Here is some interesting LEGO news for you; LEGO Mixels! What are they? When the strange characters were first spotted at Comic Con in San Diego, nobody really knew what to make of them. All that was known is that they are going to be released in the spring of 2014, as shown on this teaser-picture from the LEGO Mixels website. Check it out! 🙂
The fact is that the LEGO Mixels characters look so zany and so different that our brains went in overdrive trying to decode their meaning and intent. Is LEGO onto something brilliant? Or should we be scared? Some LEGO fans say they look like the worst thing ever released by LEGO. Worse than LEGO Galidor and LEGO Ben 10. Ouch! Others point out the new and useful pieces. And the characters look sort of cute… in their own way… 🙄
Three of the LEGO Mixels sets have been displayed at the San Diego Comic Con. Joe Meno from BrickJournal took some pictures. Here you see the little yellow guy with the crazy hair named Volectro, the red one is Flain, and the gray one-eyed creature is Seismo. The sets are supposed to be mix-n-match, which explains the name Mixels, although it could also be a word-play on pixels – which hints to the theme’s digital connection. In either way the characters already look crazy mixed up. Below is the official press-release from Cartoon Network:
Cartoon Network and The LEGO Group Reveal Groundbreaking IP Development with New Mixels Franchise
Multiple Mixels Elements Set to Launch in 2014
Cartoon Network and The LEGO Group announced today that they will jointly produce an unprecedented new global entertainment franchise. Launching in 2014, Mixels is the next franchise in integrated family entertainment from two of the world’s leading experts in youth engagement. The new venture will feature animated content (primarily shorts), a rich digital gaming experience, a collectible building toy concept and more.
Animated content will air on Cartoon Network and on cartoonnetwork.com, featuring the colorful Mixels creatures that can mix and combine with one another in creative and unpredictable storylines. A collectible portfolio of low-priced mini building sets will launch in three waves in 2014 and an app-powered gaming experience will engage fans in a deep mobile game that will cover the sprawling world of Mixels.
Mixels was developed through a true collaboration between Cartoon Network, a leading global kids entertainment company, and The LEGO Group, globally renowned for its heritage of quality, creative play experiences. The two companies joined forces when Cartoon Network Studios had an interest in creating original content based on the inherent open-ended values of LEGO play, at the same time that The LEGO Group was exploring a new concept involving small creatures – and Mixels was born. The property was developed by a multinational team of content innovators, designers and animators – from Los Angeles to Atlanta to San Diego to Connecticut to Denmark.
“This is the next step in the evolution of Cartoon Network Studios and the way we develop original IP,” said Rob Sorcher, chief content officer, Cartoon Network. “Bringing together world-class animators and game developers with LEGO content and product design teams at the earliest stages of creation proved to be an energizing collaboration, showcasing the creative strengths of both brands.”
“Our relationship with Cartoon Network has really evolved and they have been really great, supportive partners who share our passion for children,” said Jill Wilfert, vice president licensing and entertainment for The LEGO Group. “After working closely with them for the last few years, it is obvious that they truly understand and fully embrace our brand and our core values, so we are thrilled to embark on this new journey to develop and deliver a highly creative and fully integrated new experience with them.”
“Families today are engaged in many ways and want a seamless entertainment experience,” said Stuart Snyder, president and chief operating officer for Turner’s Animation, Young Adults & Kids Media Division. “The reach of all the Cartoon Network platforms combined with the different touch points of the beloved LEGO brand will enable us to create a fully integrated and rich experience from the very beginning.”
Mixels will inspire new ways for young people to engage in immersive entertainment content that fuels sustainable, creative physical and virtual play. Fans and the audience will become creators and active participants in the process, creating new characters and content. This is a multi-format, multi-platform experience where a kid can join in anytime, anywhere.
With this exciting new franchise, Cartoon Network Studios will drive all narrative, animation and digital content and Cartoon Network Enterprises will handle Mixels non-toy licensed merchandise. The LEGO Group will focus on Mixels toy design, manufacture and distribution as well as licensed LEGO Mixels publishing to support the property.
So what do you think of LEGO Mixels? Do you like their look? How about the new elements? What could be the story behind them? Would love to year your thoughts on these bizarre little guys, so feel free to share and discuss in the comment section below! 😉
And for other recent LEGO news and new sets coming out check here:
As an afol these are not remotely something id be interested in. However I can see the yellowish bush piece used as a head being very useful for moccing….
