Why LEGO isn't a Toy Anymore...

[@MaxM210]

The root of this, I think really stems from the larger cultural shift in the way kids play. Video games, phones and general electronic devices occupy way more of the average child’s attention than ever before. The next few generations will probably be the last to have toys at the same capacity we did. Toys as a concept won’t be going away anytime soon, and kids will still have them, but not to the same extent. Meanwhile the generations aged 20-40 find themselves in a world that has learned to sell them back their nostalgia. The cost living has risen such that young adults can barely afford apartments or cars, so why not use all that disposable income to recapture what your childhood felt like. Lego like all other toy companies has come to realize 20 something adults are probably the best market they’ve ever had. They can produce huge, expensive sets, most of them licensed, and designed to sit on shelves as display pieces, without needing to consider family budgets or parent’s reluctance to spoil their children. Children are no longer the primary concern of the average toy company.

[@BrandonScott-mi5pz]

EXCELLENT LEGO MAN CAM WORK. ❤❤❤😊❤❤❤😊❤❤❤😊

[@FantasmaJ]

​@@BrandonScott-mi5pzdead internet theory

[@jeffc4862]

I honestly think the 'root' of it is that Lego has long been beyond the price point of most young parent's wanting to get a set or two for their kids (nostalgia is a strong motivator to share with Children, just as it is to continue purchasing as an adult). Parent's still love 'analog' toys and activities for their young children before the phones and video games come into the picture, and there are a lot of lesser expensive and engaging alternatives to Lego which has kinda become a one set and done purchase, or Parents just buying a collection of building bricks due to the expense. In a nutshell, they 'priced out' of the parent market, and are presently pricing out of the adult market as well outside of more affluent collectors.

[@randomcow505]

I think its the other way around I think parents give kids video games and phones because its LESS EXPENSIVE than buying toys sure, an iphone costs £500, but they can use it for almost everything, they basically NEED to have one, most of the games are free, and you just have to throw in £10 a week to buy them skins for hours and hours of play time. Meanwhile traditional toys just dont offer that kind of replayability and the prices for them is just rising and rising especially for the good ones like lego and I think part of this is because they know they can charge such high amounts because they know man children will pay out the ass for them.

[@jeffc4862]

@@randomcow505 It's really about parenting, and parental engagement. Kids under 10 don't need phones or video games - they've pretty much just become the at home babysitter to engage the children so that parent's can do something else (as opposed to actually spending time with their kids playing games, putting puzzles together etc...). Granted, we don't have a 'go out and play' society any longer, but kids DO mirror/reflect their parents, and if Lego was more affordable and building encouraged, that's what they would do. Lego was ALWAYS expensive, which is why many younger parents write them off. That said, there are many adults willing to pay the crazy prices, but now that there's a growing list of comparable competitors with much lower prices, in a few years, even the adult market will most likely change.

[@leondosunmu8450]

if they aren't toys anymore, then make deadpool and wolverine sets!

[@pepsicannot]

Well you might just be asking about were are those R rated, M rated moves as well as irl tragedy events as Lego sets.

[@bloodymarvelous4790]

They did. In 2012.

[@sudiousmine]

You know you're in a bad neighborhood when you go to the Walmart and you see Lego locked up.

[@Drawzilla2810]

Brother they locked up here in Utah it’s not that deep

[@Bowl849]

@@Drawzilla2810wait really? I went to a Walmart a bit ago and they weren’t

[@scorpiovenator_4736]

​@@Drawzilla2810That's to be expected

[@theonlycube8538]

I mean that’s just Walmart. They’re always sketchy

[@jamesedwards1867]

All the Targets near me in NC & SC have them locked up.

[@JBMVoid]

They found kid grew with lego will buy lego as adults. So they start target those

[@subraxas]

Yeah, you are just repeating here what has already been stated on the video above. 😀

[@prathameshozarkar]

​@@subraxas😂😂

[@ledders3150]

Who else misses the old days where play come before display

[@gamerboyofficalyt]

I sort of do, I wasn't around during LEGO's "golden" years as some may call it, a part of me still subconsciously yearns for the days of classic town and city, they were such simple yet creative sets with simple minifigures that you didn't have to worry about selling on some after market.

