The Return of BIONICLE?

[DuncanBulk98]

I know this has most likely been done to death, but is the LEGO Group planning a comeback for BIONICLE? Because my friends and my self would be the first in line to buy the new sets.

[Aanchir]

I know this has most likely been done to death, but is the LEGO Group planning a comeback for BIONICLE? Because my friends and my self would be the first in line to buy the new sets.

They've consistently reiterated that they haven't ruled out the possibility entirely, but I don't think they're planning on one any time soon. And if they were, they would reveal it as soon as they were ready and no sooner. An ambassador can ask, but questions about future products that aren't already revealed aren't very likely to be answered-- the LEGO Group places a lot of value in keeping future plans secret for as long as possible.

Personally, I don't think the circumstances are right for a BIONICLE revival. Not yet. But perhaps one day they might be. I'm not going to be standing around waiting for that to happen, though-- not when the potential in current and future product lines is just as exciting.

Edited January 30, 2013 by Aanchir

[Lyichir]

I know this has most likely been done to death, but is the LEGO Group planning a comeback for BIONICLE? Because my friends and my self would be the first in line to buy the new sets.

If they have such plans, they're not making them public. But I would expect not; everything I've seen suggests that Hero Factory has been successful, and Lego is about to release an action figure line around their Chima theme this summer. I don't expect them to bring back a third, failed action figure theme on top of the two they'll have going.

[Sid Sidious]

If they have such plans, they're not making them public. But I would expect not; everything I've seen suggests that Hero Factory has been successful, and Lego is about to release an action figure line around their Chima theme this summer. I don't expect them to bring back a third, failed action figure theme on top of the two they'll have going.

I wouldn't really say that a theme that lasted for 9 years and (along with Star Wars) kept LEGO out of bankruptcy fits the definition of failure.

[Lyichir]

I wouldn't really say that a theme that lasted for 9 years and (along with Star Wars) kept LEGO out of bankruptcy fits the definition of failure.

A student who has gotten all A's throughout elementary and middle school can still fail a year of high school. Perhaps "failure" is a strong word, but sales certainly dropped off as time went on, and as Lego recalculated the expenses versus revenue of the theme they found that some of its success had in fact been overstated. In any case, there's no reason why Lego would bring back a theme that had so many counts against it when they can stick with themes that were designed to learn from their predecessor's successes and failings. The flaws that played a part in Bionicle's end (particularly the burdensomely dense backstory) can't be dealt with easily without taking away what made Bionicle what it was, and if that's the case why not just call it something new and call it a day?

[Faefrost]

I wouldn't really say that a theme that lasted for 9 years and (along with Star Wars) kept LEGO out of bankruptcy fits the definition of failure.

The problem wasn't't that Bionacle was unsuccessful. The problem was that Lego failed to recognize when it was on a down slope and at the end it started costing more Than it was bringing in. The extended story was a barrier to entry, but it was the rapid evolution of parts molds and elements that the theme required that was a huge part of the drain.

[Omicron]

Personally I would not want to see a return of Bionicle. The storyline itself is already convoluted that I can't even fathom how much more could be done let alone a return.

Let the spirit live on through similar themes. Just like they do with other themes.

-Omi

[MechaMaster20]

What about the last contest they had for Bionicle where you had to right a story about that Big set created with the Bionicle Stars Series? They stated in that competition that the winners story would be included in the new series. Also I am a big fan of Bionicle and personally I would hate for it to be true, but is it possible that Lego Hero Factory is the new series?

Here are two links that talk about the contest. For the first link they talk about the contest at the end of the article, and for the last they give you his story.

http://lego.wikia.com/wiki/BIONICLE_Stars

http://lego.wikia.com/wiki/Gaardus

[Aanchir]

What about the last contest they had for Bionicle where you had to right a story about that Big set created with the Bionicle Stars Series? They stated in that competition that the winners story would be included in the new series. Also I am a big fan of Bionicle and personally I would hate for it to be true, but is it possible that Lego Hero Factory is the new series?

