2015 LEGO Pirates Rumors and Discussion

[Kolonialbeamter]

Toys are way to important to leave them to kids! *takes cover*

Kidding, of course. At the end of the day Lego is a toy designed for children, to be bought by parents. Core business concept. And with this in mind I agree with kabel, I'd rather see two small ships than three quarters of a UCS model. And to be honest, as adults, what to you need to get the sets for? For collecting purposes? Okay, a UCS box on the top shelf is much nicer looking then that smaller model. But for MOCing? TLC is constantly creating new parts, no matter the size of the model. The rest is our creativity, as we all can see on this forum.

As for my wish for larger prefab parts, it doesn't mean the ships have to be bigger, larger, more detailed, more expensive, just wider. All the rest is a matter of design and maybe simplyfication. You can always find an 'excuse' to produce new molds. 4 juniors had a pirate ship hull just for two sets (I'm not suggesting to bring back those, though!). So why not have a wider version of the current ones as a standard for future pirate waves? Then the normal ones could become a future small ships' base. Just a thought, since a lot of things in the Lego universe seem to 'grow' over time. But after all, it's a business decision, maybe there's just no need for TLC to go that way. I'd still be happy to see more MOCing material in whatever sized models. And until then I can still MOC my own hulls.

[Sebeus I]

I'm with kabel here, I'd love to see some new small ships.

Besides, it's very unlikely I'd buy any big ship LEGO brings out in coming years, I already have enough big ship-parts.

That's what I was thinking when I saw the Imperial Flagship, didn't buy it, didn't need it, didn't want it .

[Jack Bricker]

At the end of the day I think that a bigger pirate ship would still be better though. I mean why can't Lego have a couple of smaller ships for those who caccot afford a larger model and then do a huge UCS pirate ship for those who can. I can't afford every set either but, that doesn't mean Lego should stop making large sets.

Edited May 13, 2014 by Jack Bricker

[Blazej_Holen]

As I said before, "big" ship can contain around 900pieces which takes around 100-130 bucks depending on if its form licenced theme or not. So this is quite acceptable for majority of custoemers I think. After all you dont buy thhose sets every day dont you?

Ships like Carribean Clipper, or old Sea Lion, are history (those sets contains arround 400pcs) and fitiing into definition of "small ship". Large ship doesent means some huge colossus like IFS - anyway it was an exclusive set, not regular one. So ship with 3 mid sections are quite what I personaly want :)

And not everybody has plenty of hull pieces, and other pieces for mocing their own ship and hnestly I am a kind of gy who likes original sets assembled so thats why i am not a mocer. I wish I would, but I have no heart to take a part my beloved sets :D

[Diamondback]

I doubt they'd do anything larger than 10210 Imperial Frigate, but I can imagine them doing another one the same size, if it was popular enough... and I do think that the IF represents an enormous ship in Lego terms, if not in 'real' terms. It's like the way a Lego house with a separate living room, kitchen and bedroom is a 'large' house.

I'd like to see smaller ships too, if just for variety... preferably I'd like to see a navy or merchant ship the size of Brickbeard's Bounty, a pirate ship one hull piece shorter than that, and for the large D2C set (fingers crossed they have one) to be a large harbour set, either a merchant port or a fort. If they do another IF-sized vessel, I'd like for it to be a merchant ship, or an Armada Flagship... I think a pirate ship that size would be overkill. At least in the fiction I'm familiar with, pirate ships were smaller than their targets?

Well said, David--your typical pirate ship was more like a Renegade Runner, a small 1- or 2-masted sloop. What made these little ships so dangerous was that they'd overpack them with weapons and crew beyond design capacity, which meant big risks getting in close but if they could get alongside you had a veritable swarm of men storming your decks.

Most of the larger pirate ships were taken merchantmen, so a roughly BB-clone with less aggressive markings might work very well as a merchie.

[TalonCard]

I had a thought while looking at all the LEGO sets at Wal-Mart tonight: wouldn't it be awesome if they made one of those new Juniors sets for Pirates? The models are pretty solid, the bright colors would be a nice change, and the last time we got a more basic Pirate set it was pretty cool.

TC

[Zeya]

You would think that small pirate ships would show up more (granted we don't get pirates too often anyway...) I mean, city gets small vehicles all over the place. Same thing with Star Wars or any other theme really, it's all about vehicles. I actually would welcome smaller craft. I get a kick out of the raft sets and would love small vessels, especially if they have sails and/or rigging. The 2009 line had rowboats, one raft, and then the larger BBB ship. Here's my vote for small/medium vessels as well!

[kabel]

I don't think it should be an either/or issue but a mere as well as one, like in the old days! But, I fear Lego wouln't be walking this path, considering what they did in 2009 and during PotC.

[Admiral Khan]

I wouldn't mind having one big pirate ship the size of the Imperial Flagship. There hasn't been a pirate ship that big. Also, if there is an entire theme for pirates instead of just the ship, I think a lot more land sets would be nice, such as a hideout, trading post etc.

[Legoman123]

I would love to see something similar to the Imperial Flagship.

[David Thomsen]

According to this rumour, the next collectible minifigure range is going to include a 'Swashbuckler', although this is translated from Hungarian so that might not be the final name. Either way I hope the rumour is correct, there has been a sad deficit of Pirate-themed characters in the Minifigure range, and only one actual pirate.

