Was found by someone from Seibertron. But this is a Soundwave worth getting. With the faceplate!
https://s22.postimg.org/56fa6jsv5/post-1104-0-31842500-1494114360.jpg

https://s22.postimg.org/3q3roepy9/post-1104-0-67614200-1494114352.jpg

 

Argh. Now I must get that one too.....

 

As much as I love RID Soundwave's design as is, this is definitely my preferred look.

 

It was not found by "someone from Seibertron". It was found by Allspark member SwiftEagle, and subsequently reported to Seibertron.

SwiftEagle later also clarified:

Personally, I'm going to consider this a one-off error using a pretool head intended for a potential redeco just like the old TF: Prime Cyberverse Commander Optimus Prime "variant" discovery from five years ago until more specimens than this one are found.

 

What on earth is it with Transformers and heads lately....

 

The translucent piece isn't pushed in all the way, in those pics above. The notion that it could be a "prototype one off" is not based in logic. The card art features the faceplate on both versions, pretty sure time will tell that this is a running change.

 

It's not pushed in all the way because it can't go in all the way - the clear plastic piece is still the one designed to fit into the no-faceplate head. Nobody's saying that it's a "prototype", but that it's a one-off factory error where the person assembling the figure took the wrong head off the sprue (but did still take the correct clear plastic part).

We may well see a version with the faceplate come out, but that will almost certainly have deco on the faceplate, and use a transparent piece that actually fits into the new head.

 

I read on facebook somewhere that a guy picked up the 'version with a visor face,' implying the the mouthplate one was normal. I asked him about it and he said he had only seen mouthplate ones until he found the full face visor one.

 

Someone on Seibertron suggested it was tooled for use as a Soundblaster repaint (which would be dope).

 

[A whisper talks to me from the heavens] "If they make it, you should buy."

 

Personally, I think I prefer the more TFP faceplate-less version.

 

Actually, i would love to see a Machine Wars Soundwave- themed Redeco with that new head.

 

This is like how \"blastwave\" came with the bludgeon head and no varients

 

A running change I'm guessing?

 

I kinda like the faceplate better

 

Yeah, I don't think it's different tooling.
If you look at the "non-faceplated" Soundwave, there is a sculpted line to separate his faceplate and visor.
The faceplate just isn't painted.

 

Faceplate is better.

Why is Hasbro doing this? First TR Chromedome, and now this? Is it runoff from a batch intended for a different market? Is it a "chase" figure Hasbro threw in, just to get us to waste gas?

Anyway, as these things are ridiculously rare, it's not worth my time to even look. This is like another CA or TX or VA sighting - it doesn't affect most of the country, so kudos to the elite few who happen upon this "variant".  

 

Note that they have different scan codes.
Maybe Soundwave has a retractable faceplate in his new mode, to protect him from having his face damaged in battle again?

My kid just picked up the faceplateless one yesterday and is after me about painting it on to match the packaging.

 

Its probably a faceplate in the cartoon so hasbro is accommodating for that in a running change. Whay would be really neat is if he has both in the cartoon. But I'm guessing not. However I was quite fond of the TF rime faceplateless mask.

 

Was the TR Chromedome thing legit?