LEGO CUUSOO is a project by the LEGO Company allowing LEGO fans to submit product ideas. If the project gets enough votes from the community they will get reviewed by the LEGO team and will be considered for production. We have featured several LEGO CUUSOO projects here in the past (see links at the end of this post). This past June four LEGO projects reached the required 10,000 votes. The result of LEGO’s decision of which ones to approve and which ones to reject just got announced a couple of days ago. So let’s talk about that! Below is the official announcement from the LEGO CUUSOO Blog, so we can take a look at what happened. 😛
At long last, we’re thrilled to announce the results of the Summer LEGO Review in a video message to all of you. In June, four LEGO CUUSOO projects entered the first of what will be regular quarterly reviews of projects that successfully reach 10,000 supporters. These four projects – Back to the Future DeLorean Time Machine, EVE Online Ships – Rifter, The Legend of Zelda, and the Modular Western Town – have gone through a lengthy review process.
21103 Back to the Future Time Machine – It is with great pleasure we reveal that the next LEGO CUUSOO set will be the Back to the Future Time Machine, based upon the LEGO CUUSOO project by m.togami & Sakuretsu. As one of the earliest projects on the site’s global open beta, headlines of a potential Back to the Future LEGO set was seen on popular sites including Gizmodo and Brothers Brick, helping LEGO CUUSOO gain massive appeal. The final product is still in development in coordination with our license partner, Universal Partnerships & Licensing. We’ll show the final model and you’ll be able to order your own copy when it becomes available in mid-2013 (exact dates & pricing to be determined).
What does the review process look like? The review process goes through four distinct stages; Brand Fit Analysis, Business Case Development (including License Agreements if applicable), Model Design, and then a Final Review, where the findings of all prior stages are reviewed together. Check out this blog post for more detailed description of the review process.
How did we arrive at our decisions? We know you are interested in more information about the decision process, and what has happened with each project. Though we cannot share all details of our business decisions, here is what we have decided to share about each project:
➡ Back to the Future DeLorean Time Machine by m.togami* & Sakuretsu – After analyzing the supporters of the Back to the Future project, we learned that this product has a broad, worldwide appeal. The model presented in this project is built very closely to the LEGO Group’s design standards and has therefore provided a strong base to design the final product. It has a high play value and it fits well with supporters’ price expectations. For these reasons, the Back to the Future project has passed the LEGO Review, and has been selected for production as the next LEGO CUUSOO set. The final product, pricing, and release dates are still being determined.
➡ EVE Online Ships – Rifter by czar – The supporters we received for the EVE Online Ships – Rifter project allowed us to examine the feasibility of another gaming-related product. However the Rifter presented a more challenging business case when considered alongside other potential products in this review period. Therefore, the LEGO Review Board has decided that this project does not meet the requirements for the business case.
➡ Modular Western Town by mb_bricks – The Modular Western Town project conflicts with an ongoing project at the LEGO Group. As a result, the project does not meet the business case requirements and has not passed the LEGO Review.
➡ The Legend of Zelda by MINGLES – The Legend of Zelda project shows broad support among gaming enthusiasts. This project has provided great inspiration and concept work for what could be a very nice product. However, multiple new element moulds would be required to create the minifigures for such a product, and the expense of these moulds means that The Legend of Zelda project does not pass the LEGO Review on the basis of the business case. (Please note: If a project does not pass the LEGO Review please do not interpret that as an indication that we will not consider similar projects in the future.)
Fall Review in Progress – The Fall Review is currently in progress, and the Winter Review period has started as of Monday, December 3. The next review deadline is Monday, February 4, 2013. Best of luck on your own projects’ journeys to 10,000!
