Would it hurt you if the Star Wars franchise would stop right now?

[HJR-Holland]

What if... Tomorrow LEGO would decide to stop with Star Wars alltogether; would you find this a big problem?

In the last 15 years LEGO has introduced sets of most of the characters, most of the vehicles and even some animals of all the movies, introduced even more any could have hoped for at the start of the license. Nowadays there are even more re-runs than new vehicles...

In the last 10 years LEGO introduced a very impressive lineup of parts, enabling builders to build MOCs bigger, better, with better SNOT techniques, more rounded shapes; if you look at the 1999 sets compare them with the current versions, you will know what I mean.

And with kaminoan, arealight and other customizers who come up with great custom decals and parts the sheer 'need' for specific minifig parts from the LEGO themselves has become less. With 3D printing coming up this might become even less!

So I ask you, fellow Eurobrickers, what you would feel if LEGO would decide to pull the plug on the Star Wars license. Would you stop caring? Build everything from upcoming movies yourselves? Start collecting other LEGO licenses? Or even move to other areas of the Star Wars franchise, like action figures?

Above all, this discussion is NOT about whether LEGO would do this or not. But let's face it, that day WILL come eventually, and it would be nice to know how you would (re)act...

For myself, I think I would continue with building MOCs, maybe even intensify building them knowing that what I build myself this year, will not be introduced by LEGO at 1/3 price by next year ;-) I think that nowadays there are enough minifigs and parts to build the entire Star Wars universe, and the sheer 'necessity' of buying Star Wars has gone away a bit... I few years I would have been guttered if LEGO would stop, but these days? It wouldn't be the end of the world, and certainly not the end of my hobby!

[4WD]

I was five when LEGO Star Wars started, and that's actually what got me into the movies (and a few of the games). If LEGO Star Wars came to a grinding halt I would be incredibly shocked, but I would find it easier to move on than others; mainly because much as I love it, there are so many other ways to get a 'Star Wars fix' these days. Episode VII. The Old Republic. Soon, we'll have the new Star Wars: Battlefront game and the Rebels TV Show. It's almost tiring. I would miss LEGO Star Wars mainly because I love building space ships, not because I would miss Star Wars.

I know that those who grew up with Star Wars in the eighties would feel differently, which I can respect. I think that whichever of the two (LEGO or Star Wars) grabs you first is what will never let go.

Great topic, by the way.

[baron]

I think that after so many years of collecting, these sets are starting to wear down on me...once in a while there's a gem but it's becoming more and more disappointing. I have to say this year's first wave is probably the worst yet for me...the actual sets themselves are not particularly interesting and its obvious minifigs are the main drawing point now, with a poorly built speeder/turret/droid slapped on...I would be satisfied it it were to end now.

[Darth Dino]

Hi

at least some of us would be rich if Lego would stop producing and selling SW sets. The already ridicolous prices for retired sets would get a blast.

Dino

[Brickdoctor]

Interesting question. I'm in the same position as 4WD: I was young when LEGO Star Wars started, and LEGO got me into SW rather than the other way around. (I was a Town, Trains, and Arctic fan before the Droid Developer Kit got me hooked on Star Wars.) I don't think I would really miss new SW content through LEGO. Star Wars as whole has been a disappointment to me for the past few years. The TV show isn't the greatest, the storylines are often ridiculous, and all of that's trickling into the novels for continuity's sake. Both novels and comic books seem to be constantly trying to one-up the previous 'doomsday all-powerful fate of everything that's connected!!!' scenario. (Abeloth as the Mother is the particularly terrible example that springs to mind.)

But that's kind of off-topic. The point is, I'm not really interested in seeing TLG make LEGO sets out of the new stuff coming out of SW canon nowadays. Considering that I prefer the older style of minifigs, and that TLG has covered the vast majority of the important OT characters and creatures, and that I can build whatever I want if I want to have a particular vehicle or scene, I can't say I would actually have that much cause for disappointment if LEGO Star Wars stopped.

