Transformers: Reactivate Officially Cancelled by Splash Damage
Splash Damage has announced the cancellation of its highly anticipated Transformers title, Transformers: Reactivate, after a prolonged and challenging development cycle. Revealed at The Game Awards 2022, Reactivate was envisioned as a 1-4 player online game pitting Autobots and Decepticons against a new alien threat. While the developer's expertise in multiplayer game design (evident in titles like Gears 5 and Batman: Arkham Origins) generated excitement, subsequent information remained scarce, limited to leaks and early toy releases. These leaks suggested a Generation 1 roster including Ironhide, Hot Rod, Starscream, and Soundwave, with potential appearances by Optimus Prime, Bumblebee, and even Beast Wars characters. However, these possibilities are now defunct.
Splash Damage's announcement, shared via Twitter, highlighted the difficult decision to cease development. The studio expressed gratitude to the development team and Hasbro for their contributions. The cancellation unfortunately resulted in potential staff redundancies as the studio refocuses its efforts.
The studio's shift towards "Project Astrid," a AAA open-world survival game powered by Unreal Engine 5, was announced in March 2023, in collaboration with streamers Shroud and Sacriel. With Transformers: Reactivate cancelled, resources will be redirected to Project Astrid, despite the unfortunate job losses. This leaves Transformers fans still awaiting a high-quality, AAA game featuring the iconic robots.
In short: Transformers: Reactivate is cancelled, leading to potential layoffs at Splash Damage. The studio is now fully committed to its new open-world survival game, "Project Astrid."
Produced By: Hasbro and Takara Tomy