He was used in the BIONICLE story already. Specifically, Gaardus appeared in the story serial The Powers that Be on BIONICLEstory.com. He will not be used in Hero Factory.

[LiamM32]

I was a big fan of Bionicle for a few years of my childhood, specifically from 2003 to 2007. I still am a mild fan of it today, even though I was more into the toys when I was younger. I think that the sets got worse over the years. I really missed the old gears.

I can agree with TLegoG in 2010 when they said that they were defficient of good new ideas in the final years, being one of the reasons to replace it with Hero Factory. But their failure to come up with good ideas was not confined to Bionicle, as Hero Factory was a terrible story idea.

I think I would like Lego to bring back the Bionicle product line and add to the story, but only if they could come up with a good idea. They should not start at Spherus Magna, but probably go far back before the 6 Toa washed ashore on the island of the great spirit. I think that they should make the toys a bit different from before; Good Technic functions like the early years, more Technic parts, fewer new specialized elements, fewer canister sets released each year (quality over quantity), and more collectibles and add-on sets than in the later years. I had a story concept about the Toa Hagah of Makuta Miserix before the rebellion.

I think that they should certainly do reruns of the first 3 years of Bionicle. I think that they should make some small modifications to most of the sets, but keep them minimal, as they might as well fix the flaws that they had before. l. Don't want to be the Stars again, as those sucked. They should keep all the nice gear functions, the good old plastic, and most of the classic things that we liked. Probably split up the Toa torso's, give them posable elbows and knees, and redesign the Kaita's. I like the idea of a rerun because it brings Bionicle back without forcing Lego to come up with bad new ideas, but bring back the goodness that we had and liked in the classic days.

[Aanchir]

I was a big fan of Bionicle for a few years of my childhood, specifically from 2003 to 2007. I still am a mild fan of it today, even though I was more into the toys when I was younger. I think that the sets got worse over the years. I really missed the old gears.

I can agree with TLegoG in 2010 when they said that they were defficient of good new ideas in the final years, being one of the reasons to replace it with Hero Factory. But their failure to come up with good ideas was not confined to Bionicle, as Hero Factory was a terrible story idea.

I hardly think Hero Factory was a terrible story idea. The idea was generally to be a more intuitive story with less dense mythology. And I think they've carried that out fairly well. The only place I'd say the Hero Factory story media really suffers greatly is the TV episodes, where action scenes sometimes feel somewhat disjointed and jokes often fall flat. But the core story is generally effective, and a lot easier for kids and adults to understand than the complex mythology and universe mechanics of BIONICLE.

I don't think a lack of ideas was what caused BIONICLE to end, either. Faltering toy and media sales were the chief reason, not helped by the fact that older fans were leaving the BIONICLE fandom faster than new fans could enter it. Plus, the set designers apparently wanted to move onto something new and different. BIONICLE was not planned to last beyond 2011 anyway, and the design process for Hero Factory's new building system began as early as 2008. So its grand finale was really only pushed ahead by about a year.

It's interesting to speculate whether gear functions and the like would have a chance of returning in a BIONICLE reboot. This year's Hero Factory sets do have some functions, including swinging-arm and flapping-wing functions, even if these don't rely on gears. So it's clear there's still appeal in action figures with these kinds of action features. Overall, though, I doubt we'd ever see gear functions of the sort featured in 2001-2004 BIONICLE sets, just because those typically relied on highly-specialized gearboxes, which are the sort of part TLG does well to avoid these days. I imagine torso styles for a BIONICLE reboot or for any new action figure theme of that sort would be closer to the Toa Inika or Hero Factory torso designs: very simple Technic-based torsos designed with useful connection points in mind, with any additional volume and detail added in the form of separate armor pieces.

