ACToys.net have posted an image of what appears to be a new Botcon 2012 figure ... Octopunch!  The toy is a recolour of the Hunt For The Decepticons Seaspray.

iGear toys have posted some new images of a black recolour of their Not-Huffer (Rager) figure as well as their upcoming Herbie figure.  herbie is a recolour of a Not-Bumblebee based on the Disney character.

Transformers Galaxy Hong Kong have updated their Facebook page with some more images of the upgrade parts for X-Transbots XP1-Destroyer.  These are the parts for the G1 Devastator that make him articulated.  The main new image is below with the rest of the images after the jump.

Hollywood Reporter have an update on the Hasbro Inc Vs ASUS lawsuit that was recently filed in LA regarding ASUS upcoming Laptop / Tablet hybrid.  Hasbro started taking legal action last month against Asus Computer International on the grounds that ASUS computer threatens to "undermine the decades of time and millions of dollars" that Hasbro has invested, including on the Optimus Prime character.  They quote the New York Times in their statement which once stated that [Optimus Prime was the] "toughest robot in the nerd universe," as well as it's licensed Transformers Prime TV series..  This has now prompted ASUS to response saying that no one will confuse a computer with a toy like.  Their full statement was:

"Although Hasbro refuses to disclose what the merchandise is that is to be sold in March 2012, it most likely will be more toys and games like the classification under which it was filed—again creating no actual confusion with ASUS tablet  computers. Hasbro’s claim that consumers are growing increasingly confused with each day is false and unsubstantiated. Further, a cursory glance at the website advertising by ASUS and Hasbro evidences the different and non-confusing use by ASUS of the word “Transformer” when used to describe tablet computers, versus Hasbro’s Transformers mark used to sell robot toys."

This is not the first time that Hasbro have caused legal waves:

• In 2008, Hasbro sued two Indian brothers who introduced a Facebook application, Scrabulous, which let its users play an online simulation of the popular board game Scrabble.

• In 2010, Hasbro sent a cease-and-desist letter to the Senate campaign of Sharon Angle, saying the candidate never received permission to use the rights to Monopoly for its "Harry Reid Amnesty Game" website.

• Last month, Hasbro sent cease-and-desist letters to a Swedish-based website called PonyArchives.org, which catered to adult male fans of the 1980s TV show, My Little Pony. The fierce IP protection drew a strong rebuke from the leader of website, who wrote, "Today we learned that Hasbro, are no real bros. They are indeed proper w#$%ers."

Botcon Tweeted last night that "We are now 50% sold thru on Primus and 70% sold through on Golden Ticket packages. We doubled class size this year and still sold out fast!".

The Golden Tickets are priority passes that were last used at OTFCC 2003 and proved extremely controversial.

We will continue to update you with the latest Botcon news, though you can also use our exclusive "Other Sites News / In The News" section to stay up-to-date with news from 43 different websites from around the world.

Botcon 2012 registration went live, for attending packages, just before midnight UK time. Non-attendee packages are due to go live sometime next week.  As well as putting the registrations live two small images were also published of the complete Botcon set which confirmed the molds of the rest of the figures.  Metalhawk, as predicted, is a a recoloured classics Thunderwing with a new head sculpt whilst Ultra Magnus is a diaclone coloured G2 Optimus Prime.

Botcon have also tweeted some concept art of the Metalhawk head that can be seen in the additional images section below.

Perfect Effect have updated their website with lots of images of their up coming Perfect Effect PE-DX01 Motorbike (Not-Arcee) toy.

The comic strip contains an appearance from the Technobot Afterburner, does this mean an Afterburner toy is on its way from Perfect Effects?  Time will tell

Sending out the remaining batch of booking confirmations for Auto Assembly 2012... we're on target for a massive record-breaking year!!

That's the latest tweet from Auto Assembly

Matt "KingGrimlock" Messenger has posted an interesting Battle Beast related news story on Full Metal Hero.

A new website from Diamond Select has started a countdown, ending on (by my rough guess) the 12th April. Battle Beasts - The Roar Rages On, what could it be?

Battle Beasts - The Roar Rages On

What a massive letdown ... BotCon have revealed Heroic Decepticon Treadshot, the toy we've personally been waiting for (as we're big fans of the original Action Master sculpt).  The toy uses the Reveal the Shield Jazz mold, with a new head, in a Purple and Yellow colour scheme based on Transformers Armada Sideswipe and not the G1 Action Master.

Fun Publications has revealed that Metalhawk from the Classicsverse also sports a new head mold while Evil Autobot Ultra Magnus has "a surprise in store."

The 3rd Party Group Headrobots who previous made new heads for the headmaster figures as well as Headmaster heads for non-Headmaster figures have announced some new projects as well as posting some preview images online  The announcement includes:

    Centurion - This is a set of two new heads for Fortress Maximus' Cerrebros headmaster figure, one based on the US cartoon another on the Japanese style head and comes with a Bonus Power Sword. The toy is available from BBTS
    Big Road - This is a Classics size figure based on Generation One Trailbreaker
    Drone - A conversion kit for Hunt for the Decepticons Tomahawk that turns him into a G1 Whirl figure
    Blood DX - This is a follow-up to their previous Bludgeon upgrade.

The official Transformers Facebook page has posted up a Question and Answer session with the voice of Transformers Prime Starscream (and Rescue Bots Heatwave) Steve Blum.

Steve Blum gives an insigth into how he approached the role of Starscream in Transformers Prime, along with talkign about his voice actor idols and how doing Starscream measures up against some of his other roles.

Dave Tree from All The Cool Stuff has sent out an email stating that tickets for the G.I-Joe, Action Force and Transformers conventions called Roll Out Roll Call 3, will hopefully go on sale later this week over at AllTheCoolStuff.co.uk.  Don't forget to follow the convention on Twitter @RollOutRollCall

After several hours of waiting BotCon have released images of Shattered Glass Soundwave, complete with Cobra Dreadknock Zartan's face painted on the side.  Zartan is representing the Cobra rock band Cold Slither.

Fun Publications have also announced that there will be a headband accessory available from the club store, and that it will not be fabric.  They also confirm that they have modified the neck joint so that Shattered Glass Soundwave will be able to look forward, rather than always looking down as Classics Ironhide did.

BotCon have updated their Twitter account to remind people that the first Shattered Glass Heroic Decepticon will be revealved today.  Most people are expecting it to be Soundwave, the white Classics Ironhide mold, though I'm wondering if they will through a curve ball and go for Treadshot?  Probably not, as Sounwave's mold is already known.

BotCon 2012 toys

1. SG Soundwave - White Classics Ironhide Mold - confirmed
2. SG Ultra Magus - Diaclone coloured "Movie Preview" - Universe Laser Prime mold (mold confirmed)
3. SG Treadshot - ? Classics Megatron mold ?
4. SG Tracks - Red Universe Tracks mold
5. Gigatron "Overlord" - Reveal the Shield Bludgeon mold
6. Metal Hawk - ? Universe Thunderwing mold ?

Some other possibly toys, for the loose set and customising classes, are

1. Slicer (or Shattered Glass Wheeljack) - Blue Universe Tracks mold (as one of the BotCon recolours)
2. Re-use of Reveal the Shield Seapray mold ?
3. Use of Dreadwind / Mindwipe mold
4. What will be the Army builder set