Lego getting rid of bricks?

[sam89]

Look at this quote from this website:

  Quote

LEGO has concluded that the plastic bricks that millions of kids used in childhood creations will be retired in seven years and replaced by something else equally compelling in the construction category.

Surely this isn't true :'(

[MattZitron]

In the words of a badly translated Darth Vader:

[gylman]

yes.... well. I always rely on a business report from Lebanon as the most up-do-date and reliable source of news on TLC. |-D

[Mr. Lego-builder]

This surely is bad news!! Is this why they are making such fantastic sets now: to finish the last few years strong? I just can't think of anything "equally compelling in the construction category"! I just can't believe that LEGO would just leave its roots like that after more than 50 years! I really don't want this to to true! :'(

And sometimes how they use some of the words against LEGO, but I guess that's how it is in the business world...I know some people who wish LEGO would (...I hate to say it...) just disappear! :()

[prateek]

woah!!! that is stupid

[snefroe]

i think it's nonsense.

the article suggests lego will be replaced by software. as if the 1-6 year olds are going to play with a keyboard instead of plastic bricks... they're comparing kodak with lego. there's a clear distinction between them: lego is a fysical toy by nature; kodak photos are basically streams of data, resulting in a picture...

the only threat is the fact that a major component of plastics is oil. so it's conceivable that oil based plastics will be replaced by another type of plastic one day, but the fysical form of construction toys can't be replaced by software....

[Lost Viking]

I just sent LEGO an e-mail about this :'(

[sam89]

I think it says the Yellow Pages will be replced by software, not LEGO.

[snefroe]

  Lost Viking said:

I just sent LEGO an e-mail about this :'(

i think they'll respond with "don't believe anything you read" :P

[Lost Viking]

I hope :()

[languages]

I hope this aint true.....

[jmenomeno]

Well,

my initial suspicion is that this not *entirely* true....there have been hints around (usually thrown at BrickFest) as to the "coolest thing yet." And the timetable to LEGOFactory seems to match the timetable given here.

So, it looks like the LEGO group is going push LFactory and improve it such that it will be a true LEGO brick on demand system. It's going to take some time- well, a LOT of time, but it can be done.

So the bricks will sort of be gone (the disturbing thing about LFactory presently is that it has few bricks in the present palettes) but will be back as part of the "new and equally compelling" idea. And software is part of the equation.

Just my 2 cents.

Joe

[Mister Phes]

I was quite sure LEGO was getting rid of bricks when they released Jack Stone and 4+ Pirates...

[blueandwhite]

Sounds highly speculative.

Afterall, seven years is an eternity for most businesses. I expect LEGO to expand its efforts in the digital front, however I am very skeptical that they will drop the brick in the near future. Children still like tactile elements. The ability to build something tangeble hasn't died off alltogether. LEGO would be making a grave error if they elect to drop the brick. I think this one is likely bogus!

Later.

[snefroe]

i believe lego was awarded "toy of the century" and "plastic product of the century". you really have to be stupid to let go such an extremely succesfull concept

i think it's the journalist taking a few steps at the time and speculating on a non-item... i just bought a duplo train for a 2 year old. i really don't see any digital product that can take its place....

[Mister Phes]

LEGO is bricks! LEGO could not get rid of the bricks and survive without a miracle.

I'm about to write an essay with the following question:

Select 2 prominent corporations. Examine the ways design has been used to establish an identity for the corporation, use visual example and theoretical research to discuss the ways these companies communicate this identity to us. Consider whether the design accurately reflects the actions of the corporations.

And I think I'll choose LEGO was one of the corporations. LEGO has used bricks to establish its identity. There is NO WAY they are going to get rid of bricks. Maybe if they phased them out over decades, but in the short term it couldn't be done.

[KMOI]

  mister_phes said:

LEGO is bricks! LEGO could not get rid of the bricks and survive without a miracle.

I'm about to write an essay with the following question:

Select 2 prominent corporations. Examine the ways design has been used to establish an identity for the corporation, use visual example and theoretical research to discuss the ways these companies communicate this identity to us. Consider whether the design accurately reflects the actions of the corporations.

And I think I'll choose LEGO was one of the corporations. LEGO has used bricks to establish its identity. There is NO WAY they are going to get rid of bricks. Maybe if they phased them out over decades, but in the short term it couldn't be done.

Another corperation I'm thinking of is Disney and their use of Mickey Mouse. Last time I checked, my main mouse is still sporting the same pants, gloves and shoes as he did over hald a century ago! :)

[Mister Phes]

Although Ronald McDonald is being seen less and less in McDonald's advertising (here at least) in favour of a more mature and healthier promotion campaign. However, its those golden arches (which I think look more yellow) that's still their primary icon.

[snefroe]

  mister_phes said:

LEGO is bricks! LEGO could not get rid of the bricks and survive without a miracle.

There is NO WAY they are going to get rid of bricks. Maybe if they phased them out over decades, but in the short term it couldn't be done.

and it's not just bricks. over the years, lego has been trying to replace the minifigs as well, or at least create new figs to co-exist with minifigs (remember the old lego technic figs). they never succeeded. so how on earth would they be aible to convince the public these minifigs have got to go in a few years time?

[Mister Phes]

And not just Technic figures... Look how long those 4+ abominations lasted...

[snefroe]

true... you wonder what TLC had in mind with all these creations... at some point they must have assumed they could easily introduce new figs for every large lego section, like Duplo figs, 4+ figs, minifigs, technic figs, belville figs, jack stone,... especially in the last 10-15 years they've been trying to repeat the minifig success, but so far...

[Dino_Bot]

In the words of Emperor Palpatine....

"No no no NO NO NO NOOOO!"

That cannot happen! Lego IS bricks! AAAAAAAAAAA!

[blueandwhite]

Looking at the sets for 2006, it almost seems inevitable. I had hoped that the rampant juniorization of the 1990s would gradually fall back, but this isn't the case. 2006 looks like it could be the most <insert that tiresome argument> year in LEGO history. With so many specialized bricks coming to market these days, it seems like its only a matter of time before ordinary LEGO bricks fall out of use alltogether.

Shame really. Secondary market is going to get mighty expensive in the coming years.

Later.

[miktor]

so if this is true we will never build again after 7 years THAT JUST CANT BE TRUE!

[snefroe]

  blueandwhite said:

Looking at the sets for 2006, it almost seems inevitable. I had hoped that the rampant juniorization of the 1990s would gradually fall back, but this isn't the case. 2006 looks like it could be the most <insert that tiresome argument> year in LEGO history. With so many specialized bricks coming to market these days, it seems like its only a matter of time before ordinary LEGO bricks fall out of use alltogether.

Shame really. Secondary market is going to get mighty expensive in the coming years.

Later.

i'm not entirely sure you're right. For instance, i see a lot more buckets with basic bricks in the shops than ever before. in fact, these buckets are lego's success story of 2005. they've sold better than ever before and some shops even sold more buckets than plain sets...

BUT:

on a larger scale, i think the height of the "construction toy" as a concept is over. Even the lego group doesn't really build sets with lots of optional models anymore, they prefer one basic model that is easily put together (very often by daddy) and then the child just plays with it. The exo force is an excelent example of this... "Construction" as such is no longer priority, playing with the model is... i don't like that choice, but that's the way it is...