LEGO says BrickLink Designer Program needs to be about more than castles
LEGO’s Head of the BrickLink Designer Program Alex Kastelic explained that the point of the program needs to be about more than Castle.
Although many a LEGO fan would say that you can never have too many LEGO Castles (including many on the Brick Fanatics team), the reality is much different. We’ve had some stellar, hugely detailed Castle LEGO sets from the BrickLink Designer Program over the years, but the head of the program, Alex Kastelic, recently explained in an interview with Brads Archives that those behind the scenes need to take a lot more into consideration than the tempting urge to approve every impressive Castle model.
“We could milk it for a year and do 15 Castle sets and then just obliterate the market for it,” said Alex with a laugh. “But that wouldn’t be the point of the program. A sub-section of the BDP fandom would be extremely excited about that, but everyone else…
“There’s only been a couple of series where we haven’t [had a Castle set]. There was Series 2, then Series 5 was debatable. We had two in Series 4, which was an anomaly.”
Alex goes into a wider discussion about what goes into the decision behind selecting some sets over others, noting that comments underneath models are not taken into account. That’s because high numbers of comments are often an indicator not of a set’s popularity but of that creator having a large social media following. Of course, that’s not to say that those with big social media followings won’t be picked, especially as building that audience can often be precisely because they’re a talented model designer.
Instead, it does highlight that the BrickLink Designer Program team is not simply following the loudest voices in the forums. For LEGO fans and especially BDP fans, the loudest voices can often be praising Castle designs, thanks to the enduring popularity of the classic theme.
However, what Alex makes clear is that the BDP team wants to cater to a wide range of LEGO fans. That means that a series made up entirely of Castle fans, although popular with Castle fans, is unlikely to happen.
Alex also explained the process of how a top-voted set in the 4,000-piece range essentially excludes other models of that size. That’s how the relatively non-traditional Castle-themed set for Series 9, Sleepy Dragon Inn, made it into the final five as opposed to some of the larger, more detailed builds, because The Fisherman’s Village had already snagged the spot for sets around 4,000 pieces.
“People can get confused and say, ‘there’s no way this was the fifth highest-voted set,'” said Alex. “It’s like, no, it wasn’t. We never said it was the fifth-highest voted set; it was the fifth-highest voted set for its size.”
Support the work that Brick Fanatics does by buying your LEGO sets using our affiliate links. Thank you!
Why? Aren’t they the best selling? Who doesn’t want to construct a castle? And don’t you want consumers of all ages, what ever happened to 3-99? This is probably just a rage bait posting!
I hate LEGO so much. They are such a greedy and shady company. The only thing I like about them is their product. Their teams and operations are horrendous though. Ive actually been scammed by the company itself.
Respectfully to Lego but if they keep selling out then what, exactly, is the friggin problem?
Do they not like money?
While I see that why Lego wants to have many genres of sets, I think that if they want less castle sets then they should release more castle sets that are detailed! As of right now BDP seems to be one of the only places that you can buy very detailed castle sets! It also shows that many people vote for the castle sets and I don’t think that they should make less sets just because castle dominates the polls.
Castle was one the iconic themes that made Lego the global empire it is today. Ninjago is wonderful but it would be nice to get more samurai and ninja in these sets instead of vehicles and mechs. Fans wanted Classic Space to come back and even that was a fight. These fans that Lego spits on by these statements or not creating sets people actually want are trying to keep Lego in business but Lego does not want our business the way they did when we were kids. Look at Heroica for example. An excellent take on dungeons and dragons with six sets that sold out, and four sets that were supposed to complete the game yet they left it unfinished. And I wanted those sets made so my heroica board would be complete. Lego let me down with that decision. Now castle is not working for Lego even though they make profit off every castle set produced? Maybe Lego should have failed in the 90’s because if your customers satisfaction is not your number one priority, that is just bad business. I feel the program should have categories where every genre gets a set chosen as a winner and then a vote for which set people would buy the most. You cant eliminate one genre just because it outperforms the others.
