Lego has launched a new era of play, introducing interactive 'smart bricks' that produce sound and light effects, starting with a trio of new Star Wars sets. The technology was unveiled at the CES consumer electronics show in Las Vegas by Lucasfilm's Chief Creative Officer Dave Filoni and Walt Disney Company's Chief Brand Officer Asad Ayaz.
The Technology Behind the Bricks
The new 'Smart Play' system centres on a brick that looks like a standard two-by-four piece but contains a custom-made chip smaller than a single Lego stud. This chip powers miniature speakers and lights. When installed in models like Luke Skywalker's X-wing fighter, the brick generates authentic 'woosh' and laser blast noises that respond to how a child moves the craft. It can also replicate the distinctive bleeps of R2-D2.
If two smart bricks are used – one in the X-wing and another in Darth Vader's TIE fighter – they communicate wirelessly to create an interactive dogfight. The bricks can determine if a ship has been hit by laser fire and will even decide when a craft is destroyed. For added atmosphere, the bricks occasionally play thematic music, such as 'The Imperial March'.
A Premium Price and a Debate on Play
This advanced functionality comes at a cost. The X-wing set, which includes a smart Luke Skywalker mini-figure, will retail for £79.99, while Vader's TIE fighter is priced at £59.99. The launch comes as the 70-year-old Danish toy giant navigates a market where children are increasingly engaged with screen-based games like Roblox, which boasts around 150 million daily users.
However, the move has sparked debate among fans and play experts. Some question whether adding pre-programmed sounds undermines the classic Lego strength of harnessing a child's own imagination. "I can go 'swoosh' and 'pew-pew' too," commented one unimpressed user on Reddit. Another joked: "If this is a 'smart' brick, does that mean all the other bricks are 'stupid' bricks?"
Lego's Vision for Screen-Free Play
Lego executives defend the innovation as a way to merge storytelling with physical play without a screen. Tom Donaldson, Senior Vice President at the Lego Group, stated the system "brings creativity, technology and storytelling together to make building worlds and stories even more engaging, and all without a screen." The company demonstrated the sets at CES with executive vice-president Julia Goldin, who was joined by a character from the saga, Chewbacca.
While some purists may balk, other fans are already imagining future applications, with one enthusiast online pondering a potential Lego Titanic set featuring a smart brick that plays Céline Dion's 'My Heart Will Go On'. For now, the force is with Star Wars as Lego tests whether this high-tech addition will be a hit with a new generation of builders.
