Are there any plans for Bionicle’s 20th anniversary?

[Lenny7092]

Hi, guys. Ever since Sodoka from Lego Ideas made that project to celebrate Bionicle’s 20th anniversary (but got sadly denied) and many others follow this trend, I have been thinking: Will Bionicle’s 20th anniversary be celebrated? Well, I can say that Bionicle’s 20th anniversary, which will happen next year, should be celebrated. I have good reasons why: 

1. BIONICLE is one of the most popular and successful themes in history, other than Ninjago. 
2. It’s the first constraction theme to have an actual story. 
3. It saved Lego from bankruptcy in 2001. Lego should respect that, despite the two infamous cancellations that we never asked for and made us miserable. 
4. BIONICLE is very unique from most themes, and it’s known for some things. They may have inspired some themes, like Ninjago, to have something similar, like the story. 
5. BIONICLE is like Lego’s own Batman and Justice League from DC Comics, Spider-Man and Avengers from Marvel, Sonic the Hedgehog from Sega, Mega Man from Capcom, SpongeBob SquarePants from Nickelodeon, Transformers from Hasbro, Ben 10 from Cartoon Network, and Mario from Nintendo, in terms of constraction. 
6. BIONICLE was able to come back in 2015. 
7. BIONICLE is a fan cult where fans are so obsessed with BIONICLE and always want it to be better and it back again because it needs a lot more praise and respect from Lego. Those Lego Ideas projects are quite desperate when the fans would use them to try to bring BIONICLE back again. Plus, there are a lot of petitions. We have some fan games, too. 
8. There are many articles booming lately. 
9. Fans playing with lots of MOCs. Plus, fan stories. 

 

Now, if or when Bionicle’s 20th anniversary is celebrated, how would you imagine it to be (please don’t be pessimistic about it)? For me, well, I hope it would go like this logically: 

1. Bionicle G1 story being re-continued and ended. I have my ideas here: 

 We really should convince Greg Farshtey to do this. 
2. BIONICLE coming back as G3 that should be much like G1 (but make it a little itty bitty different, like not talking about alternate dimensions much), as it brings back classic stuff, like the Toa Mata’s instruction booklets. Plus, the sets would be modernized versions of old sets, with the bendable limbs and necks. It should have a lot of budget this time.
3. BIONICLE having a TV show similar to Ninjago announced. Like, you know, having at least 10-13 episodes per season, which would be based on a storyline. 
4. BIONICLE having a theatrical movie announced (3-D animated would be okay, but I prefer live-action, like putting humans and planet Earth because it’s worthy. But, don’t focus on the humans too much. Transformers movies made that mistake. Be like Sonic the Hedgehog movie in 2020.). A cinematic universe would be nice. I have ideas in here: 

 
Here’s also this: 

And this: 

And this:  

 

5. BIONICLE having a video game announced. I have my ideas in here: 

 

6. A crossover with G1 and G2. Maybe that could solve their problems. 
7. A comic book series that acts like a real comic book series. Marvel or DC Comics could buy BIONICLE, too. 
8. BIONICLE and Hero Factory being bought by Disney or Warner Bros. I heard Universal is planning to get the rights for a live-action Hero Factory movie, as reported in The Hollywood Reporter in May 2012. Plus, Lego is talking with Universal about making Lego movies, so that could happen (but BIONICLE and Hero Factory are best suited for their own live-action cinematic universe, not The Lego Movies). 
9. BIONICLE Heroes getting a huge remastered remake. I don’t know about the game in 2003, but okay. 
10. Remastered remakes of the old BIONICLE sets, mostly the Toa Mata, or maybe re-releases of them with special edition stuff. It’s like Ninjago’s Legacy sets if you know what I mean. Plus, if Lego System is preferred, how about making the characters have pieces similar to Mixels? 
11. Maybe a crossover with Ninjago to celebrate Bionicle’s 20th anniversary and Ninjago’s 10th anniversary. I’m not strong in this thing, but it would be a cool idea. 
12. BIONICLE G1 and Hero Factory being said that they share the same universe, like the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Here are my logical ideas on how that could work: 

