According to a recent post on the Allspark, the lack of first edition Prime toys at Toys R Us is no coincidence.

Collectors of all kinds of things enthuse about first editions. In their view, there is something special about owning the first edition of a book, a comic or whatever it may be. However, they generally pay a hefty price for a product which might not be all that different from subsequent editions. As Transformers fans, some of us find the idea of a first edition toy exciting – which is why we look for first editions when we can.

Some in the Transformers fan base have responded to the news that there may be no further Transformer Prime First Edition products in a disappointed fashion. However, such a reaction may be premature. The official reply to a query from the Allspark did suggest that the decision could be reversed if it was apparent that consumer demand was there, which we believe it is

If the first edition toys were available on a significant scale at a price which was not prohibitive, it may be worth getting a bit excited. However, some collectors would prefer a more limited release because it would make the goods more valuable in the years to come. It may be the case that non-fans would buy some of the products with an eye to simply selling them on at a profit in due time.