Transformers has had its ups and downs throughout its long history in gaming, but a proper Beast Wars game could put the franchise back on track after its recent lull. Transformers struggled to really make an impression in the gaming scene up until 2010 with the release of Transformers: War for Cybertron, a third-person shooter developed by High Moon Studios and published by Activision. Activision had signed a deal with Hasbro back when the first Transformers reboot movie directed by Micheal Bay released in 2007, and would be responsible for all the future games that would cement Transformers in the gaming space such as the sequel, Fall of Cybertron, in 2012 and Platinum Games' cel-shaded Transformers: Devastation in 2015.
However, this golden age for Transformers games wouldn't last as Hasbro and Activision's deal would eventually fall through in December 2017, halting game development and also taking the previously made games off of shelves since the licensing expired. Ever since, Transformers has mostly seen minor mobile game releases and has effectively disappeared from consoles and PC aside from tactical strategy game Transformers: Battlegrounds. Even with the franchise and its myriad universes still constantly expanding, there haven't been any major game releases for nearly 5 years. The follow-up to the success of the Bumblebee movie however, Transformers: Rise of the Beasts, provides some guidance as to where the games may want to go next.
Transformers: Beast Wars is one of the most beloved eras in Transformers history and has so much potential for a hit video game with marketable mechanics, fan-favorite characters, and recognizability. Players are craving a new Transformers game getting revealed, but so many of the more conventional and traditional eras and characters have been explored in such great detail, yet Beast Wars has largely been avoided despite being so fondly remembered. Transformers needs something dynamic and new to take its place back in the gaming zeitgeist, and Beast Wars did the same for its cartoon presence, so there's little doubt that if done correctly it could also resurrect the dormant franchise in the video game sphere as well.
Transformers: Beast Wars Has A Huge Catalog Of Characters
One of the most praised parts of the original Beast Wars: Transformers show was the many characters and all of their unique personalities. Properties with similar character resources such as the lovable characters in X-Men video games have used them to great effect to garner attention and praise. Including Transmetal versions and/or comic book originals, this could easily result in over 100 Transformers to choose from to include in a potential game. More importantly, the characters are all revered by fans as well-designed, interesting, and surprisingly complex despite most Transformers having an easy to spot personality quirk that's central to their character. From Rhinox and Cheetor to Depth Charge and Terrorsaur, Transformers is a franchise built on having many options for a favorite Maximal/Autobot and Predacon/Decepticon.
Transformers: Beast Wars Offers Diverse Game Mechanics
Always the primary marketing gimmick of Transformers, Beast Wars offers even more transformation modes for even more gameplay styles. Transformers has been a versatile franchise that's been used in third-person shooters, fighting games, and even a Transformers trading card game. With a beast mode form and Transmetal forms added into the mix, a Beast Wars game could fit nearly any niche in the gaming market.
There are makings of a cooperative shooter with Maximal pals or Predacon allies, an exploration based game where characters would make use of all three robot, beast, and vehicle forms to explore and engage with the countless Beast Wars characters, or even a party-based RPG with teams grouping up to conquer a slice of the planet. The Transformers property lends itself to explosive action because giant robots shooting lasers usually tends to, but a Beast Wars game could explore more subtle and nuanced gameplay approaches like survival/building sims considering its large pre-industrial world and beast mode mechanic, or a more social multiplayer-centric environment that could hopefully avoid high cost Transformers microtransactions for the player.
Other Eras Combined With Beast Wars Has Most Potential
Beast Wars is a popular chapter in the franchise, but combining it with other eras in the long history of Transformers makes something unique, new, and recognizable all at once. Optimus Primal teaming up with Hot Rod or Optimus Prime's 2007 reboot incarnation in a big AAA release is something unseen, yet offers enough recognizability to old and new fans alike. Beast Wars already has heavy ties to the G1 (first generation Transformers featuring Optimus Prime and Megatron) continuity, so strengthening those ties while introducing new ones with the reboot series or some of the comic continuities has appeal to nearly every generation of Transformers fan, while keeping the main focus on Beast Wars and the other eras supporting it. This tactic is often deployed in the aforementioned mobile games along with similar long legacy properties such as concepts for Power Rangers video games.
Beast Wars has been mostly neglected in mass media representation, usually relegated to comic books or cameos, despite how fondly remembered and important the series was. G1 has gotten more than enough attention and the reboot series has more or less run its course both in cinema and gaming. Activision's era of Transformers games focused mostly on the G1 legacy with some not as well received reboot continuity games, so it would make sense for the series to bring the game back out of the dark age Activision's void left would be the one that wasn't represented at all during its run. Beast Wars' alternate beast mode transformations are usually cited as the mechanic that turns people away from the series, similar to King Of Fighters fans missing the 2D art style used in the previous entries, but it could be exactly the kind of fresh take on the series the gaming world needs. With the latest cinematic Transformers movie paying its own representation to the Beast Wars era, Transformers: Beast Wars is primed to offer a refreshing and interesting take on the classic formula that ran its course in the 2010s and wow players all over again with innovative gameplay, story, and aesthetic.