That being said, I'm sure I'd still be sad if it did stop, just because of what it is and how long it's been around, and because the sets almost always improve with each re-release, and seeing new LEGO Star Wars stuff is always still exciting even if I'm not interested in buying it. But I wouldn't be that disappointed, I wouldn't be wanting for anything more out of the theme, and I definitely wouldn't be angry about it. And considering how many FOLs either have grown up with LEGO Star Wars or have been brought back to LEGO by LEGO Star Wars, I would have no doubt in the ability of the LEGO Star Wars fan community to continue going strong.

[korpen4444]

I would be disappointed. I don't have a huge collection, so I welcome any sets I can buy. I would be hurt badly.

[Nom Carver]

I just found out that giving up to the consumist frenzy is pointless , specially if you have enough bricks to build just about anything you want with the ones you have available, it just takes a little courage to dismantle what you have and clear the path for something new, right now it wouldn't matter to me if the LEGO company disappeared, it seems to me that this is going to be the subject of the incoming LEGO movie, not to keep and shelf your sets, but to build "outside of the box" you know what I mean , I just escaped from my ignorance, aleluya!!! .

[4WD]

Interesting question. I'm in the same position as 4WD: I was young when LEGO Star Wars started, and LEGO got me into SW rather than the other way around. (I was a Town, Trains, and Arctic fan before the Droid Developer Kit got me hooked on Star Wars.) I don't think I would really miss new SW content through LEGO. Star Wars as whole has been a disappointment to me for the past few years. The TV show isn't the greatest, the storylines are often ridiculous, and all of that's trickling into the novels for continuity's sake. Both novels and comic books seem to be constantly trying to one-up the previous 'doomsday all-powerful fate of everything that's connected!!!' scenario. (Abeloth as the Mother is the particularly terrible example that springs to mind.)

I started at the exact same place with Town and Arctic. Funnily enough, I was obsessed with trains more than anything at that age.

I found The Clone Wars was hit and miss (especially involving the 'force family' on Mortis that you mentioned). One story choice that I REALLY didn't get was the romantic relationship between Satele Shan and Jace Malcolm in The Old Republic. It surprised me, but I wasn't in total shock - I'm sure there have been worse oddities in the Expanded Universe. Still, the LEGO subtheme spawned four sets, two of which were well-detailed spacecraft, so I'm not complaining on that front.

I generally build LEGO Star Wars for the cool ships and locales instead of the story, but there'd be nostalgia for me too if it stopped. I've followed the theme for 14 years, and whether we have official sets or not I don't think I would ever stop making starships, at the very least.

[Sir_Basil_Ashton]

Emotionally, I would be shocked and upset if this happened. TCW brought my family into the Hasbro action figures and shortly after that into LEGO SW. It's been over 4 years now that LEGO SW has been in our lives and with the way Hasbro has treated Star Wars with their poor distribution and quality (articulation), the only SW we have now is in LEGO. However as I put more thought into this, quite a few of the sets that have been getting released are rehashes. The excitement over new sets isn't the same as it used to be and I find myself picking up minifigs on Bricklink over buying full sets. If LEGO really came to an end, I'm sure the money I spend on LEGO would go to something else within a year.

[Gryphon Ink]

Personally, the more Star Wars stuff of any kind gets released, the less I like Star Wars. I have no emotional connection whatsoever with the Clone Wars, very little interest in Rebels, and hardly any curiosity about the upcoming movies (especially after Abrams trampled all over Trek with ST:ID and was immediately hired for the Star Wars movies). It's just... too much Star Wars. I liked SW when it was "only" the most successful trilogy of movies ever made, with a small group of protagonists fighting the good fight.

This is all about Star Wars in general, but it applies equally to LSW. I just don't have any interest anymore. If the franchise died overnight, I might get a little interest back just from nostalgia.

[CJBERRY]

I'd be disappointed, I am looking forward to introducing my daughter to star wars lego when she is older, which would be easier if it hadnt stopped and gone price sky high :D

[jonwil]

I for one would like it if Starwars disappeared and something non-licensed and cheaper (or licensed and better) came along.

