Does anyone know why this time around some of the transformers weapons were handheld instead of internal?Like for example Meg's fusion cannon.

 

Wheeljack/Q is the reason for why the Autobots use handheld weapons.

Megatron losing his Fusion Cannon is the reason for the shotgun.

 

I noticed it too. That Decepticon that jumps into the building the humans were in was also carrying a handheld weapon. Ironhide Sideswipe, and the Dreads used handheld weapons in their fight. Same with Optimus Prime and his gun, when you look at the poster. Then there's also Sentinel Prime with his sword, shield, and cosmic rust gun.

I gotta say that the Shotgun Megatron's shotgun is an improvement over his stupid claw fusion cannon though.

 

Even in ROTF there are hand held weapons only it is more prominent in DOTM.

 

To sell toys.  

Hand-held weaponry allows for the Mexican Standoff and Optimus to toss Megatron's shotgun in disgust after executing Sentinel... and to actually USE Megatron's shotgun. And probably loads of other little shots I can't remember now that really wouldn't look half as interesting if the TFs just "grew" their weapons.

 

Because it look's cool.

 

well ratchet, bumblebee, and starscreams weapons still are apart of their bodies, and Ironhide lost his cannons at the end of ROTF, and the Megatron just lost at the end of ROTF, that explains their new handhelds, every other movie bot mentioned used hand helds.

 

Built-in weapons are far cooler.

 

I like the hand held weapons, they're cool! Especially Megs shot gun in DOTM.

 

So they can give figures handheld weapons

 

The only thing I wish we did get to see, when I got my Leader Class Ironhide, he had this cool looking machete/knife, and too bad we never got to see him use it  

Kind of reminds me of when I would watch Full Metal Jacket, and Animal Mother is seen with a giant knife sheathed on his chest and a machete sheathed on his back, but we never got to see him use those either, although it never took away the ultimate bad ass he was in the movie.

 

Yeah that's indeed weird esspecially Optimus Energon's Sword he used to release it out of his hand now all his weapon is in his trailer and he has to depend on it to fight

 

Not really, he just had his flight pack in it that he needed in Chicago to even his odds against the Driller and Shockwave.

I think he still has his main guns, a couple of energon swords and the ax he can carry with him everywhere he goes, it's just the bigger things like the shield and jet pack that's another story.

 

because robots with weapons atm machines are awesome...

 

Mmm. Well, you try to put that gigantic ass gun of Prime's in his arm like his blades from TF1 and ROTF.

As for returning characters, the only handheld weapons I disaprove of is Prime's blades and Ironhide's signature arm cannons being replaced. Ratchet and Bumblebee still have their arm-gun things, and so does Starscream. Megatron lost his fusion cannon when Prime did a smackdown on him. Sideswipe always had handheld weapons. I don't even think Soundwave ever had guns.

 

Mech-Tech.

 

I'm pretty sure I remember Optimus retracting one of his blades back into his arm as he goes to attack Shockwave (right after he slashes the Scrapper double, IIRC).

 

Because Hasbro is making Mechtech weapons and the entire point of these movies is to sell toys.

 

Yes, he lost them while running from the bombing run, but later on in the movie when the fallen appears and stomps on Optimus, you can see his arm cannons are back as all the autobots are getting up off the ground.

 

You know I was pondering the fact of how strange it was we didn't hear the phrase Mechtech uttered in the film at least twice. They missed an opportunity to plant even more buying thoughts in people's minds.