The Great Upgrade: saw the mass adaption of Proto-Matter Technology to the population of Cybertron, Autobot and Decepticon alike. The technology was developed in response to the incredibly inefficient, Energon-guzzling bodies of the Autobots and Decepticons, as Energon was becoming more and more difficult to source. The Mini-Bots were thought to be an early answer, but proved no solution. The Micromasters, a further downsizing, again proved no answer, as it wasn’t simply a matter of reproducing the same technology in a smaller form - it had to start with a new form of technology all together.

A new, malleable, easily reprogrammable technology was created. Metallic, yet fluid in its natural state until a design was chosen, then solidified into the new body for the Transformer. It was a breakthrough for the Autobot and Earth scientists who had worked tirelessly on the project, hoping it would help end the War against the Decepticons.

Brave Autobots underwent the procedure, coming out as smaller, more efficient soldiers. They were lesser in physical strength and firepower of course, which worried many Autobot commanders, (Grimlock among them, who voiced loud concerns about the project), but because they could continue fighting for longer, it was hoped they would match or even surpass their larger Decepticon foe in the long run.

Unfortunately, the technology was stolen by a sub-branch of the Decepticon War machine, the Predacons, under the command of Razorclaw, who saw promise in the technology, where Megatron did not. It was adapted to serve the enemy. Not long after, the Predacons announced themselves to be a separate entity from the Decepticons by destroying Earth, and killing the 8 billion people who lived there.

Up until the end of the Great War, the adaption of this new technology was limited to the Predacons, and the off-world Autobot forces battling this new Predacon threat. They called themselves Maximals - a more bestial name to counter a more bestial opponent.

With the ink still wet on the Pax Cybertronia, transfer centres were built for each faction, to bring the new technology to the populace.

The Maximal Activation and Technological Reformatting Exchange (or The Matrix, for short) and the Predacon Interchange Terminal (or The Pit) were brought online to upgrade Cybertron’s inhabitants.