BotCon 2026 - July 10-12 at the Renaissance Schaumburg Convention Center in Chicago, IL

Over the past 32 years, thousands of Transformers fans from around the world have at some point experienced their first BotCon—whether it was from the early days starting in 1994, during the global expansion of the late ’90/early 00’s, or the live action movie era. This latest generation of BotCon attendees, many inspired by the films/new media, have continued to keep Transformers front and center in pop culture. Each BotCon first is a special one, whether it was the 90’s, 00’s, 10’s, or now!

For Hany Agaby, owner of the retail outlet Agabyss, Agabyss Distribution, and BotCon organizer since 2022, that first experience was in 1996 at the Clarion Resort outside of Chicago. Not much older than a teenager, BotCon ’96 introduced Hany to the fandom at large and set him on the path to a lifelong career in the Transformers hobby.

Now, nearly 30 years later, Hany and the Agabyss team are thrilled to bring BotCon back to Chicago, the city of his first BotCon, at a NEW venue - the Renaissance Schaumburg Convention Center. July 10-12.

This will be the largest BotCon since Agabyss took over the reigns of the show, and it promises to be one of the biggest BotCons ever!

You can book your hotel right now at BotCon.com

Artists and Vendors, you are going to be blown away by the size of this years convention hall! Artists will once again have a prime space right in the middle of the hall.

Vendors, each booth is a spacious 10x10 and will feature the attention to detail you know you’ll receive from BotCon.

We can’t wait for everyone to see what we have seen at this amazing venue and we are certain that whether this is your 20th BotCon, 10th BotCon, or your first, it will be one you won’t forget!

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That's me!

Years before you could check out unproduced Transformers online and over a decade before the Hasbro tour of 2007, there was BotCon ‘96 in Chicago. This show had some crazy stories for sure, but the fact remains THIS was the event where Transformers fans got to experience something they had never seen before… an extensive look at canceled G1 Transformers projects including the battery operated UNICRON!

To think of how legendary that simple table set up is now. Prototypes for the Double Pretenders, Action Master Exo-Suit vehicles, the G2 Gobot Racing Rig (first seen at BotCon ‘94), and of course Unicron in all his roundness!

This show also featured a charity auction where fans could bid on and win unreleased G2 toys.

We teased the location of BotCon ‘26 with the first picture on out site last month. Now, check out this full photo gallery from a selection of pictures that have never been uploaded before. Then, get ready for all the updates on the way as we plan our return to Chicago for BotCon ‘26 July 10-12 at the Renaissance Schaumburg Convention Center. Some quick updates/notes:

DEALER ROOM IS ALREADY AT 70% sell through vs last year.

Vendors, your booths will be the standard 10x10 - we know how important that extra space is.

Attendees, this is the Largest TRANSFORMERS Convention vendor hall in over a decade. Spacious aisles and easy access.

Artists - You will once again be featured right in the center of the room with plenty of space for your set up!

Registration will be starting later this month so stay tuned!

Visit BotCon.com to register for your Vendor/Artist tables and for everyone, to find out info on attending, volunteering, and all the amazing activities taking place at BotCon ‘26: Chicago!

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BotCon ‘26 Registration is NOW OPEN!

NEW FOR 2026!

Each PREMIUM PASS will include the Limited Edition BotCon Mystery Box. In addition to the numerous items featured in each mystery box, there will also be a BONUS mystery item included. 5 mystery boxes will include a SUPER MYSTERY TICKET good for 1 of the 5 SUPER Mystery items. These 5 SUPER Mystery items will be revealed at a later date.

Along with all the goodies in the Mystery Box, your PREMIUM PASS grants you admission for all BotCon ‘26 related general events at the Schaumburg Convention Center in Chicago: Thurs July 9th – Sun July 12th.

Want even more perks??? Check out the PREMIUM PLUS option for the ULTIMATE fan experience!

Base Weekend option is also available.

Planning on getting in before the crowds? We have the Thursday Custom Class available for purchase. This class is limited to 40 participants and features a G1 figure with new tooling. You do NOT want to miss this figure concept, never before seen at retail.

STAY TUNED for Guest Announcements, Show Schedule, Primetime Events, Yolopark Transformers official exclusive VS set reveal, and so much more!

Visit BotCon.com to register today!

