Why Did LEGO Hidden Side Fail? (2019-2020)

LEGO Hidden Side is an in-house theme from 2019 that followed highschoolers Jack and Parker, as they adventure around the town of Newbury hunting ghosts. In this video, I'll be taking a look at every set, minifigure, TV episode and the video game, to understand why LEGO Hidden Side truly failed. Lasting only 2 years, themes like LEGO Legends of Chima and LEGO Nexo Knights both outlasted this theme, so what made Hidden Side so unwanted by LEGO fans?
Clips I used:
‪@BeyondtheBrick‬
‪@LEGO‬

[@LegoManCam]

I hope you enjoyed the video! What did you think of LEGO Hidden Side? Also if you've seen a few of my videos and like them, please consider subscribing to help a small channel grow!

[@tharinduwalpita4264]

Holy ..I'm the first 😆 On that note , this had potential but the over complication of the app / devices ....it fell apart .. But the Minifigures were incredible

[@GrantGraff]

Im starting to think most of these themes were never meant to last

[@BrandonScott-mi5pz]

GREAT LEGO MAN CAM LEGO HIDDEN SIDE FAILURE.

[@GrantGraff]

Hidden Side is massively underrated. Especially that Clown set

[@edwardcheer1132]

Yes I agree with this by the way I own every set

[@legometaworld2728]

This is the last unlicensed theme I really got into

[@jaczylijaaleniepowiemkto3243]

You should really give Dreamzzz a chance! I'd go so far as to say it's even better than Hidden Side in some aspects.

[@AW_SOME8]

Have you tried out Monkie Kid yet? It's sooo good

[@Matoro0902_The_Wise]

Same here, it deserves better

[@RenegadeVrr]

Have you tried dreamzzz or ninjago? I know ninjago is very well known so I’m mainly recommending DreamZzz

[@mr.m878]

Hidden side kinda feels like the predecessor to dreamzzz.

[@deckie_]

Dreamzzz was inspired by Hidden Side There is some overlap in time too, but dreamzzz took a while to fully develop

[@ĐứcDuyTrần-o7t]

I love the Octan logo. It's every where in the Lego universe.

[@FortuneBrickss]

Hidden side was soo much better than dreamzz in my opinion, and other than the main ones like Ninjago etc, it is one of my favourite original themes by far!

[@BrandonScott-mi5pz]

EXCELLENT LEGO MAN CAM WORK.

[@riicky83]

Personally, I don't think the series failed. More like Lego just lost interest in it. I was lucky about 4-5 years ago. For the last 5 years, I've been working for a charity shop and I remember one day when I went to do my volunteer work, they had the Haunted school set. The manager allowed me to buy it and thankfully, whilst it had been opened. Only the first bag was open but the pieces were placed into a ziplock bag so it was 100% complete. It was a set I've always wanted from Hidden side.

[@SuperbGorilla]

It's definitely the box art in my opinion

[@why6212]

Yeah it looks gimmicky and not like other Lego boxes

[@mutekichojin]

There was also the issue that back then your average Joe's phone didn't even have the capability of using the app, rendering all those "play features" moot.

[@dfghjk230]

The state of Lego dreamzz feels about the same as when hideen side was out, heaps of cool sets but no one was very invested in the theme so they just sit on the shelves, one by one going into clearance/sale untilt the theme eventually dies. I think dreamzz will probably be cancelled by next year

[@Alex-m1p9z]

Dreamzzz feels a little bit too hodgepodge for ny taste, Hidden Side was more thematically consistent. Sadly I only ever bought two sets.

[@polarboy5862]

Generally Lego plans a cycle of 3 to 4 waves over a 2 to 3 year period for unlicensed kid themes, and unless they do unexpectedly well they are refreshed with a new (usually similar) theme.

[@kcenneckennek]

I got the Stunt Plane off Bricklink not too long ago and I honestly really liked building it, and it's a nice addition to my airshow display

[@Slyngelstuen74]

Aaaauw! You didn't even mention the 44 minute special 'Night of the Harbinger' (produced by myself) ... but I guess that just says a lot of the awareness and marketing of the theme.

[@timid1702]

Night of the Harbinger produced by The Tommy Andreasan

[@SwordBotMk3]

HOLY CRAP IT’S THE TOMMY ANDREASEN IN THE WILD!!

[@invaderzim1487]

What a coincidence! The day after this video was uploaded, Tommy Andreasen posted a video called Sizzle Reel, which included LEGO Hidden Side. I just learned about this theme-I never knew it existed before!

[@jakneez]

I wish they would have done a minifigure of lady e because it would make sense. I hope they do make one in the future just as a reference or to remember and honor the theme like they’re planning to do with chima.

[@leonriosecovega7520]

It wuold be cool seeing another Lego theme that tried something similar to what hidden side did of using the phone as part of the experience

[@gieselats]

The thing is , how to motivate kids to build some new creations with lego pieces. Spending time on mobile device is the main issue of hidden side. Ok, it is another time. We spend in the 80s so much time outside with our legos builds. Swooshing around with our spaceships through the neighborhood. But nowadays i don’t see any kids playing outside.

