Hasbro, the owners of the Transformers franchise, expressed their desire to see older video games based on the beloved toy line make a comeback. However, there’s a significant obstacle standing in the way: these games are lost somewhere on a hard drive inside the publisher Activision. From 2006 to 2017, Activision published Transformers games for PC and consoles, including tie-ins to the movie series and original games. Unfortunately, all of these games were pulled from digital stores when Activision’s licensing deal expired in 2017, making it impossible for fans to play them today through legitimate means. Hasbro stated that the games have seemingly been lost during Activision’s numerous mergers and acquisitions over the years, a frustrating situation for both Hasbro and fans alike.
Among the lost games are the original Transformers titles, such as “War for Cybertron” (2010) and its sequel “Fall of Cybertron” (2012). These games received positive reception at the time and offered enjoyable gameplay experiences. However, the fate of these games remains uncertain. Hasbro managed to locate some assets for “Fall of Cybertron” and parts of “War for Cybertron” by booting up an old PC and extracting them from the original game files. Activision, on the other hand, has not been very helpful, often providing concept art instead of the requested assets.
Activision’s last Transformers game, “Devastation,” was developed by PlatinumGames, known for their work on “Bayonetta.” The game featured a cel-shaded art style inspired by the original Transformers cartoons and brought back the original voice actors from the TV show. While “Devastation” was well-received, it is also unavailable for purchase since its removal from digital stores.
A Glimmer of Hope with Microsoft
There may be a glimmer of hope for fans longing to play these lost Transformers games. If Microsoft’s acquisition of Activision goes through, Hasbro is optimistic that Microsoft will take the opportunity to unearth the older Transformers titles and make them available on Game Pass. Hasbro sees this as an easy addition to the subscription service, providing fans with a chance to experience these beloved games once again.
Looking ahead, Hasbro is open to collaborating with video game companies on future projects. They express enthusiasm for partnering with anyone who brings forward a compelling idea. Hasbro mentions Nintendo’s partnership with Lego as an example and even suggests potential collaborations with companies like Sega, Microsoft, or Sony. They also highlight their current partnership with Splash Damage, the developers of Gears Tactics, for the upcoming game “Transformers: Reactivate,” a co-op action game that features both robots and human characters.
Hasbro hopes to resurrect the lost Transformers games from Activision’s archives. While the search for these games remains frustrating, the potential Microsoft acquisition of Activision offers a ray of hope. Fans may finally get the chance to relive the excitement of playing the original Transformers titles. Additionally, Hasbro is actively seeking new collaborations to explore fresh opportunities and bring the beloved franchise to new experiences in the world of video games.
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