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Weekend Pass includes:

- Badge/Lanyard

-Discounted rate over individual daily passes (Daily passes will be avialble at a later date)

- Thursday Night Early Access To The BotCon Store And Exclusives

- Early Admission Entry To The BotCon ‘25 Vendor Room On Friday, Saturday, And Sunday

- Access To BotCon Q&A’s And Panels (Seating After Premium And Premium Plus Seating)

- Access To Guest Autographs (Prices For Autographs Determined By Guests)

- Ability to register for Custom Classes

Ability to purchase these exclusives at a discounted rate (Add to cart for pick up at the show)

• Yolopark OFFICIAL Transformers exclusive Ricochet

• Yolopark OFFICIAL Lady Cliffjumper

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NEW FOR 2026!

Each Premium Pass will now include the Limited Edition BotCon Mystery Box.

EVERYTHING you need for your weekend at BotCon ‘26 will be included in this box, with a mix of additional toys and exclusive product.

Each BotCon ‘26 Mystery Box includes:

- Yolopark BotCon Exclusive Vs Set (LE 500)

- Souvenir Pin

- Badge/Lanyard

- BotCon ‘26 T-Shirt

- BotCon Unlimited Comic Magazine #5

- Metal Cardbot Deluxe or Mega (inserted at random)

- Blokees Defender, Galaxy, and Shining (all inserted at random)

- BotCon Legacy Fiction Bundle (Bundles will vary)

- BotCon Legacy Exclusive Toy (inserted at random)

- MYSTERY ITEM*

*EVERY Box will also contain a mystery item of some type, with 5 of the boxes containing a SUPER mystery ticket! That ticket will be able to be redeemed for 1 of the 5 SUPER Mystery items. All 5 items will be revealed at a later date.

Exclusives Available at a Discounted Rate (Add to cart for pick up at the show)

• Yolopark OFFICIAL Transformers exclusive Ricochet

• Yolopark OFFICIAL Lady Cliffjumper

• Yolopark Unrevealed exclusive figure

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NEW FOR 2026!

Each Premium Plus Pass will now include the Limited Edition BotCon Mystery Box.

EVERYTHING you need for your weekend at BotCon ‘26 will be included in this box, with a mix of additional toys and exclusive product.

Each BotCon ‘26 Mystery Box includes:

- Yolopark BotCon Exclusive Vs Set (LE 500)

- Souvenir Pin

- Badge/Lanyard

- BotCon ‘26 T-Shirt

- BotCon Unlimited Comic Magazine #5

- Metal Cardbot Deluxe or Mega (inserted at random)

- Blokees Defender, Galaxy, and Shining (all inserted at random)

- BotCon Legacy Fiction Bundle (Bundles will vary)

- BotCon Legacy Exclusive Toy (inserted at random)

- MYSTERY ITEM*

*EVERY Box will also contain a mystery item of some type, with 5 of the boxes containing a SUPER mystery ticket! That ticket will be able to be redeemed for 1 of the 5 SUPER Mystery items. All 5 items to be revealed at a later date

Premium Plus includes the following additional perks:

- Limited Edition BotCon BONUS CHASE Collector Card (Limited to Prem +)

- $10 Artist Alley Voucher

- Priority Entry To BotCon Store/Exhibitor Hall

- Priority Seating For All Panels

- 1 Grand Prize Raffle Ticket

- First in line for any VIP announced guests

Exclusives Available at a Discounted Rate (Add to cart for pick up at the show)

• Yolopark OFFICIAL Transformers exclusive Ricochet

• Yolopark OFFICIAL Lady Cliffjumper

• Yolopark OFFICIAL unrevealed figure

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we are thrilled to announce our theme for BotCon ‘26: Chicago’s guests, events, kids classes, souvenir pin set, games, and more… you guessed it, the 40th Anniversary of the greatest animated film ever - Transformers: The Movie.

With that let’s announce our first guest. He voiced the TF:TM character who was the embodiment of 1980’s action heroes, with the perfect mix of bravado, sarcasm, and wit:
Neil Ross, voice of Autobot Springer!

Neil himself was with Transformers starting 1/2 way through Season 1 as the voice of Slag, Bonecrusher, and Hook. His first ‘starring’ role for the franchise was in Transformers: The Movie as Springer and we can’t wait for him to celebrate this movie anniversary with all of us!

You do not want to miss BotCon: Chicago at the Schaumburg Convention Center July 9th-12. Visit BotCon.com for more info!

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Springer, you and Arcee transform Autobot City!

