|
|
| |
In lugnet.mediawatch, “Abner Finley” amf70@aol.com wrote:
| |
So, what does this acquisition mean to you? It’s too soon to tell what
exactly will happen at this point, but the direction is clear. The LEGO Group
shares our ambition to create the best possible platform / experience for
adult fans.
We understand that you might have more questions about the details of future
changes. Please refer to these FAQs, and feel free to leave comments on this
post. We also welcome any suggestions or cool ideas for future collaboration
projects.
|
More than anything, this sounds like Lego’s finally getting a piece of the
secondary market. It must have been eating at them for decades.
I’ve averaged about 0.56 transactions annually in the 18 years I’ve been on
Bricklink, so in practical terms this acquisition means nothing at all to me.
Philosophically, though, it’s simply another example of Lego seeking to expand
its hold over the brick toy universe.
YMMV, but that’s my $0.02.
|
|
| |
In lugnet.mediawatch, “Abner Finley” amf70@aol.com wrote:
| |
From BrickLink.com
Nov. 26, 2019
BRICKLINK will join the LEGO Group
Dear BrickLink members,
We are extremely excited to announce that BrickLink Limited has entered into
a definitive purchase agreement to be acquired by the LEGO Group. As the LEGO
Group has announced today through its official press release, the transaction
is expected to close by the end of 2019.
About 6 years ago when Jay took over BrickLink from Dan’s family, Jay
promised to keep Dan’s legacy and continue to strive for his original mission
– to help AFOL communities thrive. Our team is deeply grateful for Jay’s
generous investment and our vibrant community’s enthusiastic support that
helped us keep the promise. BrickLink now has nearly 1.2 million community
members after quadrupling the initial 300,000 members who began the journey
with us back in 2013. It’s not just volume that has grown over time. The
overall engagement level of the community is higher than ever thanks to our
avid members with various roles including catalog contributors, volunteers,
big and small sellers, MOC designers, and set/minifig collectors.
Along the way, we also set an ambitious company vision – to unlock the true
potential of LEGO bricks with the power of global communities. We believe in
the creative power of AFOL communities and wanted to harness it with
BrickLink. That’s why we launched AFOL-powered platforms and tools, such as
MOC Shop (2014), Stud.io (2016), Studio 2.0 (2018), and piloted the first
AFOL Designer Program (2018-2019) in addition to improvements on marketplace
features.
Collaborating with the LEGO Group for the AFOL Designer Program taught us how
much the LEGO Group cares about AFOL communities and how deeply they respect
all of the creations and cultural heritage of adult LEGO fans. When two
companies have perfectly aligned visions while filling in the missing parts
of each other, it’s not too difficult to imagine how the collaboration will
go. Once the potential synergy turned into reality with the success of the
first AFOL Designer Program, we had no doubt that we were ready to take the
collaboration to the next level. The LEGO Group’s acquisition of BrickLink
was the best possible choice for us to secure future collaboration
opportunities for AFOL communities.
So, what does this acquisition mean to you? It’s too soon to tell what
exactly will happen at this point, but the direction is clear. The LEGO Group
shares our ambition to create the best possible platform / experience for
adult fans.
We understand that you might have more questions about the details of future
changes. Please refer to these FAQs, and feel free to leave comments on this
post. We also welcome any suggestions or cool ideas for future collaboration
projects.
Visit Frequently Asked Questions
We’ll keep you posted when we have follow-ups or major milestones to
announce. So, please stay tuned.
Thanks,
BrickLink Team
https://www.bricklink.com/v2/community/newsview.page?msgid=1166622
|
Well, I’m on a ‘wait and see what happens’.
As I’m not a huge user of BL, but have purchased lots in the past, my opinion on
this is pretty irrelevant.
I don’t have a store, wasn’t planning on opening a store, and haven’t purchased
from BL recently (think the last BL order was over a year ago...)
That said, I’ve been around the LEGO internet community going way back, and I’m
sad to see, (again like this very website), a fan-created and supported web
‘location’ that was fun and great to hang out in, and supported by the fan
community at large, after many years just stops.
The mass exodus from LUGNET was one such event, but that was mostly driven by a
variety of factors. The BL purchase by TLC is radically different--the largest
fan-based and fan supported web site which was ‘arms length’ separated from TLC
is now, well, not.
I love TLC. They’ve produced a product through my entire life that has been
fundamentally integral to who I a and what I love. It’s been my chosen hobby my
entire conscious life (with no ‘dark age). In my own small way, I’ve tried to
support the company, and shown my appreciation by always presenting it in a good
light.
I don’t think that’s going to change too much--I’m still going to do shows and
such.
That said, for me anyway, what was more important than supporting the TLC
corporation, was supporting the fans--my fellow AFOL’s as I could--the
people--my friends... Those ‘who took a risk’ to try something on their own, or
who gathered together, like minded, and built something substantial on their
own. LUGNET and BL are the two biggest ‘web presence’ sites (for me), and I
supported both as I could.
