How to Save Bionicle

[ToaTImeLord]

I feel Bionicle is going to last tell 2020.

Look at the new sets we have.

They are more technic than last year.

They have links to G1 (nuva symbols mask of time Easter eggs)

 

What I've seen is LEGO actually listening to us.

 

We asked for more technic builds we got it.

We asked for some G1 links we got some (father small ones but still there)

So bionicle will be staying around longer than people are thinking.

[Banana Gunz]

I feel Bionicle is going to last tell 2020.

Look at the new sets we have.

They are more technic than last year.

They have links to G1 (nuva symbols mask of time Easter eggs)

 

What I've seen is LEGO actually listening to us.

 

We asked for more technic builds we got it.

We asked for some G1 links we got some (father small ones but still there)

So bionicle will be staying around longer than people are thinking.

 

I mean, that's nice and all but honestly LEGO can't make a profit based on how much we like the theme and how much they've improved. Right now they may be at least making their money back with G2, but most of their themes only last for so long because interest in them eventually goes down and they stop making money. And eventually they're gonna be losing money and sucking the life out of their own company to appease a niche fandom that isn't growing in itself and which they have failed to expand with bringing it back.

 

 

Which is why the only hope I can see for Bionicle is making it focus more on story and taking a step away from mommy LEGO. As it is, Bionicle G2 is at best an unspectacular dish served lukewarm leaving you full but not particularly satisfied as you end up going back to the fridge to see what else is for dinner. And it's become increasingly clear that after G2, Bionicle is unlikely to come back again, at least not for a VERY long time, because at first it made sense to let go of G1 for a while and let its impact sit for a bit as they worked on it's next incarnation but they've already visited the whole reboot/bringing it back idea now and it's barely worked so it makes even less sense to do it a second time even if they could get it more right because they've already desensitized the name by letting too much time go by without making it particularly spectacular or significant to anyone.

 

It's clear what most of the community liked, likes, and wants and if Bionicle is to not just die as a really bitter sweet memory I think it frankly ought to at least be looked at from a different angle because that's what made it so powerful in the first place: it was different. It was different from anything LEGO had done and it was different from most other stories, even if some aspects of it felt familiar.

 

LEGO ate its heart out with G1, and going on with G2 would take that and magnify its effect, and so at this point I just feel like Bionicle needs to aspire to being a little bit more in the future because it's been apparently worthy enough to last this long. I know my original post was one big fantastical Bionicle fan's wet dream but I don't think it goes against all logic and in the least it meant something about where Bionicle is right now and where it should/could be.

 

And I'm really interested by the prospect of whether or not Bionicle SHOULD be saved or not, and I think that idea holds some weight. I'm certainly interested greatly by the pure possibility for what another story based contraction theme could be, but as history has now show us LEGO seems to have minimal interest in constraction and really gripping story and especially those two together. What sells, sells and the last time we got that we got Hero Factory. Besides, the problem to me isn't Bionicle and I don't think it was so exclusively a product of its time as that time was nearly ten years and had good profit for most of that. Maybe it was, but maybe that's the problem with LEGO so heavily being the show runner of it now. I get the feeling that even Ninjago has stuck around this long mostly for reasons other than it's plot and narrative.

 

Maybe it's time to find a new fandom, maybe Bionicle and its community are doomed, but solving the issue sure doesn't happen through accepting faith or simply being satisfied with whatever we're being given and shying away from innovation even when it's for a sake. I can't say if LEGO is anything like Hollywood and if they really should be rebooting things at all but it can work and it can lead to some really pleasant results when it's not totally botched and self destructive.

Edited April 4, 2016 by Banana Gunz

[Rahkshi Lalonde]

Holy Run-on sentence batman, remind me not to read posts here when i have a headache, oog. x:

 

but tbh i don't get this idea? removing Bionicle from its LEGO roots? how is that really gonna help much if at all?

 

Bionicle exists because of the figures, which are generally conceived before most of the story complexities and are basically the only reason we know what most characters definitively look like at all! (reminder that any non-figure character got Greg's ever-ready 'descriptions' like "looked like a vortixx, but not really" or, "was blue and green, with a robot arm.", thanks,Greg.)

 

I'm honestly not quite sure where the idea of Bionicle being deep or complex, or "deserving better" came from, it was, yeah, bigger than most Lego themes were but, to be fair the only other major story-based themes back then were Knights Kingdom II and Alpha-Team, not really much competition...

[Clyce]

Holy Run-on sentence batman, remind me not to read posts here when i have a headache, oog. x:

 

but tbh i don't get this idea? removing Bionicle from its LEGO roots? how is that really gonna help much if at all?

 

Bionicle exists because of the figures, which are generally conceived before most of the story complexities and are basically the only reason we know what most characters definitively look like at all! (reminder that any non-figure character got Greg's ever-ready 'descriptions' like "looked like a vortixx, but not really" or, "was blue and green, with a robot arm.", thanks,Greg.)

 

I'm honestly not quite sure where the idea of Bionicle being deep or complex, or "deserving better" came from, it was, yeah, bigger than most Lego themes were but, to be fair the only other major story-based themes back then were Knights Kingdom II and Alpha-Team, not really much competition...

Going off that, the Star Wars universe is far more complex and developed than the Bionicle G1 story and look how much money it's made (especially among younger audiences).

[Lyichir]

 

Holy Run-on sentence batman, remind me not to read posts here when i have a headache, oog. x:

 

but tbh i don't get this idea? removing Bionicle from its LEGO roots? how is that really gonna help much if at all?

