I saw people saying IDW Transformers is the main modern Transformers universe, I believe that's not the case, I think the main continuity is Aligned continuity (yeah Bay movies are more popular but still). So which one do you think/prefer to view it as the main Transformers universe?
Could see this quickly descending into a pissing contest. The franchise's fiction and Various releases are pretty fractured across loads of different formats measured by different criticism criteria and financial expectations nowadays and they don't really have to favour one over the other. Even back in the G1 days it had the comics, Sunbow cartoon, Japanese cartoon, bio's, ladybird books and probably other obscure offshoots and they was all measured on their individual merits by us rather than one getting judged the main by hasbro. Idw and the movies are the longest lasting single continuities. Some might consider the toys being a deciding factor. Personally enjoy the comics the most but everyone is different.
The idea of Aligned even still existing is kinda up in the air... but assuming it still does, Hasbro did designate it as the "everything goes in this continuity from now on unless otherwise specified" bucket, so that would make it the de facto "main" continuity. But does it really make a difference?
The line with the most resources thrust into it would still be Aligned via nuRiD and Rescue Bots. So, I'm going with that one right now. Hasbro regards IDW as part of its "collectors" segment, which accounts for only about a quarter to a third of total sales. And even then, Hasbro is also trying to cater to G1-core enthusiasts within that segment as well. So, I'd say the focus right now is 60% Aligned, 15% G1-core, 25% IDW-family (thanks to Combiner Wars), with some overlapping in the latter 40% betwixt the two. When the next movie comes into play next year, Aligned will probably wrap up permanently and be replaced by the Bayverse. So, Aligned will cease and the movies will then be the primary universe.
I wouldn't like that. Aligned was the continuity that got me hooked to Transformers, and having one of the lowest quality incarnations replace it would be super disappointing. But Hasbro likes the money, so they could do it.
IIRC, the next cartoon planned will be tied to the Bayverse. They're basically taking on the Star Wars model with a main movie on even years and stand-alone character movies in the odd years and a cartoon to support the movies as an undercurrent to it all. I'm not exactly pleased with the prospect either...but we're not their audience. Supposedly, we're to be reading IDW comics or watching Combiner Wars...but neither of those appeal to me either. It's a good thing I'm primarily a toy buff or I'd be out in the cold...
The movie deal is confirmed, with the next movie after Last Knight being a Bumblebee one. The cartoon is at least rumored, may be confirmed but I'm unsure on that one.
The one thing I do know about the next cartoon is that it should be from Boulder Media Animation Studio, the same guys who do "The Amazing World of Gumball". The in-house animation style is typical Cartoon Network/Teen Titans Go! style, but they can also do other stuff. I'm hoping for the latter.
I guess the only fair way is how much attention Hasbro pays to it, which means it varies from year to year depending on if there's a movie or show coming out?
I don't think any continuity is considered a "main" continuity. I mean, IDW is my favourite out of the bunch, but the success of the Movies are probably what Hasbro banks on the most.
NOT IDW, that's for sure. I really don't think there is a main Transformers universe since it has been rebooted so many times. If I was going to pick the most important one it would be G1 since that is what most series/products are drawn from. Cartoon being the main source with elements drawn from Marvel.
I'd say the movies. They always bring in the most money, because they're the most well known. Sure, since the Trilogy line was canceled, the toys have stopped being released as constantly, but now that there's going to be a movie every year, we're gonna see a return to nonstop toys. IDW is surprisingly popular, but nowhere near popular enough to be the leading fiction, even if the toy line tying into it is becoming huge. I honestly don't know what's going on with Aligned. It seems to have died out, outside of the cartoons, which must be fairly popular to still be going. I really don't know how popular the toys are, with Generations stealing its thunder by being aimed more and more at kids, with those awful line-wide gimmicks.
Overall I'd say idw for several reasons. 1. It's the longest running (I think) 2. Its retroactively got the longest running toyline dating back to classics in 2006. On the subject of a movie cartoon, that rumor has been around since before animated wrapped
When we talk about a "main" toy line, the fandom invariably means the one Hasbro is most focused on selling right now--the one with a movie or TV show, the one with the most shelf space in stores, the one that will sell best to kids, etc. We don't really look at which line has been running the longest. If we did, then Generations and its immediate ancestors would easily be the main toy line (or perhaps Masterpiece would?). Instead, we understand that Generations exists to serve as a niche line, despite its longevity. And if longevity alone does not make something Hasbro's central focus, then it follows that it doesn't make IDW the "main" continuity. We'd have to find some other kind of evidence to support that.
Except there's plenty of evidence to support it, at least in my area. Stores regularly stock the generations line while having maybe one or two pegs for rid15. Granted that's only representative of my area, but ultimately which has hasbro invested the most in? Chug/idw or rid15 (not counting the movies because a toyline isn't currently out) Idw acquired the transformers license in may of 2005 and classics (the grandfather of generations) started in 2006, which lead to universe which ultimately led to generations/thrilling 30/combiner wars/Titans return. These two lines have been running almost consistently for 11-12 years. Rid15 on the other hand has a mostly bare bones toyline that doesn't feature anywhere near all the characters of the show. It's story spun out of prime which aired 3 seasons and rid is currently in its second year, placing this series as overall roughly 4.5 years old. Looking simply at product output still puts idw/chug as the main series, it even got commercial ads for the toys during combiner wars.
This seems like this will just be a piszing contest over which continuity a person like best despite its actual relevance I like IDW (It's been the only good Transformers fiction for the last 4 years) but, the "main" continuity is obviously the movies. It gets more money, effort, promotion, and attention than any of the other continuity that has ever run. The movies are hasbros gravy train, and according to some somewhat reliable rumors, are the only reason Transformers are still sold at big stores like Walmart
Based only on these choices, I chose IDW. Aligned kinda lost it's edge, at least to me, with RID15. I couldn't enjoy ity as a sequel to Prime (the best written TF show, IMO, since BW). The Bayverse has it's ups and downs. but I still hated AOE, and that has me worried about the future of the series.
