Lego Plans to Break Even in 2005

lemon_squeezer2 · Post by **lemon_squeezer2** » Wed Sep 08, 2004 10:17 pm

Well, not everything for Lego is going bad, just look at their line as a whole:

Designer/Sculpture stuff: This stuff rocks - while they don't appeal to me as a castlehead, the designs are awesome
Technic: This line is finally making a comeback - I am almost considering buying a set
Mindstorms: Way expensive, but it is awesome
Star Wars: Another line that doesn’t appeal to me, but they have been doing a good job with the designs
Trains: Most of the stuff here is again, really good. If I weren’t into castle - this is the stuff I'd be buying
Harry Potter: Fair to middling here. Not Good, Not Bad. If it weren’t for the color changes, I might buy a couple
Racers: The new Ferrari line looks good - not enough sets to make a definite judgment
Castle: This is where I begin to smell a rat. The designs stink, and half of the pieces aren't worth it - people seem to be liking it though - imagine what would happen if they actually did good designs here.
Bionicle: Almost the worst designs possible, and ironically, it's what seems to be holding TLC up
Alpha Team: This stuff is lower than dirt - how they are able to sell any is beyond me
Jack Stone: Ditto

I hope that Lego expands on the sets that they are doing good at as far as designs go, and I also hope for more legends and better castle stuff. Also, "Town" seems to have lain dormant for a bit - that theme has been the backbone of Lego since the 70s - if they can pump out some good sets there, they should do fine.

Daimyo · Post by **Daimyo** » Wed Sep 08, 2004 11:59 pm

lemon_squeezer2 wrote: Alpha Team: This stuff is lower than dirt - how they are able to sell any is beyond me

True enough. I was looking through the latest catalog and I saw some of the Alpha Team sets. They look positively awful! Some of the peices, in the base vehicle thing especially, look slapped on just as fillers, such as that tan piece with the hollow studs slapped in a useless place against a backdrop of purple and blue! They do seem terrible, and the only good thing I can see is the cockpit on the fighters, good for space building.

tanzirian · Post by **tanzirian** » Thu Sep 09, 2004 12:17 am

Here are TLC's 3 problems as I see them
1. (Most important) - abdoning legoland / lego system.
2. Poor set design.
3. Reliance on minithemes with a specific preset storyline rather than those that require kids to use their imaginations.

Here's my take on what lemon squeezer just wrote:
1. Sculpture - nice, but kids won't be buying these. And for the most part, neither will I. I like minifig based sets; if I need pieces there's bricklink.
2. Mindstorms - interesting, but not what attracted me to lego. Too expensive for most people.
3. Technic - OK, they've made a few good sets. But technic sets are not the bread and butter of lego.
4. Star Wars, Harry Potter, etc. - some good sets, but not the best way to make a profit, what with the royalties that have to be paid. Also too dependent on movies - how many kids are going to be drooling over a millenium falcon when there's no movie around? And how many are going to buy a second hogwart's castle?
5. Racers - OK they might make some money here. But why can't they integrate this into a town system?
6. Bionicle - This was a good idea, and helped the company out financially. What TLC should realise though, is that bionicle is fad, and fads pass after a few years.
7. KKII, alpha team, etc. - pure crap. Why would I buy my child this?

When I rediscovered lego as an adult early last year, I was hopeful about the direction TLC was headed. Some old sets were being rereleased (although just as legends), their regular market set design seemed to be on the upswing (For example, I thought Orient Expedition sets were better designed than the earlier adventurer sets. Unfortunately it was also one of the preset storyline minithemes that I find uninspiring.), and they were releasing some great adult oriented sets like blacksmith shop and santa fe which made me think that they had recommitted themselves to good design, which I thought would eventually seen in their mass market products. But the 2004 stuff is, in my opinion, much more poorly designed than the 2003 stuff. And if 2003 is supposed to be their worse year, I don't see how they play to break even by 2005.

