Are constraction sets dead?

Bumblepants · July 2019

Was just thinking about constraction sets (hero factory, Bionicle etc) and how the last ones we saw were Solo Star Wars tie-ins. Has the market for these died out? Just curious what others think about this. Any chance they will revive this style of building with a new theme?

The_Rancor · July 2019

There was meant to be that Clone Trooper and AT-RT Constraction set that was never released last year. Perhaps that's a sign that the Star Wars constraction theme wasn't doing too well. I saw sets from across that theme languish on shelves for years after they released, and no one even seemed to buy them on discount.

Perhaps TLG thinks that putting lots of mechs in other themes makes up for lack of constraction, but otherwise perhaps they're considering a new theme for it next year or so

M1J0E · July 2019

I don’t have a lot of experience with this style of building, having done only my avatar, #4597, but sadly for those who really enjoy it, there doesn’t seem to be new ides coming. At first I thought maybe brickheadz had replaced some of the licensed characters, but I wonder if mech building with more system parts integrated, has become a bigger replacement for constraction.

Charmiefcb · July 2019

They seemed to focus alot on Star Wars at a time the brand is going through some rough times with consumers. You can look up many youtube videos of store shelves and bargain bins filled to the brim with Star Wars toys. These buildable action figures just seem to be caught up in this rough patch for Star Wars.

I would be interested to see how the non Star Wars figures went and how the original trilogy Star Wars figures went. I remember I was going to buy a Darth Vader one and said I'd get it the next week. It seemed OK as they had about 50 of them on the shelf. I went back the next week and all of them were gone. Still a heap of Reys, Jyns and Finns on the shelf though.

CCC · July 2019

Star Wars LEGO sells well, but these did seem a bit niche. I never really saw the point of them as they are difficult to make into anything else. And you could get a better detail action figure for half the price. And if SW cannot make them sell, any other license is probably doomed. The superhero ones also remained on the shelves for a long time.

Bumblepants · July 2019

The helmeted or Droid characters looked good in this form for Star Wars but the human faces were meh at best. I think if anything they need to invent a new theme like Bionicle and not try and use an IP license.

SumoLego · July 2019

I'm sure they'll cycle back through these again in a few years, for a new crop of kids.

Do I think they're discontinued (for now) but I'm sure some 'need' will hit focus groups in some number of months, and we'll see these again.

It is undeniable that there is some intrinsic interest in these buildable Bionicle-esque figures.

Mr_Cross · July 2019

I think if there was greater integration possible with system parts, I would definitely find them more appealing.
Studs, pin holes, bar attachments etc. in strategic places would all make the highly specialised parts in the constraction sets more desirable for me.
Even within standard sets I regularly find it frustrating when a component could have had greater numbers of uses by simply adding a stud (or bar, clip, pin/axle hole) in an appropriate place, particularly when I can see how easy it would have been... circular saw, I'm looking at you!

...a stud or bar hole is even in the line of draw.

Astrobricks · July 2019

SumoLego said:

Do I think they're discontinued (for now) but I'm sure some 'need' will hit focus groups in some number of months, and we'll see these again.

I don’t know. Do you?

lkliment2 · July 2019

Personally, I thought the SW contraction figures were a lot of fun to build, which is why I was a fan of them. Kinda disappointed to see them go, but in all honesty I can't say I'm surprised.

SumoLego · July 2019

Astrobricks said:
I don’t know. Do you?

Yes, I do. Although it is really not clear exactly what I wrote. I did, did I; et tu?

I do, do do, doo doo, pooh-doo!

klinton · July 2019

SumoLego said:

Astrobricks said:
I don’t know. Do you?

Yes, I do. Although it is really not clear exactly what I wrote. I did, did I; et tu?

I do, do do, doo doo, pooh-doo!

Lego_Lord_Mayorca · July 2019

The only one I ever got (or ever thought was that cool) was the General Grevious constraction figure. Otherwise, this sub-theme of Star Wars seemed pointless to me. Now, the actual ball-and-joint "CCBS" system of parts? Those are awesome. I wish Lego would just produce oodles of those joints and armor bits and sell them off the Pick-a-Brick wall. Who needs creepy heads or funny torso prints? The creative MOCer can find a way to integrate plain colored ball and socket pieces into a creation.

Now, if something came along that merited the aesthetic that the CCBS mandates...like say, a modern-day BIONICLE (i.e. characters and creatures that, by definition, are robotic or mechanical in appearance), that would be a different story. But I don't see that happening now.

Paperballpark · August 2019

I bought both the Rey constraction figures. In fact, I bought two of the first one, as I built a constraction-scale model of Rey's Speeder, which she can sit on.

MrJackson · August 2019

I can tell you from my 4 years spent working at an LBR store that these didn't really sell well, SW or Bionicle 2. I can't tell you how many Chirruts, Reys, and others just sat on the shelves, to say nothing of the reintroduced Bionicle. I think the issue is that kids that want action figures want actual action figures. The number of people that said "that's not LEGO" was very high, and though they got better as the line grew, with parts like the updated hip shells, they weren't actually all that much fun to build. Of all my LEGO sets, I would have no problem having never gotten the Constraction figures that I did; it's definitely the only theme where I regret spending money in.

MugenPower · August 2019

I feel like the only one that didn't linger was the Stormtrooper Commander and then it got discontinued pretty fast. Or maybe I just waited a little too long before trying to buy one but it didn't seem to shelfwarm to me. I can only imagine that people bought multiples for army building.