[@kstanni87]

That graveyard is that one of those faceless Weeping Angels from Doctor Who ?

[@dustybricks113]

Never used the app but did enjoy the graveyard and fishing boat set.😊

[@davidwalker361]

I bought a few of the sets. App was pretty fun, especially if you built the scenery to match. Last one I got was the green car, mainly because it looked so cool.

[@Pinkfriesss]

I'm actually really surprised that you mentioned the box art as a negative since the box art as a negative because that's one of my favorite parts about hidden side, sadly enough i don't have enough money to buy many lego sets so i rarely go beyond really cheap ninjago or super heroes sets but as soon as i saw hidden side i wanted some too bad i only got into lego again in 2022 when they were already cancelled, but i would love if lego would implement more stylized illustrated boxes like hidden side in themes like Monkie Kid, since I've always felt that the monkie kid and ninjago boxes kinda miss the heavy extremely recognizable style of the tv shows that made me love the theme in the first place.

[@JairoM.]

Hidden Side reminds me of Yo-Kai Watch with the whole "hidden side" of the human world

[@soldier6971]

I actually really loved hidden side when I was younger, would still buy it if it was going now

[@sandwichqueen]

I wonder if they took this idea and just made it a spin-off of Ninjago it might have boost the sales.

[@Acidonia150reborn]

In the UK Hidden Side was the Ad break Sponsor for The Simpsons on channel 4 for a few months that a bit odd too.

[@philusschwiftikusreaction]

I will die on this hill: This Line has so much potential if they trashed the Phone feature and gave them more creative "weapons" than Phones. Lego and digital devices DON‘T match. They had so many cool playfeatures but the only feature they really pushed was „Look you can use your phone!!“… also the boxart was crappy af

[@SirMola742]

THe wierd cover art was not exclusive to hidden side. The wonder women 1984 set had this as well (art showing wonder women and the villan glaring at each other, with the rest of the set not shown on the front of the box at all.) That set did not sell well (it was sometimes the one set which was one sale on the website. During covid when lego was constantly out of stock). So you can add lego dc to the list of themes partly undermined by this box art decision. IIRC, there may have been other sets as well, but i was just getting out of my dark ages and wasnt paying much attention.

[@TheGuy_and_TheOtherGuy]

I was 12 when the sets released and around that time i was a huge fan of the sets. I never touched the app tho

[@saschafeld5528]

The ghostfigures are cool. And the castle. The restlooks to generic including the heroes. Most people dont by a racecar for 2 ghosts and a boy with his dog..

[@Starbreaker-y2m]

Please lego hidden side return 😭😭😭😭😭😭😭

[@zachmakesstuff9866]

I’d say the pandemic definitely played a part. Obviously it impacted sales as nobody was seeing the sets in stores for the first time and buying one they like, but I’d also expect it impacted production too

[@BillyCrystalHunter]

Hidden side is underrated it’s pretty good and I almost have every set I was sad when the game shutdown but I got over it

[@Codyb4me]

I feel like video, nexo knights and hidden side failed because of the apps. These were pushed harder than the main show leading to people not creating a big connection to these characters like in ninjago and dreamzzz

[@LegoManCam]

super true, all very app-based, all failures :(. Its such a shame when incredible sets stop getting made!

[@wobadooba]

Personally I watched a few episodes and my parents got me the haunted school but I never really got into it that much

[@roberthosford1658]

I love all the spooky themes but all the others had one thing this one didn't the good guy figures were fun but all this has is kids with cellphones

[@seanalailima5929]

Can you do why LEGO DC failed from 2020-24 and why LEGO City Adventurers failed?

[@spudmaphot]

The usual, taking a simple concept that could work on its own and trying to make it "wacky". Best sets are decent at best, majority are ugly.

[@berrevanriest7686]

I really liked most of wave 1, after that it got kind of mediocre IMO.

[@manateemandoesstuff2779]

Think its because it didnt get an actual show

[@carterjames8829]

R.I.P. to this theme. I don’t enjoy it as much as Dreamzzz, Nexo Knights or Legends of Chima; I’d gladly accept this over Vidiyo or modern day Lego City sets.

[@rhenry5708]

dababy

[@Alex-m1p9z]

Hidden Side is honestly way better than Harry Potter, HP is so cookie cutter, HS was way more creative

[@S.J.BRICKS]

Hidden side!!!

[@skrillZUPOLARCOINS4599Parjol]

personal ranking of the themes : 1. Nexo Knights 2. Hidden Side 3. Ninjago = Chima 4. Bionicle = Hero Factory 5. Dreamzzz if an theme that had a TV series its not here , then the series was average or just above average with nothing special ( yeah thats right Mixels and Monkey Kid arent special ) .

[@GrantGraff]

@@skrillZUPOLARCOINS4599Parjol Hidden Side Ninjago Dreamzzz Chima Nexo Knights Bionicles

[@JesseTroller]

Bionicle is quite dark.

[@jirkapresident1894]

1:48 / 11:06 1:45 / 11:06 i have those lol

[@cantumason4o]

Because it was the devil. 😈