skippyfontainne

Will Lego ever return to an In-house Space Theme? We are going on 5+ years now...

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On 2/17/2018 at 10:59 PM, Faefrost said:

This is wildly untrue.

You cannot possibly believe this.

The first year ever, after 20+ steady years, that there were no Lego Space sets was 2000. This was immediately after the first ever Star Wars sets in 1999. Then, in 2001 when Space sets returned, they were on Mars. Firmly in the real world, in our own solar system. Not deep space, not out in the galaxy. Not anything that could be confused with Star Wars. Then nothing for six years while Star Wars movies were in theatres.

Finally, in 2007 we got Lego Space sets again. On Mars...again. And just in time not to compete with the Revenge of the Sith sets.

Then we get pretty steady Lego Space on the shelves until 2014. Guess what happens the year after? The Force Awakens. 

Every shred of evidence points to some non-competition strategy to keep in-house Space sets off the shelves when there are Star Wars movies being made. 

Edited by danth

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I wouldn't be surprised that within the next couple of years we see another 'Space' theme, although I think this might have to be in par with the general day & age of the modern equivalent of going 'back' to space (especially with the recent Elon Musk launches). Though I'd like to see a combo/temporary merger of the City & Space lines; a 'Future City'.

Edited by -zenn

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10 hours ago, xboxtravis7992 said:

If Lego does cook up an in house original Sci-Fi theme, Space Police could be a good one to revive, or the maybe some other flashy outer galactic adventure. Kind of a space western, cowboys v. outlaws, the final frontier pushing back, etc. Then sprinkle in some references to old themes for nostalgia. 

Hmm, a Space Police line inspired after the American Old West sounds kinda cool. If the last one pitted cops against outlaw bikers, this sounds like the next logical incarnation. :thumbup:

10 hours ago, xboxtravis7992 said:

Of course, if Lego really wants to go crazy... they could go for a Lego Space "Universe" in the same vein as a certain popular cinematic superhero franchise... Introduce new themes, but work to connect them to each other and older themes in the same way old Classic Space Factions were seen as part of the same story. 

Ah yes, the ultimate Lego Space pipe dream. I've always dreamed of a multithemed Space line resembling the City theme, perhaps named something along the lines of, say, Lego Galaxy.

8 hours ago, danth said:

Anyway. We all know the answer to this. Creator sets. Just make one decent, non-licensed Castle and Space creator set each year. Give it enough parts to be versatile and people will buy them in multiples. 

Yep, because colorful Classic Spacecraft of old would be more than fitting in a theme like Creator. :thumbup: :smug:

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16 hours ago, danth said:

You cannot possibly believe this.

The first year ever, after 20+ steady years, that there were no Lego Space sets was 2000. This was immediately after the first ever Star Wars sets in 1999. Then, in 2001 when Space sets returned, they were on Mars. Firmly in the real world, in our own solar system. Not deep space, not out in the galaxy. Not anything that could be confused with Star Wars. Then nothing for six years while Star Wars movies were in theatres.

Finally, in 2007 we got Lego Space sets again. On Mars...again. And just in time not to compete with the Revenge of the Sith sets.

Then we get pretty steady Lego Space on the shelves until 2014. Guess what happens the year after? The Force Awakens. 

Every shred of evidence points to some non-competition strategy to keep in-house Space sets off the shelves when there are Star Wars movies being made. 

It could be that TLG are (or at some point were) not allowed by Lucasfilm to release a coinciding Space theme, or perhaps rather that they choose not to... in order to avoid having too much that's too similar at once. Especially now when there are also so many Nexo/Ninjago/DC/Marvel space ships

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17 hours ago, danth said:

You cannot possibly believe this.

The first year ever, after 20+ steady years, that there were no Lego Space sets was 2000. This was immediately after the first ever Star Wars sets in 1999. Then, in 2001 when Space sets returned, they were on Mars. Firmly in the real world, in our own solar system. Not deep space, not out in the galaxy. Not anything that could be confused with Star Wars. Then nothing for six years while Star Wars movies were in theatres.

