The future of Elves

LostInTranslation

I just remembered seeing this a few days ago:
 
http://bricksfanz.com/new-2018-lego-elves-sets-exclusive-to-argos/

This does not fill me with optimism for Elves' future, as the soon-to-retire Nexo Knights sets have a similar deal with John Lewis in the UK with regard to the latest/final wave. 

There are two Elves Summer sets in the leaked catalogue but after that, who knows what will happen? 

I'd really like the theme to continue, I still think there's lots of potential: for instance somebody talked about an aquatic theme with mermaids, which could be really cool.
Or maybe it's run its course now and it's time for a fresh minidoll theme.

I'd love to hear others' thoughts on this. 

Toc13

I think Elves could benefit from a more long-running villain, giving time to explore the sub-theme in detail. The current one season and done  makes it look too much like a cash-grab with little reason to invest in the characters or to pick up the latest tweak.
With the rumours the DCSHG sets have been delayed or cancelled, it does not bode well for getting a wider range of minidolls beyond Friends & Disney

CCC

Without new characters, it has possibly run its course. And with new characters, it would still need to concentrate on the main cast to be called Elves. So it wouldn't bother me if they stop Elves and start something new but similar (like they do with most minifigure based themes). However, I think it would be a mistake to cut it and not replace it with a mainly girl-aimed fantasy theme. It could be mermaids, they already have the molds for the mermaid tails.

LostInTranslation

Just to clarify, when I said mermaids I meant as a wave within Elves - somebody said the recent cartoon episodes featured them.

But yes, if Elves and DCSHG are both on their way out, we would need a new minidoll theme to replace it, preferably fantasy/adventure based for my part. 
 

Aanchir

A wave being exclusive to one retailer in a particular country is somewhat common for a theme on the verge of retirement, though it doesn't always indicate that… both Technic and Speed Champions have had waves that were exclusive to Toys 'R' Us in the United States.

While Elves is one of my favorite themes and I'd hate to see it go, I also think the fact that it got a fourth year is pretty impressive, since I had similar fears about LAST year. And this year's big showdown between the forces of good and evil would not be the worst way to end things (it certainly has some nice continuity with the introduction of the shadow world last year).

Here's hoping that if Elves does end after this year it gets replaced by something just as fantastic. Maybe something sci-fi even? I'm not sure how much precedent there is for girl-targeted sci-fi toys but now that we've seen modern-day and fantasy themes with the impeccable level of beauty and detail that LEGO puts into their girl-targeted themes I would love to see how that could apply to a sci-fi context. Overall, as long as the designers behind LEGO Elves are still creating exciting new designs I am optimistic about the future.

Toc13

If we're going to go with a Sci-fi theme, Forces of Destiny would be up there for me.

MaffyD

Space Elves! I'm sure all the girls would like some WH40K Eldar in there... :-)

On a (slightly) more serious note, something like Spelljammer, but focussing on the Elves might work quite well.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spelljammer

Legolis

We're new to collecting and bought our first Elves set last week. Our girls absolutely love it. It's easily their favourite set at the moment. However I noticed there didn't seem to be much available and wondered if it was winding down. Guess we should run out and buy what we can before it's gone (that's going to be my excuse anyway).

MaffyD

^ There may well be deals to be had @Legolis - keep checking here:

https://brickset.com/buy/country-uk/theme-Elves

Lyichir

Gosh, please don't get me started on this... I've become so jaded from themes I love like Bionicle ending that I see signs of themes ending even when they aren't there. Like my brother said, I practically expected Elves to end last year what with the art shift, the end of the chapter books, one set mistakenly listed on Brickset that never got released... not to mention the fake-out with the inconsistent ending of the last webisode (which featured Emily's amulet getting cracked by the shadow creature, something that felt worryingly like a sign that Emily's time in Elvendale was coming to a close).

That said, none of the things we've seen are necessarily guaranteed indications of a theme's end. And it benefits nobody to stress out about the mere possibility of a theme's end this early in the year (before the latest wave of sets has even been released worldwide). And as I said earlier this year with Nexo Knights, if Elves is ending this year, it's certainly going out with a bang, with a high-drama storyline and an exciting series of sets. I definitely prefer that to a theme that goes out with a whimper, like the last year of Exo-Force that failed to provide any real conclusion or the last year of Bionicle G1 that propped up the dramatic finale with a lackluster series of sets.

