40580 Buildable Tahu: Bionicle returns in 2023!

[Mandalorianknight]

According to brick_clicker, Lego Bionicle is getting a promotional set, a buildable Tahu figure, releasing in early 2023!

It's a GWP, so it'll be a little tough to get, but this is HUGE news! After all this time, a new bionicle set!

Edited October 3, 2022 by Mandalorianknight

[SoupOrFishOil]

That's exciting!

I wonder if the one which leaked a few months back was real? Unless I missed something and that was debunked....

[Scarilian]

Pretty hyped, I'd guess this is just a promotional thing as an acknowledgement of Bionicle as part of the 90th anniversary celebrations but it could give us a clue to a potential G3 revival of how it'd be handled. If people respond well to this and show interest in this GWP then hopefully it'll send a message to Lego for them to give a brick-built Bionicle series a go (As CCBS/Technic focus is unlikely). It also allows them to source from a range of pre-existing pieces while also potentially giving us new moulded pieces that are compatable with multiple themes.

45 minutes ago, Mandalorianknight said:

It's a GWP, so it'll be a little tough to get, but this is HUGE news! After all this time, a new bionicle set!

Probably going to wind up being with a purchase of $100 or something.

33 minutes ago, SoupOrFishOil said:

I wonder if the one which leaked a few months back was real?

If so, that version included Takua, it'd be neat getting two characters and potentially some combo mode? Printed masks would be nice also.

[Subnautica]

On one hand anything BIONICLE being made is great news, but on the other thing it behind a GWP is a bummer since it’ll probably be pretty low part count / not very detailed. Hopefully it’s at least not a very high minimum purchase

Edited October 3, 2022 by Subnautica

[Takanuinuva]

That'll be perfect for me as I'm planning on getting Zane's Titan Mech in 2023

 

[Mandalorianknight]

3 hours ago, Scarilian said:

Pretty hyped, I'd guess this is just a promotional thing as an acknowledgement of Bionicle as part of the 90th anniversary celebrations but it could give us a clue to a potential G3 revival of how it'd be handled. If people respond well to this and show interest in this GWP then hopefully it'll send a message to Lego for them to give a brick-built Bionicle series a go (As CCBS/Technic focus is unlikely). It also allows them to source from a range of pre-existing pieces while also potentially giving us new moulded pieces that are compatable with multiple themes.

Probably going to wind up being with a purchase of $100 or something.

The GWP does worry me somewhat, as it'll be hard to show that fans are buying sets to get the GWP as opposed to a standard set where you can tell if it sells, by, you know, it selling well. But I do hope it does well, and that it could lead to any form of G3. I think at this point, we have the parts, and the main thing we need for bionicle is a continuation of the story (or more likely, a reboot, but ideally a story of the same depth).

This is the one time that i'll spend bonkers amounts of money for a GWP. Long Live Mata Nui.

4 hours ago, SoupOrFishOil said:

That's exciting!

I wonder if the one which leaked a few months back was real? Unless I missed something and that was debunked....

It is!
Definately not, I can't imagine we would have images of a 2023 set months ago.

2 hours ago, Subnautica said:

On one hand anything BIONICLE being made is great news, but on the other thing it behind a GWP is a bummer since it’ll probably be pretty low part count / not very detailed. Hopefully it’s at least not a very high minimum purchase

I dunno, GWPs recently have been pretty solid. Look at the lars homestead kitchen, ray the castaway, the forestmen hideout, etc.

1 hour ago, Takanuinuva said:

That'll be perfect for me as I'm planning on getting Zane's Titan Mech in 2023

I would buy pretty much any set to get Tahu. Hell, I'd buy VIDIYO sets to get Tahu.

[SoupOrFishOil]

2 hours ago, Mandalorianknight said:

Definately not, I can't imagine we would have images of a 2023 set months ago.

Fair enough. We haven't seen anything that crazy since Bionicle G2 leaked. 