Finally, in 2007 we got Lego Space sets again. On Mars...again. And just in time not to compete with the Revenge of the Sith sets.

Then we get pretty steady Lego Space on the shelves until 2014. Guess what happens the year after? The Force Awakens. 

Every shred of evidence points to some non-competition strategy to keep in-house Space sets off the shelves when there are Star Wars movies being made. 

Yeah, it's evident they know that an in-house space theme would sell poorly against a wave of sets based on a brand new Star Wars movie

The only way I can think they would release a in-house space theme simultaneously with a brand new Star Wars line is if they make something like Alien Conquest again, which was like a City/Space crossover. And it would be a single wave theme, in a year between 2 movie releases (like 2016). And I not even sure of that. :laugh:

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14 minutes ago, Robert8 said:

The only way I can think they would release a in-house space theme simultaneously with a brand new Star Wars line is if they make something like Alien Conquest again, which was like a City/Space crossover. And it would be a single wave theme, in a year between 2 movie releases (like 2016). And I not even sure of that. :laugh:

Another alien invasion theme certainly would be interesting to see, but it'd be cool if this time around it more resembled Independence Day, with sinister looking aliens and futuristic fighter jet defence craft to engage in low atmospheric dogfights. 

But, in retrospect, I guess the approach Lego did take with the subject of extraterrestrial conquest was probably the best decision for them, as keeping it focused exclusively on abduction kept the theme from pondering or suggesting the concepts of annihilation and/or genocide.

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1 hour ago, Artanis I said:

It could be that TLG are (or at some point were) not allowed by Lucasfilm to release a coinciding Space theme, or perhaps rather that they choose not to... 

Oh I don't doubt that. I just don't know which it is. Either they can't, or won't.

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1 hour ago, Digger of Bricks said:

Another alien invasion theme certainly would be interesting to see, but it'd be cool if this time around it more resembled Independence Day, with sinister looking aliens and futuristic fighter jet defence craft to engage in low atmospheric dogfights. 

But, in retrospect, I guess the approach Lego did take with the subject of extraterrestrial conquest was probably the best decision for them, as keeping it focused exclusively on abduction kept the theme from pondering or suggesting the concepts of annihilation and/or genocide.

I was thinking more in a reuse of the S6 Classic Alien head mould

Something like the Roswell case, Area 51 and crop circle fenomena. 

Pretty much a rehash of Alien Conquest but with the classic gray aliens or the small green ones. You know the typical pop-culture aliens :laugh:Related image                                     Related image

Edited by Robert8

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10 hours ago, Robert8 said:

Pretty much a rehash of Alien Conquest but with the classic gray aliens or the small green ones.

That's a pretty fun idea, but it sounds too simplistically archetypical to be done as an entire action theme. But I could see it done kind of as a one-off Creator/Ideas-type set, something like a single flying saucer, with a grey alien, a cow, and two Mulder and Scully like paranormal investigators.

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On ‎2‎/‎16‎/‎2018 at 4:14 PM, icm said:

There are several long ongoing discussions about this general topic on the forums, but this is a fair question.  As you note, the record has already been set for gaps, if we don't count the pre-minifig space sets.  Despite the long gap and the dominance of Star Wars on the shelves, I don't think the situation for Lego Space fans is as bad as some people on the forum make it out to be.  We'll probably see another in-house Space theme in the next year or two, but even if we don't we should consider what Lego has done in the meantime:

2014 - The Lego Movie had several Space-themed sets, notably the 70816 Benny Spaceship and the 70815 Super Secret Police Dropship.  That and 70806 Bad Cop Pursuit were practically a Space Police IV mini-theme.

2014 - Ideas Exo-Suit

2014-2017 8 or 9 Space-themed CMFs

2015 - Mini 928 Galaxy Explorer with a DK book

2015 City Space subtheme

2016-2017 Star Wars The Freemaker Adventures, which is practically an in-house Space theme camouflaged under the Star Wars banner - just look at how much 75186 The Arrowhead echoes the design language of Classic Space!