[@Takeawayjustin]

Yeah i desperately want cheaper sets with good value​@@gamerboyofficalyt

[@BrandonScott-mi5pz]

GREAT LEGO MAN CAM LEGO IS NOT JUST TOY

[@AJedits65]

lol nobody’s stopping you from it tho

[@Takeawayjustin]

@@AJedits65 huh

[@juanpabloortiz1547]

Well, aside from price, I do think they are taking something away: space for Lego's own original themes for kids. From the 2000s to I guess 2010s we used to have this short but sweet themes that were affordable and super creative: Atlantis, Space Police, Power Miners, Castle, Agents, Monster Fighters, etc, etc. Lego were creative with their own brand and targeted "older" kids; now there isn't really a product for the in-between crowd, it is either 4+ sets or the hundred dollar collector's item. Even those sets that are for 12-18 ages, they have to be tackled onto a license, so no new themes. Now, we do still have original themes, but the all aim at the Ninjago treatment, as say Galaxy Squad. These themes need a TV show, or a mobile game to be green lit: Monkey Kid, Chima, Nexo Knights, Hidden Side. If it isn't as big a success as Ninjago, it is considered a failure. I miss the days when we'd get a couple waves of a theme and it didn't have to be "the next Ninjago", it just had to be itself as Lego tried something new.

[@Bowl849]

There’s also the Dreamz wave

[@bloodymarvelous4790]

@@Bowl849 And the Exploration themes (Polar, Ocean, Jungle, Space). And even if they're IP related, they aren't that expensive. Look at Fortnite, Overwatch, Animal Crossing, Jurassic World, Indiana Jones, Super Mario. Plenty of sets below the $50 mark.

[@jfwfreo]

When was the last time LEGO introduced a new original theme that didn't have some kind of tie-in media?

[@Ocorydon-WCO]

Toy: Something that provides amusement Just cause it's for adults doesn't mean it's not a toy. People only say otherwise cause they are fragile as hell to the point where they get all pissy when someone calls their *toy* a *toy*

[@17denby]

So is a roller coaster a toy😂?

[@jacoboguzmanbricks]

Right not to mention the fact that it comes from a toy factory I also wonder how adults managed to start playing with kids toys it's a little bit strange but they could enjoy their life right?

[@EricMatzke-h7h]

Like co.ic books now being called graphic novels, same as before, but cost more and aimed at an older generation

[@fgdj2000]

So by your definition, beer is also a toy 😅

[@EricMatzke-h7h]

@@jacoboguzmanbricks by having kids and playing with the toys together, as a way to bond

[@jakubadamec3243]

Adults have money, kids don't. I guess that's why :)

[@PedroSavioo]

Even for adults a 500 dolar lego is a lot of money

[@jakubadamec3243]

@@PedroSavioo well for sure. I would never buy a set for 500...

[@DarthTach]

​@@jakubadamec3243 Tell me your a poor without telling me. I just bought Barad-dur during this Insiders weekend. But i did save up for it since it's release. I'll drop $500 on something if i feel there is value for it.

[@fgdj2000]

My criticism against Lego is the ridiculously high prices against a dip in quality. Lego competitors usually give you more for similar prices, I am looking at Funwhole, Cada or Bluebrixx. Imagine Funwhole‘s Barad-dur. Would have been expensive too, but you’d gotten lights and just better designs.

[@SO-ym3zs]

That's the real kicker: it's not just a steady increase in prices, but a decline in quality control and, often design. The competitors like Funwhole, Pantasy, etc. just make cooler themes and sets and sell them cheaper. That's a big win for anyone willing to step outside the Lego comfort zone.

[@AdamBragg]

With the steady increase in quality of some non-LEGO brand bricks, combined with as you put it the increasing cost of living crisis, I do wonder how many parents will be turning to these cheaper alternatives for their children. I don't mean people buying intentional copyright infringing LEGO knockoffs, but alt brands who're producing their own sets which may even be more kid-focused as well as more affordable than LEGO is becoming. If such a trend does develop, we may see in the next 10-15 years an entire generation of young adults whose childhood memories include happily playing with non-LEGO building bricks. As both they and these alt brands mature, will we see them become more prevalent in the marketplace? Will we see them gain increased marketplace acceptance and legitimacy among brick building toy fans? If so, LEGO will only have themselves to blame.

