http://www.tformers.com/article.php?sid=5375

For a change, TFormers are actually first with the news...

Let's hope that this is just some factory overstock they're trying to get rid of, rather than yet ANOTHER production run...  

 

Okay, here's the REALLY weird thing:

His product code number is 81312. That's Swindle's old number from the old assortment.

Both Prowl and Tracks got new product code numbers for the new assortment.

Likewise, the Energon-overstock-in-Universe-packaging had new product code numbers as compared to their Energon releases.

Even weirder: This Swindle ONLY has a product code number, NO assortment number. :huh

 

Pictured on the box in robot mode, but it's a toy picture....doesn't that usually signify that it's an overseas release?

 

And to further complicate it, the regular new alts don't have that 2<->1 symbol or the i thing next to the Alt logo. Maybe it's a run for somewhere that didn't get Swindle? The same way we got Tracks again in the US.

 

http://www.tfw2005.com/boards/thread88727.html

These don't have an assortment number either.

I therefore assume that this Swindle is intended for Europe as well (note also the "photo of toy instead of box art").

 

According to NM's site, of the Euro countries that get Alts, Denmark Greece and Italy have not gotten Swindle.

Denmark has done very poorly on Alts, Greece not a lot better....

Traditionally, Hasbro Italy have been relatively supportive of TF's.

If this is for a speciffic country, I'd suggest Italy.

Otherwise all of Europe is getting this item regardless of it it was availalble there before...

.....Which suggests cases of nothing but Swindle  

 

Yup, from what I've heard from local fans, Italy is probably the European country with the largest variety of Transformers toys available in stores.

Nope, as the Aerialbots indicate, they just don't put an assortment number on the European toys' packaging anymore.

 

I HOPE it's European release. We got more than enough Swindles here in the US thank you very much, we don't need more. It's almost the equivalent of if we got Smokescreen in new packaging.

 

I'd have to agree with the assumption that this is a European release. The very fact that boxart is not used in favour of a toy photograph is very symptomatic of a Euro release.

Also, the "2-in-1" graphic using those two arrows is very similar to the huge arrow on the Euro Windcharger and Euro Swindle boxes. The arrow was placed between the toy photo and the toy in the bubble itself on the old red-box Euro packaging to imply a transformation.

2-in-1 to me means two modes in one toy, which goes without saying when you're talking about Transformers...but then some have suggested that he's been thrown into this new packaging to renew interest in them or to make them look new etc etc

EDIT: Wouldn't it be interesting if Europe was the first region to receive a Decepticon Alternator in the new bubble packaging? I just realised that as I looked at the picture and thought something was very different...of course...it's all the purple on the new boxes  

All the best
Maz

 

It can't be a US release. Why would Hasbro do another release of Swindle when Rollbar will be hitting the shelves in the next case?

 

I just bought the old box swindle yesterday for $8 at Target wonder how they expect to sell it in a new box

 

Here's hoping they start offering worthwhile new runs, like Meister, Windcharger (he was rare here dammit!), and Swerve

 

well the main place that stocks alts over here and currently has swindle on sale has a new cat out on jan 21st - anything new should be in stock in stores by then and the mystery revealed for the uk at least.....

 

Yeah, that 2-1 thing confuses me...

 

I'm sure its the europe version. I mean the cybertron toys had pics in the euro packages instead of arts and so do these.

 

I just had a sudden feel of fear... What if the 2-1 meant 2 Swindles in 1 Case??? NOOOOOOOOO!!! 

Nah, that wouldn't make sense... 

 

You live in the wrong part of the state, then. Windy piled up in pretty much every store that sold Alts here (except for the one Target that still had six Silverstreaks)

 

2 modes in 1 toy I'm guessing. If it is meant for Europe then they may not feel it's as recognised a brand here as elsewhere, so they have to push the transformation gimmick as much as possible.

The previous Euro releases had a huge arrow from the pic on the box front to the toy in the bubble.

All the best
Maz