Power miners... ending!?

[Omicron Squad Leader]

Hi guys, this is my first topic on Eurobricks, so please comment! Anyway, I am actually starting to supect that there will be no more Power miners sets! Since there have been none at the British Toyfair, none at the Canadian Toyfair, and if there is none at the American one, coming up very soon, then my suspicions will get higher. What are you guys opinion's on the matter.

Edited February 7, 2010 by jimnbobproductions

[General Magma]

Yes, that's right. This year was probably their last year, so it's likely that we won't see any more new sets in 2011.

The only sets shown at the Toyfair were the ones already released, this is probably the last year for many other themes too. If you are a fan of Power Miners and don't have all sets you want already, then I do recommend to get them before they're gone.

Also, welcome to Eurobricks!

~ General Magma

Edited February 7, 2010 by General Magma

[Siegfried]

I'd say so. TLG have been moving to shorter themes lately. While I liked Power Minors it doesn't bother me that much.

[lightningtiger]

I read late last year of a PM movie for 2011 release, or could have that being made up or mistaken for the Clutch Powers DVD release this year ?

It would be sad to see it go, a lot of boys love the PM story and machines, oh yeah the monsters too !

[BlueBard]

Well, let's say the PM sets have never been available in some countries so that could be a clue for thinking that for TLC it was not a very popular line...

Edited February 7, 2010 by BlueBard

[jonwil]

I suspect the lack of long running themes (and long running sets) in many cases has to do with what retailers want. Many retailers of toys these days want new new new all the time instead of same old same old.

Which is why LEGO has new products and new themes all the time (instead of the same old products and themes running for years like they used to have).

[Dunjohn]

Well, let's say the PM sets have never been available in some countries so that could be a clue for thinking that for TLC it was not a very popular line...

Just before Christmas, I read an article in an Irish newspaper on how Lego had managed to buck the recession by actually continuing to grow. Their Irish manager (or whatever the official title is) singled out Power Miners and Star Wars as being particularly strong performers.

On the other hand, Space Police isn't available at all here. I understand it's a Toys'R'Us exclusive line on the British Isles for some reason, so they probably have similar business reasons for keeping PM out of stores in other countries.

Power Miners is my favourite of the current line, but I'm also pretty sure that it's a short-term theme. It's not like it has oodles of design space like the evergreen lines do, and Lego have been doing shorter and shorter theme runs lately.

Edited February 7, 2010 by Dunjohn

[Lordofdragonss]

No Ice monsters of Rock queen?

.

.

.

That's sad... Now i have to buy more Rock monsters. I love them!

[The Cobra]

Well, let's say the PM sets have never been available in some countries so that could be a clue for thinking that for TLC it was not a very popular line...

That may be different from a country to another one.

I read that here in Italy PM was a hit and Pirates was a miss (amongst kids), because of rock monsters.

Yet Pirates ending hurted me a lot more than PM ending would.

[Aanchir]

No Ice monsters of Rock queen?

.

.

.

That's sad... Now i have to buy more Rock monsters. I love them!

Admittedly, while Ice Monsters would have been cool (and would have mirrored the three types of monsters in Rock Raiders), I can't think of any plausible way we could have moved to an ice environment. Power Miners so far has been progressing deeper and deeper into the Earth, and presumably it'd just keep getting hotter. Plus, not entirely sure how the vehicles and miners could have adapted to frigid (rather than sweltering) temperatures and still kept the mining feel.

[The Green Brick Giant]

LEGO Action themes only last 1-3 years, most of them two years, so yeah it's probably the last.

Frankly I'm shocked we got a second year at all, this year is also rather lacking besides the awesome minifigures.

[Updike]

Shame, power miners is exttremely popular... plus, they could have made a kick megablocks game for 2011 if they did a third year. foer new directions... prehaps, because they have already found the Earths core, they will find a black hole... or they will end up in the south pole with ice monters? Or even getting out, they encounter the darsterdly Dr. Drill, with his steampunk army of robo monsters!

[Dunjohn]

Admittedly, while Ice Monsters would have been cool (and would have mirrored the three types of monsters in Rock Raiders), I can't think of any plausible way we could have moved to an ice environment. Power Miners so far has been progressing deeper and deeper into the Earth, and presumably it'd just keep getting hotter. Plus, not entirely sure how the vehicles and miners could have adapted to frigid (rather than sweltering) temperatures and still kept the mining feel.

Those power miners are absolute psychos. You've seen the overpowered gear they're using against the lava monsters! There's a good chance they'll go way too far, freeze the core and start an ice age. Bang. Ice monsters.

