Transformers Beast Wars Inferno Box With “Scavenger” Early Working Name

Right after we said there isn’t a ton of news today, some news just came out! A post by Martin Sønderby Lund at From the Vault – TF Showcase reveals some clarification about the original name for Beast Wars Inferno! Hit the break to read more and to view the images! Be sure to Discuss this in our Forum Thread or you can Discuss this on our Discord Server by using this invite link: https://discord.gg/ZnUQxya

Beast Wars Mega Class Predacon “Inferno”, 1996/1997, Kenner (Hasbro).

From the Beast Wars design binder we featured here last week (link in the comments below) we get a little look at Inferno’s packaging. While very close to final production from what I can tell – and only shown in the binder as an example of the packaging used on the toys and not really a full toy presentation section – there is one small element on the box that seems to have been added after printing: The name plate “Evil Predacon Inferno” in the lower left-hand corner.

Changes and revisions to names and other copy on packaging is not something new. Over the years quite a few toys have been released with wrong copy, then a sticker to correct the change and finally, with a running change, the correction finally made in the actual print masters. While I have never seen a retail release of “Inferno” with this name plate sticker revision (nor one with a different wording in that corner), it begs the question as to what might actually be printed under there.

According to a 1997 interview with show writer Bob Forward, Hasbro had originally wanted this toy to be a new version of Megatron. While that did not come to pass, maybe this box originally said “Megatron” beneath the sticker?

Looking closer at the back of the box, we get the real explanation: This toy was originally intended to be named “Scavenger”, as seen on the non-revised Tech Specs card.

Why this change was made we may never know, but the name for the later Mega Class Transmetal “Scavenger” toy now makes so much more sense, as fans had always wondered why that particular release had not been named “Inferno”.