LEGO SMART Play: some visuals and information on the upcoming LEGO Star Wars sets

I am currently in London where LEGO has organized a presentation of its new concept called SMART Play and I was able to get a detailed look at what this innovation, presented as a major one for the manufacturer, will entail in the coming months.

I won't repeat the concept pitch, everyone will have understood that it's simply an attempt once again to include a large dose of digital technology in a plastic toy with the promise of further improving the playability of certain products.

In summary, for those wondering what the SMART Play concept is for: the toys in question will make noise and will be able to react "intelligently" to their position or proximity to other elements by emitting a specific color or a particular sound in response to the action of the person playing with them.

The LEGO Star Wars range was chosen to launch this ecosystem including a smart brick, tags that respond to this brick like those of the Super Mario universe respond to the interactive figure, as well as a handful of figures that are also able to interact with the central brick of the concept.

Many technical questions arise, and it's not easy at this stage to get concrete answers to them. These questions are nonetheless legitimate, given LEGO's sometimes unfortunate tendency to suddenly abandon a product or ecosystem that no longer finds its audience profitably.

What guarantee is there that the product will evolve over several years? What protections are in place against potential hacking of this device and misuse of this product intended for young children? What is the lifespan of the integrated, non-replaceable battery? What we do know is that there will be a dedicated application for SMART Brick updates and that this device has interesting technical capabilities.

But it's also clear that its audio capabilities are limited, with a very low volume and a highly simplified interpretation of the sounds produced. Yet, it's presented as a technological marvel capable of orienting itself in space, detecting colors, the proximity of compatible elements, and even communicating with other bricks.

The product is indeed a concentration of technologies integrated into a compact piece of plastic, but it doesn't actually revolutionize much: Bluetooth in mesh mode (meshed) LEGO-style, NFC, sound via an integrated synthesizer and a microphone speaker, light and color detection, an accelerometer and a gyroscope for detecting the position or speed of the object in space, none of this is innovative in itself, and only the promise of truly putting all these elements at the service of children may possibly be original.

While we wait to see what the primary target audience for this concept—children—will think, LEGO presented the three products announced yesterday, each with its own packaging bristling with reminders about the promised interactivity. We also got a look at the minifigures included in these products, and unsurprisingly, they are different from those we already know. For example, R2-D2 has had part of its central cylinder removed so that a SMART Tag can be attached to its back, and the Luke Skywalker and Darth Vader minifigures have their legs attached to their torsos and feature various printed details to emphasize their "intelligent" nature.

From what I have seen, the whole thing does indeed allow you to add a sound layer to certain specific actions such as a space confrontation between the X-wing and the TIE Fighter and to detect the position of a ship in space by knowing for example if it is on its back or not or if it is in the sights of its opponent.

But beyond the initial impression of holding something highly interactive, it quickly becomes clear that the possibilities remain limited and dependent on the correct use of the SMART Brick: its positioning is crucial for it to detect other objects in space and avoid, for example, detecting them in the wrong direction. Younger children will likely struggle to grasp the concept, potentially leading to frustration due to impatience.

The lithium-ion battery in this device, without which nothing happens, must also be charged, and this is only possible via the induction charging pad included in the three sets that allow charging. We know that a full charge takes two hours, and that the device has no visual charge indicator, but we don't know what discharge capacity affects the device or what the risk is of becoming unusable if it's left unattended for several weeks or months.

I also asked the LEGO representative on site about after-sales service: Is LEGO really prepared to assume the risk of failure on a product incorporating so many extremely miniaturized technologies left in the hands of children? I was told that the manufacturer is already prepared to meet the expectations of consumers who might experience a malfunction of their SMART Brick. So be it.

Whatever the most enthusiastic influencers say, I think we should simply see this innovation as the possibility of making products that weren't really playable truly playable and of prolonging the interest of those whose playability was quite relative.

In 2026, however, it will probably take a bit more to impress children with a poorly synthesized lightsaber or jet engine sound, because the SMART Brick can't perfectly reproduce the sounds we all know. Besides, any true Star Wars fan knows how to make the lightsaber sound themselves.

This "smart" brick doesn't actually have enough RAM to store a complete database of pre-recorded sounds and simply generates the relevant sequences on the fly. For example, we were shown part of the contents of the 75425 Mos Eisley Cantina set (666 pieces - €79,99) with the ability to play the Cantina music by frantically shaking the central lever visible in the image below. This is somewhat of a failure due to the product's technical limitations, and the sound sequence isn't exactly the one we all know.

Another important detail: LEGO presents this SMART Brick as a 2x4 brick, which isn't entirely accurate. It's actually the equivalent of a 2x4 brick topped with a 2x4 plate. This detail could be important when incorporating the brick into certain builds.

As you've probably gathered since the first images of the products were released, they're bearing the brunt of the newly unveiled technology, resulting in simplified ships and very basic builds that can no longer serve as a viable alternative for adult collectors waiting for more refined products. Even the A-wing from the set 75427 Throne Room Duel & A-wing is quite successful.

This has often been the case for many playsets intended for children, which ended up on an adult fan's shelf for lack of anything better. And it will be necessary to take into account that these specific products will occupy slots usually reserved for "classic" playsets within the different waves of the range.

Whatever the future holds for this concept, we'll soon know: beyond the initial purchases made out of curiosity, which alone guarantee the success of the first wave of products, we'll quickly see if these products appeal to the target clientele in the long run. Nothing is less certain; the retail prices are high, and the technological offering doesn't seem to justify the expense for many parents compared to other, more traditional products.

We must also consider the usual dogma surrounding LEGO products: to offer toys that keep young children away from screens and technology in all its forms. Many parents will be hesitant simply because the product requires a dedicated app to allow for its development.

In any case, it should not be forgotten that this concept is intended for younger people and just because the LEGO Star Wars range is introducing the concept does not mean that adult fans should feel deprived of something that was rightfully theirs.

LEGO is simply trying to bridge the gap between its products and the more technologically advanced ones available on the market. By adding a digital element to its plastic toy, the manufacturer undoubtedly hopes to attract customers who sometimes shy away from traditional toys, preferring to turn to digital entertainment.

Time will tell if this new attempt is a success based on the accumulated experience and lessons learned by LEGO in recent years, or if it is another failure in a race for modernity that LEGO could, in my opinion, do without by simply offering classic lighting kits or sound bricks of sufficient quality.