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I've noticed a lot of people on youtube who do reviews of Lego Sets often complain that the new sets are not really very special and maybe even overpriced. Personally, I completely agree with them! What do you think?

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Dying and making new sets that aren't special and are overpriced is two different things.

Is lego dying? Hell no, the lego movie has made it one of the most valuable brands in the toy business, and in that regards it isn't going anywhere.

Now sets that aren't really special and overpriced is a matter of opinion. I think reviewers often feel that certain product lines are getting repetitive (looking at you City) where every product feels like a recycling of the previous one. And in that matter they might be correct. But since the products are being sold, lego will continue to release police and firemen sets. But other lines are becoming very original, I mean if you look at the latest Slave I set I don't think one can doubt that this set is special. But maybe that's the biggest difference between today sets and sets from 20 years ago: the price range has been turned upside down with new categories of product going above 150$ while the entry line category at 10-15$ where we used to be able to get great sets has almost disappeared.

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Judging from the breadth of activity on the forums both fawning and flaming sets... nope.

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Since language was invented people have been complaining how things used to be better in the old days. If anything this is a golden age, look at the variety and many amazing large sets. There have been other previous golden ages that you may prefer, that doesn't change that this is a good time. There are still high quality small sets as well. Not everything will be mind blowing when a company makes so many products. I think most people's complaining stems from burn out on the hobby. You gotta know when to take a break.

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So... has anyone had this thought of a LEGO on life support while suffering from a Dark Age?

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I think also...it is a kid's toy. It may be <insert that tiresome argument>, it may not have adult appeal...it isn't designed for anyone above the age limit on the box basically...

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Yes, Lego just had its biggest year ever and briefly became the largest toy company on Earth, but because some reviewers (who I might remind you are the most likely to be jaded about new sets simply because they've looked at every previous set in depth; see also jaded movie critics) are complaining about some subset of new sets, that means the entire brand is dying. [/sarcasm]

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Nope, it's not.

I'd rather say it's getting more popular again year by year. Regarding the criticism, it's hard to make general statements, but I think especially the repetitiveness is something that can't be remedied and which of course will be noticed by people who've been following a certain theme for a long time. And sets like the everpresent firefighters are mainly aimed at young kids - for them they are new and exciting. For an adult Lego fan doing reviews or just being into City for years or even decades, they are just yet another repetition of the same basic set.

Lego nees to redo these basic set ideas again and again to keep things interesting for the younger audience, or those who just recently got (back) into Lego. The first set of its kind always is new and interesting for everyone. Any follow-up will be judged by those who have the original against it's predecessor, which they often have a special connection to.

So the longer someone is into Lego, the harder it gets for lego to really impress that fan.

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Golly.... couldn't agree more with what others have posted. I think we are in the heyday of LEGO. Far from seeing it dying.

Golly.... couldn't agree more with what others have posted. I think we are in the heyday of LEGO. Far from seeing it dying.

Golly.... couldn't agree more with what others have posted. I think we are in the heyday of LEGO. Far from seeing it dying.

Golly.... couldn't agree more with what others have posted. I think we are in the heyday of LEGO. Far from seeing it dying.

Don't know why this posted twice....sorry...

I think also...it is a kid's toy. It may be <insert that tiresome argument>, it may not have adult appeal...it isn't designed for anyone above the age limit on the box basically...

+1 for this comment. But only as it pertains to actual sets. The sets are indeed made for children and perhaps some adolescents (Technic). However, as far as LEGO as a whole, I think we are seeing the heyday of adult builders as well. I mean, there is a whole legion of engineers and software programmers using technic and mindstorms in ways never dreamed of. In terms of LEGO as a whole, I think that it has never been designed for adults more than it is now.

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Gonna go with a resounding "Nope".

Number one toy manufacturer in the world, sales through the roof, critically-acclaimed movie drawing in new fans, and on and on. Of course, we AFOLs are starting to see business trends and set similarities that kids don't look for, and I think it's making some of us disillusioned and bitter. Plus, the internet allowing instantaneous world-wide communication has allowed the community to put the company's differing regional practices under the microscope, allowing for a lot of grumbling from fans not getting what is readily available elsewhere in the world.

