Gameplay footage from the cancelled Transformers Reactivate has surfaced online, showing Optimus Prime, Bumblebee, and other characters in a third-person shooter. The clip was shared by YouTuber TFR Archive.
Footage Emerges After Cancellation
Transformers Reactivate, developed by UK studio Splash Damage (Brink, Gears Tactics), was announced at The Game Awards in 2022. The online multiplayer title was cancelled in January 2025.
No gameplay had been shown before, apart from a vague cinematic trailer. The leaked clip was reportedly created after October 2024 and was allegedly used as a pitch to potential investors after Tencent pulled funding.
Pivoted to Single-Player Campaign
While Transformers Reactivate was initially a live service game, it apparently shifted during development to feature a single-player story campaign with optional online co-op. The footage comes from that revamped build.
It shows Optimus Prime, voiced by Jon Bailey doing an impression of the late Peter Cullen, and Bumblebee in combat. The plot involves them teaming up with Megatron and the Decepticons to fight an alien race called the Legion.
The brief clip suggests a promising co-op shooter, similar to Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2, but with the ability to transform into vehicles. TFR Archive plans to release a documentary about the game's seven-year development and is seeking contributions via Twitter and Bluesky.
Hasbro's Gaming Ambitions
Following the cancellation, it is unclear if Hasbro intends to invest in another major Transformers game. Earlier in the year, Hasbro announced plans to spend $1 billion on traditional console and PC games, specifically avoiding live service titles. Their efforts began in 2018 with the founding of six studios and the publishing of Baldur's Gate 3.
However, many of those plans appear to have collapsed, with multiple unspecific games cancelled. Exodus and Warlock: Dungeons & Dragons are still in development, but no new big-budget Transformers game has been announced. Older Transformers games, such as War For Cybertron, remain delisted due to expired licenses, with no re-release yet confirmed.