 

Bionicle exists because of the figures, which are generally conceived before most of the story complexities and are basically the only reason we know what most characters definitively look like at all! (reminder that any non-figure character got Greg's ever-ready 'descriptions' like "looked like a vortixx, but not really" or, "was blue and green, with a robot arm.", thanks,Greg.)

 

I'm honestly not quite sure where the idea of Bionicle being deep or complex, or "deserving better" came from, it was, yeah, bigger than most Lego themes were but, to be fair the only other major story-based themes back then were Knights Kingdom II and Alpha-Team, not really much competition...

Going off that, the Star Wars universe is far more complex and developed than the Bionicle G1 story and look how much money it's made (especially among younger audiences).

 

There's a huge, huge difference between a story that spawns merchandise (Star Wars) and toys which inspire a story (Bionicle). Bionicle has always been the latter, not the former, and trying to change that is a bad move for Lego. Their entire operation is dedicated to producing toys, and trying to launch a standalone story that might not result in actual toys for a full year is an insanely risky gambit with a low chance of success.

 

If that doesn't convince you, ask yourself this—how many Hollywood producers have created media properties in hopes of them being the next Star Wars? And how many of them have actually succeeded? Sure, there have been a few that come close (Harry Potter, for instance), but there have been far, far more failures. Lego is arguably LESS qualified than many of those others who are exclusively in the business of creating and marketing stories, and as such I'd reckon their chances of achieving that goal are very low, ESPECIALLY if they try to ignore all their traditionally successful business lessons to do so.

Edited April 5, 2016 by Lyichir

[Aanchir]

And I'm really interested by the prospect of whether or not Bionicle SHOULD be saved or not, and I think that idea holds some weight. I'm certainly interested greatly by the pure possibility for what another story based contraction theme could be, but as history has now show us LEGO seems to have minimal interest in constraction and really gripping story and especially those two together. What sells, sells and the last time we got that we got Hero Factory. Besides, the problem to me isn't Bionicle and I don't think it was so exclusively a product of its time as that time was nearly ten years and had good profit for most of that. Maybe it was, but maybe that's the problem with LEGO so heavily being the show runner of it now. I get the feeling that even Ninjago has stuck around this long mostly for reasons other than it's plot and narrative.

I don't quite get what this bit here is trying to say. Are you saying Ninjago has become so successful and long-lasting because of the sets rather than the story? Because I personally believe that both factors play a big role in its success and longevity, just like with Bionicle G1.

 

The Ninjago fan community tends to be VERY passionate about the story, and in fact, the incredible success of the Ninjago TV series is one of the key factors separating Ninjago from other themes that didn't last so long like Legends of Chima or Ultra Agents. The LEGO Group chose to continue Ninjago past its original end date in part because they got an unprecedented flood of calls to Customer Service begging for the theme to continue — and this was well before the 2013 wave of sets was even released.

 

What's more, if it really were primarily the sets that were keeping Ninjago so strong for so long, why do you feel like Bionicle would be stronger by removing that element from the equation? It seems to me that to appeal to today's audience, Bionicle should be taking advantage of every lesson the LEGO Group has learned since G1, including those they've put into practice with Ninjago.

 

Let's also not forget that the development process for Bionicle G1 was effectively the template for Ninjago and many other highly successful LEGO themes. By going out of your way to turn Bionicle into something totally different, you're not just separating it from themes like Ninjago, you're also divorcing the Bionicle theme from its OWN roots.

 

By the way, the LEGO Group definitely doesn't have "minimal interest in constraction". It's not really the core of their business, nor was it ever really meant to be — its importance to the company during G1 was primarily because so many other parts of the LEGO Group's business had lost their way. However, in this video, when CEO Jorgen Vig Knudstorp asked what improvements might be in store for LEGO in the future, the first thing he mentions is looking into the future of the Character and Creature Building System. This is the same CEO who told the author of the 2013 book Brick by Brick in no uncertain terms that "Bionicle is the toy that saved LEGO". If Bionicle really isn't getting the story fans want, it's certainly not for lack of caring on the LEGO Group's part.

 

But is Bionicle really failing to resonate with kids, or are old-school fans like us just losing touch with what that audience is enjoying? During the public days at BrickUniverse Raleigh this past weekend, there were a LOT of kids (most of whom had no idea what BZPower is) coming up to the BZPower table, proudly naming the wearers of the golden Bionicle masks my brother had on display, and trying to explain the Bionicle story to their parents. Others proudly showed off xccj's Pohatu mosaic to their families. One girl who can't have been more than ten years old even specifically mentioned how she'd been enjoying Bionicle: The Journey to One and asked my brother some questions she had about the story.

 

Of course, we also got kids coming through and asking if our MOCs were supposed to be Transformers, but I've been dealing with that kind of confusion since Bionicle G1, and I'm sure a number of people who have been attending LEGO conventions for longer than I have could probably attest to the same. All in all, I was impressed to see just how many younger Bionicle fans were present. Maybe Bionicle isn't doing as badly as many people have been so quick to assume.

Edited April 5, 2016 by Aanchir

[Banana Gunz]

 

And I'm really interested by the prospect of whether or not Bionicle SHOULD be saved or not, and I think that idea holds some weight. I'm certainly interested greatly by the pure possibility for what another story based contraction theme could be, but as history has now show us LEGO seems to have minimal interest in constraction and really gripping story and especially those two together. What sells, sells and the last time we got that we got Hero Factory. Besides, the problem to me isn't Bionicle and I don't think it was so exclusively a product of its time as that time was nearly ten years and had good profit for most of that. Maybe it was, but maybe that's the problem with LEGO so heavily being the show runner of it now. I get the feeling that even Ninjago has stuck around this long mostly for reasons other than it's plot and narrative.

