The primary draw for playing with LEGO sets and minifigures has always been the opportunity to imaginatively play out stories and adventures with the characters, props and settings provided by the massive toy line. Some have taken things further by producing elaborate stop-motion mini-movies with their LEGO sets, uploaded online. Even The LEGO Group is getting into this craze, and they want to share the set-movie making experience with Australians in Sydney next month. This is the LEGO Star Wars All-Stars Studio Experience, a prime opportunity for parents and their children to bond by learning to shoot mini-films using LEGO Star Wars sets and minifigures in stop-motion.
Interested parent-and-child pairs can head on over to the Comber Street Studios in Paddington, Sydney where they will first sit down to a one-hour class on stop-motion animation and filming techniques. Then, they’ll have the run of the studio and provided LEGO Star Wars sets: posing minifigures and props, filming, editing and even voicing their very own Star Wars movies.
While the LEGO Star Wars All-Stars Studio Experience event is free, interested participants need to book tickets in advance, and they better hurry because this happens on Father’s Day Weekend, September 1 and 2. But what a Father’s Day gift for Aussie dads this is! After they’re done producing their LEGO Star Wars stop-motion movie, they can bring it home in video form. Thanks to Star Wars fan site Rebelscum.com for bringing our attention to this special event.
Last week, LEGO teased a project that they deemed worthy of tagging as building the impossible, with the #BuildForReal attached to it. One can easily recognize that LEGO is hinting at something big in the likeness of its recently released LEGO Techic Bugatti Chiron (42083), but was particularly mum on the details of how it will be done. More so, LEGO claims to build this MOC as close to the real thing, which looks and drives exactly the same as the real Bugatti Chiron. It might sound impossible, but LEGO has proven once again that “impossible” is just a word. A few minutes ago at the Grand Prix Formula 1 racing tournament in Monza Italy, LEGO has now unveiled it’s first ever, life-size and drivable custom LEGO Technic Bugatti Chiron made entirely of LEGO bricks. In fact, more than a million Technic pieces were used to build this MOC, powered by 2,304 LEGO Power Function motors.
This amazing feat of LEGO building and engineering weighs in at 1.5 tonnes and can generate up to 5.3 horsepower to make it run at a speed of 20 kph – yes, you read it right, it actually runs in spite of its massive weight. Read on for The LEGO Group’s official press release followed by an image gallery on how the project began.
First Ever Life-Size and Drivable LEGO Technic Bugatti Chiron Is a Pioneering Piece of Engineering and Design
Testament that with LEGO Technic you can build for real, this non-glued, fully-functional and self-propelled LEGOTechnicmodel can fit two passengers inside and accelerate to over 20km/h
Perfectly recreating the organic design lines of the world’s fastest production car – the iconic Bugatti Chiron – the LEGO Technic life-size model pushes the boundaries of what LEGO builders imagined was possible to build in LEGO elements.
The model is the first large scale movable construction developed using over 1,000,000 LEGO Technic elements and powered exclusively using motors from the LEGO Power Function platform. Packed with 2,304 motors and 4,032 LEGO Technic gear wheels, the engine of this 1.5 tonnes car is generating 5.3 horse power and an estimated torque of 92 Nm.
Lena Dixen, Senior Vice President of Product and Marketing at the LEGO Group said:
“This life-size model is a first of its kind in so many ways and with it, we wanted to push the boundaries of our own imagination. For over 40 years, LEGO Technic has allowed fans of all ages to test their creativity with a building system that challenges them to go beyond just creating new designs, to also engineering new functions. Our Technic designers and the engineers from the Kladno factory in the Czech Republic, the place which also builds the impressive models for LEGO Stores and LEGOLAND parks, have done an amazing job both at recreating the Chiron’s iconic shapes and making it possible to drive this model. It’s a fascinating example of the LEGO Technic building system in action and its potential for creative reinvention.”
A fascinating feat of design and engineering
Seen from a distance side by side, the resemblance of the two cars is striking. Get closer and you will find a fascinating and complex outer ‘skin’ structure, built of interconnected triangular segments made into a LEGO Technic ‘fabric’ designed to mimic the iconic shapes of the original Chiron. Peek inside and discover that every single detail of the original car has been carefully and precisely recreated in LEGO Technic elements – from seats, to dashboard and the steering wheel.
