Well, it is a big change to the lore.......did he need it?
That being said, these were likely the same executives who thought that killing off Optimus Prime in multiple universes (as his toy went from regular retail to mail-away exclusive) would be No Big Deal.
So maybe toy-company executives don't make the best storytellers. And perhaps, as Larry DiTillio often said, if you want toy commercials hire ad copywriters, if you want stories, hire scriptwriters.