We’re sure you’ve all heard about the ‘We killed Optimus’ apology tour by now. But for the Autobots that fought to defend Autobot City that day, their valiant efforts require no apologies!

With that, for THE summer celebration of the 40th anniversary of Transformers: The Movie, we are thrilled to announce another star from the film that defined a generation of cartoons! Susan Blu, voice of G1 Arcee!

Not only did Sue voice the first regularly featured female Autobot, she went on to have a lasting impact as both the voice director and guest voice on Beast Wars and Transformers: Animated respectively.

It all started with Transformers: The Movie though, and we can’t wait to host both her and Neil Ross at BotCon: Chicago July 10-12 at the Shaumburg Convention Center. Attendee Custom Class, Package Pick-up, and Early Store shopping starts July 9th.

Speaking of the custom class, we still have a limited number of seats available. This is going to be the best custom class yet of the Agabyss BotCon Era, and you won’t want to miss out on this figure!

Then, to get your Premium Plus, Premium, and/or weekend package and to sign up for your custom class, you can do that through the various links at BotCon.com

REMINDER:

Kids 12 & Under are ALWAYS FREE at BotCon
AND there are NO HIDDEN FEES with your registration!

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“It is the year 2005. The treacherous Decepticons have conquered the Autobots' home planet of Cybertron. But, from secret staging grounds on two of Cybertron's moons, the valiant Autobots prepare to retake their homeland.”

One of the greatest introductions in all of animated Cinema, dare we say ALL movies period! BotCon: Chicago is thrilled to welcome for the first time ever to our show the voice of Transformers storytelling, Victor Caroli, June 10-12!

For ticket info visit BotCon.com.

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“We got Decepticons at the gates! Decepticons in the air! Decepticons inside the walls! Decepticons, Decepticons, Decepticons! If we beat them off the walls they're still in the air, if we shoot them out of the air they're still at the gates! So where does that leave us? BotCon, that's where!”

Ok, we tweaked the movie quote ever so slightly…

Completing the trio of Springer, Arcee, and NOW Blurr from the central image of the 1986 Transformers: The Movie poster, we are thrilled to announce John Moschitta as our next guest for BotCon: Chicago. The show takes place July 10-12, 2026 at the The Schaumburg Convention Center. Stay tuned for more guest, artist, and vendor announcements over the next few weeks.

You won’t want to miss this Transformers: The Movie 40th anniversary reunion event. Autographs, Photos, panels, special presentations… this is going to be quite the show! All taking place at the original Transformers Convention - BotCon, bringing collectors and fans together for over 30 years!
Register today! https://www.botcon.com

SPECIAL SHOW NOTE - The NEW toy line METAL CARDBOT (MCB) will make it full convention retail debut at BotCon! You don’t have to wait until BotCon though to start collecting this amazing new toy line. MCB is available in the U.S. exclusively from Agabyss. You can pre-order right now with shipments starting later this month! SPECIAL bonus for ordering all 6 figures from Wave 1. For more info visit: https://www.agabyss.com/samg/metal-cardbot/

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Speaking of BotCon ‘26 AND Chicago, this year’s Summer TRANSFORMERS & Robot Convention Event is taking place at the Schaumburg Convention Center July 10-12 and celebrates the 40th Anniversary of Transformers: The Movie (TFTM). In addition to the voices of Springer (Neil Ross), Arcee (Sue Blu), Blurr (John Moschitta), and the movies narrator (Victor Caroli), we have the artist not just responsible for his work on the Marvel adaptation of TFTM Issues 1-3, but also for his work on all 80 issues from the G1 comic - the legendary colorist Nel Yomtov! This will mark Nel’s first ever Transformers Convention appearance. Nel is actually the longest consecutive Transformers comic artist in the history of the brand, having colored every issue of the Marvel G1 comic from 1984-1990.

BotCon: Chicago will feature Blokees, Metal Cardbot, exclusive Transformers items, 1000’s of vintage toys, and the largest Transformers Exhibitor Hall in the U.S. Midwest in well over a decade!

You can order Blokees, Metal Cardbot, and get your BotCon registration right now at Agabyss.com!

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S - A - F - E - T - Y

Safe.… Dance!

“Safety” Megatron is here!

Back in the year 2002, Hasbro had the bold idea to re-release G1 Megatron. Though it might as well have been nearly an eternity since the lax toy laws of 1984, Hasbro still thought there was a chance to bring the Walter P-38 Megatron back to Toys R Us store shelves. Sporting a chrome blue and bright orange accents, the idea was submitted, turned in to a production sample with mock up packaging and… ultimately still rejected!

