Category Archives: News

Stay current on the latest news and information about LEGO, from sales & deals to new set announcements. We also cover LEGO events and conventions all over the world.

LEGO changes magnet designs [News]

This should come as no surprise to anybody paying attention to all the magnet-related toy safety issues in the news over the last couple of years. Let me stress that LEGO has never, to my knowledge, recalled any of its toys that include magnets due to safety concerns. This appears to be a proactive change that anticipates future legislation in one or more of LEGO’s markets.

Here’s the word from Billund:

Hi all,

Due to a safety accident with another toy producers product, the LEGO Group is expecting a ban of small parts that contain magnets in the USA and the EU from 2009. As a consequence the LEGO Group has decided to stop selling products which contain magnets in small parts to obey already now the new rules and make no compromise with product safety.

This affects mainly 2 products – the LEGO fridge magnets and the LEGO train magnet couplings.

The train magnets will be re-designed as you can see on the pictures and we expect the new magnets in the boxes from August. LEGO Train sets packaged before August will still contain the existing magnets. The new LEGO train magnet element will be visually different from the existing train magnet element but due to that the magnet can rotate in the plastic cover and the clutch power will be as strong as at the old element the function will be identical and fully compatible with the existing train magnet elements.

The LEGO fridge magnets will also be re-designed and the new version is expected to be available for sale end of 2008.

Jan Beyer, LEGO Community Development

Discuss!

The Brothers Brick is funded by our readers and the community. Articles may include affiliate links, and when you purchase products from those links, TBB may earn a commission that helps support the site.

Photo review of LEGO Agents 8631 Jetpack Pursuit [News]

I don’t know how or where, but Flickrite okayaraman has picked up a copy of forthcoming LEGO Agents set 8631 Jetpack Pursuit (due out this fall, I believe).

Click through to Flickr for lots of photos:

Ever since seeing the earlier prototype pictures, I’ve been wondering how the chainsaw is connected to the cyborg’s arm. This appears to be the first new arm piece in 30 years:

Pigs on the Wing Animal Piloted Cave Racers contest [w00t!]

Another great contest has been announced, the Animal Piloted Cave Racers Contest. Check out the rules here and the discussion thread here!

LEGO Indiana Jones: The Original Adventures Video Game Demo now available!

Yep, you read that right! The demo for the new LEGO Indiana Jones video is now available for download here. Brace yourself, it’s nearly 470 MB, but I’m sure it’s worth it (I’m about halfway through downloading it as I write this post). I can’t wait to play! What a great way to celebrate the end of finals (yes, I’m back :) )

Upcoming Star Wars minifigs

A group shot of the upcoming Star Wars minifigs in the summer ’08 sets were found in the latest issue of Star Wars Insider. Start getting excited! :)

Via Eurobricks

Brickfilmers Nathan Wells, Nikolas Jaeger, Jonathan Schlaepfer, James Maduzia, featured in The Daily Telegraph

I woke up this morning to find out from YouTube user kidrobotcp that The Daily Telegraph has featured an article about brickfilmers. You can read the article here.

Also check out the brickfilms mentioned in the article:
The Letter by James Maduzia
The Crucible – Trailer & Night of the Tater by Nikolas Jaeger
Unsound by Nathan Wells

Also check out my Making Unsound Documentary, also mentioned in the article:

That was Part 1. Check out the rest of the series on YouTube:

The time has come, the Walrus said, to vote on many things

Well, this is the moment you’ve all been waiting for! Its time to actually vote on who will possibly represent The Brothers Brick readership community as a LEGO Ambassador. So come out of your dens, caves, lairs, or cubbyholes and vote! Reserve those future complaining rights and vote now! Because if you don’t vote now, you can’t complain later. :)

Remember, any given community group can nominate up to three people, so we’ve set up the poll so you can vote for up to three people. We will be sending the names of the top three to LEGO, along with the number of votes that each one got.

UPDATE (5/24/08): Voting is now closed. I’m replacing the poll with a screen shot of the results.

Make sure LEGO hears your voice. Stand up and be counted!

Of course, this isn’t the only nomination and voting process going on in the broader LEGO fan community. Make sure you participate in the nomination/voting process in other communities you also belong to:

Vote on an upcoming LEGO Star Wars set in 2009! [News]

UPDATE: Voting on this set ended on May 17, 2008.

The LEGO Company and Toys R Us want to create the perfect set to add to your 2009 LEGO Star Wars collection. Vote on the scene you like best!

Here are the options:

The Arrest of Palpatine

Slave I and Cloud City Landing Platform

Mon Calamari Cruiser Set

Click here to see more details and cast your vote.

Via Eurobricks

Photos of upcoming Mars Mission, SpongeBob, and Technic sets [News]

Brickshelf user whung has found some more pictures of upcoming sets that’s never before seen by the community. Here are the ones that were most recently uploaded:

New LEGOLAND to open in Dubai in 2011 [News]

In news sure to excite our 16 readers in the United Arab Emirates, Merlin Entertainments Group (owners of the LEGOLAND theme parks) has announced that it will be opening LEGOLAND Dubailand in 2011.

Here’s an excerpt from the press release:

LEGOLAND Dubailand is scheduled to open at the end of 2011, and will be a 3 million square-foot theme park project forming part of DUBAILAND(TM), the world’s most ambitious tourism, leisure and entertainment destination. Similar to the existing four LEGOLAND Parks at Billund, Denmark; Germany; Windsor and California … LEGOLAND Dubailand features more than 40 interactive rides, shows and attractions geared towards families with children ages 2 to 12.

Any of you in the UAE or neighboring countries care to share your thoughts?

(Thanks to Chuck for the tip!)

Win an autographed Temple Escape set in the Indy contest on Klocki [w00t!]

If you’ve been wondering what MisterZumbi has been up to lately, wonder no more. Like Jamie Berard and Mark “Nabii” Stafford, Adam “MisterZumbi” Grabowski is the latest LEGO fan to pull up stakes, move to Billund, and start working as a set designer for The LEGO Company.

To celebrate Adam’s accomplishment and the release of the new Indiana Jones movie, Klocki is hosting an Indiana Jones Building Contest.

There are three categories — vignette, diorama, and large-scale (UCS) model. The coolest prize? A copy of 7623 Temple Escape autographed by the designer, Adam himself.

Tell us your minifig facts and win a $25 LEGO Shop gift card [w00t!]

The LEGO Company is offering a $25 gift card to whoever comes up with the most interesting facts about the LEGO minifigure.

Here are some specific questions, but don’t limit yourself to just answering these:

How many different minifigure bodies, heads, legs have been produced? And how many different combinations of minifigures can be made?
How many different accessories have been made for the minifigure?
What minifigure has appeared in the most sets over the years?

Let the comment party begin!