2016-2018 Nexo Knights, which strongly echoes much of Lego's traditional Space design language despite its Castle-inspired trappings

2017 Ideas Saturn V and Women of NASA

2018 70923 The Bat-Space Shuttle, which is very much an in-house Space set despite its camouflage under the Batman banner

2018 - Ideas Moments in Space contest, with the winner to be released in 2019

2019? 2020?  There are persistent rumors that The Lego Movie 2 will feature a Space setting.

So yes, there is a five-year gap between now and the last dedicated Space theme, but there certainly hasn't been a five-year gap of original content that more or less fits in the niche of Space.

NONE of this is a Space Theme to me. I don't mean to be rude. But none of it is.

I want a DEDICATED in-house Space Theme like Space Police, Mission to Mars, or Galaxy wars.

I don't mean to yell, but I feel strongly about this! :)

On ‎2‎/‎18‎/‎2018 at 8:58 PM, Lyichir said:

..I think space is a flexible enough theme to get around that, and it's arguably already been doing so.

With all do respect, it hasn't. (I mean this in the nicest way.)

On ‎2‎/‎18‎/‎2018 at 11:39 PM, xboxtravis7992 said:

Frankly, this sums up pretty nicely what I think. Lego is very self aware of their old themes, and love to reference back to them (heck for a bizarre example, look at the Galidor shirt guy from the Ninjago City set...). But I don't think the market for an old school sci-fi theme is out there today. I see a lot of AFOLs pining for the return of classic space; but while we do get some references to it such as Benny and his ship; I doubt kids today really want to have an entire collection of flat wedge shaped blue and gray ships! Its a nostalgia factor for a lot of AFOL's, but once we take a step back and look at current trends in Sci-Fi, I don't see kids really wanting the almost Kubrick-esque space styles of classic space (I'm of the age group that came around after classic space's era came to pass, so I really have looked at it more as "my Dad's era" then my own. Considering kids today are even one more generation removed from it then I , its probably a good bet that Benny really is their only interaction with the old space era).. So frankly, I think Lego's method of dropping some classic themed space sets one at a time, is a good approach. Enough to give AFOL's a nostalgia trip, while not being to much of a risk with kids (especially in the case of Benny's ship which was tied into a hit film too!)

If Lego does cook up an in house original Sci-Fi theme, Space Police could be a good one to revive, or the maybe some other flashy outer galactic adventure. Kind of a space western, cowboys v. outlaws, the final frontier pushing back, etc. Then sprinkle in some references to old themes for nostalgia. 

Of course, if Lego really wants to go crazy... they could go for a Lego Space "Universe" in the same vein as a certain popular cinematic superhero franchise... Introduce new themes, but work to connect them to each other and older themes in the same way old Classic Space Factions were seen as part of the same story. I know Atlantis and Power Miners kind of did that lately... but I can see more potential in space for it. New Space Police for example could easily tie into some older themes such as Galactic Conquest, Blacktron, even Insectoid and Hero Factory could really work together in a shared setting. Focus the effort on new character's and ships, but let the old fans be surprised when a ship or character from an older theme just pops back into the story... 

That's the problem "what kids want". The sci-fi spoon feeding is terrible in 2018.

Lego space themes meant creative and imaginative freedom.

I want Lego to recapture that freedom.

SO: Lego may be self aware of their old themes, but that does not make the current state any more palatable to someone like me who wants a new space in-house theme.

You see?

 

 

On ‎2‎/‎19‎/‎2018 at 3:10 AM, danth said:

You cannot possibly believe this.

The first year ever, after 20+ steady years, that there were no Lego Space sets was 2000. This was immediately after the first ever Star Wars sets in 1999. Then, in 2001 when Space sets returned, they were on Mars. Firmly in the real world, in our own solar system. Not deep space, not out in the galaxy. Not anything that could be confused with Star Wars. Then nothing for six years while Star Wars movies were in theatres.

Finally, in 2007 we got Lego Space sets again. On Mars...again. And just in time not to compete with the Revenge of the Sith sets.

Then we get pretty steady Lego Space on the shelves until 2014. Guess what happens the year after? The Force Awakens. 

Every shred of evidence points to some non-competition strategy to keep in-house Space sets off the shelves when there are Star Wars movies being made. 