Still, if we get a whole new Pirate theme in 2015, we'll have all the pirate minifigs we need.

[Steven]

I would really like some smaller trading vessels, like the East India Company but in lego form. Something for the pirates to attack and plunder.

[Darth Punk]

I would really like some smaller trading vessels, like the East India Company but in lego form. Something for the pirates to attack and plunder.

I do like that idea. I mainly hope that next year we see an entire wave of pirates including small sets so I can build up. A bunch of smaller ships could fit in nicely with a harbor.

Anyone know when info for the winter wave starts to come out?

[Faefrost]

I do like that idea. I mainly hope that next year we see an entire wave of pirates including small sets so I can build up. A bunch of smaller ships could fit in nicely with a harbor.

Anyone know when info for the winter wave starts to come out?

Generally we start hearing rumors around August and get actual info around September- October for retail themes. d2C stuff they can keep much closer to the vest and we often will not hear about until a month before release. (Case in point The Mixer)

[Darth Punk]

Generally we start hearing rumors around August and get actual info around September- October for retail themes. d2C stuff they can keep much closer to the vest and we often will not hear about until a month before release. (Case in point The Mixer)

Thanx. I couldn't remember if there were any specific toy fairs in the late summer or early fall that usually showcase the winter wave. I know the hobbit will show up at sdcc, but beyond that I can't recall anymore.

[The Rancor]

Talk of a possible new Pirates theme, but certainly a new ship has got me quite excited, if behind the curve slightly. I don't really mind that the new ship would be called The Brick Bounty, perhaps the wording ties in with something in the new Pirates area update in Legoland(s). I hope the ship itself takes the form of something like the Armada Flagship, or a fluyt shape. I have a feeling it would be of a similar size to Brickbeard's Bounty, but hopefully TLG would introduce something like a very simplified 2 tier deck, with room down below and up top. I'd hope that if there was a new range, a new skull-shaped hideout or other land-based sets bolster the variety, but I have a slight feeling it could be like the most recent Castle range - fairly 'suited to the main target audience'.

Edited May 24, 2014 by The Rancor

[ummester]

Interesting convo re the small/large ship sets.

IMO, LEGO as a boxed product is first and foremost a toy. TLG sets should be designed around kids and relevant price points, as a general rule. Ultimately the boxed sets are products that LEGO needs to make money from and this generally mean's a range of sets from $5 to $150 (odd) for a given line, or 50 - 1500 pieces, on average.

Larger and more accurate models of anything, including ships, that are designed more for display than play, are best generated by the MOCers.

Seeing as AFOLs are increasing, I think avenues like Cuusoo/LEGO ideas and Bricklink's new MOC shop are better positioned for the boxing of larger and more AFOL themed models. Also, there are plenty of large scale model instructions and part lists available on places like EBAY - if you want to build them, you just have to source the parts yourself.

As for more TLG ships - any would be nice I guess, they all add more boat building parts into the mix.

Edited May 24, 2014 by ummester

[Matthias]

I am not 100% sure, but I think the redcoat flag was no more available at the LEGO online store in the last mounth. But today the flag is available. A sign for redcoats in a new wave in 2015?!?

[Walter]

What's that? A new Pirate's theme? Count me in!

Really excited about this. I would love to have a return of pirates, especially if it involves more ships!

[David Thomsen]

Here's a look at the 'Swashbuckler' minifig from S12, and a few of other others. I don't know if he fits in with my pirate crew, he might need to be some kind of lone wolf pirate figure. I can imagine him taking on all three of my musketeers. Nice to see the hat in brown, and the épée in gold.

Edited May 31, 2014 by David Thomsen

[The Rancor]

The 'swashbuckler' looks more like one of the 3 Musketeers than a Pirate, isn't the name referring to sword fighting and not specifically Pirates?

[BFN]

The 'swashbuckler' looks more like one of the 3 Musketeers than a Pirate, isn't the name referring to sword fighting and not specifically Pirates?

There's a small golden ship's wheel near the bottom of his torso, so he's definitely Pirates-themed. He's just not like most of LEGO's other pirates so far.

[Ardelon]

The 'swashbuckler' looks more like one of the 3 Musketeers than a Pirate, isn't the name referring to sword fighting and not specifically Pirates?

True, but IMO he looks pretty roguish, and the ship's wheel makes the nautical connection. "Nautical rogue" is pretty much the kid-friendly definition of "pirate". And though he's classier than the scruffy pirates TLG has done so far, he still semms pretty piratey.

[David Thomsen]

I think he's more along the Captain Blood style of pirate...

...than Monkey Island.

He's just a different way of romanticising the same subject.

I won't mix him in with my existing pirate crew, though... the conversation would go something like this:

"I say, approximately what day would this vessel be making landfall in Rio Bueno?"

"YARRR!!!"

"If I may be given a glance at your navigational charts and have access to a sextant I would be most obliged."

"DEAD MEN TELL NO TALES!!!"

I doubt he's any indication of the future direction of the Pirate line, though. Striped shirts, peg legs and eyepatches will always be more popular with kids than blouses and épées.

Edited June 2, 2014 by David Thomsen

[Ridge Montante]

The new Pirates of the Caribbean 5 movie is slated for July 7, 2017. Quite a few years off but then maybe thats why we might be getting a new non-licensed pirate ship this January.