FINALLY, 24 year later, what turned out to be one of the coolest deco’s ever for a G1 toy, is now available for you to grab via our latest Official Yolopark Exclusive - “Decepticon Avatar: Megatron”.

Hailing from the original G1 Sunbow cartoon universe “Season 5”, exactly who or what is this new Megatron? The package and the Tech Spec will give you the answer! Then at BotCon ‘26 in Chicago, we will fill in the rest of the story!

You can order Avatar Megatron right now, RIGHT HERE or if you want to pick it up at BotCon, you can add it to your registration.

Find all your BotCon Registration options here!

Then swing over to Facebook and let us know you’ll be there on June 10-12!

FREE early bird pin if you sign up by May 24th.

Grab your Avatar Megatron TODAY!​

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Agent X said:

Does it come with a comic like Lady Cliff and Glyph/Soundblaster?

I doubt it will, being they want surprises at the con.

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Sabrblade said:

Like Ricochet, there is no comic included in the instructions, but he does have some story content in both his packaging blurb and toy bio:

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BotCon Early Bird Deadline almost here!

MORE Guest announcements, NEW Blokees events, EXCLUSIVE reveals - Read below.

But first things first. Register for your Attending package, Vendor booth, or Artist Table asap to receive the EXCLUSIVE ‘Thundercracker’ Early Bird pin. This pin will never be for sale, and is part of a highly collectible set of BotCon pins available at the show. Don’t miss out! Sign up by May 24th!

We are just two months away from BotCon Chicago, but we still have so many final details to announce.

Part of a new project from Blokees, you won’t want to miss Transformers voice actors Jon Bailey and Travis Artz as they will be on hand to present some great new promo offerings from Blokees.

Speaking of Blokees, we will have both the Speed trials and the ALL-NEW Blokees custom class featuring a ‘blank’ Blokees toy. This class will be very limited and will be free to select registered attendees. Details on how you can take part will be announced later this month.

Also later this month, we will have some additional guest announcements, spotlighting other voices from the world of The Transformers.

Saturday Evening - Special fan screening of Cybertron Falls. Watch out Schedule page for more details!

Finally, we will be revealing this year‘s exclusive BotCon Vs set next week. If you liked the Decepticon Avatar: Megatron exclusive you are going to LOVE the BotCon Exclusive VS set. Here’s a hint - It celebrates one of the other Transformers Anniversaries taking place this year!

Don’t wait, get your registration in today!

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Beast Wars 30th Anniversary At BotCon Chicago!

With all the hoopla surrounding the 40th anniversary of Transformers The Movie, don’t think we have forgotten the two other big anniversaries this year!

Helping us celebrate the 30th anniversary of BEAST WARS is David Sobolov, voice of Maximal DEPTHCHARGE from Season 3 of the series. David and Sue Blu will be available all weekend for autographs and photos, and to discuss their work on the groundbreaking series.

David was ALSO the voice of SHOCKWAVE in Transformers: Prime, the voice of BLITZWING in the Bumblebee movie, and the voices of BATTLETRAP & APELINQ in Rise of the Beasts. You won’t want to miss meeting David, an all around great guest and important contributor to the Transformers legacy!

Stay tuned for another guest announcement next week!

In the meantime, THIS SUNDAY is the deadline for the EARLY BIRD Exclusive pin. Get your weekend, premium, or premium plus package in TODAY so you don’t miss out!

We have once again added MORE rooms to our hotel block. This is our biggest block of the last several years, but time to get the reduced rate is running out! Reserve your room today!

This show is shaping up to be our largest show in a decade, with a PACKED vendor room and OFFICIAL Transformers offerings. Plan your weekend or day trip today!

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Celebrating the 25th anniversary of Robots in Disguise, here the reveal for the Official BotCon Chicago Transformers Yolopark Exclusive Set - Sideburn VS Menasor!

Sideburn is one of the most recognized characters from the series and has appeared in various Transformers and related media since 2001, so we are excited to bring him back to the main stage for this anniversary.

But what’s that you say, this unreleased deco of Universe Menasor was not intended for RID? You’ll just have to wait for BotCon July 10-12 to see how it all ties together.

This exclusive VS set is included with ALL BotCon Chicago Premium and Premium Plus packages and will be available for purchase at the show quantities permitting. Limited to 504 pieces. Get all the latest info at BotCon.com.

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