[Legorski]

Ice monsters would be awesome, Totally awesome! XD

Though I'm thinking the reason that there were no new Power Miners sets on display is that of them still being built and planned. The lava monsters just came out so... there not going to release a new line until people get a hang of the current ones. TLC likes to keep their products and plans more on the confidential level, so if the line is to continue, we won't be hearing of it for some time... well at least not till the summer! 8D

[The Green Brick Giant]

Ice monsters would be awesome, Totally awesome! XD

Though I'm thinking the reason that there were no new Power Miners sets on display is that of them still being built and planned. The lava monsters just came out so... there not going to release a new line until people get a hang of the current ones. TLC likes to keep their products and plans more on the confidential level, so if the line is to continue, we won't be hearing of it for some time... well at least not till the summer! 8D

Last year LEGO released 14ish different Power Miner sets, that's like two years worth of sets in one year. This year there are only 4 and no summer sets. Sure no one knows what they are planning for 2011, but only 4 sets in 2010 doesn't look good for a 2011 release.

[dabulls03]

Alas, it seems to be so

But as far as I'm concerned, 2009 was really Power Miner's last year.

This years sets just don't match up to last years; All they have going for them are the new rock monsters.

It really is a shame. Power Miners must be one of the most successful themes for TLG.

Not to mention Power Miners pulled me out of my Dark Age.

I must now begin my giant Power Miners diorama/display/homage.

[lookscivoker]

yes,it is the end.

but every end of one theme is always a start of a new theme!

what theme will replase PM? even not a clue.

goodbye rock and lava monsters! loved you!

[Legoist]

Their Irish manager (or whatever the official title is) singled out Power Miners and Star Wars as being particularly strong performers.

I am surprised to hear that Power Miners have so many AFOL fans. To me it always seemed quite a childish theme, the strongest features of which were the launch of lime green as a new piece colour, the big drills & claws appendages, and the rock monsters figs.

But that's not a problem of course. In my opinion its problem is that it's really a narrow theme, how far they can go in designing new sets? All of them are just big-wheeled mining vehicles with more drills and claws... Even the minifigs all look the same. After some point, when it's not "new!" anymore it will be hard to keep the fans interested.

Let's be prepared for Space Police and Atlantis to face the same fate, although at least they can go farther with designing new monsters there.

[Aanchir]

I am surprised to hear that Power Miners have so many AFOL fans. To me it always seemed quite a childish theme, the strongest features of which were the launch of lime green as a new piece colour, the big drills & claws appendages, and the rock monsters figs.

But that's not a problem of course. In my opinion its problem is that it's really a narrow theme, how far they can go in designing new sets? All of them are just big-wheeled mining vehicles with more drills and claws... Even the minifigs all look the same. After some point, when it's not "new!" anymore it will be hard to keep the fans interested.

Let's be prepared for Space Police and Atlantis to face the same fate, although at least they can go farther with designing new monsters there.

Power Miners definitely didn't strike me as a childish theme. Certainly it had vehicles and monsters with cartoony proportions and minifigs with cartoony facial expressions, but a theme where action features are central and are almost always innovative is nothing to be laughed at. Underground Mining Station, Thunder Driller, and Granite Grinder are all epic, because they not only look good but have amazing action features. Claw Catcher is the only set this year that seems to fully meet that standard, but the other sets still have that attractive Power Miners aesthetic.

Also, lime is not a new piece color; it's been in BIONICLE for a long time and also made appearances in Star Wars, Racers, and various other themes. Unless you mean "new piece color" as in "the color of a lot of new pieces", in which case yeah, we got some nice ones.

I don't expect Atlantis to last a long time, and Space Police's limited selection this year doesn't bode terribly well, but both themes were wonderful and foreshadow some amazing replacement themes when they finally do bite the dust.

[The Green Brick Giant]

I am surprised to hear that Power Miners have so many AFOL fans. To me it always seemed quite a childish theme, the strongest features of which were the launch of lime green as a new piece colour, the big drills & claws appendages, and the rock monsters figs.

Lime green has been around for about 10 years.

Also it's a LEGO theme, it's little plastic kids toys, of course it's childish.

[prateek]

This happens, whatever. As long as the sets get better like the recent trend has been, I'm fine with it.

[EspEth12]

I could really care less.

[posades]

I could really care less.

Well it's nice to see you care for the line then!

Never really got into this theme for some reason; I guess I prefer the themes with bigger structures in them such as large buildings or castles. I can see how people could be sad about it going away, though I'm sure LEGO will replace it with another action theme soon (Power Flyers? )

[Rick]

I guess 2 years is as much as you can expect a line like this to get. There have been quite a few of these relatively short-lived action/adventure themes like this, like Exo Force, Aquaraiders, Alpha Team, or Agents. I guess you could see Atlantis as a follow-up to this kind of theme. Hmm, isn't there a pattern in recent action themes?

2008: Third and last year of Exo Force, first year of Agents.

2009: Second and last year of Agents, first year of Power Miners.

2010: Second and last year of Power Miners, first year of Atlantis.

[lightningtiger]

I think 'Rick' may be right, if the second year marks the end of one theme and the begining of another, the PM is going bye-bye's !

Do you think in two years time we will writing posts about the end of Altantis do you ?

Will Lego ever run out of action themes, or will they either re-hash an old one or go more licenced themes that contain that action component ?

I'm a conformist! !