Clues to the Return of Bionicle

[ToaTImeLord]

Gaze into my crystal ball and see the futures of Okoto and it's people.

 

Okay here is what I'll be looking for to determine when are beloved toy line will return.

 

No new CCBS themes come out in a year.

This is a promising sign.

This means LEGO is giving Bionicle a facelift. Basically seeing what worked and what didn't.

This will indicate that Bionicle will return in 1 to 2 years.

 

CCBS is cancelled!

Highly unlikely but have to mention it. This is the true apocalypse of Bionicle. With no system to build from it will stay a cancelled theme.

 

Standard system characters get CCBS sets.

If this happens will probably be waiting another 5 years.

 

The return of the Devil, I mean Hero Factory.

Or any new or rebooted technic themes like slizers.

 

Bionicle would return when the new theme ends but if it dies in a short period of time like Bionicle did then LEGO may think CCBS is the problem and switch it out with 100% technic, a new system, or the worst case sinarior cancel buildible figures all together.

If the new theme is a success then we maybe waiting a long long time.

Edited July 31, 2016 by ToaTimeLord

[Tuuli]

They (Lego) did mention to someone that Bionicle could make a comeback, so I think that it will come back again one day. You may be right, they may want to change up their style completely, and maybe that's what bionicle needs.

[Sir Keksalot]

Let's not forget the end to JtO, wherein

Izotor tells the kids that the Toa will return again someday.

This makes sense when viewed as a message from Lego to the fans; they're basically telling us, "New legends awake...for that is the way of the Bionicle."

[Pohaturon]

I've been keeping this theory to myself seeing how toxic and aggressive the anti-G2/3 (anti-BioniclE) crowd can get, but I actually think G"'s premature cancellation might be supporting the idea of a third run, rather than going against it.

 

If G2 had went ahead and had a 4/5 maybe 6 year run with sales dwindling near the end, it would have ended on a poor but "acceptable" note, which is basically the worst thing that could happen. Lego would be like "finally that's done with and over" and probably shove the franchise into a drawer that they will never open again.

 

However before G2 kicked off in earnest, we were promised 3 years and obviously the design team had some more ideas and plans on what to do with the line. In spite of the preliminary announcement of 3 years, I suspect maybe they had bigger plans for G2.

 

But the sales just didn't live up to that vision, so they very quickly pulled the line for a short facelift before kicking off a stronger G3, which will basically be "what G2 should have been" or something like that.

 

Of course, this is a very optimistic theory, but I think it stands on logic more than it does on hope. Either way, I'm personally hoping for G3 to pop up in 2-3 years from now, in spite of previous comments I made about G3 before G2 was axed.

 

[Toa of Gallifrey]

I think it's more likely that it sends a message to Lego that there is a lack of interest but if they pinpoint the problem as something else *koffkoff marketing koffkoff* then it might get brought back.

Edited July 31, 2016 by Toa of Gallifrey

[squidmaster]

this is highly unlikely but,

maybe they will bring bask the old system and trash CCBS

like a reboot of a reboot

[Yeow]

this is highly unlikely but,

maybe they will bring bask the old system and trash CCBS

like a reboot of a reboot

 

As much as I'd love for a return to the old system (circa 04-07), it almost certainly won't happen. But I do think CCBS will be replaced, or undergo some kind of overhaul, especially if Hero Factory didn't really sell well. Lego obviously doesn't release sales info very often, if it all, but do we know how well HF sold?

[ToaTImeLord]

 

 

this is highly unlikely but,

maybe they will bring bask the old system and trash CCBS

like a reboot of a reboot

As much as I'd love for a return to the old system (circa 04-07), it almost certainly won't happen. But I do think CCBS will be replaced, or undergo some kind of overhaul, especially if Hero Factory didn't really sell well. Lego obviously doesn't release sales info very often, if it all, but do we know how well HF sold?

Not well.

Most people only bought them for the parts.

[Alyska]

Also, there are to be five years between now and Bionicle's 20th anniversary- same amount of time between G1 and 2, and definitely enough time to pull together a stronger reboot. For all we know, this run might have been mostly about keeping the IP valid.

[Sumiki]

The Bionicle fandom has never had to undergo any kind of hiatus. Other themes have come and gone like this, and their communities—though not as enthusiastic and/or centralized as this fandom is—simply keep on rolling until LEGO decides that it's a good time to bring it back.  G2 was a sign to many parts of the fandom that their beloved line was not dead forever.

[Kopekemaster]

lol already? I guess I expected a little longer before conspiracy theories started popping up. I'd be glad if it did make a return, sometime, but I think part of the reason G2 was cancelled was just that... it's not the right time for a new Bionicle.

[Banana Gunz]

I don't get why everyone thinks CCBS is gonna get discontinued. It's used often enough in system sets and is really useful. In fact, CCBS is nothing like it used to be. It's not just about bones and shells anymore. It's a lot more like the old building system except better in most ways. I still don't like how its concept is built on bones and shells, but the sets we've gotten have shown what's possible with the system.

 

CCBS is not gone, even if it does take a hiatus. Maybe it'll be a little different when it comes back, but not dramatically. At least I don't imagine so.

 

Whatever the problem was with Bionicle, I don't think CCBS was one of them since Hero Factory sold pretty well. Maybe something about the sets didn't click with kids, but the system is a very general thing to start blaming.

 

I do believe Bionicle may come back one day, but definitely not a continuation of G2, no matter what the finale of Journey to One says. I do think Bionicle as a theme and an IP is special, but if it comes back it'll have to be thought through very differently and even the sets would come from a different angle. LEGO's been having a rough time with buildable action figures and constraction as a whole, so who knows what they'll try next. All I know is I'll be looking forward to it, whether it's Bionicle or not.

 

But seriously please let it be Bionicle.

 

Overall I say its chances are "good enough", but not great. It'll probably hopefully happen but not for some time I imagine, to say the least.

Edited August 5, 2016 by Banana Gunz

[Iruini Nuva]

The Bionicle fandom has never had to undergo any kind of hiatus. Other themes have come and gone like this, and their communities—though not as enthusiastic and/or centralized as this fandom is—simply keep on rolling until LEGO decides that it's a good time to bring it back.  G2 was a sign to many parts of the fandom that their beloved line was not dead forever.

This is a point worth calling out again. There are plenty of thematic collectors (i.e. they mostly buy Space, etc.) who simply keep themselves busy with a huge backlog of sets until the next cycle. I suspect most of you have holes in your G1 displays--get cracking.

 

To Sumiki's point, most theme-communities are far more decentralized and tend to just lump under "Lego fans" vs "Bionicle". There's a reason we keep getting serious fan-service for a discontinued line.

 

Also, consider more specialized themes like Rock Raiders/Alpha Team from the same '99-01 timeframe. Both have had reboots (Power Miners/Ultra Agents). I'd bet money that we'll see the same archetypes again within the next 5-10 years, max.

 

The existence of G2 at least lends credence (if, perhaps, not full validation) that the core thematic premise of Bionicle is sound and capable of being cycled.

Edited August 5, 2016 by Iruini Nuva

[Sir Kohran]

 

 

this is highly unlikely but,

maybe they will bring bask the old system and trash CCBS

like a reboot of a reboot

As much as I'd love for a return to the old system (circa 04-07), it almost certainly won't happen. But I do think CCBS will be replaced, or undergo some kind of overhaul, especially if Hero Factory didn't really sell well. Lego obviously doesn't release sales info very often, if it all, but do we know how well HF sold?

Not well.

Most people only bought them for the parts.

 

It ran for almost five years, so surely it sold at least decently. Probably better than the recent Bionicle has.