The end of LEGO Pirates by mid 2010

[Bonaparte]

Dear LEGO Pirate fans,

Today the burden to bring you sad news rests upon my shoulders. The LEGO Ambassadors have been informed that LEGO Pirates theme will be discontinued by mid 2010. We were told that the new Pirates line wasn't designed to be an ongoing theme this time, so it's only going to be on the shelves until second half next year by when it will disappear. This means there's not a new line designed for LEGO Pirates for 2010. There is some hope that LEGO Pirates might be back one day because the theme did sell rather well.

Share your thoughts and feeling about this sad news in this thread. Your feedback will be relayed to the LEGO Community team by your Classic-Pirates.com ambassador.

- Bonaparte, Ambassador Classic-Pirates.com

Update from Steve Witt (LEGO Community team):

Just so you know, Pirates isn't gone its on hiatus like every other line that isn't one of our primary themes: CASTLE, SPACE, and CITY

Pirates isn't going away, its just not going to be a constant theme. Its going to phase in and out just like every other theme that isn't one of those three. Everyone is freaking out just a bit too much on this one and I just wanted to reassure you guys that pirates isn't disappearing. Just taking a break

Steve

[JeffD984]

What a shame. I'm certainly thankful that LEGO released pirates for one year; there were some great sets! I'm also happy that the sets sold well enough for LEGO to take notice and mention their success. Yet there is no denying the dissapointment that also follows this announcement.

[posades]

Is this a permanent discontinuation or just an "on hold" thing?

With the rumblings of LEGO discontinuing Castle and Pirates, it's hard to foresee what new themes they can come up with to replace these seemingly well off franchises. It's a shame really, Pirates never really had a chance to flesh out their set list with new factions.

[Oky]

That is rather sad news indeed. Thanks for letting us know, though, Bonaparte. It was great seeing Pirates again, and the sets they released were all awesome. Of course it's dissappointing that there was only one wave, especially considering that themes like Power Miners have three, but I guess it's better than nothing.

Let's just hope that Pirates will return again soon and be even better than before.

[Rick]

What?! Checks calendar, no it's not April 1. I was totally not expecting this, especially when a few weeks ago a call for ideas was released by TLG via the ambassadors. All those AFOLs gave their input hoping that TLG put their ideas into production. But the last thing that could be expected from that 'signal' was that the line would actually be discontinued. I sure hope Pirates just takes half a year off and that it will be back by Christmas 2010/January 2011.

:pir_bawling: :pir_bawling:

(How many of these are considered spamming? Hope I'm still below the critical amount)

edit:

[optimistic mode]

Now that I think about it a little more, TLG may have intended it to be a 'one wave' theme, but based on sales above expectation decided to put their designers to work and ask AFOLs for input. The call for ideas was certainly too late for early-2010 sets, but realistically also for mid-2010 sets. So, perhaps we should be optimistic and see the recent call for ideas as a sign that Pirates will return after a - hopefully short - break in 2010. So: did I tell you I wanted a S@H exclusive two-deck soldier ship?

[/optimistic mode]

Edited September 17, 2009 by Rick

[Lorentzen]

Oh no.

That's really bad news. I had hoped for a similar run just like 1989 (pause in 1990) and then new sets each year for 5 more years. Although I'd think that this time around it would be new line in 2009 (pause in 2010) then new sets in 2011-12-13 perhaps.

I hope they just put the whole thing on hold. I would realy have loved a ship for the soldiers. It could have been an epic set

[The Cobra]

Who needs Pirates when we can have Power Miners and Atlantis?

[Mirandir]

Im guessing that Pirates will be back in 2011... But then as a license theme...

[mikey]

This indeed is sad news, but perhaps we should think ourselves lucky to have been able to buy the sets from this short lived theme. I'm glad the theme has sold well, as that gives hope that they may think about continuing the theme again in the future. I suppose we should be glad about what we did get, and I will continue to buy what sets I can untill they sadly disapear.

I will hold on to the glimmer of hope that because the theme made good sales, and good profit, they may well decide to continue development again in the future. It is not beyond belief that the sets were a 'tester', and they wanted to see a return on the the development costs before they commited more funds for the next wave.

I am so gutted, and I feel for all you Diehard Pirate Fanatics, that your favourate theme will not continue. I think im going to go and lovingly stroke a few pirate Minifig's now...

Im guessing that Pirates will be back in 2011... But then as a license theme...

Ohh God, Please No! Pirates does not need Fleshies and High Licensed Prices!

Edited September 17, 2009 by mikey

[Raphy]

Sad. I never really liked the sets, though the parts and minifigures were great. And we didn't even get an Wimperial ship!

[Rick]

Ohh God, Please No! Pirates does not need Fleshies and High Licensed Prices!

Agreed, that would definitely be the end of the pirate theme (for me at least)! As I said somewhere else on here before: in my view Pirates should be considered by TLG as one of the four core System themes, next to Town, Castle, and Space.

[Joey Lock]

Well well well. Just what I thought...Lego failing us...AGAIN.

What was the "What do you want in Next years Pirates?!" thread for? Or did Lego just decide this today?