Fauch · August 2019

sure didn't feel much like lego to me

Astrobricks · August 2019

Fauch said:

sure didn't feel much like lego to me

Lot more Technic than System.

Bumblepants · August 2019

I got the Scout Trooper with the Technic speeder bike on clearance. That was actually a really cool set. Even that one didn't seem to be a great seller though.

SearchlightRG · August 2019

I actually made a thread looking for new ideas on the subject, and response was lukewarm at best. As a long tie fan of Bionicle it kind of saddens me, but the failure of its second generation and the lackluster reception of the Star Wars figures seems to have killed things off. It could make a return, of course, but Lego may be holding off so that people can get over any dislike they may have had for certain sets.

Shib · August 2019

I loved the original bionicle line when I was a kid, but it was marketed and fit better almost as a Subtheme of technic. I bought the reboot version of Kopaka in the recent stuff and the constraction/CCBS/Bionicle/Hero Factory elements have very clearly evolved into more of their own system. Obviously its a system that integrates with standard system but to me the progression I followed as a kid (Duplo to System to bionicle to technic) doesn't seem to work.

That progression might not be deemed necessary by LEGO these days but it kept me involved with LEGO for several additional years as a kid when my interests were being drawn more to computer games.

ryjay · August 2019

I actually liked the Star Wars ones, but I always thought they wee too expensive....at $14.99 ok, but not at what they were charging later on.

The_Rancor · August 2019

Price was probably a bit of a deal breaker on many of the figures. Considering these type of sets are meant to be leaning more towards the action figure market the £30 Vader was quite steep. Although funnily enough that was one of the sets that didn't languish on the shelves as much.

Penkid11 · August 2019

Thought it relevant to put this here. Admittedly, I only really wanted to bring this up here so that, should it, in the off-chance, turn out to be true, the world should know what was considered before the theme was greenlit, and what we would be missing.

Image: https://us.v-cdn.net/5015319/uploads/editor/mu/pw43inkt75qo.png

It should be said that, the supposed "Clikits-like" theme has been discussed around the LEGO internet scene for some time, and is being referred to as "DOTS." This could give more credence to this info, but it could also help make it look more legit, if it is, indeed, a fabrication.

Context 1: Christian Faber was the former Art Director of the company who developed the original Bionicle. He has since left the position, but has occasionally been hired by LEGO for theme development.

This is one of several art pieces, posted by Faber, mentioned in the supposed leak above. https://www.instagram.com/p/BxxdZYOnJcl/?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet

Context 2: I got this from a mutual who, unfortunately, is not aware of the source of this info. To reiterate, it could be bogus for all we know.

Aanchir · August 2019

Definitely sounds bogus to me. :/

The_Rancor · August 2019

“Classic space theme and Exo Force reboot” is a massive flag, if nothing else! And there is plenty else.

Penkid11 · August 2019

To stoke the flame a bit, despite the skepticism, it was just discovered via leaks that the leaked theme "Leaf" has 18 sets, 4 of which were unknown before my initial post. It's unknown if those sets are an additional wave of 4 after the first 14 sets, like the leak implies, however.

Still doesn't give anything definitive, however.

JMaster · August 2019

I'd love to see it return, but it's looking dark for now. Hey, maybe I'm proven wrong and we get some stellar Constraction figures next year, but it's best to not get my hopes up after BIONICLE Generation 2 ended so abruptly.

Russell844 · August 2019

How about Constraction Trolls sets? LOL

Odeinoichus · August 2019

I love how Chima integrated these into the mythology. Using them to depict their fully CHI powered spiritual forms, meaning you could link them to the rest of the sets without really any issues. But considering we didn't even see any in either of the two LEGO Movies except for that one brief cut-a-way shot to the Bionicles in TLM for a joke, it isn't looking too good.

It would have been interesting to see at least one new Constraction figure made for TLM 2, I mean we saw them incorporate the Mini-Dolls and Duplo rather creatively, but failed utterly to give us a decent Constraction inspired set for the Theme/Movie.

Oh well, perhaps for The LEGO Movie 3: The Third Offering. Or something.

KungFuKenny · August 2019

It has been said before but the only constraction (lord I hate that word) sets that ever looked attractive were ones that were armored characters (Vader, troopers), droids (K2SO) or in between (Grievous)... sorry @Paperballpark but Rey’s head still gives me the heebie-jeebies... it seems like she is watching me whichever direction I turn! (Really like the speeder you designed for her though)

Paperballpark · August 2019

I agree that the early plain heads looked weird, because they didn't have necks - the helmeted characters always looked much better. Fortunately the first Rey figure had a shawl that went around her head, so it looked better than the other 'head only' characters. For the second Rey figure they added necks on that range, which made them look better.

Aleydita · August 2019

Hasn't the supposed Clickits reboot already begun? Plenty jewellery-themed sets released under the Friends banner in recent years, with an increase in such sets this last year in particular.

Bumblepants · August 2019

Aleydita said:

Hasn't the supposed Clickits reboot already begun? Plenty jewellery-themed sets released under the Friends banner in recent years, with an increase in such sets this last year in particular.

Dots I think? I read somewhere it was delayed until next year due to some quality issues with new molds or something like that. The 1*1 tiles used for art pieces in the architecture set this summer are supposedly borrowed from that line.

Russell844 · August 2019

Speaking of Chima, does anyone have a constraction #70205 Razar they would like to trade for a constraction #70202 Gorzan?

Are constraction sets dead?

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