Toc13 said:

If we're going to go with a Sci-fi theme, Forces of Destiny would be up there for me.

As cool as that would be, it's been hard for me to tell how closely that franchise is tied to Hasbro. I'm not sure whether they're solely responsible for the toyline or if they have a more direct role in the franchise's development and direction, but if it's the latter I wouldn't necessarily assume it'd be something Lego would be allowed to get in on.

Jenni

I would be sad to see Elves go, so many lovely parts came out of these sets. While I wouldn't mind a sci-fi series I doubt we'd get the same kind of parts from it. I think it could happen, Star Wars is actively pursuing young female fans and in books there are a bunch of young adult sci-fi series doing well. Not sure there's much of a teenage girl LEGO market yet but that first generation of Friends kids are getting to be that age, maybe this would keep them around.

eggshen

MaffyD said

Space Elves! I'm sure all the girls would like some WH40K Eldar in there... :-)

On a (slightly) more serious note, something like Spelljammer, but focussing on the Elves might work quite well.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spelljammer

I love SpellJammer, and also the Elves line. If they did Elves as a SpellJammer theme, I think that a ton of AFOL's heads would explode. Minidolls PLUS pirates in space? I thought Nexo Knights were going to do in a bunch of folks as it is, add minidolls to the mix.....?

tamamahm

Yeah. I think where Lego would be smart.... move on from Elves, but stay in that world.... so you stay fantasy, but you do something like explore that mermaid theme, or fairies, or something. This means new Characters, but it allows girls to cross the themes and create bigger stories using the sets they have. You can always move back towards Elves at a later date with new stories, since you are in the same world.

The elves line line has truly been just an overall wonderful line in my view point. 

We we would probably eat up a mermaid line here, considering I have a mermaid summer display already....

SearchlightRG

@Lyichir I hope you’re right, because if Hasbro’s involvement would serve to prevent a new theme’s creation then there’s no fear of an Equestria Girls mini-doll theme.

Aanchir

SearchlightRG said:

@Lyichir I hope you’re right, because if Hasbro’s involvement would serve to prevent a new theme’s creation then there’s no fear of an Equestria Girls mini-doll theme.

I would love My Little Pony and/or Equestria Girls sets (go Sunset Shimmer!), but that's one we definitely know would never happen, because the My Little Pony brand is wholly owned by Hasbro (unlike something like Star Wars that's based on an outside license). I think the toy industry would have to be rocked to its core for LEGO to even think about entering into licensing agreements with Hasbro or Mattel. With what big competitors they are it'd be too much of a conflict of interest.

CCC

Maybe they'll make their own fantasy pony line, Uni-pony. Or go full fantasy, Uni-unicorn.

CM4S

I don't buy the sets but Elves has some of the best designed playsets out of any LEGO theme ever. I wish they put the amount of effort and detail in those into other themes.

SearchlightRG

Aanchir said:

SearchlightRG said:

@Lyichir I hope you’re right, because if Hasbro’s involvement would serve to prevent a new theme’s creation then there’s no fear of an Equestria Girls mini-doll theme.

I would love My Little Pony and/or Equestria Girls sets (go Sunset Shimmer!), but that's one we definitely know would never happen, because the My Little Pony brand is wholly owned by Hasbro (unlike something like Star Wars that's based on an outside license). I think the toy industry would have to be rocked to its core for LEGO to even think about entering into licensing agreements with Hasbro or Mattel. With what big competitors they are it'd be too much of a conflict of interest.

Yeah, I’d imagine so. Personally I’m not a fan of Equestria Girls, and I don’t see Friendship is Magic translating all that well into Lego form. 

tallblocktoo

I'd be okay if it ended although I have really enjoyed it.  I don't generally buy other Lego doll sets but I really liked the first and third seasons not so much the second.  

I guess it would really depend on what replaced it if I would continue buying any doll sets on an ongoing basis.  

MAGNINOMINISUMBRA

MaffyD said:

Space Elves! I'm sure all the girls would like some WH40K Eldar in there... :-)

On a (slightly) more serious note, something like Spelljammer, but focussing on the Elves might work quite well.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spelljammer

Now THERE Is a blast from the tabletop, dice throwing past!

