TeriXeri

I could say the same about many other themes, especially Licensed themes. Classic themes were more open-ended imo, with no need to tie it to some existing story/source material, or even realism. I don't think people are strictly asking for reboots of sets/themes to be exact copies, but rather some more basic open-ended sets/figures without releasing the same figure 5 times in a single year, or the same building/spaceship/movie scene every few years. Even an In-House theme like Hidden Side suffers from having the same characters made over and over, even if they are different a bit per wave, there are 10 Jack figures in just 2020 sets. I'm in no way bashing Harry Potter or Star Wars or Super Heroes (all themes that have been around 10+ years on and off), they just personally don't interest me, but if they sell, I wouldn't want to take those themes away from the people that do like them.

Maybe the COVID situation will eventually lead expanded online Pick-A-Brick type service. Pick a Brick could expand by offering bulk parts in preset quantities, for common parts at least, like back in the old days LEGO had SERVICE sets, or generic boxes with just red roof tiles for example. The problem with current CLASSIC theme is that you'd only get a few parts of certain color/shape in each set, even while the parts are mostly traditional bricks and slopes, and Xtra doesn't offer sets like this : Instead CLASSIC offers this, sure it has roof bricks but only a few of each shape and color. Would be amazing to have an online Build-a-Minifig selection as well. That's as far as I see custom builds expand on the market, and not full on custom sets. (But keep in mind I would not want to limit parts availability of Bricks and Pieces, as I know lots of people order specific things from there)

I probably still might get the Hidden Side Castle as that theme got some fairly large discount on it's sets, which could mean the Hidden Side Castle would only cost 1/3 of this with just about 25% off, of course it's also 1/3 of the piece count. But this Haunted House does still look great, and no stickers, and overall looks to have a great selection of parts.

So now we officially see Creator Expert stopped being used and now we have an 18+ series of sets. Which started this year, earlier with the Star Wars helmets and A-Wing, and the 2020 Architecture White House to follow, and now the Haunted House "Fairground Collection" label. “We have decided to stop using the Creator Expert branding and, instead, use the new adult-focused packaging design to make it clearer which hobbies or brand products they can relate to.”

So technically the Haunted House is 18+ , and not Creator Expert, so I expect modulars and vehicles to follow with 18+. “We have decided to stop using the Creator Expert branding and, instead, use the new adult-focused packaging design to make it clearer which hobbies or brand products they can relate to.”

Lots of sets on backorder on LEGO.com, but of course there is no way to tell if it's a case of selling them so fast, or limited production capacity. Especially impacting the larger sets.

Well, there was a Soccer Stadium on a City map, and a Soccer match played on a TV screen in the 2020 City Service Station, so Sports isn't a crazy guess .

Even LEGO themselves are an exclusive retailer to some sets, and not just the large sets or special themes. This year the City Mail Plane (€10), and City Safari Truck (€20), are only sold at LEGO themselves, at least that's the case here. I know that's different from selling a set at a specific retailer Outside , but it still could mean it'd never get a discount on if it's just LEGO selling it themselves (or maybe at the very end of it's availability)

Nice, reminds me of the Police Motorcycle and even the minifgure (helmet/sunglasses) from Terminator 2.

Many physical Toy Stores are closing here for years now, so clone brands or not, the increase of people buying products online is growing. The thing with modern LEGO is also they got so many themes and sets nowadays , LEGO even competes with their own themes for shelf space in physical stores. Even the official Amsterdam LEGO store isn't very big and won't have all the sets on shelves, and is mainly focusing on the "experience" (Build-a-Minfigure / Pick-a-Brick / VIP Points / Exclusive sets) rather then being the #1 place to buy all sets. I also rarely buy directly from LEGO.com as well as many regular sets can be gotten 20-40% off elsewhere. I also notice LEGO selling smaller sets as exclusives, for 2020 for example a €10 Mail Plane, and the €20 Safari Truck, I don't know if that's going to increase their sales but I don't like small sets being exclusive like that.

Certainly a huge set (even larger when opened up) that's not just a pure fairground ride but could be used for other purposes. Even the parts, containing lots of bricks and plates, I can see some nice Alternate Build potential here as well.