So, those are the results for this batch of LEGO CUUSOO projects. Back to the Future fans are of course very happy, however supporters of the other projects find LEGO’s explanation of why they were rejected quite thin. For example contrary to LEGO’s statement, there is no LEGO project that conflicts with the CUUSOO Western Town. The LEGO Modular line doesn’t have Western themed buildings and the upcoming LEGO Lone Ranger theme is not a competition either. In fact the CUUSOO Western Town could be a perfect complementary expansion for LEGO Lone Ranger fans. The reason for rejecting The Legends of Zelda project was too many new moulds, however LEGO regularly makes new moulds that are only used once – think of all the new moulds in the Collectible Minifigure Series that haven’t been reused. And in case of the EVE project, LEGO considered it a “more challenging business case” than the other reviewed projects, however the project was in fact supported by EVE developers, so this should have been in fact an easier business case, not harder. 😕
My personal opinion is that although LEGO doesn’t explicitly say this, from a batch of CUUSOO projects that achieves 10,000 votes at the same time, only one project will be selected and the rest will be rejected, depending on which one LEGO considers the easiest business case. This brings a whole new dimension to projects submitted by fans. A CUUSOO project doesn’t just have to worry about getting enough votes, but also what other projects are reaching 10,000 votes at the same time. I wonder if LEGO would allow resubmitting a slightly different version of the same project, as it is very possible that a project could be rejected in one time period and approved in another, based on what other projects are submitted at the same time. 🙄
What do you think? Do you agree with LEGO’s choice and decision? Or do you think CUUSOO is going in the wrong direction? I would love to hear your thoughts and opinions, so please share them below! 😉
If you would like to learn more about CUUSOO and see other featured projects, check out the following related posts:
- CUUSOO – Where LEGO Dreams Come True…
- Navigating LEGO CUUSOO…
- Giving Feedback to LEGO CUUSOO
- How to Find What’s New with LEGO CUUSOO
- CUUSOO Changes & Featured LEGO Projects
- How to Make Beautiful LEGO Trees
- LEGO CUUSOO Project: LEGO Birds
- LEGO CUUSTOO Project: LEGO Animals
- CUUSOO Project: Avatar Scorpion Gunship
Boo, LEGO! You choose a stupid car over recreating Hyrule and making an awesome LEGO Western Town! Really? If our minifigs want to go to 2014, why don’t they just wait a year?
I mean, really, LEGO? The western Town would of become a hit. But I guess because of The Lone Ranger, Disney would get mad if they made it.
But LEGO Zelda would need TONS of new pieces, so I guess it’s not LEGOs fault.
Not to mention the character copyrights. After the Mario RPG, Nintendo is not likely to sell the rights to any of their characters ever again.
For a start, the DeLorean Time Machine is not just a “car” and definitly not “stupid”. If you have EVER seen the three Back to the Future films (came out in the 80’s), you would not be saying that it is stupid. Get real. LEGO will make loads of money if they decide to make a BTTF theme off this (I think that it will be a great idea).
About the Western Town: I would’ve loved it if LEGO had accepted that project too -but LEGO is already making a Western theme (The Lone Ranger) that happens to have a Western Town already.
bummer, i wanted zelda legos
Me too!!!
Well, I am a little disappointed that the western town did not get made, but I am excited for the Back to the Future set. This does look like a great set to be made, and I am excited for it’s release.
THE NEXT CUUSOO REVEIW WILL BE HARD TO DECIDE BUT FOR THE NEXT REVEIW IM ROOTING FOR THE SAND-CRAWLER
Yeah, the Sand Crawler would be awesome as a Star Wars Ultimate Collector’s set! 😀
It’s a bit too big though….. 😛
I’m so happy that the Back to the Future set will be made. I would have like to have seen Zelda as well. It’s really popular. Western Town would have been cool. Maybe after Lone Ranger sales will show there is support for Western themes. And once Lone Ranger ends they’ll rethink. I’m sure they didn’t want to upset Disney especially since Disney now owns Star Wars and thus a large chunk of their licensed themes.
Chris, that’s actually a really goog point. Lone Ranger is likely going to be a one-wave theme, and they could have very well released the Modular Western Town after. I’m sad that it didn’t pass. It was my favorite. 🙁
If the Lone Ranger movie does well they might make more movies. Like they did with Pirates of the Caribbean. How many waves of POTC did LEGO make?
I’d really like to see the western theme.
Chris, that would be great but unlikely. POTC was 4 movies. As far as I know Lone Ranger is going to be only one. So I doubt that we will get more than one wave of sets. Perhaps LEGO will see how the sets sell and based on that maybe introduce their own in-house Wstern theme at some point. At least we can hope… 🙄
I still think LEGO should go for making the Western Town. Seems everyone likes it. I dont care much for the Back to the Future car *yawn* So who is running LEGO these days? – LEGO or Disney? lol
In their “What is LEGO CUUSOO?” video (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZaFbGIV5s7k), they did mention that “one model that passes review to become a set” so LEGO really didn’t actually deceive anyone when everything got rejected except for the DeLorean. I’m glad the DeLorean won because I was hoping that would be the one that passes review. Can’t wait to get it!