Equipped with a rear spoiler, speedometer, front and back-lights, detachable steering wheel and brake pedal, all fully functional and built of LEGO Technic elements, the model is a dream come true for any LEGO fan. Building it required the use of 339 types of LEGO Technic elements, and over 13,000 work hours of development and construction.
The Making of a Life-Sized and Drivable Custom LEGO Technic Bugatti Chiron
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A test drive like no other
Building a one of a kind LEGO Technic life-size car is one part of the task. Testing if it can drive is another. And what better location than the same place where the real Chiron was first tested – EhraLessien proving ground in Germany – a unique facility built to handle speed.
One weekend afternoon, the LEGO model took off and accelerated to everyone’s joy and amazement. And while it may not match the original Bugatti Chiron’s mindboggling 420 km/h speed, the LEGO Technic’s power function motors have managed the impressive performance to propel it to a little over 20km/h – ultimately making the ‘Build for Real’ idea truly complete.
#BuildForReal
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Andy Wallace – the driver behind the LEGO Technic Chiron – former racing driver with multiple wins of the 24 Hours of Le Mans and Daytona, as well as many other races, and today official Bugatti pilot, said:
“When I first saw the LEGO Chiron, I was immediately impressed by the accuracy of the model and the minute attention to detail. In fact, from about 20 metres away it’s not obvious that you are looking at a LEGO car. I can only imagine how much time and effort went into making this model.”
“Driving the LEGO Chiron was a great experience, which I thoroughly enjoyed. All those years ago I could never have imagined that one day I would actually drive a LEGO car!”
The Chiron is the ultimate super sports car and the latest interpretation of Bugatti’s brand values ‚Art Forme Technique‘. With a power output of 1,500 HP, unprecedented for production vehicles, an exceptionally high torque value of 1,600 Nm between 2,000 and 6,000 rpm and a wide variety of technical innovations, the Chiron sets new standards in every respect. The Chiron is not only designed for maximum speed, but also meets the highest possible demands in terms of luxury, comfort, everyday drivability and durability. The Chiron combines the best in all these areas which makes it the world’s most complete super sports car.
LEGO seems to be on a roll with another landmark in its life as the world’s most valuable toy company. Next month, the LEGO House will be celebrating its 1st birthday since it opened its doors to the public last September 28, 2017. The House of the Brick offers a one-of-a-kind experience to LEGO fans of all ages, providing a unique play experience across its various brick zones, coupled with a nostalgic trip through LEGO’s 80 years of history. To celebrate this milestone, the LEGO Group has lined up a handful of birthday party activities on September 29 to make its first anniversary fun and meaningful.
Guests who will visit the Experience Zones are invited to join the LEGO House Birthday Treasure Hunt (10AM-8PM, CEST), where a bunch of hidden cakes is carefully placed all over LEGO House. Participants who will first crack the secret message will be treated to a handful of LEGO goodies. Over at the Red Zone, guests are invited in creating the best and largest LEGO birthday cake ever together with cake enthusiast and connoisseur Ms. Annemette Voss (11AM-2PM, CEST). Finally, there will be an awesome LEGO Birthday Show and a lottery for a chance to bring home some of the coolest LEGO prizes and giveaways. To learn more about this awesome celebration, be sure to visit the LEGO House website and book your tickets.
Today marks the 40th birthday of the iconic LEGO minifigure and to mark this special occasion, The LEGO Group has shared several images and videos that traces the history of one of the world’s most recognizable toy element. To be exact, it was in 1977 that LEGO patented its unique yellow, plastic minifigure with the first minifigures rolling out in to the market a year after. Since then, LEGO’s minifigures have evolved from being single modular-like accessories to a full range of articulated figures that unmistakably give life to any LEGO set.
Read on for LEGO’s full press release and a video snippet highlighting the LEGO minifigure’s journey throughout the years. While you’re at it, and in case you have not gathered all 17 minifigs yet, be sure to check out the special 40th anniversary LEGO Collectible Minifigures Series 18 (71021) blind bags over at Amazon.