I don't quite get what this bit here is trying to say. Are you saying Ninjago has become so successful and long-lasting because of the sets rather than the story? Because I personally believe that both factors play a big role in its success and longevity, just like with Bionicle G1.

 

The Ninjago fan community tends to be VERY passionate about the story, and in fact, the incredible success of the Ninjago TV series is one of the key factors separating Ninjago from other themes that didn't last so long like Legends of Chima or Ultra Agents. The LEGO Group chose to continue Ninjago past its original end date in part because they got an unprecedented flood of calls to Customer Service begging for the theme to continue — and this was well before the 2013 wave of sets was even released.

 

What's more, if it really were primarily the sets that were keeping Ninjago so strong for so long, why do you feel like Bionicle would be stronger by removing that element from the equation? It seems to me that to appeal to today's audience, Bionicle should be taking advantage of every lesson the LEGO Group has learned since G1, including those they've put into practice with Ninjago.

 

Let's also not forget that the development process for Bionicle G1 was effectively the template for Ninjago and many other highly successful LEGO themes. By going out of your way to turn Bionicle into something totally different, you're not just separating it from themes like Ninjago, you're also divorcing the Bionicle theme from its OWN roots.

 

By the way, the LEGO Group definitely doesn't have "minimal interest in constraction". It's not really the core of their business, nor was it ever really meant to be — its importance to the company during G1 was primarily because so many other parts of the LEGO Group's business had lost their way. However, in this video, when CEO Jorgen Vig Knudstorp asked what improvements might be in store for LEGO in the future, the first thing he mentions is looking into the future of the Character and Creature Building System. This is the same CEO who told the author of the 2013 book Brick by Brick in no uncertain terms that "Bionicle is the toy that saved LEGO". If Bionicle really isn't getting the story fans want, it's certainly not for lack of caring on the LEGO Group's part.

 

But is Bionicle really failing to resonate with kids, or are old-school fans like us just losing touch with what that audience is enjoying? During the public days at BrickUniverse Raleigh this past weekend, there were a LOT of kids (most of whom had no idea what BZPower is) coming up to the BZPower table, proudly naming the wearers of the golden Bionicle masks my brother had on display, and trying to explain the Bionicle story to their parents. Others proudly showed off xccj's Pohatu mosaic to their families. One girl who can't have been more than ten years old even specifically mentioned how she'd been enjoying Bionicle: The Journey to One and asked my brother some questions she had about the story.

 

Of course, we also got kids coming through and asking if our MOCs were supposed to be Transformers, but I've been dealing with that kind of confusion since Bionicle G1, and I'm sure a number of people who have been attending LEGO conventions for longer than I have could probably attest to the same. All in all, I was impressed to see just how many younger Bionicle fans were present. Maybe Bionicle isn't doing as badly as many people have been so quick to assume.

 

 

I'm not saying Ninjago has survived this long exclusively because of its sets, but I feel that it's gone on for a very long time and many kids would probably be less likely to understand it as they jump on board. I admit, I don't know if that's started happening much yet but eventually the story might be generally be a bit much. (Though I can definitely see the argument that it's different from Bionicle G1 in that the story is far more accessible)

 

I feel Bionicle would be stronger because to personally the story was always more engaging than the sets themselves. The whole main idea of all this is based around the assumption that Bionicle's story is a bit more important and that it deserves to come back with that as a main focus, which having story based around sets gets in the way of.

 

But maybe Bionicle does need to depart from its own roots in some way as well. Because those roots are tied to being mostly a toy line, and to me it sounds like people are just afraid of change and that anything that evolves is doomed to fail if it departs too much from what it used to be. And it's not like it's collectively throwing away everything Bionicle ever did or stood for by changing and evolving in certain ways. The whole logic here is that by changing the things that don't work it might work better with the things that do.

 

Perhaps saying LEGO doesn't have a strong interest in constraction isn't totally accurate, but I do think that idea feeds into the concept that constraction isn't what it ought to be or what they expect from it considering they're looking to change and evolve it. And that's not a bad thing, and it doesn't show they don't care, but I don't think most would disagree that in the end Bionicle right now is not what it could be and that if they had put more into it from the beginning and had written and marketed it better than overall it might at least be of more quality if not more successful as a whole.

 

Perhaps it isn't fair to assume that Bionicle isn't resonating with some kids, but it's not like you took a direct survey of a large and diverse group of kids. Most of the kids coming there are likely to be far more invested in LEGO and Bionicle than others, so there's already a larger chance of them knowing and recognizing things like that. And I'm sure if Bionicle was really shaking the ground with how much it's resonating with people than perhaps it would be doing better and making more money and not likely getting canceled soon. Not to mention I doubt it helps that many don't see Bionicle as much spectacular. Just because kids are into it now, doesn't mean it's going to resonate and matter to them much later.

[Rahkshi Lalonde]

remidns me, where the, uh, (can i say "heck" here? i forgot...)

 

anyway, where's the idea it's getting "possibly cancelled soon maybe" coming from? i keep hearing that but it's got a minimum three-year-run? if it gets canned after 2017 that's not "soon" and i don't recall any official-like announcements or profit-charts or anything,

 

at best we got the "a friend of a friend of a Lego employee says the line's gonna end soon" and tbh, people say that about any Lego theme they dislike...

