Wizarding World 2025 - Rumors & Discussion

[Jaromir]

Now I am totally lost, the main tower connects to great hall with certain angle, and probably only connects in one place. That is a bit confusing to me.

[Black Falcon]

3 hours ago, brickbride said:

- Boathouse, Owlery, Hagrid's Hut, Potions Class for the new modular Hogwarts all from 2024 and Duelling Club for the new modular Hogwarts from 2025 (!), so apparently here, too, they're going with "super short cycle in order to induce FOMO and prevent people from thinking too hard about how overpriced these things are";

A twelve month product cycle isn´t really that uncommon, especially for smaller sets, there have been shorter. And how 12 months should prevent people from thinking if the price is worth it for them or not, is beyond me. 

[BrickBob Studpants]

4 hours ago, brickbride said:

Anyone starting to collect after this year will already miss both WWW and Ollivanders. That's not really an incentive for new buyers, especially kids!

Yeah, that combined with the limited number of iconic shops was always my main argument against a collection of DA playsets, and yet they did it  I guess they‘ll release Flourish & Blotts, Gringotts, and Nocturn Alley and then call it quits for that particular subtheme

[brickbride]

57 minutes ago, Black Falcon said:

A twelve month product cycle isn´t really that uncommon, especially for smaller sets, there have been shorter. And how 12 months should prevent people from thinking if the price is worth it for them or not, is beyond me. 

I meant that it's short for sets belonging to a bigger subtheme (i.e. the new modular Hogwarts), and prevents people from getting the whole picture before investing. For example, you might want the Duelling Club in order to beef up your new (and pretty empty) Great Hall, but you have to buy it within six months and can't know whether next year will give us a different scene set in the Great Hall which you'd like better. Similarly, you might want to wait a bit with investing in the new modular Hogwarts, period, and see what next year brings in order to get a better idea of the entire silhouette, but by then the Owlery, Boathouse, and Potions Class all won't be available any more.

Edited May 29 by brickbride

[Black Falcon]

2 minutes ago, brickbride said:

I meant that it's short for sets belonging to a bigger subtheme (i.e. the new modular Hogwarts), and prevents people from getting the whole picture before investing. For example, you might want the Duelling Club in order to beef up you new Great Hall, but you have to buy it within six months and can't know whether next year will give us a different scene set in the Great Hall which you'd like better. Similarly, you might want to wait with investing in the new modular Hogwarts exteriors and see what next year brings, but by then the Owlery and Boathouse won't be available.

Yeah, but that is basically always the problem with like everything. You never know what the future holds. Like you also didn´t know last Hogwarts if the next one wouldn´t be better, so you had to either start buying it or hope the the one we have now be better - if you are looking to have just one Hogwarts that is. 

And given that Hogwarts is released over three years at least, it is obvious you won´t know how the whole thing looks like in the end, but at least with this version you get a good impression based on what you already got - unlike with the last one.

[BacktoBricks]

4 hours ago, brickbride said:

StoneWars did a current EOL list for 2025, subject to change of course. Apart from more obvious sets like the D2C Diagon Alley, this also includes:

- the last remaining Hogsmeade set (train and station) - no big surprise here, though it makes me think that we'll be due another Hogwarts Express soon. They have to have one on the shelves and the booknook is a poor substitute for an actual train;

- Ollivanders and Madam Malkin's, which means they're fully committing to their super short cycle for the playset Diagon Alley (WWW went out before the third set was even available, and now the second set goes out before there can be a fourth);

- Boathouse, Owlery, Hagrid's Hut, Potions Class for the new modular Hogwarts all from 2024 and Duelling Club for the new modular Hogwarts from 2025 (!), so apparently here, too, they're going with "super short cycle in order to induce FOMO and prevent people from thinking too hard about how overpriced these things are";

- Aragog, which means we're probably due another Forbidden Forest set soon;

- a bunch of other sets like Dobby, Buckbeak, the Mandrake, and apparently the Durmstrang Ship which aren't connected to anything else.

Of course these are all still subject to change.

I do wonder how long they will be able to continue with the playset DA at this pace, as the shops will get less and less iconic (barring Gringotts which I'm sure we'll be getting sometime). Anyone starting to collect after this year will already miss both WWW and Ollivanders. That's not really an incentive for new buyers, especially kids!

Hogsmeade train station was meant to retire last year and got extended until the end of this year, so maybe they extended it to keep a Hogwarts Express on shelves until the book nook release. If so, the book nook may be the only Hogwarts Express for the time being, poor substitute for a playset as it may be.