LITTLE FIGURE, BIG STORY – CELEBRATING THE 40TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE LEGO® MINIFIGURE
In 1978, Disco was dominating the charts, mobile phones were non-existent and the Internet was still more than a decade away. It was also the year the very first LEGO® minifigures went into production. Fast forward to today and those inaugural characters have evolved nearly as much as the world around them, offering endless roleplay possibilities. So, as one of the planet’s tiniest icons celebrates its big 4…0, here are some milestone moments from its very big story.
The evolution of the LEGO minifigure
It all started in 1974 when the LEGO building figure was launched, made mostly of large square LEGO bricks with moveable arms but immoveable legs. This was followed in 1975 by LEGO stage extra figures with solid torsos, immoveable arms and legs, and no printed features. Basically, very different to the LEGO minifigures we know and love today! Not that we had to wait too long for them to arrive, with 1978 ushering in a new era of LEGO minifigures equipped with moveable limbs and simple facial expressions comprising two solid black eye dots and black painted smile. Fast forward to 2018 and there are now more than 650 unique faces in the collection, meaning children can have fun roleplaying different characters and personalities – anytime, anywhere.
2018 marks the 40th anniversary of the LEGO® minifigure: here are some of the many prototypes tested between 1975 and 1978 before the final decision was made to go for the iconic minifigure we know today – first launched in 1978.2018 marks the 40th anniversary of the LEGO® minifigure. From left to right we see first three prototypes, then the very first LEGO minifigure space character launched in 1978, and finally the two on the end more recent space characters.2018 marks the 40th anniversary of the LEGO® minifigure. From left to right we see first three prototypes, then the very first LEGO minifigure police character launched in 1978, and finally the two on the end 2018 models.2018 marks the 40th anniversary of the LEGO® minifigure. From left to right we see first two prototypes, in the middle the very first LEGO minifigure doctor character launched in 1978, and finally the two on the end are 2018 models.
From 20 to 8,000
To begin with, there were around 20 different LEGO minifigure characters, including a police officer, doctor, firefighter, knight and astronaut. But in the four decades since, the number of minifigures available has risen to more than 8,000. To put that into context, if the global population had grown at the same rate, there would now be nearly 144 trillion of us living on Earth!
2018 marks the 40th anniversary of the LEGO® minifigure. From left to right we see first two prototypes, in the middle the very first LEGO minifigure doctor character launched in 1978, and finally the two on the end are 2018 models.
The perfect height Take away the hair or any other headpiece and LEGO minifigures are exactly the same height as four LEGO bricks fitted together. This means they fit perfectly into the LEGO System in Play. Oh, and if you stacked them head to toe, you would need 20,750 to reach the height of the world’s tallest building, Dubai’s Burj Khalifa.
Jack of all trades
Over the years, LEGO minifigures have shown they can turn their hand to pretty much anything. From pirates to paramedics, engineers to elephant keepers, veterinarians to Vikings, there have been thousands of different minifigure characters. Three LEGO minifigures even blasted into space onboard NASA’s Juno spacecraft in 2011. But one thing has remained consistent throughout: whatever role, character or personality children fancy playing, there’s sure to be a minifigure to match.
Diversity Champion
Did you know the traditional yellow colour of the LEGO minifigure’s head was chosen based on focus group feedback in the early and mid-1970s saying this was preferable to white ones? Since then, minifigures have become increasingly diverse – from the first figures with natural skin tone in 2003 (Lando Calrissian from Star Wars and NBA basketball players) to 2016’s inaugural wheelchair. LEGO minifigures have also done their bit for unstereotyping gender roles with the likes of female firefighters and ninjas, through to fathers equipped with baby carriers. In fact, the whole point of minifigures is they let children create and be anyone they want – male or female, helmet or hair, freckles or glasses, anything. And if you’re worried about our robotic friends, don’t be. There have been plenty of C-3POs and R2D2s (not to mention other robots) too.
Ca. 20 LEGO® minifigures were launched in 1978, here are three of the first with transportation. 2018 marks the 40th anniversary of the LEGO minifigure.
