Not only is Xovergen releasing a kit to make your Transformers Classics/Henkei Optimus Prime compatible with their Powermaster TrailerForce TF-01 upgrade set, but they are planning on releasing a completely retooled Classics/Henkei prime figure that will work with both their new Powermaster figure and the Generation 1 Powermaster figures as well! Despite the figure being heavily retooled I do not think it will affect the look of the robot mode as the kibble should just rotate to the back as it does on the original Classics/Henkei mold.

TFC Toys may possibly offer up a Shattered Glass version of their Hercules gestalt, if an image posted by the third party shop is any indication. An image of the Hercules breast plate in red and a blaster in blue was posted on the TFC Toys Sina Weibo page, without really much of an explanation. Comments posted on the image by others believe it is Shattered Glass, similar to the Transformers Collectors Club Shattered Glass line. Hercules is the third party homage to the Transformers Generation 1 Devastator, which has received quite a lot of praise since its release. View the image and let us know what you think in the comments.

Third party custom shop ToyWorld has finalized their Hegemon (Not G1 Megatron) figure and is on target for a June 2012 shipping date, they announced. The company showed off the final figure that is capable of being held by a human. The product is pre-orderable at 3rdPartyStore for $99 USD. Grab a look at the images after the hop.

ToyWorld, the third party company behind TW-01 Hegemon (not G1 Megatron), has unveiled their next custom for this year, TW-T01 (Not Rollbar). The unnamed custom appears to be just the first in a series, according to a teaser image posted by ToyWorld. The image shows Rollbar at the top and five other silhouette vehicles below, suggesting that the third party shop plans to release the remaining five characters in the Throttlebots group. View the images in the gallery.

When third party shop MakeToys unveiled a yellow version of their gestalt Giant, the Generation 1 Devastator homage, many were saddened. Well buck up there, buddy! MakeToys has now announced Giant (Green Ver.)! While you had to wait for all six combiner figures in yellow broken down into three sets, you can have this entire set in June in one fell swoop for 31,500 Yen (~$385 USD).

MakeToys is going continuing full-force with their Giant set, the Generation 1 Devastator homage, by showing off new images of their full-colored images of their Set C Wheel Loader and Mixer. With these images, it is only logical that MakeToys is also releasing official shots of the combined mode as well. Set C is currently in May and will sell for 10.500 Yen (~$130 USD). Additionally, an ACToys member received Set B Dump Truck and Mobile Crane and has provided some in-hand images of the figures.

SavCon has released a statement to Tformers regarding their stance on the availability of third party Transformers merchandise at the first ever Transformers convention in Savannah, GA from June 23rd and 24th. "We are a 'for fans by fans' convention and our stance on 3rd party items is the same as that of Fan Fiction, Fan Art, Fan Music, Fan Costuming (Cosplay) and customization," reads the statement. This is in light of the news that Hasbro and Fun Publications have banned dealers from selling third party products at BotCon 2012. Read the full statement in the full article.

If you are looking to score some great third party figures at BotCon 2012 this year, you may be out of luck. According to multiple clarification emails and Fun Publications' Pete Sinclair, dealers will not be allowed to sell anything that was not made or licensed by Hasbro, Inc. and/or Takara Tomy. "As long as it is official Hasbro OR TakaraTomy product then they are official products," Mr. Sinclair posts on the TFW message boards, "[t]hey can also sell officially Licensed TF goods from Hasbro or TT." He continues that "anything else is a knock off or an unofficially licenced good." Continue reading...

Hasbro, Inc has finally come out and said it: they do not condone the work of the third party shops and they will never work with them. Asked during the question and answer session at Transformers Cybertron Con 2012 over the weekend, Hasbro has finally publicly taken a stand against the custom shops, but did not specify if or when they were going to take legal action. This is the first time that Hasbro has taken a stand like this. They have previously said that they don't work with these shops and do not see any type of relationship in the future. Takara Tomy started exploring legal options last April against various shops, among them iGear, TFC Toys, and PerfectEffect. How do you feel about these turn of events? Let us know if the comments.

Mastermind Creations has announced that in their slate of upcoming products with be Knight Morpher KM-05 Air Screech (Not Starscream), KM-06 Warper (Not Skywarp), and KM-07 Stormer (Not Thundercacker). Based on the IDW Publishing's steam punk Transformers comic book series Hearts of Steel, these figures still look like the Transformers we know and love, but have a great old-timer design to them. This is along the same lines as the third party company's KM-02 Annihilator. The company announced these figures at Roll Out Roll Call 2012, which took place in the UK this past weekend.

Final results tallied! Check out the results in the full article! Okay, transfans, it is up to you! Hasbro is once again organizing the 2012 Transformers Hall of Fame, and they need your help once again! They have chosen a set of robots to be inducted in the Hall of Fame and they are the following three robots: Autobots Jazz and Grimlock, and Decepticon Shockwave! But just like previous years, there is room for one more as chosen by the fans! So beginning now until Thursday, March 1st at 12:00 PM Eastern time, we are asking for the character you think should the fourth member of this group! Continue reading to learn how!

The newly-announced iGear Mini Warriors MW-03 Hench (Not Brawn) and MW-04 UFO (Not Cosmos) will grow in size to 12CM (~4.7 inches). These figures are slightly taller than MW-01 Spray (~4 inches) and MW-02 Rager (~3 inches). The rest of the planned Mini Warriors figures will range between 8CM to 12CM (~3.1 to 4.7 inches) based on the scale of the characters in the Generation 1 cartoon when compared to their counterparts.

Sponsor Big Bad Toy Store has pre-orders for MasterShooter's Shooter Master series, including their exclusive Deceptive Constructs and Automated Robots revealed earlier this month. The figures are a take on the Targetmaster concept. In addition to these BBTS Limited Edition exclusives, they shop is also taking pre-orders for the Core Assortment Pack of 4, revealed way back in September of last year.

Our sponsor Robot Kingdom has dropped by to let us know that both of the remaining TFC Toys Hercules Neckbreaker limb is set to ship next week, months ahead of schedule, and Mad Blender pre-orders may begin sometime next week as well. Neck Breaker, the Generation 1 Bonecrusher homage, which was originally scheduled to ship in March of this year, will beginning shipping Monday, January 16, 2012. Robot Kingdom has their fingers crossed for pre-orders of Mad Blender (Not Mixmaster) to begin sometime next week, but that is currently subject to availability.

Ray from Robot Kingdom dropped by to let us know that they have TFC Toys Dr Crank in-hand and available for order $79.90. For those that ordered, they will be shipping today. The homage to Hook from the Generation One Constructicon team, is the fourth in a six figure set that will combine to become Hercules, a third party version of Devastator. Previously released figures are Exgraver (Not Scavenger), Heavylabor (Not Bonecrusher), and Structor (Not Scrapper). Set for March and April 2012 are Neckbreaker (Not Bonecrusher) and Mad Blender (Not Mixmaster), respectively.