[@Rafaelforte-hs4bv]

I hope so honestly I love legos, but a greedy company is a greedy company. We can’t expect lego to do what they did in the past because it’s better. They’ll do what makes most money, period. Soooo, ya

[@AdamBragg]

@@Rafaelforte-hs4bv To be equally honest, I don't think "greed" is a factor. If you account for inflation, LEGO sets on average charge less per brick today than they did in the 1980s. LEGO isn't more expensive due to overcharging, what's happened is the sets have gotten larger and more complex. The target market for many sets is now 18+, a category which didn't exist several decades ago. These are some of the factors which are really making LEGO more expensive. Even in the smaller City sets, there are more bricks than the equivalent sets of previous decades. When you consider that the average City vehicle is 6 studs wide instead of the classic Town width of 4 studs, this translates into more bricks for the vehicles and more bricks for the buildings so they aren't outsized by the vehicles. The resulting sets are more interesting and better looking, but those extra pieces come with a cost. Add to that all the licensed sets, every one of which had to charge enough to not only cover the bricks themselves, but also pay the royalty to the licensee. You can't make a set AND pay Disney a royalty AND make it bigger than in the past AND account for inflation AND keep the price down. It's basic math. It's easy to look at a huge and profitable company and accuse them of raw greed, but I don't think LEGO NEEDS to be greedy. They are HUGE! They so blatantly dominate the global toy market they can be average in their costing formulas and still make bank.

[@SO-ym3zs]

The legit alt brands are now producing sets that are of equal or better quality and more feature rich than Lego products--and often far, far cheaper. Once Lego runs the adult nostalgia market dry, they're in trouble because of shifts in kids' play habits away from toys, crazy pricing, and putting their eggs in the 18+ basket while leaving their original themes to just coast or wither. At some point, I doubt there will be many kids growing up with Lego anymore.

[@annieskywalker9290]

​@@SO-ym3zs funwhole Is the better example of this, I don't know If the bricks match the Quality ABS of the lego Brick but the Building techniques aré sure something that matches Lego's building techniques, the thing Is Funwhole doesn't have a retail way of Buy It outside of Amazon and their sets are Mostly geared to the adult collector, Mega Is the one that Is the closest competing brand with lego, the plastic sure Is different but they are a cheaper alternative for both kids and adults and they surely evolved in their Building techniques and while they don't have the same licenses as Lego they still have Some heavy hitters.

[@jeffc4862]

I think Lego priced themselves out of the market for Parent's wanting to get sets for their Kids, and noticed the evolving collector/investor market, and how much adults were willing to spend on sets they most likely wanted when they were younger, and were finally able to purchase them on their own. What's interesting, is that even with the shift toward adult builders, the models are continuing to elevate in price and piece count, which has moved far beyond even what the average Lego adult enthusiast is willing to spend, which has led to an influx of 'off brands' that have very quickly been gaining popularity.

[@SO-ym3zs]

Lego is making a killing financially for now, but how long can they continue the strategy of making these hyper-expensive adult collector sets instead of what their core business used to be: creativity toys for kids? Thank goodness for the alt brands that cater to people who love brick building itself and not the "Lego" name or stuff licensed from movie franchises.

[@Toshiro93]

The two things that perplex me most are not so much these sets, but: 1. the absence of sets that complement the mastodons designed for adults and, let's face it, for those with a nice fat wallet; 2. the fact that there has been a general increase in the prices of all sets, even those that technically shouldn't include licenses of any kind (yes, I'm looking at you, Monkie Kid).

[@bilbobaggins9451]

D@mn. I remember when the UCS Star Destroyer was a big deal. And that was looked at as like once in a blue moon thing. Now it seems like regular $30 sets are what comes around once in a blue moon. It did leave me kind of awestruck, but at the same time kind of somber to see the sheer amount of UCS sets. That was when I walked into a lego store for the first time in maybe 15 years.

[@PlayPauseRecord535]

Waiting for a universal classic monsters set / castle

[@hanz0109]

Tbh when i was younger i loved all the lego star wars set's even had the game's. I was always so overjoyed to get set's from the clone war's i love to collect the clone troopers. And after like 2021 the newer set's just don't hit like the older one's i could recall a time when i could get 4 phase one clones for 10$ and round about 2021 all they made were phase 2 clones in packs for 20$ and they kinda of just don't hit like they used to

[@peterpolus5272]

Bricklink being owned by Lego is one of the worst things that could have happened to the community and it happened😐

[@annieskywalker9290]

Because of the investors?

