Lego Plans to Break Even in 2005

[Emperor James]

Predictable! What should tlc expect, creating these terrible sets. I haven't bought any sets off the shelves since 1999. If tlc goes out of business, I'm going to laugh and collect playmobil!

You may have forgotten the point of this site. Despite all of our complaints we are still fans of Lego. We don't want to see them go out of business. We wouldn't complain as much if we didn't care.

Yeah, sorry, I'm in a bad temper due to the flu.

[LEGOFREAK]

well Jail, I gotta say though that I wouldnt like a return to those sets of the late eighties, early nineties.
What I would like to see is that STYLE. (Is this what you meant too?)
For instance. in these new sets, each one is a stand alone, and sure they come in all price ranges, but the appeal of the earlier sets (call them golden age sets if you will) is that you could get one shop, one wall/gate section, a pack of figs, and if you were lucky for your birthday - a castle, and build them complete, and then snap them all together.

I think you're right, that if lego did indeed do something like this with new sets, and stuck with standard minifigs, (hey, we LIKE black falcons, forestmen, crusaders, etc) instead of retiring them like beanie babies or some [megablocks] then their sales would indeed improve.

maybe they should use a CC-C standard for their new sets?

my two crowns worth...
Freak

[The Blue Knight]

[I blame video games for the slow demise of the rest of the toy industry. In the past 10 years or so, all of the toy sections in my area have been reduced to half their normal size, while the video game section continually grows. All the toy stores are shutting down, but 2 video game stores have popped up in my area in the past year.

[
I agree. Recently Toys R Us announced plans to sell off the stagnant Toys R Us line, and focus on Babies R us which is growing. There does seem to be a trend away from actual toys and towards video games. At least for boys who dominate such sales, and face it, legos are a boys' toy. Spacial skills, bright primary colors, and a emphasis on action (read fighting). I make it a point to turn off the TV and give my kids time to let their imaginations go. They love the "Lego" room built last year (as do I!). I certain my kids interest in Legos (see what my 9 year old daughter did with Rapunzel's tower under MOCs) is due to my influence. Without that..? I doubt traditional toys will vanish, but they are losing ground for certain.

[Sir Vincent]

[I blame video games for the slow demise of the rest of the toy industry.

Why blame video games? Lego has made a few of them themselves...

[Emperor James]

[I blame video games for the slow demise of the rest of the toy industry.

Why blame video games? Lego has made a few of them themselves...

They are terrible video games(I played them ate Legoland). But the fact that they made them shows that they are losing groung to vg's, and are doing their best to assimilate.

[Sir Vincent]

[I blame video games for the slow demise of the rest of the toy industry.

Why blame video games? Lego has made a few of them themselves...

They are terrible video games(I played them ate Legoland). But the fact that they made them shows that they are losing groung to vg's, and are doing their best to assimilate.

There was a funny story about that in Playstation magazine...but this is getting off topic...

Well I hope lego doesn't end so soon...there are just so many things left to be desired...and 03 seemed like a good year for lego...I bought almost every Orient Expedition set...while no one may admit it...those sets had a lot of great pieces that could be intertwined with the castle theme...and what about the designer sets?

[Formendacil]

There does seem to be a trend away from actual toys and towards video games. At least for boys who dominate such sales, and face it, legos are a boys' toy. Spacial skills, bright primary colors, and a emphasis on action (read fighting).

Sad but true. Most girls just don't seem as fascinated by the little people as we do. Not that there are NO girls who like it. We have several users who are proof.

I make it a point to turn off the TV and give my kids time to let their imaginations go. They love the "Lego" room built last year (as do I!). I certain my kids interest in Legos (see what my 9 year old daughter did with Rapunzel's tower under MOCs) is due to my influence. Without that..? I doubt traditional toys will vanish, but they are losing ground for certain.

I wish I had a Lego room! Lucky kids!

There's no way traditional toys will vanish, but I think we've seen their high point. Now its going to level off, drop a little, and have more internal competition, which could kill over some companies, rather than explosive growth for everyone involved.

[Sir Garth]

Lego won't die.
Each company has a couple of bad years but that will solve itself out. Unless they keep making things like- *cough* KK2 *cough*

[J1A3L5]

well Jail, I gotta say though that I wouldnt like a return to those sets of the late eighties, early nineties.
What I would like to see is that STYLE. (Is this what you meant too?)
For instance. in these new sets, each one is a stand alone, and sure they come in all price ranges, but the appeal of the earlier sets (call them golden age sets if you will) is that you could get one shop, one wall/gate section, a pack of figs, and if you were lucky for your birthday - a castle, and build them complete, and then snap them all together.