[Freddy Bricker]

Well first off, the Star Wars license isn't set to retire until 2022, so don't get your hopes up.

I personally, wouldn't care so long as I get the following sets (which are miraculously still around!)

* The Gungan Sub

*Palpatine's Arrest

* Hoth Echo Base

* Millennium Falcon

And then the entire 2013 summer wave as well as tons of CW retired sets (I have this weird retired fetish thing going on). This is only really because I already have all the "important" sets, I'm not a completion-ist, and only wish to own the sets for minifigures or recreational scenes that have already been provided. Personally, 2014 seems to only be Hero Factory, Ninjago and Chima for me, as well as Lego movie), so Star Wars wouldn't be missed, since I basically already have "the good stuff". But I feel like I can't properly answer this question until December 31st 2022.

[Brickdoctor]

I started at the exact same place with Town and Arctic. Funnily enough, I was obsessed with trains more than anything at that age.

Huh.

It surprised me, but I wasn't in total shock - I'm sure there have been worse oddities in the Expanded Universe. Still, the LEGO subtheme spawned four sets, two of which were well-detailed spacecraft, so I'm not complaining on that front.

I agree, this is the part where I would definitely be sad if LEGO Star Wars ended: because TLG still consistently improves with the majority of their set releases, and even sets out of portions of the storyline of which I'm not a fan still have potential.

Well first off, the Star Wars license isn't set to retire until 2022, so don't get your hopes up.

I don't think any of us (at least those of us who are active SW fans) are seriously suggesting that we want the theme to end tomorrow. It's just interesting to consider how your LEGO experience would change if it did happen.

[korpen4444]

Why do people hate this theme now? The longer it goes on, the more chances New kids can enjoy the ships that make us happy now. I will say this unashamed, LONG LIVE LEGO STAR WARS!

[Brickdoctor]

Why do people hate this theme now? The longer it goes on, the more chances New kids can enjoy the ships that make us happy now. I will say this unashamed, LONG LIVE LEGO STAR WARS!

You're taking the posts out of context and exaggerating their viewpoints. We (or at least the majority of us) aren't saying we hate the theme, nor are we saying that we want the theme to end.

[korpen4444]

You're taking the posts out of context and exaggerating their viewpoints. We (or at least the majority of us) aren't saying we hate the theme, nor are we saying that we want the theme to end.

Sorry. I misunderstood. I'm just a little "obsessed" with LSW. I'll be really sad when it ends. Sorry I took the posts out of context.

[jodawill]

I know TLG makes a ton of money from it, but I would be glad because I liked the non-licensed themes before Star Wars a lot better. I think TLG designs the best sets when they have the freedom to be creative and make whatever ideas they come up with.

Personally, the more Star Wars stuff of any kind gets released, the less I like Star Wars. I have no emotional connection whatsoever with the Clone Wars, very little interest in Rebels, and hardly any curiosity about the upcoming movies (especially after Abrams trampled all over Trek with ST:ID and was immediately hired for the Star Wars movies). It's just... too much Star Wars. I liked SW when it was "only" the most successful trilogy of movies ever made, with a small group of protagonists fighting the good fight.

This is all about Star Wars in general, but it applies equally to LSW. I just don't have any interest anymore. If the franchise died overnight, I might get a little interest back just from nostalgia.

That's exactly how I feel about it. When I was a kid, I was a huge Star Wars fan. Now they've put out so much crap I'm just tired of it being thrown in my face incessantly. I was really excited when they first started making LSW. I had even written them a letter the year before asking them to make Star Wars sets. When that SW magazine showed up in my mailbox, I thought they'd stolen my idea and hadn't given me credit for it!

But there's just so much crap out there now. I'd like it a lot more if they took a 10 year break, released some awesome classic Lego System themed sets, then came back with one or two waves of Star Wars. (Or maybe I wouldn't even appreciate those waves years later; they've already produced every piece of crap you could possibly imagine several times over.)