[Jobber]

remidns me, where the, uh, (can i say "heck" here? i forgot...)

 

anyway, where's the idea it's getting "possibly cancelled soon maybe" coming from? i keep hearing that but it's got a minimum three-year-run? if it gets canned after 2017 that's not "soon" and i don't recall any official-like announcements or profit-charts or anything,

 

at best we got the "a friend of a friend of a Lego employee says the line's gonna end soon" and tbh, people say that about any Lego theme they dislike...

It stems from random store availability, the fact the books are getting canned, something about how even Nexo Knights is selling way better. etc. 

[fishers64]

 

remidns me, where the, uh, (can i say "heck" here? i forgot...)

 

anyway, where's the idea it's getting "possibly cancelled soon maybe" coming from? i keep hearing that but it's got a minimum three-year-run? if it gets canned after 2017 that's not "soon" and i don't recall any official-like announcements or profit-charts or anything,

 

at best we got the "a friend of a friend of a Lego employee says the line's gonna end soon" and tbh, people say that about any Lego theme they dislike...

It stems from random store availability, the fact the books are getting canned, something about how even Nexo Knights is selling way better. etc. 

 

The books are getting canned? Say what?

 

Even Nexo Knights? Nexo Knights is a brand new theme for this year. Obviously it's going to sell better even if its complete crud because it's a brand new thing. Plus all of the old Castle fans will be out gushing/modding/complaining, generating buzz. 

[Jobber]

 

 

remidns me, where the, uh, (can i say "heck" here? i forgot...)

 

anyway, where's the idea it's getting "possibly cancelled soon maybe" coming from? i keep hearing that but it's got a minimum three-year-run? if it gets canned after 2017 that's not "soon" and i don't recall any official-like announcements or profit-charts or anything,

 

at best we got the "a friend of a friend of a Lego employee says the line's gonna end soon" and tbh, people say that about any Lego theme they dislike...

It stems from random store availability, the fact the books are getting canned, something about how even Nexo Knights is selling way better. etc. 

 

The books are getting canned? Say what?

 

Even Nexo Knights? Nexo Knights is a brand new theme for this year. Obviously it's going to sell better even if its complete crud because it's a brand new thing. Plus all of the old Castle fans will be out gushing/modding/complaining, generating buzz. 

 

Whoops I made a mistake, it was said in this TTV interview (at the 50:00 mark) of G2's author that he doesn't know if there's gonna be any more books in the future. Take that as you will.

 

I guess your right about Nexo Knights. Not much of a business person myself. 

[Clyce]

 

 

 

remidns me, where the, uh, (can i say "heck" here? i forgot...)

 

anyway, where's the idea it's getting "possibly cancelled soon maybe" coming from? i keep hearing that but it's got a minimum three-year-run? if it gets canned after 2017 that's not "soon" and i don't recall any official-like announcements or profit-charts or anything,

 

at best we got the "a friend of a friend of a Lego employee says the line's gonna end soon" and tbh, people say that about any Lego theme they dislike...

It stems from random store availability, the fact the books are getting canned, something about how even Nexo Knights is selling way better. etc. 

 

The books are getting canned? Say what?

 

Even Nexo Knights? Nexo Knights is a brand new theme for this year. Obviously it's going to sell better even if its complete crud because it's a brand new thing. Plus all of the old Castle fans will be out gushing/modding/complaining, generating buzz. 

 

Whoops I made a mistake, it was said in this TTV interview (at the 50:00 mark) of G2's author that he doesn't know if there's gonna be any more books in the future. Take that as you will.

 

I guess your right about Nexo Knights. Not much of a business person myself. 

 

Personally, I've really been enjoying the books and really hope that they contract Windham again.

[Ayliffe]

Gonna be perfectly honest here: if bonkles really is ending, then the decision to end it is probably set in stone by now (since TLG plans things so far in advance nowadays) and I personally don't think we can really do much about that. Unlike G1's last wave though, the storyline's been set to last 3 years from the very beginning, so the most we can really hope for is a proper conclusion to the story we've been following since last year.

 

As for all these suggestions on how to bring back Bionicle for a G3, it could be interesting to see that but personally... I don't know if I want another Bionicle revival. Although I really do love Bonkles and all the new sets and such, sometimes it's better to just let something so instead of digging it up over and over again for "one more go" and so on. The idea of bringing it back is nice for some people I suppose, but personally I just want constraction to move on to pastures new instead of bringing back Bonkles again and again.

 

Sometimes it's best to just let go of the past and move forward with new ideas.

[Rakrondewl]

Gonna be perfectly honest here: if bonkles really is ending, then the decision to end it is probably set in stone by now (since TLG plans things so far in advance nowadays) and I personally don't think we can really do much about that. Unlike G1's last wave though, the storyline's been set to last 3 years from the very beginning, so the most we can really hope for is a proper conclusion to the story we've been following since last year.

 

As for all these suggestions on how to bring back Bionicle for a G3, it could be interesting to see that but personally... I don't know if I want another Bionicle revival. Although I really do love Bonkles and all the new sets and such, sometimes it's better to just let something so instead of digging it up over and over again for "one more go" and so on. The idea of bringing it back is nice for some people I suppose, but personally I just want constraction to move on to pastures new instead of bringing back Bonkles again and again.

 

Sometimes it's best to just let go of the past and move forward with new ideas.