I fear you are right.

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2 hours ago, skippyfontainne said:

This helpful chart may explain my stance::classic:

Sure, that Creator set is not at all Sci-Fi, more resembling NASA if anything; but it is a start, as Creator had never ventured into space before that set.

So, you can imagine just where that might lead in the near future for the theme. :wink:

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1 hour ago, Digger of Bricks said:

Sure, that Creator set is not at all Sci-Fi, more resembling NASA if anything; but it is a start, as Creator had never ventured into space before that set.

So, you can imagine just where that might lead in the near future for the theme. :wink:

yes, but I would like multiple sets released at the same time, perhaps like the volcano city sets or whatnot.

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Just now, skippyfontainne said:

yes, but I would like multiple sets released at the same time, perhaps like the volcano city sets or whatnot.

Well, you mention City's Volcano subtheme, how about a City space subtheme that veers more towards Sci-Fi to a certain degree? I do think Lego could pull off a lunar outpost line for City with space shuttles and payload rockets that closely resemble Classic Space sets of yesteryear, color scheme and all, without seeming too uncharacteristic for the realism of the theme.

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There's some precedent for that.  The 1998 Space Port line, which Brickset classifies as a subtheme of Town, seems to have been intended to coincide with the 1998 movies "Armageddon" and "Deep Impact."  If I remember correctly the Mania Magazine that featured it, the general idea was "stop the deadly meteor shower," and the space shuttle set had some less realistic sci-fi styling.  Also, the 2015 Utility Shuttle, though vaguely inspired by some concepts like the Sierra Nevada Corporation's Dream Chaser and XCOR Aerospace's Lynx, crosses into sci-fi territory because neither of those vehicles have actually flown.  Still, it's pretty near-future sci-fi and I don't think that's what many of the people who have commented on this thread are after. 

Speaking of unofficial movie tie-ins, though, I think the 2001 Life on Mars line was also intended to coincide with the 2001 movies "Red Planet" and "Mission to Mars," and the bug aliens of the 2013 Galaxy Squad line loosely coincide with the bug aliens of the 2013 movie "Ender's Game."  Perhaps we just need to wait until a relatively kid-friendly big-budget sci-fi movie comes out that is not Star Wars, and for which TLG does not want to invest in a license (or cannot invest in a license because of Star Wars), but which is just too good of a merchandising opportunity to pass up.

Edited by icm
Fixed typos.

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51 minutes ago, icm said:

There's some precedent for that.  The 1998 Space Port line, which Brickset classifies as a subtheme of Town, seems to have been intended to coincide with the 1998 movies "Armageddon" and "Deep Impact."  If I remember correctly the Mania Magazine that featured it, the general idea was "stop the deadly meteor shower," and the space shuttle set had some less realistic sci-fi styling. 

Kinda also like 1998's Adventurers, which may have been inspired after Universal Studios' upcoming film The Mummy which was released the following year.

51 minutes ago, icm said:

Still, it's pretty near-future sci-fi and I don't think that's what many of the people who have commented on this thread are after. 

Sure, that's understandable, but at the same time, I don't think we'd ever see a standalone Space theme that lacked conflict like the original Classic Space line did. But I do think that such a line could find a home within the City theme, and there are Lego Space fans that still do wish for a more peaceful exploration theme currently.

Edited by Digger of Bricks

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2 hours ago, skippyfontainne said:

yes, but I would like multiple sets released at the same time, perhaps like the volcano city sets or whatnot.

I'm desperate enough to take one Creator set a year, as long as it has enough different kind of parts (windscreens, space wheels, etc).

Also Creator sets mean:

  • No stickers
  • Alternate builds
  • Classic smileys (at least at the expert level)
  • Interesting builds 

So totally geared towards the fans of Classic themes.

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8 hours ago, skippyfontainne said:

That's the problem "what kids want". The sci-fi spoon feeding is terrible in 2018.

"What kids want?" That's a bad approach for a toy company? 

Edited by xboxtravis7992

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17 minutes ago, danth said:

I'm desperate enough to take one Creator set a year, as long as it has enough different kind of parts (windscreens, space wheels, etc).