KirstyL21

As a huge fan of Lego Elves, I am always quietly grateful for each continuing wave of this theme. There was much surprise and excitement when I first found out we were getting another year. I have every set that has been sold in South Africa so far. Thankfully the retailer exclusives still come to our market so I will be getting all the up coming sets. I am really looking forward to the brick built animals as I absolutely loved the dragons. If I could make a wish I would ask for a storyline with mermaids, which we know are residents in Elvendale ... With the past sets to go on I am sure the design team could do wonderful underwater and shore side builds! From day one of Elves I have kept my hopes alive for a Unicorn, sadly they have never even teased that they exist in Elvendale so maaaaaybe if Elves ends and a new fantasy theme emerges we might, just might be blessed with such a fantastic creature. I guess we just wait and see what the future brings. 

Bumblepants

My girls love Elves to the point they barely glance at Friends or anything else. The broader color palette and dragons etc make it much easier for my son to join with them in playing. Hoping it or something similar remains evergreen like Ninjago or I fear they will lose interest in Lego.

bookmum

I like Elves. I would be sad to see it go. However I only own two sets and one poly bags. There isn't a lot in the small pocket money range. Nothing below £5. Shame because that would catch the impulse buy for children with a pocket full of change. More polybags or little sets like the Friends animal ones. 

catwrangler

^ Yes, that seems like it's been an odd missed opportunity...

Toc13

Just checked the breakdown -
35 sets ranging from £8.99/$9.99 to £79.99/$99.99
2 polybags
6 magazine gifts - animals, including some that appear in expensive sets
(& 11 'Gear')

It'd be interesting to see how that compares with themes such as Chima

CCC

I guess the problem with the small sets is the number of characters. If the characters were in small sets, it damages sales of larger sets, and there weren't that many variants of these ones unlike some other themes. I would have liked to have seen more boy elf variants especially, since (like above) my son played with some of the sets with his sister simply as I bought him a few of boy variants (a few Farrans and a Tidas). It is a shame there wasn't at least a boy and girl from each tribe, as that would have added characters and maybe made for some smaller sets.

Lyichir

Toc13 said:

Just checked the breakdown -
35 sets ranging from £8.99/$9.99 to £79.99/$99.99
2 polybags
6 magazine gifts - animals, including some that appear in expensive sets
(& 11 'Gear')

It'd be interesting to see how that compares with themes such as Chima

It's definitely a much smaller theme than Chima, Ninjago, or Nexo Knights. It generally only gets 8–10 regular retail sets per year (not counting polybags or magazine gifts). A typical "big bang" theme aimed at boys often gets double that, sometimes including low-priced "gimmick sets" like Ninjago's spinner packs or Chima's Speedorz.

That said, I don't fault Lego for playing it safer with Elves (their first major expansion of the relatively new market base established by the Friends theme), and in fact I'd probably wager that the lower number of sets per year has been a contributing factor to the consistently high quality of the theme as a whole. There are few other themes where I've felt quite as driven to collect every single set in every given year, in part because characters are repeated less frequently overall and every set across almost every price range tends to offer something new and different from the rest of the sets in the range.

Which isn't to say I wouldn't love if the theme were bigger, offering more sets at both lower and higher price points. I was disappointed that Elves got "snubbed" by Lego Dimensions (which didn't include any mini-doll themes, but they wouldn't have been that much more of a stretch than many of the other eclectic figure types). I wish there had been more polybags after year 2. And given how much Elves has managed to do without exceeding the $100 price point, I'm sure they could come up with something even better at the $120 or $150 price points enjoyed by themes like Ninjago, City, or Star Wars.

SearchlightRG

@Lyichir, your note on Dimensions reminds me of something. When they introduced the whole Sixteen Realms concept to Ninjago-and happened to include Chima as one of them-it made me wonder if any other themes were meant to be various realms. Elves was one that came particularly to mind, possibly as a joint universe with Friends.

