Eagle-eyed OzFormers admin Griffin, noticed that on an advert for Hasbro celebrating it's 90th year there is a picture of what appears to be a brand new Optimus Prime with the text Transformers Generations below it. The image, which can be viewed below, shows Roller transformed into the gun of the Autobot leader!!  Could this be the start of a new line of Transformers Generations figures once Fall of Cybertron is done? The answers may well come out of the US Toy Fair in a month, as they are unlikely to come from the British Toy Fair.

Yesterday we picked up our first Transformers Prime Beast Hunters figure in the form of Lazerback.  As such we have now posted out full image gallery and review of the figure which includes highlighting some quality control issues which we have noticed with the toy.  Our one has significant damage to the plastic which effects both the gun and the main toy itself.  Check out the image gallery for full details.

3rd Party toy maker, TFC Toys, have updated their Facebook page with a collection of coloured images of the latest prototype of their upcoming release SR-71 Blackbird (better known as Silverbolt) who is a part of their Project Uranos project, the unofficial Superion figure. The images include pictures of the new Aerialbot companion X-45 Phantom Ray who transforms into the chest plate of Uranos (Superion). There is also a groupshot of the first three released Phantom, the soon-to-be-released Eagle and Blackbird which helps highlight the size difference.  You can view the images after the jump.

TFSource.com have posted the first image of the upcoming TakaraTomy release TG-20 Ratbat. The figure is a recoloured / retooled Scourge which you can view below.

This is an important news story for collectors of Generation One figures, espeically anyone who has purchased a Computron in the last two year and comes courtesy of The Allspark.  For the last two years an eBay seller by the name of Qiupaul and Mcdolltutu has been selling reproduction Computron boxes, instructions and Styrofoam and putting loose figures into those boxes and then selling them on as Mint-In-Box toys for a large profit.  MightGaine has put together a guide on how oyou can identify these reproductions boxes which have been made more complicated by the seller selling other repro boxes (labelled as reproduction) which have slight differences.  Here is the full story from the Allspark

"There's a really awful scam that has been going on for over 2 years now with MIB Computron gift sets on Ebay. Seller going by Qiupaul and Mcdolltutu (and other names) has been making repro MIB Computron boxes, styro, and instructions, stuffing a loose Computron inside, and selling it as a legit MIB item:

Some recent examples...

Link to recent scam auctions

One can tell they're fake because of the missing arrow next to "TECH SPECS Clip and Save!" blurb on the back. TheMint1980 on TFW noticed something was funny with the auctions a year ago, when the same two sellers were selling tons of MIB Computron gift sets. RoboticPlanet on TFW noticed recently that the seller is now selling boxes labeled as repros...

Transformers Autobots Computron Custom Made Box | eBay

While MightGaine was doing the ID guide for the repro box, he looked back at the old "MIB" auctions from the seller, and realized they were missing four of the differences in the clearly labeled repro box, but they still have one of the differences--the missing arrow on the back of the box!! Here's the ID guide...

Quipaul Computron Box ID Guide

It turns out there are actually two versions of the repro box: one used to scam people, and one clearly labeled as a repro box. All those auctions TheMint1980 has been noticing have been scams!!

Conclusion: Qiupaul/Mcdolltutu has been scamming people with fake MIB Computron gift sets for over 2 years now!! Beware!!!"

ACToys.net have posted a plethora of new in-hand images of Transformers Prime Beast Hunters toys, espeically Smokescreen.  You can view all of the images, there are over 50, be clicking on the headline of this story

A new image, well a composite of two images, have been posted of the Project X Genesis figure which show the upcoming unlicensed third party figure in all it's coloured glory as well as along side Masterpiece Lambor

If you are attending the British Toy Fair this year you may want to head over to the Underground Toys / Gears for Games stand as amoung the plush toys you will find there will be some Transformers Prime Talking Plush toys as well as some Talking Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.  They will be on stand G110.

The official Hasbro UK stand will be showcasing the Transformers Prime Universe (The current Transformers Prime and some "Universe/Classics" figures) and Transformers Prime Beast Hunters toy lines.  The toys will be supported by Series 2 of the show starting to air between Jan and March as well as the release of the second set of Transformers Prime Season 1 DVDs.  There is a chance that the Optimus Prime truck will be at the event as it's continuing it's UK tour until November

"Action Game" manufacturer, Sambro, will be showing their licensed Transformers action games at the show as well.