[Scarilian]

10 hours ago, Mandalorianknight said:

The GWP does worry me somewhat, as it'll be hard to show that fans are buying sets to get the GWP as opposed to a standard set where you can tell if it sells, by, you know, it selling well. But I do hope it does well, and that it could lead to any form of G3. I think at this point, we have the parts, and the main thing we need for bionicle is a continuation of the story (or more likely, a reboot, but ideally a story of the same depth).

I'd guess original intent was just to have Bionicle represented in some form in the 90th anniversary

The method of judging interest this time would presumably be slightly different such as if sales fluctuate during the GWP time? Does the GWP sell out? How is the community reacting to brick-built Bionicle? If it's accepted as a Bionicle set by the community similar to how people ended up gravitating towards the small Tahu from the 90th anniversary classic set then Lego may be more willing to give it a full brick-built revival. Though I'd still lean to that not happening until late 2025 which would also be the 25th anniversary year for Bionicle and the best time to attempt a full revival.

10 hours ago, Mandalorianknight said:

This is the one time that i'll spend bonkers amounts of money for a GWP. Long Live Mata Nui.

Same, If I end up getting the Hulkbuster MKII, then I may end up waiting till the Bionicle GWP is released. If we are lucky the Bionicle GWP will release February alongside the Marvel Polybag - though I believe it's more likely we see it in January instead.

Quote

Definitely not, I can't imagine we would have images of a 2023 set months ago.

It's not entirely out of the realm of possibility, so we should'nt rule it out completely. It's possible it was planned to be released sooner alongside the 90th anniversary celebration stuff and pushed back. If it is that version from a few months ago it may have suffered similar design problems to the Lego Marvel Mechs which resulted in them getting delayed as it seems to use a similar connection method for the legs to connect to the body.

[Pisces no Aphrodite]

I want him.

[Alpha Draconis]

3 hours ago, Scarilian said:

I'd guess original intent was just to have Bionicle represented in some form in the 90th anniversary

I'd like to think otherwise but realistically, I think this seems the best reason why they probably made Bionicle GWP

Anyhow, at least something to quench my Bionicle nostalgia! I'm really interested in how they'll approach it. I'd love if they used as much original pieces as possible but I think it'll be brick built for the most part. A straight re-release isn't an option I'd say. This isn't a reason to be disappointed yet, let's wait and see how it looks like

Also, will there be a canister instead of a classic cardboard box? Bionicle was as much of a set as the packaging it came in - it'd be really cool to pay homage to that

[Subnautica]

A leaked image is up on instagram. The account name is matoro41.

Takua is a nice addition and at least their masks are printed pieces (looks like it’s printed on this? https://www.bricklink.com/v2/catalog/catalogitem.page?P=15068&name=Slope, Curved 2 x 2 x 2/3&category=[Slope, Curved]#T=C) but the proportions are awkward. But anything BIONICLE related is better than nothing so I can’t complain too much.

Edited October 4, 2022 by Subnautica

[Alpha Draconis]

If this leak is true than I may've expected too much. Why is the hand so small and the feet so big? Something feels off

[Takanuinuva]

Thing is that pic is 3 months old. So either a really early prototype or fake.

[Subnautica]

25 minutes ago, Takanuinuva said:

Thing is that pic is 3 months old. 

Didn’t realize that, just saw for the first time today. Though it now seems to be deleted so no idea if that helps or hinders its authenticity.

[Scarilian]

8 hours ago, Alpha Draconis said:

Also, will there be a canister instead of a classic cardboard box?

It'll probably a box with the visuals of the canister for nostalgia purposes. The days of canisters are probably behind us due to display on shelves and cost to manufacture unique containers.

7 hours ago, Alpha Draconis said:

If this leak is true than I may've expected too much. Why is the hand so small and the feet so big? Something feels off

If that leak is real, it appears to be based heavily on the original 2001 Tahu. No hand for the flame sword, large clawed other hand, large feet for stability, etc... I could see the implied combo model on the back also hinting towards being able to combine it, potentially into Tahu Nuva which would bulk the chests to make the feet seem more in-scale.