This should be able to fix HF’s problem and give it a proper ending:  

 

So, there. This is not a joke. Those are things that I believe that BIONICLE should be worthy of. Perhaps they can hopefully set things right and give something that BIONICLE deserves and should do for the sake of itself and fans, like us. It’s been too long. We should really convince Lego and Greg to consider these things. BIONICLE needs to have a very good future. Anyway, here are some optional things: 

1. Christian Faber is planning something with his 3IO and Biovival stuff, but we are not sure if these things could bring BIONICLE back. Of course, Faber does want BIONICLE to come back. 
2. I would estimate that Litestone Studios, a bunch of fans who are working on fixing and completing that cancelled video game called BIONICLE: The Legend of Mata Nui, would be accomplishing that next year. We would have the Makuta fight at last. 
 

Yes. Seriously. We all need these things. Let’s all hope that Bionicle’s 20th anniversary could be celebrated this way (or have at least announced).

Edited June 27, 2021 by Lenny7092
Forgot some things and edited some things.

[Gzstg]

I would say some anniversary sets like star wars got. but most of the molds from both G1 and G2 have probably been destroyed. a entirely system based set seems likely if it is being celebrated. perhaps letting Greg or Faber say more story stuff in a book or something. any of the system based projects currently on ideas would make good anniversary sets. I hope it is celebrated in some way. 

[TheZOMBIEJ]

it'd better be celebrated in some way, shape or form! i honestly don't know how i would go about it but as far as i know Faber is trying to bring it back somehow with the hashtag "biovival"! i do like those Lego ideas sets that were unfortunately (and immaturely, i'd say) denied, but i don't know if Lego themselves are ready to celebrate Bionicles 20th anniversary (especially when it comes to releasing anniversary sets or whatever)! so there's my two cents! lol  

[AZBlue]

An Art of Bionicle book that covers Gen1 would be cool. Include concept art and images that haven't been seen before, maybe even allow fans to submit their interpretations of certain scenes, both key events and more day-to-day happenings. Even something on the scale of the Hyrule Historia, just honoring the line that, along with Star Wars, saved Lego from a very real collapse.

[Xboxtravis]

At this point if Lego released a 2x4 tile on a keychain that said "Bionicle 20th Anniversary" I'd be surprised. Really the only theme to get any anniversary recognition other than Star Wars was the 40th anniversary of Lego Trains with a GWP set and an internal employee gift. Some advancements in Lego have had anniversary sets, I remember special sets for the Lego brick itself, the anniversary of the creation of Technic and the anniversary of the creation of the Lego Minifigure. I don't think Classic Space, Castle or Pirates have had any anniversary recognition. 

Bionicle's biggest hurdle will be its unique parts. Other than some ball joints, almost nothing from Bionicle is still in production, and the theme itself is not in production currently. While I thought Sokoda's Ideas project made a good case for using common System parts to homage Bionicle, its still felt like imitation and not the real deal since it lacked any major Technic or CCBS parts. If Lego attempted to make a Bionicle tribute for 2021 in System parts it would feel "Bionicle-adjacent" and not quite like the original.  

Do I think it deserves an anniversary tribute? Personally, yes; as the recent Popular Mechanics article stated there were years during G1's run where Bionicle made up 25% of Lego's revenue and 100% of profits. Bionicle really did save the company, and it pulled Lego through what could have been a tough time otherwise. But since Bionicle is not a currently ongoing theme, I feel like Lego will skip the 20th anniversary totally (unless Lego wants to try a crack at G3... I wouldn't complain about that!)  All I can hope for is that whatever Faber is cooking for his push for a Biovival, or whatever Lego's own internal ideas on how to use the Bionicle theme; will somehow make it so Bionicle can at least maybe if we're lucky celebrate its 25th anniversary a few years down the road. 