The short cycle for the DA sets does baffle me. Like you say, the places will get less iconic so unless you have been collecting from the start they might not draw in new customers. Unless they think there is enough of a collectors base now that the sets will sell on minifigures and the theme alone. Maybe they are even starting to think that the less recognisable locations will do as well now or close too more iconic locations because those have been done so many times that a large proportion of customers have bought them enough times before. But all that aside, I can't help but think that if all the sets were on the shelves at the same time it would be a far bigger incentive for people to buy into them. Sure some people will just want one shop as a display or play piece, but a lot of people will want to collect the whole street and the ability to collect it in small pieces rather than pay out a huge amount in one go like with the D2C would I'm sure be very welcome to a lot of customers.

I also get what you are saying about FOMO and the castle and I know I've had to resist buying things in this line because of it, but a lot of consumers aren't following leaks or EOL lines and will have no idea that the castle set they have just picked up won't ever be completed because they are too late to have grabbed this set or that set. I see people asking the question all the time on line as to how these new castle sets go together and do they go with the Chamber of Secrets from the last system etc. The constant changing of the castle is confusing to a lot of consumers from what I can see and some people don't even realise there has been a change in castle system let alone that they have missed certain sets until it's too late. So I think more than FOMO, Lego is just going with the lure of the theme and the pure consumerism for the product. I feel like they either can't or don't want to keep it all around for as long as the castle will take to complete so they will just keep releasing more sets and rely on the large fanbase of collectors and the large amount of one off purchases for sales.

Speaking of castle, it does feel odd that with only three days until release date, nobody online has done a video review of the Main Tower set. I've seen other HP June sets reviewed, but so far the three biggest playsets (Tower, Privet Drive and QQS) haven't received any online video reviews from what I can tell. And I've only seen JB Spielwaren do video reviews of the smaller sets and the book nook. So I do I have to wonder what the embargo is on the reviews and if they have been told to wait until after the LOTR Balrog set has been given time, so as for it to not be competing for consumer attention with the HP sets of a similar price.

[Black Falcon]

11 minutes ago, BacktoBricks said:

Speaking of castle, it does feel odd that with only three days until release date, nobody online has done a video review of the Main Tower set. I've seen other HP June sets reviewed, but so far the three biggest playsets (Tower, Privet Drive and QQS) haven't received any online video reviews from what I can tell. And I've only seen JB Spielwaren do video reviews of the smaller sets and the book nook. So I do I have to wonder what the embargo is on the reviews and if they have been told to wait until after the LOTR Balrog set has been given time, so as for it to not be competing for consumer attention with the HP sets of a similar price.

I would rule out that it has anything to do with the theme, because it isn´t just HP. The Balrog from Lords of the Ring was also pretty late (and even later with the reveal) and the Minifigure prize machine has no reviews yet either. I think it might just have to do with Lego sending the review sets out later, probably in order to prevent leaks before reveal - though also doesn´t really explain why some sets like the Balrog also get revealed so late.

[BacktoBricks]

15 minutes ago, Black Falcon said:

I would rule out that it has anything to do with the theme, because it isn´t just HP. The Balrog from Lords of the Ring was also pretty late (and even later with the reveal) and the Minifigure prize machine has no reviews yet either. I think it might just have to do with Lego sending the review sets out later, probably in order to prevent leaks before reveal - though also doesn´t really explain why some sets like the Balrog also get revealed so late.

Possibly, but the HP sets have been officially revealed for a month now and Swift Bricks for instance has posted an video showing her unboxing her big box of HP sets from LAN. I'm sure LAN members have the sets, although granted they could gave received them recently and not had time to review yet. But then all the Balrog reviews have come out from LAN around the same day even though that official reveal was later than the HP sets. I don't know, it just feels planned to me.

[Clone OPatra]

1 minute ago, BacktoBricks said:

I don't know, it just feels planned to me.

Yeah, perhaps LAN is testing out some different strategies. For run of the mill sets, and especially now that LAN is most focused on kids/the rampant and perhaps casual social media crowd, it doesn't make much sense to have the reviews posted when the sets aren't even available yet. Surely it would be better to be able to watch someone's Insta reel and then be able to immediately order the set.

There is also just SO much coming out at once that perhaps they're really triaging these days. It's all becoming very controlled.

[BacktoBricks]

1 hour ago, Clone OPatra said:

Yeah, perhaps LAN is testing out some different strategies. For run of the mill sets, and especially now that LAN is most focused on kids/the rampant and perhaps casual social media crowd, it doesn't make much sense to have the reviews posted when the sets aren't even available yet. Surely it would be better to be able to watch someone's Insta reel and then be able to immediately order the set.

There is also just SO much coming out at once that perhaps they're really triaging these days. It's all becoming very controlled.