4 hours ago, Subnautica said:

Though it now seems to be deleted

The image is still available online. Searching 'Bionicle Leak 2023' will probably allow you to find what people are referring to.

Edited October 4, 2022 by Scarilian

[Pirean_Grammaticul]

i doubt the image is of a real leak although i can't be certain. certainly we've seen bionicle leaks well ahead of a reannouncement and even if this has been circulating for a while it could be true. mostly i just feel like lego could do so much better but what do i know

[Alpha Draconis]

14 hours ago, Scarilian said:

It'll probably a box with the visuals of the canister for nostalgia purposes. The days of canisters are probably behind us due to display on shelves and cost to manufacture unique containers.

If that leak is real, it appears to be based heavily on the original 2001 Tahu. No hand for the flame sword, large clawed other hand, large feet for stability, etc... I could see the implied combo model on the back also hinting towards being able to combine it, potentially into Tahu Nuva which would bulk the chests to make the feet seem more in-scale.

Yeah the canister was more my wishful thinking anyway but it'd be cool if the actually went bricks-to-the-wall and did it. Although I can imagine they wish to continue to use, now standard, black boxes 

Combining into Tahu Nuva would be my dream come true but the proportions of the model still look off to me compared to the original model. Sure, the feet were large on OG model but this leak presents Tahu as having big red boots that go half way up his shin. The more I look at this leak the more I hope it's fake or at least a really early model. Although the box style makes me think its fake

[Mandalorianknight]

On 10/4/2022 at 11:58 AM, Subnautica said:

A leaked image is up on instagram. The account name is matoro41.

Takua is a nice addition and at least their masks are printed pieces (looks like it’s printed on this? https://www.bricklink.com/v2/catalog/catalogitem.page?P=15068&name=Slope, Curved 2 x 2 x 2/3&category=[Slope, Curved]#T=C) but the proportions are awkward. But anything BIONICLE related is better than nothing so I can’t complain too much.

It is fake. 

 

C'mon guys, it's so clearly fake. It's a meme and moc account and no reputable sources have reposted it, not to mention it "leaked" MONTHS before anyone had any idea this was coming. It is fake.

[Lion King]

As I caught the wind of the rumor that Bionicle is coming back. I thought it’s the return of the theme but i realized it’s simply a GWP.

But i’m so glad Bioncile is coming back in GWP!

[Alpha Draconis]

With recent rumours that there'll be another GWP featuring an old theme (Blacktron) could we perhaps understand this as TLG further testing the waters with older themes that could potentially lead to resurgence of fully-fledged sets available to purchase in the future not tied to any special events but as it's own line? Now the new Icons line would make a bit more sense 

Or I'm maybe looking into this too deeply and it's simply a few concepts that they had in the backlog for 90th anniversary that they still want to push out and it's nothing more than that

[THELEGOBATMAN]

Why is it only a GwP? 

Would've been nice to get something standalone you can buy, instead of a gift to an overpriced set on LEGO's website.

[Lyichir]

On 10/11/2022 at 3:06 AM, THELEGOBATMAN said:

Why is it only a GwP? 

Would've been nice to get something standalone you can buy, instead of a gift to an overpriced set on LEGO's website.

I dunno... as a longtime Bionicle fan I have learned the pain of getting exactly what I want in a set, only for it to warm shelves or otherwise fail to find an audience. The nice thing about GWPs is that since they're nominally "free", pretty much everyone who gets one (whether purposefully, by specifically buying sets to earn the GWP, or incidentally, by buying other sets they want during the GWP eligibility period) appreciates them. Not always so much for sets that you have to purchase separately. With those even a set that has been clamored for can sometimes land with a dull thud if it's more expensive or otherwise somehow less appealing than people had hoped for. And I'd rather a Bionicle tribute set sell out faster than anticipated than be overproduced and become one more thing for the haters to crow over.

