GoBots (toyline)/Dating

Dating the precise release year of GoBots toys is a fraught process influenced by several factors.

It is widely agreed that there were three "series" of GoBots toys; as was usual at the time these were released the toyline featured no subline branding to distinguish these from each other. Instead what is known largely comes from informed guesses through studying packaging evolution and other esoteric clues.

• Things are further complicated by the product cycle of GoBots. The first series - as best as can be ascertained - began release in the winter of 1983 in Canada and American test markets, with the second series in the fall of 1984 and the third series in the fall of 1985. However, which figures were released on the launch of each series and which followed in later waves is harder to be definitive about.
• Similarly, while Machine Robo toys are easier to date as the appendix to Machine Robo Wedge features a comprehensive list of dates drawn from Bandai documents this only tells when figures were released in Japan. While Tonka and Bandai weren't equal partners there is considerable evidence to suggest they worked more closely than is popularly thought, which means some American releases might have been very close to the Japanese releases.
• Therefore using the copyright dates on packaging is the most consistent measure available; combined with the information contained in Tonka's industry catalogues, it is possible to draw up what appears to be a largely accurate list, though it is only subject to further documentation turning up.

Notes

• If you have Tonka documentation we'd love it if you shared!