[@peterpolus5272]

@annieskywalker9290 because now they control a large portion of the second hand market. It would be more beneficial to the consumers if it had no direct ties to the producer.

[@bloodymarvelous4790]

@@peterpolus5272 How do they control the second hand market? It's the sellers that offer the sets and bricks for sale. Not LEGO.

[@peterpolus5272]

@@bloodymarvelous4790 That's true. What I'm talking about is that they make the important decisions that affect the bricklink portion of the market and in case a situation arises in which there's a conflict of the company's and the consumers' interest, they are probably going to make the choices that benefit the company.

[@jacopomalatesta4913]

Legos should cost half as much for the love of god.

[@SO-ym3zs]

The fact that companies like Funwhole and Pantasy make sets that are as good or better than Lego and sell them at a third to half the cost of a comparable Lego sets shows it's quite possible.

[@bloodymarvelous4790]

@@SO-ym3zs Then buy those. It's an open market. By the way, you'll soon find out they're not nearly as good, let alone better, than LEGO. Bricks don't fit together properly, instructions are far inferior, and the final builds aren't nearly as stable.

[@SO-ym3zs]

@@bloodymarvelous4790 I haven't had that experience at all--quite the opposite. Over the past few years, the best alt brands have come to rival or outstrip Lego in quality. The manuals from Cobi and Funwhole are actually superior in the way they differentiate completed and current steps and/or call out parts. Funwhole and Pantasy use GoBricks, which are as good as Lego in fit and clutch power and better in color consistency. Cobi bricks are also top notch. And I've seen no difference in overall build stability of the leading alternate brands and Lego. Lego just isn't superior anymore to the best of what their competitors offer. Which is great, because it means more quality options for everyone (though it's a shame Lego has also declined).

[@parker_smith72]

I miss play features

[@midling6321]

Agreed, it feels like it's the bare minimum with spring loaded shooters or whatever the generic gimmick is

[@peterpolus5272]

So what no one makes you buy all these sets, it's creating fomo all the same. It makes the hobby a little less healthy than it used to be.

[@aurelko9705]

I would love to see a video on the "what went wrong/why failed" theme on Lego power miners

[@NASCARBOI_OFFICAL]

I’d rather have Lego than GTA 6

[@EnzoNotFerrari21]

I mean there are lots of smaller sets that are not 18+ like from City or Ninjago?

[@benjaminstorace6699]

I wish Bricklink never sold out to LEGO.

[@JBBrickFanatic]

8:00 forward. you’re exactly right. As long as people keep buying it, they’ll keep upping the price!

[@TheScienceNerd100]

Thing is, the natural rate of inflation is whats keeping the price going up more than greed in the case of Lego On most counts, with non licensed sets (Because licensed sets need to be raised so the company who license it is gets a share) the price is steady with inflation and inflation only. Its not just a case of *price go up = 100% greed*, there are many factors that play into price, like inflation, supply, demand, taxes, tariffs, manufacturing costs, material prices. All can impact the price of the product. If plastic for the bricks go up in price, Lego HAS to increase prices so they can still afford the plastic to continue to produce more. Its not just greed for EVERY case of prices going up, some cases it is just greed, but some aren't, and as for Lego, I cannot say I see it as greed cause they still offer amazing value for price.

[@bloodymarvelous4790]

@@TheScienceNerd100 What you're saying is incorrect. LEGO doesn't keep up with inflation. When adjusted for inflation LEGO sets have gotten cheaper over time. Some sets are insanely overpriced, but that's down to the greed of their licensing partners. I'm looking at you Disney. Universal Studios sets are reasonably priced, as are Warner Bros. sets, SEGA sets, Paramount sets, NASA sets, and any car or motorcycle brand sets. They're pretty much all in the 7¢ to 10¢/piece range, and that's with printed/drum lacquered/special/electric pieces.

[@Joshie-n8i]

you forgot the zelda deku tree! its 18 plus and 260 pounds!

[@johnstancliff7328]

it will be nice when they jump on board with illuminated sets. I can get illumination parts through temu for a great price...

