SDCC 2026 : Symbiote Studios’ Transformers Booth Goes Big

Symbiote Studios arrived at San Diego Comic-Con 2026 with its largest-ever lineup of officially licensed Transformers plush, making Booth #5629 a showcase for exclusives, premieres, future releases and fan interaction. Hasbro highlighted the company among its licensed partners and identified the SDCC-exclusive G2 Grimlock plush as the headline item. The booth also offered first looks at Transformers and My Little Pony plush scheduled for later in 2026.

The $29.99 G2 Grimlock plush gave the Dinobot leader a blue-and-yellow Generation 2-inspired palette. Symbiote Studios lists the officially licensed collectible at approximately 12 inches tall, with premium minky fabric, embroidered details and reinforced stitching. It was joined by the $24.99 Soundwave x Catnip Bravo T-shirt, an SDCC exclusive pairing the Decepticon communications specialist with the studio’s mascot in original crossover artwork.

Ravage and the Dinobots Expand the Collectible Mix

Another major premiere was the $24.99 Ravage Magnetic Plush. Its built-in magnetic attachment was designed so Ravage could perch on a shoulder, hat or another suitable magnetic surface, turning a display plush into a wearable convention companion. Unlike Grimlock, Ravage was a Comic-Con premiere rather than a convention-only product, with online availability also planned for July 22.

Symbiote Studios also premiered approximately two-inch Dinobots enamel pins with G1-inspired artwork, priced at $14.99 each or three for $30. Together, Grimlock, Ravage, the pins and the Soundwave crossover shirt gave Booth #5629 several product formats and price points while keeping Transformers at the center of the presentation.

Catnip Bravo Turns Booth #5629 Into an Interactive Stop

Catnip Bravo remained central to Symbiote Studios’ convention identity through the returning Rock-Paper-Scissors challenge. Attendees could face the mascot for a free collectible pin at 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. on Thursday, Friday and Saturday, followed by a final 11 a.m. session on Sunday. The rewards rotated by day: Kabao Bear on Thursday, Firecracker Raccoon on Friday, Catnip Bravo on Saturday and SB Bunny on Sunday.

The mascot also received new merchandise, including the $19.99 Catnip Bravo Blind Box Plush Charm Collection, with one of three designs in each box and a rarer variation in the assortment. Other documented items included a $24.99 Firecracker Raccoon plush and a $19.99 Pumpkin Catnip Bravo Shoulder Sitter. In the weeks before SDCC, a serialized Catnip Bravo comic also followed the characters on a journey to San Diego, including a kaiju encounter with Toad Hornace before their Comic-Con arrival.

Gregg Berger and Frank Todaro Bring Transformers History to the Booth

On Friday, July 24, from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m., Transformers voice actors Gregg Berger and Frank Todaro appeared at Booth #5629 for a special signing. Gregg Berger is closely associated with Grimlock and voiced the Dinobot in the original animated era and The Transformers: The Movie, while Frank Todaro has performed Transformers characters including Starscream, Sludge and Ravage. Attendees were also offered a special art card featuring characters corresponding to Symbiote Studios plush designs.

The pairing matched the merchandise unusually well: Grimlock was the booth’s headline SDCC exclusive and Ravage received a new magnetic plush premiere. The appearance also came during the 40th-anniversary year of The Transformers: The Movie, giving Gregg Berger’s presence additional nostalgic weight and directly connecting the performers with characters represented in the 2026 collectible lineup.

How Symbiote Studios Translates Transformers Into Plush

A Preview Night interview supplied for this report offered a look behind the finished products. Symbiote Studios founder and president Joseph Reiter explained that development can begin with original Hasbro artwork before the studio creates its own turnaround concept art. He said the initial artwork stage may take roughly one to two months, while prototyping can range from about three months to as long as a year. Production then takes approximately two months, followed by about another month for transportation from the factory.

Joseph Reiter described the creative challenge as preserving a Transformers character’s recognizable identity while making the result cute and cuddly enough to work as plush. That balance was visible across the SDCC assortment, where Grimlock, Ravage and Soundwave retained recognizable visual cues while being translated into softer forms. He also said community feedback can influence product choices, citing My Little Pony’s Maud Pie and noting that the company follows fan conversations, including discussions on Reddit.

The interview also gave Catnip Bravo more context. Joseph Reiter said the characters draw partly on the team’s factory and convention experiences. He traced the company name to the idea of a “symbiotic relationship” with earlier business partners. Symbiote Studios dates to 2007.

A Booth Designed for Repeat Visits, Not Just Transactions

By the end of SDCC 2026, Booth #5629 had functioned as a store, preview space, signing location and interactive fan stop. Visitors could buy an exclusive Grimlock, discover the Ravage magnetic concept, browse Dinobot pins, see future Transformers and My Little Pony plush, meet Gregg Berger and Frank Todaro, collect signing art and challenge Catnip Bravo for different daily pins. Hasbro’s description of the display as Symbiote Studios’ largest-ever officially licensed Transformers plush lineup placed it firmly inside the franchise’s wider Comic-Con presence.

For collectors, nostalgia and experimentation overlapped throughout the booth. Generation 2 colors gave Grimlock a retro identity, G1-inspired Dinobot pins recalled another era, and Gregg Berger connected the display to Transformers animation history. Ravage’s magnetic format and Catnip Bravo’s games, meanwhile, turned plush collecting into a more interactive convention experience.

Photo and video 4K : Boris Colletier / Mulderville