[Bionicle Guru]

@Binkmeister alluded to a the idea of a high-end art book meant to show off and celebrate the behind-the-scenes artwork and models that lead to BIONICLE's creation and development in its early years back in a blog post he wrote in 2009! Back then, that idea was rather immature, but eleven years and a failed reboot later, I think the 20th anniversary of the theme is a perfect time to do so! I hope he is still out there, somehow connected to his LEGO colleagues, and can help make it happen.

I, too, expect that outside of a fancy book, the only LEGO-related commemoration may be a small GWP (gift with purchase) item or set that comes only at Shop@Home or at the LEGO Stores. I hope it's more than a 2x4 tile keychain. I envision perhaps a new series of minifigure torsos with the original six Toa Kanohi printed on each one, or perhaps even a small vignette model of brick-based homages to a character or two. Maybe a 2001 Rahi set redesign and miniaturized? Regardless, it's going to be small. No second reboot of the theme, though I suspect for all we know still four months out from 2021, anything is possible.

[Lenny7092]

Man, you guys think so little. No offense. If you want little, then let me set up my ideas (and yours a little bit): 

Small things (the things that I think could most logically happen on 2021, and I hope at least they can happen): 

1. Bionicle’s G1 story re-continued and ended (perhaps through the unfinished serials or a book). 
2. A Bionicle video game. 
3. The remaster remake of Bionicle Heroes. I would imagine the characters to have CCBS. 
4. A crossover of G1 and G2 as a written story or video game. 
5. A crossover of G1 and Hero Factory to finish up their stories while having them share the same universe, perhaps in a video game or a written story. 
6. Remastered remakes of the Bionicle and HF sets. 
7. Maybe a comic book series. 
8. Maybe an art book about G1, like you guys said. 
9. New constraction toys (either G1 or G3 if done properly) on the summer of 2021. 
10. A crossover of Bionicle and Ninjago to celebrate their anniversaries next year. I don’t know about that, but the creator of Ninjago could think about such thing. 
 

The rest, well, I think they could happen in at least 2022 or Bionicle’s 25th anniversary in 2026. 
 

Even though that there are still fans making LEGO Ideas stuff, do you guys think that Lego is still thinking about constraction’s future? It’s quite sad that LEGO hasn’t said anything. I mean, look at the fan community. Some are pessimistic since 2017. You know that we need Bionicle to come back, and I think 2021 could be the best way for constraction to come back somehow.
 

I’m surprised that no one replied to Hey Arnold.

[Max_Nui]

The thing is, I don't think lego, or Greg will do anything to celebrate Bionicle's anniversary. It's up to us, the fans to make something happen and celebrate the theme. Expecting other companies and people like Greg and Faber to recreate our childhood nostalgia is a relatively fruitless endeavor. There are plenty of fan projects and sites like this one that would do a stupendous job of celebrating. Let's support that!

[Toa_Kralich]

On 9/2/2020 at 6:54 PM, Lenny7092 said:

Man, you guys think so little. No offense. If you want little, then let me set up my ideas (and yours a little bit): 

Small things (the things that I think could most logically happen on 2021, and I hope at least they can happen): 

1. Bionicle’s G1 story re-continued and ended (perhaps through the unfinished serials or a book). 
2. A Bionicle video game. 
3. The remaster remake of Bionicle Heroes. I would imagine the characters to have CCBS. 
4. A crossover of G1 and G2 as a written story or video game. 
5. A crossover of G1 and Hero Factory to finish up their stories while having them share the same universe, perhaps in a video game or a written story. 
6. Remastered remakes of the Bionicle and HF sets. 
7. Maybe a comic book series. 
8. Maybe an art book about G1, like you guys said. 
9. New constraction toys (either G1 or G3 if done properly) on the summer of 2021. 
10. A crossover of Bionicle and Ninjago to celebrate their anniversaries next year. I don’t know about that, but the creator of Ninjago could think about such thing. 
 

The rest, well, I think they could happen in at least 2022 or Bionicle’s 25th anniversary in 2026. 
 

Even though that there are still fans making LEGO Ideas stuff, do you guys think that Lego is still thinking about constraction’s future? It’s quite sad that LEGO hasn’t said anything. I mean, look at the fan community. Some are pessimistic since 2017. You know that we need Bionicle to come back, and I think 2021 could be the best way for constraction to come back somehow.
 