[@SO-ym3zs]

That's part of why so many people are jumping on the Funwhole bandwagon: the sets all come with unique, integrated light kits. And still sell for half of what Lego charges. If and when Lego ever starts doing lights, it might be too late, and it'll certainly drive their crazy prices even higher :(

[@SmoodGraphics59]

Don’t forget the Lego technic

[@marcinmcula99]

I miss the days when I could play for hours with a bunch of colorful square bricks. They can't make a set that would recapture that joy

[@spikepig76]

Other people have said this, but it bears repeating. While these bigger sets are beautiful, offer a lot of playability, and people who can afford them have the right to buy them, there is a real danger that Lego is killing off its own future. The adult generation that is buying these bigger sets will not last forever. The next generation may never get into Lego because they could never afford it in the first place, especially if the store’s shelf space is increasingly dominated by inexpensive sets that parents can't afford.

[@PedroSavioo]

Lego went on a road that is pretty much sad. Back in the 90s they had those themes like ufo, ice planet, jungle... each theme with a cheap and expensive sets.. they were advertised in sheets that came inside other boxes. I wish that returned. We need consistency themes. Why not make a lord of the rings theme with a small set like frodo, sam and gollum walking between two trees and the big set would be the rivendel. Or what about indiana jones? A small set of indy in a desk and a board behind him? And the big one could be a zepellin or him running from the rolling ball from the first movie? What about a star wars theme again? A small set could be simply yoda talking to anakin in that scene where he teaches him to let go. And the big set could be a jedi temple (in a reduced scaled ofc). Now its all about huge and lonely sets. Sets with 10000 pieces and sets with boats (that come incomplete unless you buy it in a black friday so the small boat comes with the damn minifigure)... what if this person doesnt have that money in that time? He wont be getting the complete stuff ever.

[@bloodymarvelous4790]

Lord of the Rings: They did do that, and they are going to do that again. Indiana Jones: They did do that. Star Wars: They're still doing that. Other themes where they're still doing that: Harry Potter Sonic the Hedgehog Super Mario Fortnite Animal Crossing NINJAGO Monkey Kid DREAMZzz Jurassic World Ideas Jungle Explorers Space Explorers Technic Marvel DC Minecraft Wednesday Disney The only theme that doesn't do it is Icons. You need to do your research before spouting nonsense.

[@GamerErman2001]

They didn't start the 18+ line because of COVID. They started coming out in 2020 which means they had to be working on them in 2019 or earlier.

[@Plastic_box876]

Cant wait to get all these F1 speed champions cars ( -1400pln 😭😭😭 )

[@bloodymarvelous4790]

All Speed Champion cars are eventually discounted through third party retailers. You'll be able to buy them at 1000pln if you don't buy them on day one.

[@Lemuel928]

Parents called it not buying.

[@efeugurYT]

Im a kid but that pac-man arcade machine looks pretty great

[@brianthered]

When LEGO became more expensive than flatscreen TVs..

[@Danielle-wy4zk]

I’m going to Legoland Windsor for Christmas

[@elegancy8265]

cool man, happy for you

[@karal_the_crazy]

1:50 actually I loved building solid scenes in Lego and would hang my legos from strings when I ran out of clear rods ( I was 13 at the time)

[@rushylvanianorthern]

At Walmart the three things locked behind glass cases are video game cartridges, Legos, and hotwheels. ☠ people making money make everything we used to have fun with more expensive and lucrative to get into

[@Sykxezn]

2012 was a nice year man

[@KisekiFan]

Whether they are for display or for playing, one thing stays the same with Lego, they are the best minefield 😂

[@m.o.d8643]

Bro was speaking fax at the end

[@phoquenergoggle828]

it feels like they could be deterring younger fans because theyll be less likely to ask for assistance opening the glass but idk

[@LegoManCam]

100%

[@BasementDweller_]

It’s like Pokemon cards now.