That said, I've heard conflicting rumors about this set. Some people have claimed it will be a typical GWP while others have linked it to a rumored subscription service of sorts. So while I certainly believe the rumors of a set like this existing, a lot of the details about what it will consist of or how it will be distributed still seem to be up in the air.

[ZEROANON00]

On 10/12/2022 at 9:36 AM, Lyichir said:

That said, I've heard conflicting rumors about this set. Some people have claimed it will be a typical GWP while others have linked it to a rumored subscription service of sorts. So while I certainly believe the rumors of a set like this existing, a lot of the details about what it will consist of or how it will be distributed still seem to be up in the air.

That would supposedly be LEGO Vault, they surveyed fans this year asking if they'd be interested in a paid subscription service that provides them with retired sets (or at least, remade versions of them) via mail. It makes more sense to have a set like this released in that form IMO, so I'm hoping the whole GWP rumor is misconstrued cause I'd be genuinely willing to pay for something like that. However, most of the leakers are insisting it to be a GWP, so I guess we'll find out closer to January.

[Alpha Draconis]

4 hours ago, ZEROANON00 said:

That would supposedly be LEGO Vault, they surveyed fans this year asking if they'd be interested in a paid subscription service that provides them with retired sets (or at least, remade versions of them) via mail. It makes more sense to have a set like this released in that form IMO, so I'm hoping the whole GWP rumor is misconstrued cause I'd be genuinely willing to pay for something like that. However, most of the leakers are insisting it to be a GWP, so I guess we'll find out closer to January.

hold on a minute - a full re-release? Though only a rumour I can say that this would win me over any subscription the come up with (well, not any subscription but my tolerance would be higher in this case). Although I feel like just straight re-releases may become lacklustre after a while and would need to be balanced with something else to win over younger audiences at least. Interesting prospect though

[The Outsider]

On 10/5/2022 at 3:38 PM, Alpha Draconis said:

Yeah the canister was more my wishful thinking anyway but it'd be cool if the actually went bricks-to-the-wall and did it. Although I can imagine they wish to continue to use, now standard, black boxes 

Combining into Tahu Nuva would be my dream come true but the proportions of the model still look off to me compared to the original model. Sure, the feet were large on OG model but this leak presents Tahu as having big red boots that go half way up his shin. The more I look at this leak the more I hope it's fake or at least a really early model. Although the box style makes me think its fake

Honestly, what I miss most was the story integration. I'd be happy if they, for example, used a cardboard box that could be opened and folded inside-out to become a Toa Canister or a piece of scenery.

Then again, though, I'd probably prefer that on a true reboot than just a GWP.

On 10/11/2022 at 8:06 AM, THELEGOBATMAN said:

Why is it only a GwP? 

Would've been nice to get something standalone you can buy, instead of a gift to an overpriced set on LEGO's website.

Oh thank god you can get it through the site! If it were only through physical LEGO shops, I'd be screwed.

On 10/14/2022 at 7:37 PM, ZEROANON00 said:

That would supposedly be LEGO Vault, they surveyed fans this year asking if they'd be interested in a paid subscription service that provides them with retired sets (or at least, remade versions of them) via mail. It makes more sense to have a set like this released in that form IMO, so I'm hoping the whole GWP rumor is misconstrued cause I'd be genuinely willing to pay for something like that. However, most of the leakers are insisting it to be a GWP, so I guess we'll find out closer to January.

 

On 10/14/2022 at 11:59 PM, Alpha Draconis said:

hold on a minute - a full re-release? Though only a rumour I can say that this would win me over any subscription the come up with (well, not any subscription but my tolerance would be higher in this case). Although I feel like just straight re-releases may become lacklustre after a while and would need to be balanced with something else to win over younger audiences at least. Interesting prospect though

Uh, neat! I'd personally like a Bricklink-esque that could let you buy either new molds of discontinued pieces or improved substitutes of defective ones (namely the lime-green sockets from the Mahri era). Maybe a system where you'd register for a piece and, once enough people made orders for the molding to be profitable, they'd charge you and send you the pieces you requested.