Sir Vincent · Post by **Sir Vincent** » Thu Sep 09, 2004 7:00 pm

Daimyo wrote:
lemon_squeezer2 wrote: Alpha Team: This stuff is lower than dirt - how they are able to sell any is beyond me
True enough. I was looking through the latest catalog and I saw some of the Alpha Team sets. They look positively awful! Some of the peices, in the base vehicle thing especially, look slapped on just as fillers, such as that tan piece with the hollow studs slapped in a useless place against a backdrop of purple and blue! They do seem terrible, and the only good thing I can see is the cockpit on the fighters, good for space building.

Are we forgetting about the useful pieces in Alpha Team? Everyone can use more skulls...and the trans neon green spear...what about the trans hooks that Ogel has...and the black sawfish...and the new piece to freeze minifigures with?

lemon_squeezer2 · Post by **lemon_squeezer2** » Thu Sep 09, 2004 9:39 pm

Sir Vincent wrote:Are we forgetting about the useful pieces in Alpha Team? Everyone can use more skulls...and the trans neon green spear...what about the trans hooks that Ogel has...and the black sawfish...and the new piece to freeze minifigures with?

My point exactly - who on earth would want a trans-neon green spear or a piece to freeze minifigs with? Maybe the skeleton heads have some use, but otherwise, the parts to usefulness ratio is virtually nil.

TheOrk · Post by **TheOrk** » Fri Sep 10, 2004 1:45 am

YES!
Maybe now they'll make cool stuff again.
If not they'll lose there jobs...

The Blue Knight · Post by **The Blue Knight** » Sat Sep 11, 2004 5:45 pm

Lego is not in any dire straights just yet, its far too early to write them off. But they ought to listen to their base of support. The fans would be a great source of new set ideas. Going back to their roots with legoland would be a great move IMHO. So far they have let sales dictate their plans. And what company doesn't? I think their marketing should emphasize to parents the imagination element of Legos. And lower the prices!

Post by **Formendacil** » Mon Sep 13, 2004 12:32 am

lemon_squeezer2 wrote:
Sir Vincent wrote:Are we forgetting about the useful pieces in Alpha Team? Everyone can use more skulls...and the trans neon green spear...what about the trans hooks that Ogel has...and the black sawfish...and the new piece to freeze minifigures with?
My point exactly - who on earth would want a trans-neon green spear or a piece to freeze minifigs with? Maybe the skeleton heads have some use, but otherwise, the parts to usefulness ratio is virtually nil.

Maybe Castle-heads wouldn't, but I could see a decent (if far from great) ratio of those pieces making their way into Space MOCs. And at least the figs can be stickered, so the torsos, at least, aren't totally useless.

Give Lego credit, Alpha Team isn't a licensed line, after all....

lil Jon · Post by **lil Jon** » Mon Sep 13, 2004 1:58 am

I don't own anything related to Alpha Team. None of the pieces seem like they'll work with castle (i mainly build/play with castle).

Although the more and more customs i see with the ogel armor, the more i wanna get one

or 2 or 3

JPinoy · Post by **JPinoy** » Mon Sep 13, 2004 2:21 pm

Oh lord.... what if they incorporate the transforming thing into other themes like... Castle.

ARGH!!!!

Its bad enough they made an unholy union of Bionicle and Castle. Juniors/Jack Stone has been mated to Pirates and Town. *shudders* What next? Duplo + Space? Actually, just to annoy the Spacers, Im all for that combo!

Emperor James · Post by **Emperor James** » Mon Sep 13, 2004 11:45 pm

David85 wrote:
JPinoy wrote:Oh lord.... what if they incorporate the transforming thing into other themes like... Castle. ARGH!!!!

Its bad enough they made an unholy union of Bionicle and Castle. Juniors/Jack Stone has been mated to Pirates and Town. *shudders* What next? Duplo + Space? Actually, just to annoy the Spacers, Im all for that combo!

They have Duplo Castle which is more violent than any System set Lego has ever made, so why not Duplo Space?

Yeah, what with the boiling oil and all. Say, that duplo stuff is better than KK2!