Can someone please clarify something for me?

From my understanding, the four belong in the same continuity. Also, you can add Rescue bots to the list. They're all supposed to follow the same continuity.

But there are some inconsistencies, probably brought about by different writers working on the same property. Errors or story conflicts do happen.

War For Cybertron was it's own thing, loosely based on G1.

Then they made TFP, and Hasbro decided that everything should be related to make it easier for people to follow. So they added elements like Prime getting the Matrix from Primus.

Fall Of Cybertron was planned, and Hasbro ordered elements of Prime be added to it to bridge the gap, ie: Bumblebee becoming mute, the design of the Nemesis, changing Cliffjumper's head design, even though the toy clearly already had a design that was different and not Bumblebee's.

So in the end, just believe what makes you comfortable. All this interconnecting is artificial as Hell, and really doesn't make any sense.

So since rescue bots are in the same continuity, could we see a crossover or cameo between the two shows?

I really hope not. Rescue Bots just isn't my thing. I can't get around the animation or any of it really. That would be an episode I wouldn't watch.

FOR SURE: Prime, Exodus/Exiles, WFC/FOC are all part of the same continuity family (the "Aligned" continuity). For sure, Prime and Rescue Bots are DIRECTLY in the same continuity stream.

Some see it as the various G1 media (cartoons, Marvel comics, IDW comics, Japanese cartoons) where they're all part of the same family, but splintered into individual timelines/continuity streams.

Depending on the person, someone MAY see one or more fit together into the same stream, not necessarily as different parts of a cluster, but that's solely dependent on the individual, and their perspective.

I like to see Prime and the novels as together, while the games also have intersection, but are not directly part of it, but again, that's solely ONE individual's perspective.

Jeff Kline and Steve Blum have hinted at it.

yup, jeff said there would be. probably the prime cast in rb

High Moon started making War as a prequel to a G1-ish story. When Prime was in development, Hasbro decided that they wanted everything they did for the brand stem from the same source. Thus the Aligned continuity was born taking elements from War and the novels (themselves very loosely tied to the game) and combining for their story bible.

The problem is none of these properties are in direct continuity with the others (other than apparently Rescue Bots ). They share similar elements and events but differ in other substantial ways. It is akin to all of them being warped versions of the continuity bible. The problems arise when people refuse to believe that the things aren't directly related and thus "because X happened in the book it must be true for Prime!!"

My advice is to treat everything as seperate and unconnected until they prove otherwise.

this, helps you feel less brain-pooped

We know that the novels' writer, Alex Irvine, didn't play the game - he was given the story information he needed to write it by Hasbro. I think that given the sheer amount of random continuity factoids they contain that the novels must have been written based on the bible, which was developed during the game's own development.