SumoLego

LEGO can always bring it back.

catwrangler

I wouldn't be surprised if they did. Give it, say, eight years, and you've got kids in the target age group who not only don't know Elves, their elder siblings most likely didn't know Elves (or hand down old sets/parts) either. Not much comfort for people who want more sets now, I know, but it seems like TLG would revisit something so successful one day. 

bookmum

I was out shopping just now and popped into The Entertainer. It accured to me that they have never stocked the Elves range. Is this part of their policy of not stocking certain toys because it goes against their Christian faith? Is there something 'non Christian' about Elves? This is a serious question!! A friend of mine is a Christian and it is a very important part of her life. She won't let her children do yoga or mindfulness or anything to do with magic at school - which as much as I respect her beliefs I am a bit baffled by! 

Toc13

There's magic involved & having the different elements smacks of paganism

MaffyD

^ It's probably because the show connects Elvendale with The Real World so children could 'believe' they could get there. Harry Potter was similarly banned. I've got to admit, I had to have a word with my eldest son about magic not being real and he should probably stop trying to use spells to complete his homework, and instead use spelling. That was... awkward, but not related to Christianity in any way. Just a bit of common sense.

In the states Dungeons & Dragons was affected in much the same way back in the 70s. And we're back at Spelljammer.

Toc13

But they're okay to sell Twilight Sparkle because it's not real.
Consistency & logic begone

bookmum

I don't know if that is The Entertainers reason. I was just wondering. They sell the Disney Princess sets and they are full of magic!! Hmm? Who knows! 

MaffyD

^ No connection between Disney and Real World - much the same as Lord Of The Rings

MAGNINOMINISUMBRA

bookmum said:

 A friend of mine is a Christian and it is a very important part of her life. She won't let her children do yoga or mindfulness or anything to do with magic at school - which as much as I respect her beliefs I am a bit baffled by! 

Sounds like a very Christian thing to do...

SumoLego

MaffyD said:

^ No connection between Disney and Real World - much the same as Lord Of The Rings

Wait - are you telling me that the characters in my favorite arcade games don't actually live inside the cabinets and interact through the surge protector?

I'm pretty sure they do.

And orcs are real.  They just live deep in the mountains.

CCC

SumoLego said:

And orcs are real.  They just live deep in the mountains.

And work in the basement at Argos.

bookmum

I wasn't critising or insulting my friends Christian beliefs @MAGNINOMINISUMBRA it's just sometimes I don't fully understand the reasons. Some of the 'Mindfulness' they do at the school is just that fancy colouring in. 

SearchlightRG

CCC said:

SumoLego said:

And orcs are real.  They just live deep in the mountains.

And work in the basement at Argos.

And lest we forget, between them and hobbits we got the game of golf.

Jenni

bookmum said:

I wasn't critising or insulting my friends Christian beliefs @MAGNINOMINISUMBRA it's just sometimes I don't fully understand the reasons. Some of the 'Mindfulness' they do at the school is just that fancy colouring in. 

I just want to chime in and say that as a Christian who facilitates centering prayer, practices mindfulness, needs desperately to get back to yoga, and is organizing a meditative retreat at our cathedral, I think your friend has some Baptist/Pentecostal/other doctrinal beliefs affecting her, not Christian ones.

Just wanted to mention it before we all get tarred with the same brush :)

77ncaachamps

If fantasy magic isn't real and elves aren't real, what are people afraid of?!

Having a sinister enemy would be great for this set: beating evil above all else!

SumoLego

^ David Blaine?  I'm afraid of David Blaine, David Copperfield and the magician on Fox with the lucha libre mask.

Well, maybe they just freak me out with their oddness.

bookmum

My friends daughter came over to play yesterday and was telling me that she likes the Elves sets and was going to be getting some. So I guess they are OK with Elves then!! 

Aanchir

The first three 2018 LEGO Elves webisodes are on LEGO.com!
https://www.lego.com/en-us/themes/elves/videos/into-the-shadow-world

TheFew

Did anyone else read the thread title as "The Future of Elvis"?

The_Rancor

Until Aanchir's post above I thought this thread was taking a dark turn

Legolis

Aanchir, thanks for the tip off. 

HugeYellowBrick

^^ Cool, with Lumia we get Elvendale meets Unigine Heaven.

drlmiles1

Sad to see very few Elves sets on the shelves of my local Smyths, and none of the current wave of five. Tesco Extra has no Elves sets at all. This theme has been praised by many different types of Lego fan, and has been well received in general by AFOLs - some even liking the mini dolls (which I think are excellent, BTW). As posted above, is this the end of the theme, with only two more sets to come in summer? Does anyone know how well this has sold?