Yes I think you're right. It's just as a community here we are noticing the change because of what we have become accustomed to in previous years. Reviewing a set when just released or at least extremely close to the release date so someone can literally order it there and then or order it soon so that they are still caught up in the initial hype or their desire for the product does make absolute sense. Case in point: I love the new 18+ 101 Dalmatian puppy set and if it had been available to order (not preorder) and for it to have turned up at my door within a few days of me seeing Tiago's review of the set a few weeks ago, I may have caved in to my rule of no more sets I have nowhere to display and bought it. Now three weeks later I still love the set, but my pragmatism is strongly objecting to the purchase.

That being said, the fact there is so much coming out these days is also becoming a strong factor in putting me off purchases too ironically. When you know you will never be able to display all the castle sets or collect all the Disney or Star Wars you want and have places to put them, never mind the exorbitant and rising cost of it all, it can start to make you a lot more selective. I know it has me. Right now, we're not even in the days of Lego Pokemon. Too many options can become overwhelming.

[MaxHeadroom]

The most interesting thing I’ve seen so far is that the old blurry blue photo of the full castle front is back in the background on these new instruction manuals after disappearing for the last wave (or two?). Good to see they’re still committed to doing the castle front and we’ll probably get the viaduct entrance next year. 

[Virginia_Bricks]

5 hours ago, brickbride said:

I meant that it's short for sets belonging to a bigger subtheme (i.e. the new modular Hogwarts), and prevents people from getting the whole picture before investing. For example, you might want the Duelling Club in order to beef up your new (and pretty empty) Great Hall, but you have to buy it within six months and can't know whether next year will give us a different scene set in the Great Hall which you'd like better. Similarly, you might want to wait a bit with investing in the new modular Hogwarts, period, and see what next year brings in order to get a better idea of the entire silhouette, but by then the Owlery, Boathouse, and Potions Class all won't be available any more.

Retailers only have so much shelf and warehouse space they can dedicate to Lego, so sets have to retire and I'm sure Lego and its retail partners know when sales start dropping off for certain set sizes and $s. With any type of wave of sets that can be combined that will inevitably lead to all the sets not being available at once. The last modular wave even had sets in the wave that were time limited promotional sets, so be happy all sets so far have gotten at least 1 year. First Flying Lesson lasted roughly 1 year, as did Fluffy's encounter. Only the flagship sets last 2-3 years because Lego knows consumers have to budget/save for those.

[brickbride]

19 hours ago, BacktoBricks said:

Maybe they are even starting to think that the less recognisable locations will do as well now or close too more iconic locations because those have been done so many times that a large proportion of customers have bought them enough times before. (...) Sure some people will just want one shop as a display or play piece, (...)

I could see people buying the less iconic locations in order to beef up their previous Diagon Alleys - if they would fit. And they don't. And they don't even look nice, they're very cheaply built for the most part with all the stickered panels, no comparison to the 2020 DA's intricate architecture.You'd have to do some massive MOCcing in order to turn, say, Madam Malkin's or the Owl Post Office from the playset line into something that fits with the 2020 Diagon Alley. (The 2011 one might be a closer fit size-wise but that's a long time ago and a set that's hard to get these days, not sure how many people will still want to add on to it. And again that set is much less cheaply built.) At best you'd get some additional figs and new moulds like the Pygmy Puffs - a lot of people initially said they'd buy WWW in order to beef up their existing WWWs - but that hardly justifies the high prices, and again I don't think the less iconic locations are much of a draw in that regard.

And the people who don't care about collecting them and just want a display piece, again they'd probably want something halfway recognisable: "What's this on your shelf? Oh, that's the magic bank from HP with the goblins, see, and Harry and his friends in disguise, see!" vs. "What's this on your shelf? Oh, that's some random wizarding shop, I think it sells cauldrons or telescopes or something, and some random witches and minor Hogwarts students."

I also don't really get the feeling that the playset line currently sells all that well, though that's just my personal observations.

Edited May 30 by brickbride

[Ferder]

8 hours ago, Jaromir said:

Now I am totally lost, the main tower connects to great hall with certain angle, and probably only connects in one place. That is a bit confusing to me.

The 45 Degree angle from the Great Hall is accurate. What's probably throwing things off is the lack of the connecting passage between the Great Hall's Entrance and the Tower. So now the figures go from inside the Great Hall, to outside the balcony around the tower. 

[joeee]

Count me in as a customer waiting for more Hogwarts modular reveals before buying the Main Tower.

I really am hoping for the announcement of a new Clock Tower.

[Gorilla94]

20 hours ago, Jaromir said:

Now I am totally lost, the main tower connects to great hall with certain angle, and probably only connects in one place. That is a bit confusing to me.

Wow... this looks terrible.

[brickbride]

47 minutes ago, Gorilla94 said:

Wow... this looks terrible.

