Even if that's the case, BW Sonar and Manta were similar. Fairly "generic" looking figures that were retroactively made female when IDW writers realized their bios never actually referenced their gender.

 

Sonar was made female by the 3h wreckers comics long before idw

 

That's perfectly fine. There's a handful of Minicons that Dreamwave and the TFCC made female retroactively. Look at Cybertron Override and BW Airazor. They got gender swapped between countries in the same show.

 

The Ballad of Headmaster Arcee

1987 Hasbro Manager: You know there's this girl transformer? We're kinda desperate for new ideas, so we should make a toy and test if boys will buy pink toys more than transformers that don't transform...
1987 Hasbro Designer: Okay boss, here's a design I did, she uses the Chromedome body...
1987 Hasbro Manager: OH MY GOD! WHAT THE FCUK IS THAT? THAT IS SO UGLY! IT DOES NOT LOOK LIKE FCUK! ARE YOU AN IDIOT? ONLY AN IDIOT WOULD LIKE THAT THING!

2005 Hasbro Designer: And here's a unused concept design done long long ago for a headmaster Arcee using a Chromedome body. It was not used because back then they realised that the only people who would like that thing would be...
2005 "Hardcore" Fans: WE LOVE IT!

2017 Hasbro Designer: And finally, here's an awesome Headmaster Arcee..
2017 "Hardcore" Fans: WHAT THE FCUK?! WE WANT THE CHROMEDOME BODY ARCEE!

2017 Hasbro Designer: So boss, that's why we would start releasing all those sucky toy ideas we threw into the reject bin over the years because it seems like these "Hardcore" Fans will pay a lot for anything nobody else likes...
2017 Hasbro Manager: WHAT THE FCUK!? YOU WANNA BANKRUPT THIS FRANCHISE? YOU WANT TO MAKE TOYS THAT WONT SELL TO KIDS?! YOU WANT TO KILL THE BRAND?!
2017 Hasbro Designer: Okay, so we'll just make like 1000 Chromedome Arcees and sell them at $300 each?
2017 Hasbro Manager: OH MY GOD! ARE YOU AN IDIOT? YOU'RE WASTING MY TIME! YOU'RE WASTING THIS FRANCHISE'S TIME! AND YOU'RE FIRED!

2018 Ex-Hasbro Designer: So okay, here's an unofficial custom I did but it's actually a unreleased concept idea that MIGHT have been produced. Sure there's like a million of these ideas in my rubbish bin sketchbook but I thought you said you wanted to buy this one. So... erm, it's $300 and...
2018 "Hardcore" Fans: OH MY GOD! TAKARA JUST RELEASED CHROMEDOME ARCEE ON EHOBBY! PO! PO! PO!

The End.

Epilogue
2017 Hasbro Designer: And finally, here's an awesome Headmaster Arcee..
2017 Normal Headmaster Arcee Fan: YESS!!!!
2017 Hasbro Designer: ...and it's like retail price because boss said no more exploitation allowed...
2017 Normal Headmaster Arcee Fan: Happiness  

 

I'm sorry if this has already been addressed, but this isn't the future mass release they've been referring to for this figure is it? Its great for everyone in America, but Hasbro Toy Shop doesn't offer international shipping so it is still impossible for all us international folk to get our hands on it if this is the only other way to get her. I reaaaaaaally want her so I'm really hoping there is still an easier to acquire release coming!

 

Until we find out more you should assume that this is the later retail release. Beyond this we literally know nothing

 

I'm really to get mine cause this boy will be up at night waiting to get 1. I'd like to also get the Star wars black series Rex but not sure I can afford him too.

 

To throw my two cents in on things, I personally don't like them using the Blurr mold for both Arcee and Nautica. Not so much because it's not a stereotypical female design, but mostly because it makes them look homogenous.

I would prefer if they could get more cartoon/comic accurate figures. Which, yes, would ultimately result in them having a more traditional body shape. While I don't have a problem with bots like Strongarm and Strika bucking the trend, I don't feel like they should be used to justify female characters not getting accurate representations in the toy lines.

 

I would assume so, at this point (I assumed so all along, actually, due to the packaging.) It is now listed on HasbroToyShop as a "HasCon exclusive."

 

Well, we know one other thing. Arcee was almost unique among HasCon exclusives (there was also a Star Wars Captain Rex figure) in being labeled NOT as "HasCon exclusive" but "early access." Since all other HasCon exclusives are getting placed on HasbroToyShop, it makes little sense to assume that THIS is what they meant by "early access."

(Stad's note is worth mentioning. Plans could have changed. I get that. Waiting entails a risk. But the argument that we should assume that "this is the later retail release" is simply faulty.)

 

It may be faulty, however I strongly advise any that want to be sure they get it to go to hasbrotoyshop on the 20th. It's not like they're charging much of a markup anyway, it's pretty comparable to retail price

 

For those of us in the US, yes. For folks like the person you were responding to, who are international and thus don't even have hasbrotoyshop as an option, I want to make sure it's clear that they still have reason to hope.

But I did specifically say in the post of mine you just quoted that "waiting entails a risk," and that "plans could have changed." For those who can, and who really want Arcee, it probably is wisest to get it now.

 

So she will go on sale at 12:01am?

 

Just called hasbro toy shop and they said they go on sale after 8am on the 20th

 

Probably closer to 12:00 noon eastern, which is after 8:00 am pacific (where their office is) like the SDCC exclusives.

I don't expect this Arcee to be sold in any other way. Takara could release her, but I'd expect that to be different in some way and may not include the Ultra Magnus TM.

 

Could display her on a Season 4 shelf as Headmaster Arcee and the T30 version as the Season 3 version.

 

Keep in mind, they're less than reliable on the phone. The SDCC exclusives also went on sale at 2 PM Eastern.

 

.... i don't get home until after 3:00pm.... well, that sucks...

 

I need to see a few more reviews if I'm going to pick this set up. The bubble-head on "Lienad" looks like it might have the same issue that the Ramhorn TM has: plugs into larger figures in head mode just fine, but the roundness of the TM head makes turning it in head mode impossible. It just pops off any larger figure!!! I've seen 3 video reviews so far, and only 1 of them mentioned this as an issue for Arcee/Lienad....