[Pandora]

What about the last contest they had for Bionicle where you had to right a story about that Big set created with the Bionicle Stars Series? They stated in that competition that the winners story would be included in the new series. Also I am a big fan of Bionicle and personally I would hate for it to be true, but is it possible that Lego Hero Factory is the new series?

Here are two links that talk about the contest. For the first link they talk about the contest at the end of the article, and for the last they give you his story.

http://lego.wikia.co.../BIONICLE_Stars

http://lego.wikia.com/wiki/Gaardus

Hello MechaMaster20, welcome to Eurobricks.

There's no need to increase the size of your font; as you can see right now it's much larger than everyone else's, and that's really not necessary, so please don't in future. Thank you.

[dcastdeclan]

Honestly, I believe that bionicle will come back one day. Due to the way the story ends, it has so much it can do. What happens on spherus magna? I reckon that after hero factory dies out (as I hope it will), bionicle may make a return. Perhaps it will even get a proper series, a bit like ninjago and not like the yearly specials for HF. It will happen. Until then, we need to keep the tory alive. If it takes us ten years, so be it. That way, it will seem like a 'new' idea to the younger viewers...

[Lyichir]

Honestly, I believe that bionicle will come back one day. Due to the way the story ends, it has so much it can do. What happens on spherus magna? I reckon that after hero factory dies out (as I hope it will), bionicle may make a return. Perhaps it will even get a proper series, a bit like ninjago and not like the yearly specials for HF. It will happen. Until then, we need to keep the tory alive. If it takes us ten years, so be it. That way, it will seem like a 'new' idea to the younger viewers...

The Bionicle story is essentially over. Makuta is defeated, and Spherus Magna is restored. What loose ends remain are minor things, like characters trapped in alternate universes that have little to no bearing on the story as a whole. Is the potential there for further adventures? Sure; just like in most stories. But you have to end a story somewhere, and in Bionicle's case, the primary conflicts and mysteries of the universe have been more or less resolved.

No matter how many years pass, Bionicle will never feel quite as "new" as a new theme would. It was largely a product of its time, with its complex terminology and lore, and Lego would have far more to gain by crafting a brand new story to appeal to the youth of the day rather than trying to squeeze more life out of a theme that had run its course years before.

[ToaJaller78]

At this point, I'm gonna give BIONICLE's Return a solid "no".

[Jetrax99]

With the shutdown of both the official website an bionclestory.com, I have to say it's highly unlikely at this point in time

[kermit]

i think bionicle can make a comeback but it wont be successful. Too much time has passed and it is a theme that has been overshadowed by hero factory now. If bionicle set do come back it may just be the same theme but with a different name and story slapped onto it.

[LiamM32]

The Bionicle story is essentially over. Makuta is defeated, and Spherus Magna is restored. What loose ends remain are minor things, like characters trapped in alternate universes that have little to no bearing on the story as a whole. Is the potential there for further adventures? Sure; just like in most stories. But you have to end a story somewhere, and in Bionicle's case, the primary conflicts and mysteries of the universe have been more or less resolved.

This is why I think that they should do a rerun of the Mata-Nui era. The story went down in late years, so I think that it's best to rerun the good story that they already have. I honestly think that the story would feel fresh enough to the young guys of the time. The children who do know about it tend to like it. For years when I was young I wished that I could get the discontinued sets (having parents who hesitated to order online). I would prefer if they make some improvements built onto the Mata-Nui sets, but should not remove the features that made the old ones good (like the functions).

If they were to continue with a new story (never made in set form), then I think that it should take place before the Toa Metru. The Great Disturbance could be a good place in the timeline to start from.

[Faefrost]

One thing that may be an interesting gauge would be to take note of how popular Bionacle is on Netflix? If Bionacle were to return it would not simply be as a toy. It would require a new show like Chima or Ninjago to drive it. Would there be a market for such a thing on Cartoon Network or Nikolodean etc? While Transformers thrives over the years some other revivals fall flat (Thundercats).