I don't believe LEGO sets in stone the cacelation for their unlicensed themes.  I believe it is flexible, I mean if Bionicle suddenly took off it would be a poor business decision to go ahead and cancel it.  Now if it were a licensed theme usually the number of sets is agreed upon by both parties and then made, if it sells well a new license would have to be made for them to be able to produce any further sets.  I believe this is why the LEGO Lord of the Rings theme was cut short.

 

As for rebooting Bionicle again, it want happen again for a long time.

Edited April 7, 2016 by Rakrondewl

[Clyce]

 

Gonna be perfectly honest here: if bonkles really is ending, then the decision to end it is probably set in stone by now (since TLG plans things so far in advance nowadays) and I personally don't think we can really do much about that. Unlike G1's last wave though, the storyline's been set to last 3 years from the very beginning, so the most we can really hope for is a proper conclusion to the story we've been following since last year.

 

As for all these suggestions on how to bring back Bionicle for a G3, it could be interesting to see that but personally... I don't know if I want another Bionicle revival. Although I really do love Bonkles and all the new sets and such, sometimes it's better to just let something so instead of digging it up over and over again for "one more go" and so on. The idea of bringing it back is nice for some people I suppose, but personally I just want constraction to move on to pastures new instead of bringing back Bonkles again and again.

 

Sometimes it's best to just let go of the past and move forward with new ideas.

I don't believe LEGO sets in stone the cacelation for their unlicensed themes.  I believe it is flexible, I mean if Bionicle suddenly took off it would be a poor business decision to go ahead and cancel it.  Now if it were a licensed theme usually the number of sets is agreed upon by both parties and then made, if it sells well a new license would have to be made for them to be able to produce any further sets.  I believe this is why the LEGO Lord of the Rings theme was cut short.

 

As for rebooting Bionicle again, it want happen again for a long time.

 

But long time is a key point you made there. If indeed Bionicle is cancelled, I think we would likely still see it in the future just because of the flexibility and the fact that it's been one of, if not the, most recognizable unlicensed theme.

[Aanchir]

 

Gonna be perfectly honest here: if bonkles really is ending, then the decision to end it is probably set in stone by now (since TLG plans things so far in advance nowadays) and I personally don't think we can really do much about that. Unlike G1's last wave though, the storyline's been set to last 3 years from the very beginning, so the most we can really hope for is a proper conclusion to the story we've been following since last year.

 

As for all these suggestions on how to bring back Bionicle for a G3, it could be interesting to see that but personally... I don't know if I want another Bionicle revival. Although I really do love Bonkles and all the new sets and such, sometimes it's better to just let something so instead of digging it up over and over again for "one more go" and so on. The idea of bringing it back is nice for some people I suppose, but personally I just want constraction to move on to pastures new instead of bringing back Bonkles again and again.

 

Sometimes it's best to just let go of the past and move forward with new ideas.

I don't believe LEGO sets in stone the cacelation for their unlicensed themes.  I believe it is flexible, I mean if Bionicle suddenly took off it would be a poor business decision to go ahead and cancel it.

 

It's... somewhat flexible. Ninjago is a good example of this. It was originally going to end in 2013. However, due to an unprecedented number of fans pleading for LEGO to continue it and the 2012 sets selling better than expected, the LEGO Group decided before the end of 2012 that they would keep it going through 2014. Still, at this point it was too late to have another series of sets or another story arc ready for summer 2013, so despite the theme never really leaving the shelves, it didn't exactly continue uninterrupted. Even the 2014 ("Rebooted") sets and story had to be developed on somewhat of an accelerated timeframe compared to other LEGO Ninjago sets and story arcs.

 

In any case, themes are rarely cancelled abruptly. The designers generally start working on new sets eighteen to twenty-four months in advance, so the LEGO Group's ability to respond to the very latest sales figures is limited by that timeframe. The decision to end Bionicle G1 and start developing Hero Factory was made in 2008, and the decision to end Hero Factory and start developing Bionicle G2 was made in 2012. If the LEGO Group had concluded either of these themes right when the decision was made to end them, then they would not have had a new product ready to take their place, and thus would have had a gaping hole in their product range for up to two years. Which, needless to say, isn't a good business strategy.

 

When a theme does end after just two or three years, that decision generally has to be made fairly early in the theme's lifespan.

[ToaTImeLord]

I heared Bionicle sales have been slowly raising in the last two months, and is producing more money than hero factory.

 

Just like to put this information here.

[Aanchir]

I heared Bionicle sales have been slowly raising in the last two months, and is producing more money than hero factory.

 

Just like to put this information here.

Where did you hear that? I'm not doubting you, it'd just be nice to have a little more information/context.

[Clyce]

 

I heared Bionicle sales have been slowly raising in the last two months, and is producing more money than hero factory.

 

Just like to put this information here.

Where did you hear that? I'm not doubting you, it'd just be nice to have a little more information/context.

 

I also am very interested in hearing you source, because I think that'll be great news for the line and probably is attributed to the unannounced success of JTO. Hopefully, that will encourage more media like that from LEGO.

[Gōnglǜ The Protector]

GUYS I think I know how to save g2 for at least 4 years

 

A MOVIE!

 

A movie that takes place before the toa arrive! Give the protectors a back story so they can have some personality on the bionicle wiki!

I'm not sure if any of you have seen ttv but in the video The Makuta's Darkest Secret they say there is a time when the ancient city is attacked by makuta and not

the wimpy lord of skull spiders right? Then why not make a movie about THAT! I know some people say mo theories mo fans but you have to admit that a

movie could keep the fans and probably roll in some new ones! 