I do not want to offend anybody, but, I don’t like the idea I think its a waste of LEGOS money. but I agree with you tom, the yellow “ish” brush piece is great for moccing!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Not really crazy about these, but they kinda look neat. i don’t know what LEGO is thinking, but who does? :/
What I AM crazy about though are the small ball and socket pieces; they could be implemented really well in a lot of my builds.
me too! little ball and scockets are a great idea!
Adorable!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I want all of them!!!!!!
Here here!!! 😀 but i do really want to get the lego™ lone ranger B)
This looks interesting. I cant wait for their names!
Though I like my CMFs better
Must get some of those ball-joints.
Of the three Lego fans in this house two will have no use for them and the third will love love love them, both for their cuteness AND for the usefulness of the parts.
Not saying I have any use for these, but Galidor was definetly worse…
LOL! Yeah, Galidor was a nightmare! Even LEGO acknowledges that. 😀
ok what was gladiator? I’ve heard of ”ben 10″ but what is it!? (must be REALLY bad since I’ve never heard of it :D)
I don’t know but I’ll buy Mixels any day instead of Galidor! Mixels look okay. I could use those parts for a lot of stuff. I would only get those stuff for the parts in it. I’d rather make a robot than a weird looking monster!
Galidor, not gladiator. You can just follow the link I added in the post to see the atrocity that Galidor was. 😈
I clict the link and i can not believe that is lego™ it looks just like some ceap action figure and i thot friends was bad!!! 😀
Ahhhhhhhhhhh! My eyes! It burns!!!!!!!!!!
I think they’re pretty cute. Not the grey one so much but the other two yes. I like the name too…
As far as the pieces… I don’t see them being extremely useful (for me at least), but I’m interested in seeing where this theme goes. Strikes me as though it has a good bit of potential.
Love the new color bush, love the new small joints, love the new cartoon eyes. I might get into small Robot Building once these go on clearance 😀 .Hope more new parts come out on future sets. I see no problem with these selling if they are under $5
I’m not sure I see them under five. Judging by the box size, they look more like ten. Though going by fig size, five does make sense.
The box IS kind of big… I am speculating that there are more pieces to make alternate models or add-ons, that would justify the box size. Too bad there is no piece count on the preliminary box art to certify that.
Yeah, for so few pieces the box size doesn’t quite make sense. Though I do wonder what kind of add-ons there would be.
goofy little things. not something I would buy, but the yellow one is best.
Very interesting. I totally see here that they are trying to do some kind of Pokemon theme creatures with abilities. I think since most of the person commented want to put them apart for pieces, this new waves might be for the youngest LEGO crowd. I think they might have something here that can be really popular towards young one. Reminds me a bite of that game on console with figurines that you step on the pedestal to play on game with. Definitely, this could be a flop or a total success.
Yes, good points. I think when we know how these bizarre little guys fit in with the whole story on Cartoon Network and the game elements, we would have less of an urge to just take them apart and use the parts. We shall see. 🙄
WHY LEGO WHY ARE YOU GOING TO RELEASE THE WORST LEGO IDEA EVER KNOWN TO MAN.Lego please learn from The Lego Communites early reaction that you do not need to release these.
Galidor is worst than this. Click the link and be blinded.
galidor why do you hant my dreams……………………………
I love LEGOs. But I won’t be spending my money on these. I’ll stick to the other themed sets and HERO Factory.
Galidor was horrendous. A completely misjudged attempt of merging the building aspect with action figures, and failing horribly at both. I don’t think there was a single useful pieve produced in the entire line. Ben 10 should at least produce a few pieces reasonably useful for constraction MOC:ing…
WHY DOES LEGO WASTE IT’S MONEY ON THOSE THEMES(example:lego validator)
dude, galidors. 🙂
To me, they look like random characters constructed from pieces in Creator sets… It’s hard to see any extensive thought process behind their shape and functions… =/
They kinda remind me of Pokemon….
And, the models aren’t very impressive…LEGO could have done better…
Look behind the boxes at the bottom of the background. More mixels. Also, that color wheel on the background
I don’t know if you’ve seen this yet, but I think it’s pretty cool:
http://toysnbricks.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/LEGO-Mixels-2014-Poster-Pre.jpg
Yep, it is in the latest LEGO Club Magazine. I got it a few days ago myself. I will have an updated post on those little Mixel thingies in a couple of days. 😉
I am 47 and have recently started my 2nd Legohood. Collecting technic lego and cintage 70s stuff. I love colourful things and robots so I decided to buy some of these little creature. I am now seriuosly concidering collecting all of them. Welldone Lego and CN I love the short cartoons and wished they were computer animated.
Barry, thanks for sharing. Yeah, those little guys are addictive! They peer at you with those big eyes, and they are already winners. 😉
I love mixels a lot