5000 already, congrats so far !

Alternate builds are my favorite type of MOCs to see, it's amazing what people can come up with, and also can serve as great inspiration to people with just 1 set or smaller collection. So , the answer on the official question MOCs vs Set, I choose the middle ground, and choose Alternate builds, but I will lean towards original first-hand Mocs and not copying someone else's ready-made instruction or model picture already so it's a slippery slope.

This looks great for a €20 Dragon And this is just amazing , it is a skeleton dragon but still very large, possibly one of the largest set dragons ever made.

LEGO MOVIE 2 overall was space-focused theme, but some sets got mixed reactions, it seemed Benny's Squad was very popular however. 2019 City Space was a great direction as well, especially the People Pack imo. For 2020 there's the Rover and the orange space figure, but hopefully there'll be more. As for the non sci-fi Space fans, while Saturn V retired, there was the Lunar Lander in 2019 and now the IDEAS ISS. I personally don't care about those NASA/SpaceX type sets on IDEAS so it's a shame there's no sci-fi or classic space type sets at 10k, but IDEAS is becoming very populated with licensed sets that skyrocket to 10k within weeks, yet many actually original IDEAS not based on a particular IP get forgotten easily and just sit there for hundreds of days (like the LL497 that's about to retire in 30 days at 2800 votes right now )

Interesting boat for sure, reminds me of a Friends version of the 3-in-1 Yacht from 2018.

I doubt it's just played on paper, as those sets clearly have squares to put figures on, with arrows and such and connect to form a bigger board after all. I can understand it being played on paper with some sets as they don't really have a board, but when connecting multiple sets you get a more sizeable area for sure.

I keep seeing new City magazine gifts pop up on Brickset, while the magazine here is releasing pretty slow with magazine issue #3 in June 11 with this : Now recently I also saw those appear , so it seems other regions get their magazine released sooner. Those little sets, especially the vehicles , remind me a lot of small Town sets and I like them, I started collecting them late 2018. https://brickset.com/sets/theme-City/subtheme-Magazine-Gift

Still hoping the sets will be widely sold instead of just LEGO.com (so far only a rumour) , not only because it'll be a chance to get sets at some discount, but also gives more widespread attention to the theme.

Barracuda Bay still on backorder, and no very interesting GWP anyway for May, so Pirate things are on-hold for now.

Since the airport building was very similar to what I saw on an advert of a new City book in a magazine a while ago, right before the airport pictures came out I drew my concept from there (some pages ago in this thread) Here's a better picture Page 13: https://www.ameet.eu/catalogues/ameet-books-catalogue-2020/ Now there are some buildings on there that aren't sets but seem either too big or weird for City : But since a rumored Town D2C might come here are the ones on the map : Soccer Stadium Train Station Whipped Cream Factory (unlikely ) Haunted Hotel (Hidden Side?) but also looks like the Haunted House set from many years back. Cinema (no building picture) Concert Venue (also has that new blue haired popstar that comes with the airport set) Also wonder about any future set with the Corn suit guy (the Mayor) in it. Many other listed things have been sets already.

Pizza seems more likely then a "whipped cream factory" which is also on it (I saw this same picture in the latest 2020 City magazine). But anyway, just found it interesting there's a train station with glass , a train sticking out ,and a clock/arch on the side like the IDEAS submission. Not trying to state that of that map as a fact to become sets (also existing/older sets are also pictured), it just happened to be the case for the airport building to be very very similar design.

I am mainly hoping for the Castle in the Forest. It kinda makes me suspicious that LEGO put a small picture of a drawn train station with a lot of glass and a train sticking out on an advert for an upcoming City book map On this same picture I saw the City Airport design, before pictures were known, the curved roof with rollercoaster tracks, and that did end up like the real set. Better link to catalog with adverts to City Book Out and About : https://www.ameet.eu/catalogues/ameet-books-catalogue-2020/

Alternate builds are my favorite type of MOCs. And this looks great, love the Bow shape, and the Stern decorations, and overall little details like the anchor chain/lamps/containers etc. The Sand Green water still works well.

I like how the color scheme fits perfectly with General Garg from 2017.