 

• Start the movie off by introducing the villagers of the city before they had to leave it, give all of the protectors a story and a personality that can be seen by their designs. 
• Add a new villain, maybe makuta hires someone to destroy the city
• Make everything that happened in the movie relate to whats happening in the current one, the new villain could have the gold mask of skull spiders that the lord of skull spiders finds
• Make it like the original 3 movies! The story line now is to simple and I get that that's what they were going for, make it like the original 3 movies where it was hard to understand and easy to understand at the same time!
• Let the protectors or whoever the the main characters are gonna be win and fend off the skull spiders but at the cost of their city
• Along with the movie add new sets for the new characters 

Well that's my idea of how to save this new generation from collapsing, well at least for a little while 

Edited April 15, 2016 by Gōnglǜ The Protector

[Clyce]

GUYS I think I know how to save g2 for at least 4 years

 

A MOVIE!

 

A movie that takes place before the toa arrive! Give the protectors a back story so they can have some personality on the bionicle wiki!

I'm not sure if any of you have seen ttv but in the video

they say there is a time when the ancient city is attacked by makuta and not

the wimpy lord of skull spiders right? Then why not make a movie about THAT! I know some people say mo theories mo fans but you have to admit that a

movie could keep the fans and probably roll in some new ones!

 

• Start the movie off by introducing the villagers of the city before they had to leave it, give all of the protectors a story and a personality that can be seen by their designs.
• Add a new villain, maybe makuta hires someone to destroy the city
• Make everything that happened in the movie relate to whats happening in the current one, the new villain could have the gold mask of skull spiders that the lord of skull spiders finds
• Make it like the original 3 movies! The story line now is to simple and I get that that's what they were going for, make it like the original 3 movies where it was hard to understand and easy to understand at the same time!
• Let the protectors or whoever the the main characters are gonna be win and fend off the skull spiders but at the cost of their city
• Along with the movie add new sets for the new characters

Well that's my idea of how to save this new generation from collapsing, well at least for a little while

Who's going to make the movie and who's going to pay for it? Keep in mind it cost $5 million to make Mask of Light alone. I mean sure that'd be awesome, but most fans simply don't have the time/$$ to invest in such a film and LEGO hasn't even finished Journey to One yet, so I don't think they'll be making it anytime soon.

I like your movie plot idea though and welcome to BZPower.

Edited April 15, 2016 by Azon

[Lyichir]

GUYS I think I know how to save g2 for at least 4 years

 

A MOVIE!

 

A movie that takes place before the toa arrive! Give the protectors a back story so they can have some personality on the bionicle wiki!

I'm not sure if any of you have seen ttv but in the video The Makuta's Darkest Secret they say there is a time when the ancient city is attacked by makuta and not

the wimpy lord of skull spiders right? Then why not make a movie about THAT! I know some people say mo theories mo fans but you have to admit that a

movie could keep the fans and probably roll in some new ones! 

 

• Start the movie off by introducing the villagers of the city before they had to leave it, give all of the protectors a story and a personality that can be seen by their designs. 
• Add a new villain, maybe makuta hires someone to destroy the city
• Make everything that happened in the movie relate to whats happening in the current one, the new villain could have the gold mask of skull spiders that the lord of skull spiders finds
• Make it like the original 3 movies! The story line now is to simple and I get that that's what they were going for, make it like the original 3 movies where it was hard to understand and easy to understand at the same time!
• Let the protectors or whoever the the main characters are gonna be win and fend off the skull spiders but at the cost of their city
• Along with the movie add new sets for the new characters 

Well that's my idea of how to save this new generation from collapsing, well at least for a little while 

Setting aside the massive financial cost of a movie, a movie wouldn't be a cure-all by any stretch of the imagination, and wouldn't necessarily boost sales any more than things like Journey to One already are doing. And frankly, I don't see a movie without Toa being all that successful anyway. The Toa are the main heroes of the new Bionicle, and even if the current Toa WERE set aside in favor of new heroes you would almost assuredly want those new heroes to replace them at the same general price point, just like the alternate Toa teams of G1. Smaller sets already sell fairly well by virtue of being cheaper, whereas larger sets are a harder sell and need the sales boost that comes from representing main characters.

[doodleloot]

If the LEGO Group had concluded either of these themes right when the decision was made to end them, then they would not have had a new product ready to take their place, and thus would have had a gaping hole in their product range for up to two years. Which, needless to say, isn't a good business strategy.

 

Slightly off-topic but I read somewhere a while ago that Hero Factory was originally supposed to debut with the CCBS, but that they had to make do with the old building system for the first wave so Lego wouldn't have to go half a year without a Constraction line to put out since the CCBS wasn't ready for production at that point in time. Can anyone confirm this?

[ChaosMarin]

Well G1 didnt grow so huge over night either. This is just the second year, theres still time to develop.

[doodleloot]

Well G1 didnt grow so huge over night either. This is just the second year, theres still time to develop.

 

It actually sort of did. Lego sold more than 3 million Tahu Mata sets within the first year of the set being released. G1's second year was also one of the most profitable, if not the most profitable, for Bionicle in terms of sales.

[Banana Gunz]

 

If the LEGO Group had concluded either of these themes right when the decision was made to end them, then they would not have had a new product ready to take their place, and thus would have had a gaping hole in their product range for up to two years. Which, needless to say, isn't a good business strategy.