Allen, thanks for pointing that out. I didn’t catch that reference to only one project being approved per review period. I’m glad the project you liked passed! 🙂
I personally don’t really like the Back to the Future set. I’ve never watched the movie/read the book – or whatever it is that goes with it, I don’t even know what it’s from!), so it doesn’t appeal to me on that end. Neither do any of the others, except the Western Modulars, which are really cool and would probably have a nice appeal to most people but I’m not sure LEGO would really want to do an entire line inspired by Cussoo. Plus I’m sure it interfears with Lone Ranger. Though I don’t see why they couldn’t co-exist, or more so why LEGO couldn’t have said, “We like this project and will postopone further consideration until 2014 because it conflicts with an ongoing project,” it’s understandable that they wouldn’t want to do it.
It does seem like LEGO might just be picking one from each review, but I think they’d be open to two if there were two really great ones. It must be a bit of a shame though to have you’re project get that far just to be rejected because LEGO is going to have Lone Ranger sets though!
Yeah, it is sad that the Western Town didn’t make it thru. They could have delayed it, as you said. Back to the Future is a movie series from the 80s. A classic; kind of like Karate Kid (although completely different kind of story). It is still popular with adults who grew up in that era, although I have no idea if today’s kids can relate to it or even heard of it – I guess your comment is a good indicator. 😉
LOL, yeah, I’d never heard of it (though I had heard of and watched Karate Kid).
Actually, maybe I do remember my mom telling me about it. (She was saying that the guy fades in and out of the picture like in the Ninjago movie…). It’s just hard to tell what’s what on the car for me. It doesn’t really look like a futuristic car or a normal car either. Plus it’s not exactly an exciting color.
Back to the Future is a great trilogy. One of my favorites. In part three they go to the Old West which would be another reason to do Western Theme.
So rejected the other projects because their goal is to profit? Why would a company want to do that? Also some of the new pieces from the minifigures have shown up like the alien gun. And the Zelda set would require a lot of different pieces for minifig accessories. Also, maybe Lego is planning for something after Lone Ranger that’s Western?
“So rejected the other projects because their goal is to profit? Why would a company want to do that?”
Is that irony…?
Willc, yeah, that is possible. Or at least we can hope. As far as the profit-potential of these projects, that is already there. All four projects had a fan-base that pushed the projects to this level. So there is obviously a market for them. My point was simply that the arguments to reject them were weak or didn’t make sense. LEGO didn’t say there were rejected because they weren’t going to make enough money. 😉
i want UCS set so CRAZY bad!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! that would be the greatest set in the world!
I am definitely rooting for the Portal sets next review! I’m a HUGE fan of that game, and would buy up any set my wallet could handle. There’s also a huge Portal fanbase, who would gladly purchase those sets. Valve seems interested too- I heard they posted the CUSOO project for it on their Facebook page!
The BTTF DeLorean appears in many way to be a simpler build than the others. Fewer pieces and new moulds than the others, and in that way much easier to produce as a set.
Although the car is more likely to be bought by AFOL:s, as well, it still has a bigger chance as an impulse buy than the larger Rifter or Modular Western Town. Simplicity might pay off.
Hakan, that’s a good point and may be an indication of what the CUUSOO team is looking for; simple small sets that can be sold for impulse buyers for a cheap price. 😀
For the Zelda project, on the other hand, it looks more as a suggestion for a theme, than a coherent set, so that might have been another problem, apart from the new molds…
I can’t wait for the DeLorean! I’m actually a bit shocked that Lego went for such an old film franchise as the inspiration for a set, but it will definitely appeal to AFOLs and might bring a new generation of kids to experience the wonderful Back to the Future movies!
Yeah, I was surprized about that too. I guess LEGO is counting on AFOLs to buy up this set as most younglings likely never heard of it. 🙄
Of course this has been the trend with all CUUSOO sets so far; exclusive sets, small production, hard to find. I guess they appeal to collectors more than anything.
Those sets look awesome! To bad those Zelda sets didnt make it through. I really wanted a lego Zelda minifigure. 🙁
I hope the LEGO Sonic project makes it. Meccano has the Sonic license but they aren’t building bricks. Sadly , K’nex got the Pac-Man license for the upcoming TV show so no classic chompers for me……….