Also Creator sets mean:

  • No stickers
  • Alternate builds
  • Classic smileys (at least at the expert level)
  • Interesting builds 

So totally geared towards the fans of Classic themes.

BINGO! :thumbup:

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16 hours ago, xboxtravis7992 said:

"What kids want?" That's a bad approach for a toy company? 

I never said that. Its bad for guys like me...

19 hours ago, Digger of Bricks said:

Well, you mention City's Volcano subtheme, how about a City space subtheme that veers more towards Sci-Fi to a certain degree? I do think Lego could pull off a lunar outpost line for City with space shuttles and payload rockets that closely resemble Classic Space sets of yesteryear, color scheme and all, without seeming too uncharacteristic for the realism of the theme.

I'd like that. A moon base and assorted vehicles would be fantastic.

But again the toy trend I've noticed slowly developing over the last 10 years is that toys companies don't want to take a chance outside of licensed stuff.

Its sad really... really sad.:cry_sad:

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16 hours ago, xboxtravis7992 said:

"What kids want?" That's a bad approach for a toy company? 

Honestly kids want whatever they're told to want by cartoons, movies, and commercials. Or by their parents and friends.

Also many things kids want, nobody knew that they wanted it until they tried it.

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6 hours ago, danth said:

Honestly kids want whatever they're told to want by cartoons, movies, and commercials. Or by their parents and friends.

Also many things kids want, nobody knew that they wanted it until they tried it.

If that were true then companies could honestly skip almost the entire R&D phase, promote any product lines they want, and expect every one to become a craze on the level of Star Wars, Pokémon, or Harry Potter as long as they put in the same upfront investment. The reality is that while kids are certainly susceptible to media influences, it's a waste of resources to try and build up kids' enthusiasm for something that they are indifferent to at the outset. You get a lot more bang for your buck by putting together a new product line from concepts kids already understand and care about.

Anyway, I'm almost inclined to interpret Mark Stafford's comment as a response to fans' arbitrary standards for what they consider a "true" Space or Castle theme. After all, a lot of people didn't consider Alien Conquest a true space theme. Some people didn't even consider Life on Mars and Mars Mission true space themes!

Edited by Aanchir

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15 hours ago, Aanchir said:

Anyway, I'm almost inclined to interpret Mark Stafford's comment as a response to fans' arbitrary standards for what they consider a "true" Space or Castle theme. After all, a lot of people didn't consider Alien Conquest a true space theme. Some people didn't even consider Life on Mars and Mars Mission true space themes!

I consider Alien Conquest a true space theme. I consider Life on Mars and Mars Mission true space themes.

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Congratulations, here's a medal..?

But seriously, considering Alien Conquest to not be "true Space" is far from daft - the only thing "Space" about the ADU faction is their suits. The subtheme is set on Earth, with normal civilians. The aliens in their spaceships would totally be a Space subtheme in their own right, but all things added together makes AC semi-Space. Associate but not core. Sci-Fi absolutely, and closer to Space than to anything else, but far enough from it to consider it either way.

Plus, you would also have those that consider the "true Space" to only include sci-fi and not fantasy. (So all the alien subthemes wouldn't count for those people - UFO, Insectoids, Mars anything, SP3, AC, Galaxy Squad - oh wait that's everything since 1996 haha. Not much fun for those guys...)

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17 hours ago, Artanis I said:

Congratulations, here's a medal..?

But seriously, considering Alien Conquest to not be "true Space" is far from daft - the only thing "Space" about the ADU faction is their suits. The subtheme is set on Earth, with normal civilians. The aliens in their spaceships would totally be a Space subtheme in their own right, but all things added together makes AC semi-Space. Associate but not core. Sci-Fi absolutely, and closer to Space than to anything else, but far enough from it to consider it either way.

Plus, you would also have those that consider the "true Space" to only include sci-fi and not fantasy. (So all the alien subthemes wouldn't count for those people - UFO, Insectoids, Mars anything, SP3, AC, Galaxy Squad - oh wait that's everything since 1996 haha. Not much fun for those guys...)

Lets agree to disagree.

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