I haven't bought a new Lego set for about 2 months just because everythings to expensive and useless. Yes, Those two words explain the Lego Company, Not the sets. Just the company. Expensive and Useless.

So what will Lego do when the Stars Wars line, Legos income, goes? Disney is the only chance for Lego to save the Lego Fans and Pirate Fans, If they decide to make Pirates of the Caribbean then I will be less angry. Not happy, Just less angry.

I guess we will just all resort to Bricklink now. Man the Prices of Imperial Guards are going to shoot to the roof, better get them whislt you can!

[Big Cam]

Im guessing that Pirates will be back in 2011... But then as a license theme...

I would bet money this is why.

Agreed, that would definitely be the end of the pirate theme (for me at least)! As I said somewhere else on here before: in my view Pirates should be considered by TLG as one of the four core System themes, next to Town, Castle, and Space.

Agreed. Honestly I'm not as involved in the Pirate community, so I actually thought it was.

Dissapointing news.

[Johnnhiszippy3]

Although this is disappointing to hear (I was really hoping to see a return of the Natives ), I'm glad that Lego is giving notice so that those who haven't bought what they want, still have a chance before the line is discontinued (something I've always wished they would do)

[Mister Phes]

As I said somewhere else on here before: in my view Pirates should be considered by TLG as one of the four core System themes, next to Town, Castle, and Space.

Yep, Pirates should be but unfortunately they aint!

[cagri]

It's been rather unfortunate, you had presented a great wishlist for the Pirate theme. I'd love to see those come to real. Next time I hope :(

[Admiral M]

To kill one of the greatest historic themes is a blunder. To kill it after one wave? That is stupidity. And it basically means lego lego loses $300+ from me alone, saving up that much for the next waves. Not to mention from all the AFOLS, and teens, and kids that will miss out. And when pirates come back, in 2011, they shall be with fleshies, and different uniforms, and ghost ships, and with Jack Sparrow at the helm- something not many of us want, not something many of us think is "better". Of all the kids I know, STAR WARS tends to end when you become 10. Most of the kids in my family used to like Star Wars, but have outgrown it. They prefer Castle and Pirates, and what's more, 2 kids, aged 12 and 11, actually want an extention to MMV, AND an imperial ship exclusive, AND and a civilian port scene, AND prefer yellows to fleshies. Remind you of ayonyone?

I truely find this decision odd. It looked like all signs pointed towards a new wave being released in december. I guess we were wrong. And so is lego. I hope that lego shall come to it's sences and continue with LEGO pirates in the future, and use the set designs submitted by our members to shape the future of the theme.

Edited September 17, 2009 by Admiral M

[Sir Wellington]

We need to make a petitition to bring it back! It cannot end! It has gotten our hopes us very high, and we cant be let down this easy, we need to bring back pirates for one more year! Just so we can see possibly a few new sets and some new bluecoats

[domboy]

Wow, this is surprising! And disappointing. And quite confusing. I mean, Lego is ultimately a kids toy... and what kid doesn't want to be a pirate??? As a kid my favorite Legos were Castle and Pirates. Sure I dabbled in other themes, but looking at my original collection, it was mostly those two themes. What got me interested in Lego as an adult? The new Castle and Pirates! More specifically, it was seeing 6253 Shipwreck Hideout sitting on the shelf at the end of an isle at TRU that started the pull back in.

[The Green Brick Giant]

Wow... this is incredibly stupid, but that is following with LEGO's new ways.

Not designed to continue? There was one freaking ship! ONE! How hard is it to make a few more ships and some more bases and such. What a waste of time and money on LEGOs part. They make a new cannon, new island pieces and not use them? Stupid!

All I can think is that sales were not as high as they had hoped.

[mikey]

I mean, Lego is ultimately a kids toy... and what kid doesn't want to be a pirate???

So true.

[Captain Blackmoor]

This is really too bad, I'm just sitting here watching for the new Bluecoat line among other great sets. And now they discontinue the line.

I hope they will continue the pirates line sometime in the future, but I don't hope we have to wait for another 20 years.

I also think it shouldn't be hard to use the new released pieces for more pirate sets like the good Green Brick Giant said.

But what happens, happens...

[Captain Roger]

It's a shame...a really sad new.

When i noticed Lego did new pirate sets, i felt a really happy guy, i bought the new ship, the soldiers fortress, and some small sets...i love the new minifigs, both pirates and soldier. Captain Brickbeard is a relly cool charater, like the new gobernor. I specilly love the new red coats. i'd like to see new blue coats. The new cannos were really cool, with a more realistic colour.

i Hope The Lego Company release new sets in 2011

[Skipper 24]

Sad news indeed Bonaparte. Such a short time or a much loved theme. I hope it returns again soon.

[-The Hyphen-]

My reaction to this, in one word:

Nooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!!!

This... This is outright horrible.

But we mustn't be pessimistic. Maybe there will be a few more sets released before the line ends.

Why would they select an ambassador from Classic Pirates if they were going to cancel the line? It makes no sense!

Hopefully Lego will listen to the inevitable outcry and re-resurrect the line after a year or so. It can't hurt to hope.