People think it's "dying" or "circling the drain" or "sucks now" because it isn't what they want it to be. Maybe they liked what the company was doing before, maybe they liked a certain product line, maybe they liked less-specific pieces. It usually comes down to a complaint of "X changed, and now the whole company sucks". And that's fine. People are allowed to not like things! It is very easy to feel betrayed by a company one has grown up with because they changed something that the fan considered integral to their brand/product identity. But if you're one of the ones who are angry, maybe don't condemn the factions of the fandom who don't share your ire.

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With more and more Afol's,,different theme's,, people from many countries getting more and more into lego.......

Hell no its "ALIVE & KICKING" :laugh:

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I think your first mistake was that you're believing everything people on YouTube tell you. LEGO as a product is much better than it was several years ago. Piece diversity and versatility is better than it was when I remember just getting started with LEGO as a kid. LEGO as a company is still doing fine and has been doing many things to ensure that over the past couple of years and is now the largest toy company in the world as of September 2014.

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Since language was invented people have been complaining how things used to be better in the old days. I

Yes, but complaints have gotten much worse. When I was a kid, people used to complain really well. I miss the old complaints. They were a lot better than today's complaint.

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No, it's not dying. The last year was very, very successful for Lego.

(But some of the licensed set are simply overpriced. Lego has always been expensive but the prices for some sets now are almost ridiculous.)

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Some sets could use more work, and there could be a bit more selection with some themes, and I do find now some lego sets are a bit overpriced, but it is defiantly not dying. However, I'm glad this was brought up because LEGO could do a bit better on some sets and even themes. But, sets have gotten better. I just bought a Lego Star Wars TIE Advanced Fighter, and I just compared it to some of the past TIE Fighters, and I just completely looked how nicely done it was, and just how far the minifigures designs and pattens and prints have come since the minifigures were first introduced. Lego is not dying, but getting better. Sure, there are a few flaws, but nothing close to bringing the company nor the products to death.

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Is LEGO dying?

NOPE

2014 was one of LEGO's greatest years.

The LEGO Movie has been the most successful film released in february. I think it even surpassed The Passion of the Christ (2004). After the success of The LEGO Movie there are 3 more movies coming.

And remember, LEGO is now the largest toy maker in the world.

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Absolutely not! If anything I'd say Lego was growing. Look how many licensed themes its done, plus a movie and its own theme parks. And even if some sets are overpriced or don't live up to people's expectations doesn't necessarily mean Lego is "dying".

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LEGO almost died in the early 2000s. They changed and came back. I don't think it is in their financial interest to try to please everyone. Some feelings will be hurt. But that's business. Lord Business. :devil:

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Something can't die twice. Duh.

Seriously though, even if LEGO should die, Lego-ing never will. There's probably more money and material being exchanged in the secondary market than within the corporation of LEGO itself, I would venture to say. And for many, many people, already, its not even the current production that sustains them, nor even interests them much. Unless the sun melts it all, or we do, for whatever reason, one could expect that because LEGO is plastic, it will still be a commodity far into our future.

It's be a cool promo/ short film. Post-apocalypse, a survivor that has obviously been scavenging for some time, digs up a bagful of Lego. I know, aside from finding something viable to eat or drink, and a safe place to sleep, coming across a stash of Lego would most definitely be a score for me. I'd allocate a place within my shopping cart for a bagful or two...

Edited by notaromantic

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Is Lego dying? No, not even close. Its growing if anything. Is Lego getting stale in some areas? Yes (some things could be slightly better, a few areas need serious improvement).

YouTube reviewers probably analyze a lot of sets, so within a theme they see repetition. Also, its plastic snap-together bricks we are talking about here. There are limits to what can be done.

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My worry is that Lego will over stretch itself and like in the early 2000's will produce too many special moulds and lose focus on the basic bricks. My personal opinion is that there is too much focus on exclusive minifigures and I feel that often the minifigures take too much focus in the sets. I am also increasingly wary about the amount of licensed themes that are produced and then ditched. This approach has obviously paid off hugely for Lego and is unlikely to change, but sometimes I feel like a lot of the charm of Lego is being eroded away by complex molds, prints and minifigures.

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I sometimes miss the Lego of my childhood, but for a new generation THIS is the Lego of their childhood and they clearly love their Lego just as much as I loved mine.

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LEGO most certainly isn't "dying", but there has been some dodgy decisions they've made recently regarding new pieces and new lines.

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