And terribly unsafe as well. Now I'm just hoping none of those Duelling Club spectators will take even one tiny step backwards in surprise when Harry starts talking to the snake.

Edited May 30 by brickbride

[Jaromir]

5 hours ago, joeee said:

Count me in as a customer waiting for more Hogwarts modular reveals before buying the Main Tower.

I really am hoping for the announcement of a new Clock Tower.

I had the same tactic, to wait for main tower release to see how it will look like together, and after release I couldn't stop myself from buying great hall which is cool set. But, after I saw the picture above, how those parts connect, I am little bit downcast with how it might look together.

[mark1991t]

Reviews should drop now. Swiftbricks (LAN) has a review up for the Greenhouse.

[Virginia_Bricks]

2 hours ago, mark1991t said:

Reviews should drop now. Swiftbricks (LAN) has a review up for the Greenhouse.

Austrian Brick Fan has the first review of the Main Tower up.

[Gorilla94]

I dont get it... Hagrids Hut was so cute with so much detail fully enclosed... the boathouse was awesome, the potions classroom probably the best potter set ever... and then we get stuff like this. The great hall looks in comparison to the gorgeous 2018 one like Barbie to a normal human body... the main hal is not even  connected to the Main tower... not even a 1 stud thin wall, but no Front wall at all... the interior is so boring.

[Virginia_Bricks]

8 minutes ago, Gorilla94 said:

I dont get it... Hagrids Hut was so cute with so much detail fully enclosed... the boathouse was awesome, the potions classroom probably the best potter set ever... and then we get stuff like this. The great hall looks in comparison to the gorgeous 2018 one like Barbie to a normal human body... the main hal is not even  connected to the Main tower... not even a 1 stud thin wall, but no Front wall at all... the interior is so boring.

Boring compared to 2018? Really?

2018 you could only display 2 of the house banners at once in the Great Hall, the fireplace was incorrectly placed, there was basically nothing on the Great Hall tables in terms of food (sure the repeated salad and cupcakes gets boring, but better than nothing), the floating candles were all boringly at the same height, and the tower interiors were 1 or 2 things on basic plates and no moving staircases. And the price per piece ratio after inflation only makes it worse. 2018 was 14.2 cents per piece and 2024 was 11.5 cents per piece.

[brickbride]

Honestly I'm not a fan of either Great Hall but I will say that the 2018 one was much more affordable overall (cents per piece notwithstanding), has made for some awesome MOCs, AND included the Tower. So you'd really need to compare its then EUR 100 with the now EUR 200 for the new Great Hall, minus the underground section which the old one didn't have, plus part of the EUR 250 set price for the Tower set (we'll throw in the boat from the 2018 one for free). I'd say you'd land at roughly EUR 200-250 that way again and that still wouldn't give you the fireplace - here you have to buy the AC or the Duelling Club in order to get one. It seems a bit choosy to complain about its placement in the 2018 set when the new one doesn't have one at all.

I think it's entirely fair to think that given the price increase they could and should have done better. The new ceiling with the negative studs looks really bad and the entire thing just looks bare (I've seen it displayed in a store). It's way too pricey for a playset but nowhere near nice enough for a display set, especially if you compare it to modular buildings.

Edited May 31 by brickbride

[Gorilla94]

1 hour ago, brickbride said:

It's way too pricey for a playset but nowhere near nice enough for a display set, especially if you compare it to modular buildings.

This.

9 hours ago, Virginia_Bricks said:

Boring compared to 2018? Really?

Compared to the price tag. The sky with antistuds is disgustingly ugly, the externer looks just stupid compared to the way they ornamented roof and pointy Windows of the 2018 one looks.

Edited May 31 by Gorilla94

[RODDY]

As someone whose been collecting Lego Harry Potter since the beginning of the line, while I do have a special place in my heart for the 2018 Great Hall the 2025 Great Hall and this new Hogwarts system dwarf it. Don’t get me wrong it was hype following the reveal of the Great Hall 2018 at NYTF and the return of theme, it was a groundbreaking set because it was the first time a set was dedicated to a specific location within Hogwarts and re introduced the modular system. But as gorgeous as it was in on the outside, the inside had so much wasted space especially in regards to the tower, it was practically barren. Where for $70 more (the 2018 Great Hall adjusted for inflation is $130), you get a bigger hall, you get a big fig in the Troll, an extra minifigure, the girls bathroom, the Hufflepuff Common Room and the entire rock base below it. It’s a far beefier model overall and bigger model and for the $70 difference I think I got to give it to the 2025 Great Hall. The 2018 line was a great Hogwarts modular line, it was a relatively cheap to get all the individual pieces but it wasn’t the definitive Hogwarts that this is shaping up to be. 

Edited May 31 by RODDY