (aside from a new Megatron, both Prime and Bumblebee are recolors from Cyberverse) and the $34.99 Smash Changers (redecos of the RotB Optimus Prime and Primal toys). Recently posted by TFW, the Tiny Turbo Changers are making a return, again, using the Cyberverse offerings as a foundation. These are likely filling the sub-$10 price point item previously held by Tacticons:
A few weeks ago, we reported on the return of Tiny Turbo Changers in the new "TRA Core" line, and now thanks to TFW's nune we have our first full images of the figures themselves. They appear to be repaints of the previous Cyberverse molds and consist of... Soundwave Grimlock Whirl Arcee Hot Rod...
news.tfw2005.com
Barring any other reveals at Toy Fair, the “kids component” of the Transformers brand is seemingly going to look like this:
$6-ish?- Tiny Turbo Changers
$10- Cyberworld Cyber Changers
$15- Armored Cyber Changers
$20- Core Prime Changers
$30- Cyberworld Large Figures (Mega Cyber Changers?)
$35- Core Smash Changers
And anything above that will be one off “holiday push” type items like the Earthspark Prime w/ trailer and Cyberworld Scorponok.