 

Slightly off-topic but I read somewhere a while ago that Hero Factory was originally supposed to debut with the CCBS, but that they had to make do with the old building system for the first wave so Lego wouldn't have to go half a year without a Constraction line to put out since the CCBS wasn't ready for production at that point in time. Can anyone confirm this?

 

 

I mean, that seams possible but remember how almost all of HF's parts were also brand new, even if they used the old system and that still takes time to make and develop. Besides, I don't see why LEGO would be so concerned about not having constraction out for a little amount of time. If anything, it could be healthy for them to take breaks sometimes as it could refresh the customers views and expectations? Just theorizing.

 

And this topic turned out to be surprisingly popular, and there were lots of great points made, but I still stand by my opinion that I'd love to see Bionicle be more story-centric. But hey, to each their own I guess.

[ChaosMarin]

 

Well G1 didnt grow so huge over night either. This is just the second year, theres still time to develop.

 

It actually sort of did. Lego sold more than 3 million Tahu Mata sets within the first year of the set being released. G1's second year was also one of the most profitable, if not the most profitable, for Bionicle in terms of sales.

 

 

Ummm, I was talking about the story (as in the complexity and vastness of the universe), not the sales. :|

 

Btw, what's with you people wanting Bionicle to get cancelled again? That'd be a nightmare. Leave it be!

Edited April 24, 2016 by ChaosMarin

[Lyichir]

 

Well G1 didnt grow so huge over night either. This is just the second year, theres still time to develop.

 

It actually sort of did. Lego sold more than 3 million Tahu Mata sets within the first year of the set being released. G1's second year was also one of the most profitable, if not the most profitable, for Bionicle in terms of sales.

 

While this is true, I think it's worth pointing out that the context of Lego has changed dramatically since then. Back in 2001 a large number of Lego's themes were unsuccessful and the company as a whole had nowhere near the same profile they do today. I don't have any numbers and doubt I could get them if I tried, but it would not surprise me if the new Bionicle's sales aren't far short of the classic theme's. The difference is that other Lego themes are that much more successful than they were in those days—3 million sales would probably be considered a very LOW number for a similarly-priced set in a theme like City, Friends, or Ninjago.

 

Bionicle's higher profile in the early years of G1 was in large part a consequence of Lego seeing a success in the midst of failure and funneling as many resources as it could to that theme (despite Bionicle being so far removed from their traditional brand image and building system). Bionicle G2 will probably never be as big as G1—because it can't afford to be (with Lego's attention and budget divided between a large number of other successful themes and media properties), doesn't need to be (with Lego no longer relying on it being more than a modest success in order to keep the company as a whole afloat), and very possibly shouldn't be (since Bionicle G1's initial success was tempered by accounting that underestimated the theme's costs, and its longevity took the form of a fairly steady decline and ultimately led the theme's unceremonious end once it was no longer sustainable).

[Shadow Destroyer]

A great thing about the current Transformers sets is that Hasbro releases new sets for the various new Transformers properties, while also releasing G1 realizations for the older fans. I wonder if this is something that Lego could profit from? Not a full wave, of course, but special edition sets once or twice a year. Just imagine if we got a revamped G1 Takanuva set, built with CCBS parts? I'd buy that in a heartbeat.

[Lyichir]

A great thing about the current Transformers sets is that Hasbro releases new sets for the various new Transformers properties, while also releasing G1 realizations for the older fans. I wonder if this is something that Lego could profit from? Not a full wave, of course, but special edition sets once or twice a year. Just imagine if we got a revamped G1 Takanuva set, built with CCBS parts? I'd buy that in a heartbeat.

Frankly, Lego has not had great success with rereleases, mainly because their strategy of retiring older molds before introducing new ones. Transformers has an opportunity to do so because they aren't limited by the need to stick to a specific, standardized system—each toy is essentially a specific, standalone product, and even if the component parts of one character are not used for any other characters, they can put those parts into production on a limited basis knowing that the toy itself can turn a profit. But the high quality and customizability of Lego means that parts need to be engineered to extremely precise specification, which results in a lower profit margin and a greater need to optimize and limit the range of parts they produce at any given time.

 

As for revamps of classic characters, what appeal there is for them would probably mostly apply to new characters as well, while new characters also allow more novelty and creative freedom. And even if new versions of classic characters were developed, it'd make far more sense to do so as part of the main Bionicle story and product category, rather than putting them in their own box that'd separate them from the current Bionicle story and sets.

 

In general, though, I would expect revamps of older sets to get about the same reaction as the current Toa have gotten from older fans... widespread ambivalence, selective outrage, and small pockets of diehard support. Creating sets aimed at older fans will never be a reliable strategy for "saving" Bionicle, because the vast majority of older fans have moved on, and the much larger audience of kids is generally too young to have anywhere near the same degree of nostalgia to guide their purchases.

[Jobber]

A great thing about the current Transformers sets is that Hasbro releases new sets for the various new Transformers properties, while also releasing G1 realizations for the older fans. I wonder if this is something that Lego could profit from? Not a full wave, of course, but special edition sets once or twice a year. Just imagine if we got a revamped G1 Takanuva set, built with CCBS parts? I'd buy that in a heartbeat.

I wouldn't mind special releases. Like, they would come in unique (probably cardboard tubes, nut boxes) canisters, the rarer ones you'd have to buy directly from Lego.com.

 

But that's just the collector in me. 