Hollywood Star
The LEGO minifigure has starred in a number of Hollywood blockbusters, including THE LEGO® MOVIE™, THE LEGO® BATMAN MOVIE™ and THE LEGO® NINJAGO MOVIE™. In 2007, LEGO Group even created 10,000 gold chrome C-3PO minifigures packed in random sets to mark the 30th anniversary of Star Wars.
1978-2018 precision mates
Did you know that eight different moulds are used for the production of every minifigure? Two sets of these moulds are the same in design but reversed to mould the right and left minifigure arms and legs! The precision that goes into these moulds is exceptional, and because the original moulds are almost identical to the ones we use today, minifigures from 1978 can be mixed and matched with the more modern characters from today! However, one thing that has changed is the number of elements each mould can produce and the speed scale of this – for example, the minifigure head mould construction has improved from an initial eight elements per 9,8 sec. to 128 elements per 14.7 sec. today!
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More than just a figure
LEGO minifigures may be made for fun but there’s a serious side to them as well. By offering an endless choice of roleplay possibilities, they’re designed to let children play inventively, engage with different emotions and tell their own stories. First and foremost, that means a whole lot of enjoyment. But, crucially, it also allows young people to develop key life skills like emotional intelligence, creativity and communication – skills that, according to new research for the LEGO Play Well Report, parents believe will be vital to helping their children build their own bright future.
When an event or venue takes on the services of a LEGO Certified Professional (LCP) for a display or exhibition, they can count on some very impressive brick-built constructs. One can take the example of LCP Sean Kenney who had a blast with his own exhibit in Tel Aviv recently.
Now, another Lego Certified Professional is about to take center stage at another LEGO exhibition. This one will be in Australia at the Dreamland theme park in Queensland. And the LCP of the hour is Ryan “Brickman” McNaught, who has got a nice selection of large-scale LEGO builds to share.
“The Brickman Awesome exhibition is about all things amazing, unique, record-breaking or just plain awesome,” Dreamworld Marketing General Manager Philip Hancox said in a statement. “And we can’t wait to offer our guests another experience that will transport them into a world of awe and wonder.” Judging from this promotional image, it definitely is so.
Dreamland is really counting on special events like this Brickman Awesome exhibit to draw in the crowds. The theme park has been having a string of grave misfortunes; four deaths in accidents at their ride attractions and the ensuing inquest proceedings have scared off patrons from the ticket booth.
Brickman’s Awesome exhibit, featuring some massive builds like a 7.5-meter tall rocket and using a grand total of over 2 million LEGO pieces, will debut at Dreamland, the Gold Coast’s BIGGEST theme park, this coming September. Visit their official website for ticket purchases and other inquiries.
Perhaps one of the most highly anticipated new and upcoming merchandise from LEGO or any other toy brand is the former’s recently announced wave of set tie-ins to Blizzard Entertainment’s hit FPS franchise Overwatch. It has been hoped that perhaps a first glimpse to those sets could be found in a South Korea fan event.
But the Overwatch Fan Festival in Seoul has come and gone, without significant news about the confirmed LEGO sets many have been anxious to see. The company was still present at the event anyway, and it featured quite a magnificent brick-build of an Overwatch battlefield.
A central fixture among the displays for the South Korea Overwatch Fan Festival is a great rendition in LEGO bricks of the Sanctuary map in all its Far Eastern glory. Korean BBS Ruliweb managed to capture some quality images of the build, which is NOT an official LEGO Overwatch set.
So it seems the recent events such as the Overwatch Fan Festival didn’t end up showing any new previews for the LEGO Overwatch sets that we know are already coming next year. If LEGO and Blizzard are planning to do a tease it’ll have to be on PAX West this week or on November’s Blizzcon.
Some new (non-LEGO) Overwatch stuff that was shown in South Korea include an animated short starring D.Va, plus a new Control-type map DLC for the game, based on the real-life city of Busan, an honor for “Blizzard Country” South Korea.