[@LegoManCam]

yep 100%

[@Raventommm]

Personally, i dont think buying sets is the main focus for me. Im a huge castle fan and lotr fan. It hurts to see the expansive sets of lotr... I cant buy it at ones... Many times i thought to just do it, but then i realize... This is not what i really want from Lego. Because ones i build those huge sets its done... I wanna keep building and be creative with Lego... So i dont buy the lotr sets, but if lego would release smaller ones, i would buy it... Because it would be more versatialle.. Nowadays i focus on castle... And even those few sets are expansive but they have so much alternate builds for them its huge... You can keep using your imaginazing to rebuild the medieval town sqaure... I have bought a second set of that over time and now im making an alternate build to have more compleet houses... A castle i can build with pab using my own fantasy and knights i can order online... I can keep building without ever have to stop... Thats why lego is for me the best toy... I will keep spending smaller amounts of money over time then buying a 500€ set at ones... Do you know how many bricks you can buy with 500? To create something by yourself.. My wife is making a moc from hp the forbidden forest... She only buys the smaller sets and create the rest by her self. Its awesome to see how people evolve and get better at making mocs... Also, lego do give us some very good sets for a good price... The viking village is one of them. Not to pricey and you can buy the set over time more then ones and have a huge viking village... One lotr set is at least three viking village sets... Imagine what you can do with that!

[@bloodymarvelous4790]

Jaws not scary to kids anymore? Jaws is still scary to adults!

[@keldrongemini2422]

Honestly I think Lego went from being the best line of toys to build to the worse... "Model kit" line...? Nowadays it's way more expensive than any model kit and it's worse in my opinion... Maybe the plastic is better but the details Lego offers are too poor, specially for the prize.

[@SO-ym3zs]

I think of Lego sets as "lazy man's model kits" these days. There's a place for that: since building a set is largely a no-brainer, it's a fun way to relax. No shame in that. But Lego isn't really marketed as a creativity toy anymore. If you want a proper model, get into the model making hobby, which is much harder but very rewarding.

[@keldrongemini2422]

@SO-ym3zs Totally. I love Gundams and other mechas' model kits. So I find Lego's Optimus Prime kinda insulting...

[@SO-ym3zs]

@@keldrongemini2422 The design and engineering of Bandai kits is amazing. And I like they can be built as simple snap kits by newbies and enjoyed as is or fully painted and weathered by experienced modelers.

[@stealthcobra1525]

I mean most of the sets you show in the video have a big "18+ Age " indication on them, pretty clear who their target audience is...

[@nordisk1874]

Maybe people shouldn’t steal Minifigs!

[@proraptor4146]

Here is the issue that lego isnt thinking about, all these adult sets are huge and take up a ton of space. Most people dont have a huge room dedicated to lego and will literally run out of space.

[@SO-ym3zs]

People talk about price of Lego all the time, but you're right, space is a huge issue, too. The biggest, most interesting looking display sets take up a ton of shelf/desk space. I have to plan carefully and/or sell off older sets from time to time to keep free space.

[@bloodymarvelous4790]

LEGO isn't expecting you to buy all of them. If you do, yes, space becomes an issue, but if you just buy the Colosseum, that will do fine as a centerpiece in your livingroom.

[@hipidipi20157max]

I hate legos because they all have a theme with a trademark, they are of many colors and are overpriced. You cannot build anything that looks realistic without spending a fortune and wasting a lot of bright colored bricks. Bring back Exin Castle!

[@subraxas]

I know your voice from somewhere. Did you use to work for any other YT channel in the past?

[@LegoManCam]

nope aha just legomancam!

[@subraxas]

@@LegoManCam 🙂 👍

[@thecorrectgarlic7987]

At 00:32 how do you make that speeder bike? Are there instructions online? I own that set and I would like to make the bike.

[@LegoManCam]

here's a link :) dorianbricktron.com/clonespeeder/

[@DooMIInIIiik]

lego make this time very more bad sets :( no quality only quantity ... :( and ending good sets under 1 year hp and more themes

[@MC-Bricks]

Lego isn’t a toy it’s life.

[@josephthomas8318]

Fvcking loser

[@MountainMan-bz9lk]

But it is a toy

[@klipsfilmsmelbourne]

Word models is proper term

[@Ocorydon-WCO]

Model kits are still toys Toy: Something that provides amusement

[@SO-ym3zs]

@@Ocorydon-WCO I'd debate that. By and large, model kits are made by adults and made as static display pieces. Theoretically, you could play with them like a toy, but they'd fall apart in a heartbeat. "Something that provides amusement" could be a movie, book, sport, stamp collecting, singing, whatever. Those aren't toys.

[@Kafj302]

I am like number 514

[@efeugurYT]

Lego isnt a toy... its a tool