Hasbro Inc. and Machinima co-hosted a panel during the Cannes Lions Festival offering Transformers fans a first glimpse ofTransformers: Combiner Wars, a newanimated seriesdebuting August 2nd on social entertainment platform go90™ in the US, AMC Networks International Iberia in Spain and Portugal and in other territories to be announced at a later date.Transformers: Combiner Wars, developed and produced by Machinima, marks the first time the iconic franchise has launched a digital-first series.
Moderated by OMD CEOMonica Karo, the fireside chat with Hasbro Chief Content OfficerStephen Davisand Machinima CEOChad Gutsteinunveiled plot details and never-before seen images from thehighly-anticipated series. The discussion covered the 30-plus year legacy of the Transformers franchise and the new creative partnership between Hasbro andMachinima. The pair shared details on the development process behindTransformers: Combiner Wars, as well as insights into how the two companies combined forces to reimagine the iconicTransformersIP for today’s social-first, content-driven landscape.
Additionally,DavisandGutsteinannounced that a prelude series toTransformers: Combiner Warswill launch on June 28 on YouTube, Facebook and go90. The four-episodePrelude to the Combiner Warswill help prepare fans for the full series by revealing the current state ofCybertronfrom the distinctive points-of-view of four characters. Here’s what Stephen Davis, Chief Content Officer of Hasbro, had to say in his statement.
“Machinima is known as a leader of the digital content space and has tremendous creative talent within their network. We are excited to partner with them to tell a new kind ofTransformersstory for the digital generation. The writers, artists and voice actors working on this series are all true fans of the franchise, and their love for these characters really shines through inCombiner Wars.”
Machinima is the most notorious purveyor and cultivator of fandom and gamer culture. The first Many2Many programing service (M2M), we create, curate and celebrate the best fandom and gamer content across multiple video platforms. As one of the largest online video platforms in the world, Machinima programs to a community passionate about video games, animation, movies, TV, and the other endless forms of pop culture. With a focus on scripted, topical and gaming programing, and a talent network of thousands of programmers, Machinima reaches over 170M viewers each month. Here’s whatChad Gutstein, CEO of Machinima, had to say in his statement.
“Transformersis one of the most beloved franchises in the world and Machinima is thrilled to work with Hasbro to bringTransformers: Combiner Warsto today’s social video platforms. Our audience loves these characters andCombiner Warshas been a true ‘for the fans, by the fans’ effort. We can’t wait to give fans a preview of the series during Cannes.”
TheTransformers: Combiner Warsstory that has played out for several years within the toy line and the IDW comics. It is believed that this is the first time Hasbro has pulled in elements from the toys and comics to create a new story. The story follows a group ofTransformerswho are able to merge into one huge unit, known as a Combiner. Take a look at the first photos fromTransformers: Combiner Wars, and stay tuned for more on this newanimated series.