After the discovery of the LEGO Bricktober 2018 flyer in Germany, Toys R Us has released the official images of this annual collection of LEGO Bricktober minifigures giving us a closer look at what to expect from them. At first it was thought that the deal is just available in Europe owing to the sad reality that TRU stores in the US are now closed. However, a recent tweet from the LEGO Group suggests that these highly sought after collectible minifigures will also find their way in the US through other retailers. Furthermore, LEGO has previously announced via Twitter that the LEGO Bricktober 2018 sets will be available in Barnes and Noble stores, but later on clarified that ONLY the Harry Potter Minifigures Pack (5005254) will be available at the said bookstore chain.
Actually, we misspoke. Only the Harry Potter Bricktober set will be available at Barnes & Noble later this year. Stay tuned for details on the other sets.
Regardless of the venue, this is much welcomed news from LEGO regarding the availability of their LEGO Bricktober 2018 minifigures. It may be a bit challenging though to locate each of the minifigure pack in varying locations or retailers other than Barnes and Noble, and it would even be convenient if LEGO brand stores will sell them as well. But since these are exclusive and very limited LEGO minifigure collectibles, perhaps looking at it as a sort of a treasure hunt will make the search for them more fun and enjoyable.
For now, let’s feast our eyes on these official images and take a closer look at each of these LEGO Bricktober 2018 sets. A word of thanks to The Brothers Brick for sharing these images and to Brickfinder for additional info.
LEGO Harry Potter Minifigure Pack (5005254)
Expected availability: August 28 to September 2
This pack includes from left to right: Flying Instructor and Quidditch Referee Rolanda Hooch, Prof. Horace Slughorn, Madam Undersecretary Professor Dolores Umbridge, and Prof. Severus Snape as transformed by a Boggart.
LEGO Jurassic World Minifigure Pack (5005255)
Expected availability: September 3 to 9
This pack includes, from left to right, a long overdue Dr. Ian Malcolm (played by Jeff Goldblum), Claire Dearing, Owen Grady, and a baby dinosaur with chicken leg piece.
LEGO Marvel Superheroes Minifigure Pack (5005256)
Expected availability: September 10 to 16
This pack includes a very nice collection of minifigures unique to Avengers Infinity War: War Machine, Wong, Tony Stark (with sweater showing a partially covered arc reactor), and Bucky in his new White Wolf garb. Among this pack, the last two is a sure grab for me since this is the first time that we will be getting these versions of Tony and the reformed White Wolf all in one place.
LEGO Ninjago Minifigure Pack (5005257)
Expected availability: September 17 to 23
Last but definitely not the least, we have a staple of the LEGO Bricktober series which is LEGO Ninjago. This pack includes unique Ninjago minifigs based on the show’s latest season. This set consists of: Harumi (with Oni Mask of Hatred), Future Jay, Mohawk, and Nya (in Kabuki disguise).
All in all, this year’s collection of LEGO Bricktober 2018 minifigure packs is a sure win, with each set containing unique and never-before seen minifigures that will surely catch the eye of the most dotting collector: Prof. Horace Slughorn, Dr. Ian Malcolm, and the Avengers Infinity War versions of Bucky (aka Winter Soldier/White Wolf) and Tony Stark (with his sweater on). Will keep you posted for any developments regarding their availability so be sure to keep us under your radar.
Gamescom 2018 in Germany and the Overwatch Fan Festival in Korea are all set for tomorrow, and to celebrate these events and the official launch of the LEGO Overwatch tie-in sets, the Overwatch Facebook page just gave us a teaser on how things will be with the new LEGO theme. The teaser shows several silhouettes of LEGO Overwatch minifigures, particularly that of the six playable characters of the video game. From left to right, it seems to me that we’ll have: Widowmaker, Reinhardt, Genji, Soldier 76, Mercy, and McCree.
Interestingly, other than the LEGO Overwatch minifigures, the above teaser also shows three backgrounds which may suggest that the LEGO Overwatch sets will feature any of these places as hinted in their mini movies. As of now, rumor has it that LEGO has four sets dedicated to the Overwatch theme, with set numbers 75970, 75971, 75972 and 75973 assigned to them.