Now that BL isn’t a ‘fan base’ site anymore, will I change? Probably not too
much as I use it infrequently. Certain stores made some pretty good coin off of
my orders ‘back in the day’. That said, I never used any other site to purchase
specific bricks due to my ‘devotion’ to BL and the fans that had stores there.
I think I may have even posted here or on BL years ago when other sites were
ripping off the BL platform (I vaguely recollect something).
But now that it’s a TLC entity, I hope they do well, and I’ll still look there
to buy, but my ‘devotion’ will be less--not as a negative, but as a ‘I wonder
what else is out there?’ should I need to ‘bulk buy’ classic pieces.
Anyway, these are initial thoughts and not conveyed clearly (as it’s not clear
in my head yet)
All the best, BL and TLC. Business decisions were made, and I learned years ago
(as my letters from LEGO’s legal department will attest), you can’t fight city
hall, nor am I particularly want to do so in this instance.
Dave K
|
|
| |
From BrickLink.com
Nov. 26, 2019
BRICKLINK will join the LEGO Group
Dear BrickLink members,
We are extremely excited to announce that BrickLink Limited has entered into a
definitive purchase agreement to be acquired by the LEGO Group. As the LEGO
Group has announced today through its official press release, the transaction is
expected to close by the end of 2019.
About 6 years ago when Jay took over BrickLink from Dan’s family, Jay promised
to keep Dan’s legacy and continue to strive for his original mission – to help
AFOL communities thrive. Our team is deeply grateful for Jay’s generous
investment and our vibrant community’s enthusiastic support that helped us keep
the promise. BrickLink now has nearly 1.2 million community members after
quadrupling the initial 300,000 members who began the journey with us back in
2013. It’s not just volume that has grown over time. The overall engagement
level of the community is higher than ever thanks to our avid members with
various roles including catalog contributors, volunteers, big and small sellers,
MOC designers, and set/minifig collectors.
Along the way, we also set an ambitious company vision – to unlock the true
potential of LEGO bricks with the power of global communities. We believe in the
creative power of AFOL communities and wanted to harness it with BrickLink.
That’s why we launched AFOL-powered platforms and tools, such as MOC Shop
(2014), Stud.io (2016), Studio 2.0 (2018), and piloted the first AFOL Designer
Program (2018-2019) in addition to improvements on marketplace features.
Collaborating with the LEGO Group for the AFOL Designer Program taught us how
much the LEGO Group cares about AFOL communities and how deeply they respect all
of the creations and cultural heritage of adult LEGO fans. When two companies
have perfectly aligned visions while filling in the missing parts of each other,
it’s not too difficult to imagine how the collaboration will go. Once the
potential synergy turned into reality with the success of the first AFOL
Designer Program, we had no doubt that we were ready to take the collaboration
to the next level. The LEGO Group’s acquisition of BrickLink was the best
possible choice for us to secure future collaboration opportunities for AFOL
communities.
So, what does this acquisition mean to you? It’s too soon to tell what exactly
will happen at this point, but the direction is clear. The LEGO Group shares our
ambition to create the best possible platform / experience for adult fans.
We understand that you might have more questions about the details of future
changes. Please refer to these FAQs, and feel free to leave comments on this
post. We also welcome any suggestions or cool ideas for future collaboration
projects.
Visit Frequently Asked Questions
We’ll keep you posted when we have follow-ups or major milestones to announce.
So, please stay tuned.
Thanks,
BrickLink Team
https://www.bricklink.com/v2/community/newsview.page?msgid=1166622
|
|
| |
The LEGO® Star Wars™ Adventure Continues in 2016 with Building Sets, Buildable
Figures and an Original Television Series
Fan favorites from the Star Wars saga, Star Wars Rebels™ animated series, and
an all-new cast of original Star Wars characters to receive LEGO® treatment
NEW YORK, Feb. 11, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- NORTH AMERICAN INTERNATIONAL TOY FAIR
-- LEGO Systems, Inc. today announced a robust slate that will drive continued
excitement for the LEGO® Star Wars™ product line, the company’s first-ever
licensed theme collection that today is a perennial favorite among fans of all
ages. From sets based on Star Wars: The Force Awakens, to those inspired by a
new original animated series, LEGO Star Wars: The Freemaker Adventures to sets
based on the upcoming Star Wars: Rogue One film, the 2016 LEGO Star Wars
collection is one of the largest and most diverse since its 1999 introduction.
“For more than 16 years, children and kids at heart have recreated the Star Wars
story through LEGO play, and this year we will give them even more stories and
characters to explore,” said Jill Wilfert, vice president of licensing and
entertainment for the LEGO Group. “Our collaboration with Disney and Lucasfilm
enables us to bring fun and creative LEGO twists to the Star Wars universe,
which is why we’re so thrilled to introduce an original LEGO Star Wars
television series this year. New original characters and stories, plus two
inspired building sets, will bring fans of all ages even more reasons to build
and explore with LEGO Star Wars.”
