Blastification

Blastification is a somewhat arbitrary and sarcastic name, created by certain fans to describe the proliferation of the word "blast" in the Transformers brand.

In 2004, it was observed that when the original names for the Energon characters Skyfire and Shockwave proved legally unavailable, they both had the ends of their names replaced with the word "blast" (Skyblast and Shockblast). In Shockblast's case, the word "shockwave" had an actual meaning, while the replacement, "shockblast", was essentially nonsense. The same would be true of 2006's Thunderblast, where a nonsensical "blast" suffix had been substituted where a real word (Thunderbolt, Thunderclap, Thundercloud) would traditionally have been used.

Around the same time, Fireblast had mysteriously replaced the word "firepower" in the Tech Spec ratings, highlighting the apparent pattern to these changes.^[1]

Furthermore, since realistic toy weapons are a big no-no in the United States these days, Hasbro officially referred to Classics Megatron's alternate mode not as a "gun", but as a "blaster".

The Theory of Blastification states: Absent any intention to the contrary, Transformers naturally tends to the word "blast". As a result, "blast" becomes the default form a Transformer name assumes if no better options are available.
Example: "We wanted Shockwave, but it's unavailable. The name has to be similar, so, Shockwave... Shock... something... Shockblast!"

Other examples of nonsensical names created through Blastification include:

• Aquablast
• Blast Punch Optimus Primal
• Sky Blast
• Action Blast
• Fusion-powered anti-gravity super fireblast

Things that are not Blastification:

• Blaster
• Blast Off
• Blastwave Weapons Base/Blastwave (a blast wave is a real thing)

Blastification represents a compromise toward fans; when the original (usually "Generation 1") name is no longer available, it is Hasbro's attempt to at least get kinda close to it. It tends to produce trademark-worthy names because, as noted above, those names tend to be made-up non-words.

References

1. ↑ Hasbro confirmed that this was indeed because someone else trademarked "firepower".