Furthermore, it is also expected that a LEGO Overwatch collectible minifigure series is in order which is pretty appealing considering the vast range of characters that the Overwatch universe has to offer. Exciting as it may sound, we have to consider all of these as speculations until we get to see the official LEGO Overwatch set reveal by tomorrow. Stay tuned here in our new website for more updates.
A few weeks ago, LEGO brand stores in the UK and in some parts of Europe began their LEGO Harry Potter Build and Take events to celebrate the recent release of the LEGO Harry Potter sets. Children were given the opportunity to make their own LEGO Harry Potter Magic Wand in-store and to take them home as well. Though this event is still on-going, with some stores running the event until September 1, some places have eventually concluded it already. So in case you missed out in this freebie, or is still waiting for this Build and Take event to happen in your local LEGO store, Promobricks were good enough to share the instructions for this relatively simple, 26-piece brick-built Harry Potter Magic Wand.
This build comes in regular LEGO brick pieces, just 26 pieces in total, consisting mostly of reddish brown and black circular bricks with axle holes. The only unique pieces are the long technic axle and the two 4x2x2 Rocket Step pieces, with the latter found only in recent sets such as the LEGO Classic Build Bigger Thinking Mission to Mars (10405), LEGO Ideas NASA Apollo Saturn V (21309), and The LEGO Batman Movie The Bat-Space Shuttle (70923). Even if you don’t have these specific parts, I’m sure that you can find alternative pieces to replace these and to give your LEGO Harry Potter Magic Wand its unique look and feel.
Thanks again to Promobricks for sharing these building instructions.
Earlier this month, LEGO launched its Overwatch minisite to celebrate the upcoming launch of their new Activision Blizzard tie-in, which was announced last May. There’s no word yet regarding where and when these new sets will be revealed, but a recent development may point us to a particular Overwatch Fan Festival happening this week in South Korea. The hugely popular first person shooter game has endeared itself to many South Koreans, and it makes sense that LEGO will make its presence known during the said event. As it turns out, a quick look at the regional Overwatch site seems to confirm this, with LEGO’s branding prominently shown and giving us a teaser that LEGO Overwatch sets are soon to be revealed.
Nothing much has been said about the extent of LEGO’s participation in the fan festival, but LEGO’s presence in the event speaks a mouthful. The Overwatch Fan Festival in South Korea will happen on Wednesday and Thursday, August 22 to 23, and it coincides with another event that is also happening this week, and this time in Germany. A quick browse at the Exhibitors page of Gamescom 2018 – Germany’s answer to E3 – reveals that LEGO will be setting up an exhibitor’s booth from August 21 to 25. Similarly, no details have been released to the public on what LEGO has in store for both Gamescom and the Overwatch Fan Festival, but we can bet our bricks that several LEGO Overwatch sets will most likely make their debut on these dates. According to Promobricks’ intel, there will be at least five LEGO Overwatch sets that fans can expect during the next few days. The only question is, which of these events will LEGO utilize to make the big reveal, and are we looking at regular sets, a new collectible minifigure line, or perhaps even a new wave of LEGO BrickHeadz Overwatch sets.
A custom LEGO Overwatch Reinhardt by chubbybots.A LEGO BrickHeadz Overwatch Mercy MOC by Mike Nieves.Overwatch heroes rendered in custom LEGO minifigures by Kaiju Dan.
Personally, I am more compelled to consider the possibility of having a full range of LEGO Overwatch sets across selected themes. Since the Overwatch universe is highly diversified, the LEGO sets will perhaps be primarily based on the Overwatch’s mini movies, while their respective minifigures will focus on some (and not all) of the 28 playable characters of the game since some might be too difficult to render in minifig form. We may also have a dual-pack LEGO BrickHeadz Overwatch set: one of which may be based on one the game’s tank heroes, equipped with their mechs or any related armaments. These are all speculative at this point based on what I want to see in a LEGO Overwatch set and until we hear an official press release from LEGO, we will keep our fingers crossed.
Be sure to subscribe to our blogsite for updates on these future LEGO Overwatch sets. Thanks to The Brick Fan for the heads up, and to Bricks Fanz for additional info.