The LEGO Group is celebrating the Saga in more ways than ever before, showcasing
how building with LEGO bricks inspires open-ended creativity and sparks
imagination. New building sets offer the chance to create the stories fans know
and love while also empowering them to create their own adventures. For the
second year running, a line of buildable LEGO figures brings new heroes and
villains to life in a unique role-play experience.
LEGO Star Wars: The Freemaker Adventures
To continue inspiring imagination and storytelling, LEGO Star Wars: The
Freemaker Adventures, an original animated series, will debut later this year on
Disney XD. The show’s quirky heroes, the Freemakers, are a family of scavengers
who build and sell starships from the scoured debris of space battles strewn
throughout the galaxy. When the youngest Freemaker discovers a natural
connection to the Force through an ancient artifact, his world turns upside down
as he and his family find themselves in an epic struggle against the Empire to
restore peace and freedom to the galaxy. Throughout their adventures, the
Freemakers explore new worlds, meet new (and familiar) characters, and learn the
true value of what it means to be a family. The series combines the excitement,
action and adventure of a galaxy far, far away with a dose of brick-building
humor for which LEGO content is best known. Two building sets based on the
series – Eclipse Fighter™ ($29.99) and StarScavenger™ ($49.99) – launch this
summer.
Star Wars: The Force Awakens
Fans of Star Wars: The Force Awakens can bring scenes and characters from the
2015 blockbuster home with eight new film-inspired building sets. Five are
available now, one launches in March and two follow in June. More than 10
characters from the film are represented in minifigure form for the first time
through the collection, including First Order Snowtroopers (First Order
Snowspeeder), Resistance Troopers (Resistance Trooper Battle Pack), Maz Kanata
(Battle on Takodana), Admiral Ackbar and General Leia Organa (Resistance Troop
Transporter). Assortment prices range from $9.99-$79.99.
Star Wars Saga
In March, builders can expect seven new building sets based on the original Star
Wars Saga. Characters from the Dark Side and Light Side ban together in the
Rebel Alliance Battle Pack and Galactic Empire™ Battle Pack, and classic scenes
get the brick treatment in the Carbon-Freezing Chamber, Hoth™ Attack and Droid™
Escape Pod sets. Collection prices range from $24.99-$29.99.
Star Wars: Rebels
Five new LEGO construction sets inspired by the Disney XD animated series, Star
Wars Rebels, launch in March, and three more follow in June. For a quick build
loaded with action and a unique LEGO minifigure, fans can choose from The
Ghost™, TIE Advanced Prototype™, Wookiee™ Gunship or AT-DP™ building sets, or
they can build Kanan’s Speeder Bike construction toy, complete with three
minifigures. Set prices range from $9.99 - $119.99.
Buildable Figures
The debut of Star Wars buildable figures last year continues with six new
buildable figures, available now, based on the characters Rey, First Order
Stormtrooper, Poe Dameron, Finn, Kylo Ren and Captain Phasma. Additional
buildable figures will be unveiled throughout the year. Figures range from
$19.99-$29.99.
LEGO Assault on Hoth™ Base, set 75098 will Challenge Even the Most Skilled Fan
Builders
Experienced builders can recreate the Rebel Force’s Echo Base from Star Wars:
Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back in an unbelievably detailed recreation of
one of the most iconic scenes in the original Star Wars trilogy. The 2,144-piece
building set inspires fans to build their own scouting missions with the
Snowspeeder, armed with twin spring-loaded shooters, and get back to base on the
speeder bike to help Luke, Han and the other Rebel heroes. The modular design
enables fans to customize their Rebel base configuration, including a Wampa cave
and Wampa figure. The set features LEGO minifigure versions of Luke Skywalker,
Han Solo, Toryn Farr, Wes Janson, Wedge Antilles, K-3PO, and more. Available
May 1 for $249.99.
About the LEGO Group
The LEGO Group is a privately held, family-owned company with headquarters in
Billund, Denmark, and main offices in Enfield, USA, London, UK., Shanghai,
China, and Singapore. Founded in 1932 by Ole Kirk Kristiansen, and based on the
iconic LEGO® brick, it is one of the world’s leading manufacturers of play
materials.
Guided by the company spirit: “Only the best is good enough”, the company is
committed to the development of children and aims to inspire and develop the
builders of tomorrow through creative play and learning. LEGO products are sold
worldwide and can be virtually explored at www.LEGO.com.
For more news from the LEGO Group, information about our financial performance
and responsibility engagement, please visit http://www.LEGO.com/aboutus.
LEGO, the LEGO logo, the Minifigure, the brick and knob configuration are
trademarks of the LEGO Group. © 2016 the LEGO Group.
STAR WARS, Star Wars: Rebels and related character names are trademarks and/or
copyrights, in the United States and other countries, of Lucasfilm Ltd. and/or
its affiliates.
©2016. TM & © Lucasfilm Ltd. All rights reserved.
SOURCE LEGO Systems, Inc.
Prnewswire.com
|
|
|