I’m surprised that no one replied to Hey Arnold.

I want an anniversary celebration as much as the next guy, but I gotta be honest, nearly everything you're proposing there is super unlikely and not at all small. In particular, points 2 and 3 - as a games developer I can tell you now, if they wanted to be shipping a new game or even a remaster next year, they'd have to have already started on it, and if Lego were making a Bionicle game in 2020, I'm sure we would've heard about it by now. I do think probably the art book is the most viable thing here. There's already a lot of G1 concept art floating around in isolation that makes its way into collectors' hands, and a compendium of it, provided they still had the original material, seems most stress-free to make. I think it's probably most likely, unfortunately, that we get no celebration - but there's community projects like The Masks of Power that are in development and still ship news quite regularly, and we can always look forward to these and whatever BZPower might do for the occasion, if nothing else. 

[Bionicle Guru]

I mean, I get wanting to be optimistic and enthusiastic, but you have to face the facts. And the biggest one is past experience here. BIONICLE is only turning 20 years old, and that is a major anniversary for one of LEGO's most important IPs. So for reference, you should be looking at other successful LEGO themes that are gone, but LEGO has acknowledged in some "celebratory" way. Consider the main classic themes of Space, Castle, Town, Pirates, and Trains. For Trains' 50th anniversary, LEGO made a collection of mini versions of famous Train sets throughout the decades...and then gave it to employees only as a gift. Earlier this year, we celebrated 40 years since the birth of minifigure-scale Trains, and all we got was a replica of a small train from 1980 as a GWP from LEGO. That's it! Randomly in the past decade, we've gotten magnets and other small GWP to acknowledge Pirates, Space, and Castle. If there happened to a concurrent iteration of the theme (i.e. Kingdoms in place of Castle), well, we just got lucky.

Mind you, all these themes are far older than BIONICLE. Why would anyone think that anything beyond a nice book or GWP is "not enough" to celebrate the 20th anniversary is beyond me. The love of BIONICLE is perpetuated and continues thanks to fans and fansites like this one. As Toa_Kralich expounded on above, it is in these communities that the real celebrations will happen. Anything LEGO gives us is gravy!

I'll grant you one silver lining: if LEGO really wants to acknowledge BIONICLE properly next year, they'll wait until July 2021, which was when BIONICLE finally was released worldwide (it was only available in Europe for H1 of 2001). If that is the case, we may still very well be in the dark and far from uncovering what may be coming our way. If, say, somehow constraction was being Lazarus'd back into existence for BIONICLE's sake, it's possible summer 2021 is when it would finally be released, and we might catch hints or leaks of that early next year. In other words, it is a little too soon.

I can't speak to software development, and I'll stand by my previous stance on "continuing" BIONICLE from where it left off. As far as most fans are concerned, BIONICLE finished its story in early 2010. No need to continue a decades-old web serial that has no bearing on the main plot, what made BIONICLE, BIONICLE. Whatever comes next year, I just hope it either honors what was already released, or makes a bold, new path forward.

[Toa_Kralich]

I often wonder about what a Bionicle G3 - like got teased a while back - would even look like. G2 had a pretty strong hook with the Mask of Creation, being the only one we never got of the original three legendary masks. I'm not sure what a G3 would be. Certainly, to be successful and engaging, I feel it'd need to be something new. G2 feels like it failed because it was an attempt at telling effectively the same story in not too different a way, but with sets that weren't as innovative. Should a G3 occur, I don't even think the original six Toa should feature - not, at least, until later into the line. Better to make new heroes and new legends to stand on, rather than continually hopping on the shoulders of the Toa Mata. I do think we should find our own way to celebrate two decades, and then anything Lego gives is a bonus. If it's simply a tweet or instagram post, fine; if it's an artbook, nice; and if it's more substantial than that, even, great; but the community is what kept Bionicle alive all this time. The community giving Bionicle its own cake day is fine enough.