[Shadow Destroyer]

 

A great thing about the current Transformers sets is that Hasbro releases new sets for the various new Transformers properties, while also releasing G1 realizations for the older fans. I wonder if this is something that Lego could profit from? Not a full wave, of course, but special edition sets once or twice a year. Just imagine if we got a revamped G1 Takanuva set, built with CCBS parts? I'd buy that in a heartbeat.

Frankly, Lego has not had great success with rereleases, mainly because their strategy of retiring older molds before introducing new ones. Transformers has an opportunity to do so because they aren't limited by the need to stick to a specific, standardized system—each toy is essentially a specific, standalone product, and even if the component parts of one character are not used for any other characters, they can put those parts into production on a limited basis knowing that the toy itself can turn a profit. But the high quality and customizability of Lego means that parts need to be engineered to extremely precise specification, which results in a lower profit margin and a greater need to optimize and limit the range of parts they produce at any given time.

 

As for revamps of classic characters, what appeal there is for them would probably mostly apply to new characters as well, while new characters also allow more novelty and creative freedom. And even if new versions of classic characters were developed, it'd make far more sense to do so as part of the main Bionicle story and product category, rather than putting them in their own box that'd separate them from the current Bionicle story and sets.

 

In general, though, I would expect revamps of older sets to get about the same reaction as the current Toa have gotten from older fans... widespread ambivalence, selective outrage, and small pockets of diehard support. Creating sets aimed at older fans will never be a reliable strategy for "saving" Bionicle, because the vast majority of older fans have moved on, and the much larger audience of kids is generally too young to have anywhere near the same degree of nostalgia to guide their purchases.

 

 

Oh, I never meant rereleases, I was speaking about revamps. Good points, however.

[ToaTImeLord]

 

This may give you guys some hope in G2.

[FrozenPancake_]

 

This may give you guys some hope in G2.

 

This gives me confidence that G2 will succeed. 

[ToaTImeLord]

For more images of the G2 mask of time check out the this topic.

http://www.bzpower.com/board/topic/22274-mask-of-time-g2-image/?do=findComment&comment=1065250

 

With this bit of information we now know there are FOUR great mask of power in Bionicle G2.

Creation

Control

Ultimate Power

Time

 

This means if Bionicle was ending next year with the grand show down. Why show us this new mask?

Answer: Its not ending in 2017 at least to this point Bionicle well get one more year then end in 2018.

Edited April 27, 2016 by ToaTimeLord

[Lyichir]

For more images of the G2 mask of time check out the this topic.

http://www.bzpower.com/board/topic/22274-mask-of-time-g2-image/?do=findComment&comment=1065250

 

With this bit of information we now know there are FOUR great mask of power in Bionicle G2.

Creation

Control

Ultimate Power

Time

 

This means if Bionicle was ending next year with the grand show down. Why show us this new mask?

Answer: Its not ending in 2017 at least to this point Bionicle well get one more year then end in 2018.

Not necessarily... I've seen a fairly compelling theory that the Mask of Time IS in fact the Mask of Ultimate Power (broken in the battle with Ekimu with the pieces scattered throughout time). Considering we haven't actually seen more than a silhouetted version of the MoUP and half of the Vahi, anything's possible.

 

Also, it wouldn't be impossible to get two legendary masks in a single year even if there are two left. It's not like we got the Mask of Light in 2003 and then had to wait a whole year to get the Mask of Shadows. A "final showdown" necessarily has to have at least two combatants, and considering this is Bionicle, all of the combatants would presumably be wearing masks themselves.

[Shadow Destroyer]

For more images of the G2 mask of time check out the this topic.

http://www.bzpower.com/board/topic/22274-mask-of-time-g2-image/?do=findComment&comment=1065250

 

With this bit of information we now know there are FOUR great mask of power in Bionicle G2.

Creation

Control

Ultimate Power

Time

 

This means if Bionicle was ending next year with the grand show down. Why show us this new mask?

Answer: Its not ending in 2017 at least to this point Bionicle well get one more year then end in 2018.

 

I would love for it to last until 2018, but I guess there's no way to be certain for now. Thanks for posting this, though!

[Nidhiki of the Shadows]

The Vahi plot is actually really getting me interested in the lore of G2 so that's actually a good indicator. The more intrigue, mystery the story throws, the more I pay attention to it. Looks like the story team is slowly getting to that point and that's super exciting.

 

-NotS

[Shadow Destroyer]

Kind of bringing that mystery element from early 2002, it's getting me hyped too!

[FrozenPancake_]

 

For more images of the G2 mask of time check out the this topic.

http://www.bzpower.com/board/topic/22274-mask-of-time-g2-image/?do=findComment&comment=1065250

 

With this bit of information we now know there are FOUR great mask of power in Bionicle G2.

Creation

Control

Ultimate Power

Time

 

This means if Bionicle was ending next year with the grand show down. Why show us this new mask?

Answer: Its not ending in 2017 at least to this point Bionicle well get one more year then end in 2018.

Not necessarily... I've seen a fairly compelling theory that the Mask of Time IS in fact the Mask of Ultimate Power (broken in the battle with Ekimu with the pieces scattered throughout time). Considering we haven't actually seen more than a silhouetted version of the MoUP and half of the Vahi, anything's possible.

 

Also, it wouldn't be impossible to get two legendary masks in a single year even if there are two left. It's not like we got the Mask of Light in 2003 and then had to wait a whole year to get the Mask of Shadows. A "final showdown" necessarily has to have at least two combatants, and considering this is Bionicle, all of the combatants would presumably be wearing masks themselves.

 

 

 

Well, it does have six prongs...

 

I think you may be right.