[BimmerBoy]

I grew up with the OT, and that is where my heart lies. I liked the PT better than most, but as far Lego PT sets and figs go, only a few things interest me. I read EU books for awhile (I liked the Timothy Zahn Heir To The Empire series), but mostly I have no interest in EU stuff.

If the license ended, I would be saddened, but I would move on as I like other Lego themes. My kids like the LSW, but they also like other themes like Ninjago, TMNT, City, so they would be OK if SW disappeared. I have most OT stuff I want and I'm satisfied with the detail/figs/etc. About the only thing I'm hoping for is an updated TIE Interceptor and Vader TIE Advanced. The OT Rebel fighters have been updated and are good enough for me, but the 9492 TIE Fighter makes my 8017 Vader TIE seem old, not to mention it makes the old TIE Interceptor seem old and terrible.

[sin]

I would be bummed, Star Wars sets are what brought me out of my dark ages and comprise over 100 of the 140 sets I own. If it happened I would probably just use all of the money I spend on SW waves on bricks to make modular mocs.

[Chills]

I was in my 20s when TLG came out with their first SW sets and I was really excited. I grew up with SW had been MOCing SW ships and bases since I was a little kid. If they stopped making SW I would be disappointed, but I've amassed a nice collection that I am satisfied with what I have. Since coming out of my dark ages I see each new year's line-up and I say, "I'm only getting a couple of sets," only to buy most everything that isn't TCW. I guess you can say I'm hooked! I'm glad to see a new episode coming out and more sets. I just wish we had a decent Hoth Base.

As for the over-merchandising of SW, in general, that's nothing new. SW was the first movie to be uber-merchanised. I remember when I was a kid my parents gave me the first box set of figures for Christmas, but it was just a card redeemable for them because Kenner couldn't produce enough for the holiday. SW was on everything, even C3POs cereal. Lucas made a great business decision to merchandise the heck out of SW; doing so made him a fortune. Even Mel Brooks poked fun at it in Spaceballs.... Spaceballs the flamethrower! (the kids love this one). I have no problem with SW on everything, I just pick and choose what I want to collect.

[donbarca]

i would move back into the dark ages!!! i would have no interest in Lego if it was not star wars themed..

i like to keep my sets original so i would not start to make moc´s i would simply stop buying Lego..

[DonBrizzel]

Star Wars might just move their business to, dare I say, Mega Bloks! DUN DUN DUUUNNNNNNNNNN

[Faefrost]

I would be disappointed. Like others SW brought me out of my Dark Ages and is a fixture in my collection. Granted if they had ended today with the winter wave I would be numb to it. I doubt I will buy one of those horrid sets. But the forthcoming summer wave? That would break my heart. And I can't wait to see what they do with new stuff.

[Robianco]

It would hurt in the sense that it would be disappointing.

I got back into Lego due to my love of Star Wars... I try and pick up as many OT sets as I can and obviously as I've only been out of the dark ages for 3 years or so I've missed many, MANY sets.

I think the cycle is inevitable... it generates a collectibility for certain sets while offering an opportunity to pick a revised set up after a few years... it keeps things quite healthy and not just a secondary market of marked up sets.

I don't own an AT-AT... or ISD... or a Cantina... or a system scale B-Wing so I'm very happy about the forthcoming wave... and I think they'll continue to upgrade sets for many years to come either by better building techniques, more accurate designs or simply different or upgraded minifigures. As I'm a fan of minifigures I'm all for them being upgraded and updated so add to the TLG SW line... and attract new fans to keep coming on board.

If anyone is happy with what they have and feel they don't need any new figures or sets then that's great... it's all part of personal enjoyment of a hobby... but I just have to look at how Luke in his black Jedi duel robes used to look then compare it to the version in the Ewok Village and I know I'll stay interested.

I know that probably means that in a few years time I too will have all the ships or places that I'd 'need' but I'd still be disappointed if it wasn't there... still offering great sets and great figures from one of the greatest pieces of popular culture ever created.

Edited January 13, 2014 by Robianco