I think you're right, that if lego did indeed do something like this with new sets, and stuck with standard minifigs, (hey, we LIKE black falcons, forestmen, crusaders, etc) instead of retiring them like beanie babies or some [megablocks] then their sales would indeed improve.

maybe they should use a CC-C standard for their new sets?

I meant either, really. I understand the chances of them re-releasing an entire theme is nil. However, I was using it as an example. I would never expect them to. As you said, the style of them could, and in our eyes, should, be rereleased.

I agree a "standard" would be cool, as you mentioned. C-C standard even cooler, and add playability for kids. But personally, I'd like to see sets in my standard.

[LEGOFREAK]

I agree a "standard" would be cool, as you mentioned. C-C standard even cooler, and add playability for kids. But personally, I'd like to see sets in my standard.

I don't think I could afford your standard.

[Emperor James]

I agree a "standard" would be cool, as you mentioned. C-C standard even cooler, and add playability for kids. But personally, I'd like to see sets in my standard.

I don't think I could afford your standard.

Me neither, though I would try!

[Formendacil]

I agree a "standard" would be cool, as you mentioned. C-C standard even cooler, and add playability for kids. But personally, I'd like to see sets in my standard.

I'd love to see your standard as standard. But it would have to be at the current standard's prices (the current standard being KK2 premolds, if that may be called a standard). The cost of set like the MOC you posted is probably more than the 6090. And that was the biggest Castle set to date.

[J1A3L5]

I agree a "standard" would be cool, as you mentioned. C-C standard even cooler, and add playability for kids. But personally, I'd like to see sets in my standard.

I'd love to see your standard as standard. But it would have to be at the current standard's prices (the current standard being KK2 premolds, if that may be called a standard). The cost of set like the MOC you posted is probably more than the 6090. And that was the biggest Castle set to date.

Come on, come on, I was joking!

It does raise an interesting thought though - I doubt it would be as expensive as we instantly assume. This is because it doesn't use a huge variety of bricks - The walls are entirely 2x4, although the backs are filled in with grey, but other sizes. Then the landscaping is entirely dark grey and brown bricks, but they do have off-colour supports hidden inside. Those are the main parts of the MOC, and the rest are all very basic pieces. So I don't believe the cost would be as expensive as we'd expect - Probably extremely cheap if you went by the price to piece ratio!

[David Girard]

I'm disapointed by what happen to LEGO. But, I think they are the only responsible of their mistake. If Megablok had a great success now, it's because they know how to make it a success, and because they know how to profit from lack of Lego success.

The problem is that Lego not much understand from their mistake and take decision that don't please anyone. They should listen to their fan more than what they do. Lego should try to focus on thing that had a great success and should stop trying to reivent constantly Lego.

They stopped to make Pirates and Castle in the late nineties. If Castle didn't sell as much in the late nineties, it's not because people stopped to like castle. It's because sets were not as great as they were in the past. It's because Lego stopped focusing on quality.

We complain a lot about changing of color. Lego never understand people point of view. I hear constantly around me that Lego is expensive. Did Lego try to make something to change it ? No. Instead of this they continued to create set that are too much expensive because of premolded pieces. Premolded pieces are very much expensive to make. That's why the Lego prices increased a lot in 90's and today again. This inflation make parents to search for less expensive toys. But Lego never understand that.

Sets like 6067 and 6074 were at a good price when Lego rerelease them. Why ? Because they contain piece that are not expensive to make.

Plus today there is far to much different color. This cause that you need a lot more set to build something nice. The classic colors were enough to build nice things.

And the last problem. The problem of too much premolded piece cause that kids can't make alternate sets as we liked to do when we were kids.

Lego need to think about these problems. That may help them. But I'm pessimistic about what they will bring to us next year. I don't thing they want to listen to us more now than they usually do. I think it's very sad.

[Commander Redbeard]

I knew this was coming...

If lego doesn't do something, they're probably going to sell out...

It IS possible that they will bring back an old set line. Does anyone remember how a few years ago they brought back large chunks of the Western and Pirate lines? They were gone after a few monthes.

Two things could have happened.

1) Lego just "Gave up" on them.

2) They were sucked off the shelves by castle freaks like us.

I think it was a combination of both. The Lego website listed them as 'sold out' within several weeks, and TLC didn't bother replacing them. Maybe it'll happen again. I hope it will.