Allspark.com member, Kira Kira, has posted a link to wholesaler BBCW Distributors, for the Transformers Beast Hunters Legion figures from the Cyberverse line. The description which accompanies the listing is as follows:

Coming from Hasbro.

It's The Transformers Prime Beast Hunters - Legion Assortment - 0000.

Roll out with the heroic Autobots as they battle and work to defend Earth from destruction now that a new faction have joined the Decepticons to take them down… They are called the Predacons and they are made up of menacing beasts that convert in ways mankind has never seen before!

This Assortment is set to include:

- 3x Smokescreen.
- 2x Twinstrike.
- 2x Airachnid.
- 4x Bumblebee.

Sold as cases. Packed 12 per case.

Third Party upgrade provider "Fans Want It" have unveiled their latest offering as the FWI-3 Jet Power Upgrade Kit. The kit is a add-on for the Transformers Revenge of the Fallen Optimus Prime figure.  ROTF Prime will be able to use the armour to make him look like he is combined with Jetfire.

No word has been given on the price of the kit or an expected release date, however due to a peg being located on the back of the upgrade, it does appear as if Prime will be able to tow the parts along, meaning there is some "transformation" in the kit.

The official Transformers Collectors' Club have posted several tweets to try to give some clarification regarding the recent "Beast Wars Shattered Glass" comic preview which was posted online.  In the tweets the group stated "Lets clear up some things about the 2013 story BEAST WARS Shattered Glass... The SG Universe is now home to Classics Earth. Along with Classics earth, a few dozen Heroic Autobots and Evil Decepticons now reside in the Shattered Glass Universe. BEAST WARS Shattered Glass takes place in the distant past on Shattered Glass Earth and features the Heroic Maximals led by Ultra Mammoth Fighting against the Evil Predacons. WHO these Preds are will be revealed in Issue 49. The story focuses on the Classics characters. However, with this story taking place ON Shattered Glass Earth, there may be some cool twists..."

The official website of Michael Bay has updated his website with a new statement from the Hollywood movie director confirming that he has signed Jack Reynor to star along side Mark Wahlberg in the fourth live-action Transformers movie which is due to start production this year.  In the same statement Mr Bay throws in a comment that this film will be the first of a new trilogy of films.  You can read the full statement below.

"I just hired a great new actor for Transformers 4 to star against Mark Wahlberg. Jack Reynor, he is an Irish kid that came to America with 30 bucks in his pocket. Pretty ballsy. Seriously who does that? Anyway I spotted him in a great little Irish movie WHAT RICHARD DID. This kid is the real deal.

Transformers 4, is not a reboot. That word has been floating around on the net.

This movie takes place exactly 4 years after the war in Chicago. The story makes a very natural transition, and reason as to why we have a whole new cast. This Transformers will feel very different than the last three. We are embarking on a new trilogy.

Michael"

Good news for fans of Soundwave and his cassettes as it seems that MP-16 Frenzy and Buzzsaw have now been released in Asia, at least judging by the image posted below on a Weibo account.

Third party toy manufaturer, ToyWorld, have announced on their website, that they will be releasing what appears to be some 3rd party Dinobot figures in 2013.  Not much information has been given thus far, only the preview image which can be viewed below.

Credit to fellow UK fansite FullMetalHero.com for the news.

Hasbro's Official Transformers Facebook Page has updated with a preview page from the Transformers Collectors' Club Magazine's 2013 comic book.

Issue 49 of The TRANSFORMERS COLLECTORS' CLUB MAGAZINE kicks off the new year in a BIG way with the debut of a NEW team of Maximals led by Ultra Mammoth! The all-new ongoing comic story "Beast Wars Shattered Glass" is featured exclusively in the TCC Magazine. Check out the preview below. And for more information on the TRANSFORMERS COLLECTORS' CLUB be sure to visit http://transformersclub.com/

It would appear that the story takes place after the "A Flash Forward" epilogue comic (part 1 | part 2) - Classics Ultra Magnus, Ironhide, Silverbolt, Prowl, and Grimlock have landed somewhere in the Shattered Glass universe... possibly in the distant past.

Click here to see the preview