Hit the nail on the head, Loudest does not equate to “most”. Although online discussions are filled with Castle fans, not all Lego fans are discussing Lego online. It’s in Lego’s interest to produce sets that appeal to a wide range of consumers as well as making a profit. The UCS Death Star and the huge Pokemon set are recent examples of vocal “fans” not accurately representing the hobby as a whole. Not every Lego set is designed to appeal to EVERY Lego fan. I couldn’t care less about dual molded legs or printed arms, I’m all about the build experience personally. But to say “Lego doesn’t care about it’s fans because it spent money or mini figs I don’t care about” would be selfish and completely incorrect. The more people that get into the hobby the better it is for everyone as Lego can produce more sets and increase it’s longevity. So to turn a really progressive and positive fan inspired program into a £300 castle building series is exactly how you discourage newcomers as well as cater to a fraction of a much larger fan base. Let’s not mistake the echo chamber of the Internet for reality.
Absolutely garbage take. Castle sets in the BDP program have FAR and AWAY dominated all other set genres and it isn’t even close; often selling out within a few hours. A large portion of the non-castle sets don’t even sniff selling out. So if you want to sell fewer sets and make less money in the program, that is your choice; but please don’t take away the best thing you have going… But I wouldn’t expect anything less from Lego.
Then lego needs to bring back castle as a regular entry, ala ninjago or city. Complete no-brainer! If lego, itself was filling the castle itch…. and that @lego is your AHA! moment. *Mic drop*
Stupidest approach, and emblematic of modern LEGO management. Oh, everyone wants and buys castles? Hmm, yeah, better not keep making more money off that thing people like, otherwise how will we keep marketing our super cool wheelchair minifigs?! Lol keep it up guys, but the fans want what they want.
If they’d bring back an actual castle line, we wouldn’t be so rabid
I don’t blame Alex, but Alex absolutely has grounds for a discussion with TLG product development heads. Why is BDP, the most direct path for the will of the fans, pushing castle so heavily? Ask the why?
Because mainline castle was suffocated for tooooo long. Castle should be a staple line with sets at every price point. Make it a 3 year cycle instead of 2 to allow for IP based fantasy sets to get a good slice of market.
I lined up to buy LKC day one. I have BDP Castle in the Forest (only 1), and 2 BDP Mountain Fortresses (absolutely dream of a set).
Nexo Knights was an abominable sin. It took space and castle (two themes tying me to mortality) and bastardized them into one theme that took both theme’s space, but fulfilled neither theme’s fans. They *almost* got Warhammer energy from it (look how they tried with the armor), but it was too cheesy. All I’m saying is I see the attempt, but they lost so many of us.
The recent space line has been *amazing*. It pays homage to classic space, keeps set at every price point, and are genuinely GOOD sets! Do the same with castle.
Well… maybe they should allow for modulars, then?
That’s the thing. Out of things that would get the green light, the non-IP themes that AFOLs like best are modulars and Castle. Lego could absolutely revive the Castle theme with multi-set waves if they wanted to reduce the BDP and Ideas Castle submissions. Without much first-party support for the theme, fan-made castles will continue to be be submitted in high numbers.
I love Lego, I really do, but between the rising prices, the proliferation of lazy IP-oriented builds, and now this insulting statement about castles, I feel like Lego is trying to tell some of its oldest and most loyal fans that they don’t really care what we want. Doesn’t even really seem like Lego wants us around anymore, frankly. The castle BDP sets always sell incredibly well, what kind of bozo sees that and thinks, “you know, we need less of this.”
Maybe I’m finally ready to rest out a Lumibricks set or two. This statement is infuriating.
Infuriating (and insulting) comments from Mr A Kastelic (assume it’s not pronounced ‘Castle Lick’).
Perhaps he could be attached to the BDP Series Four Siege Encampment’s trebuchet and cast out from his position as Head of Bricklink Designer Program.
The role could then be taken over by a certain SleeplessNight, who now has three BDP designs to his name, (which include aforementioned trebuchet). Clearly, SleeplessNight is a man who knows what the AFOL peasants want.
Here’s a crazy thought Lego…
MAKE MORE CASTLE SETS.
Just an idea.
Just give the people what they want.
I want more than castles. I’d enjoy some actually original ideas this is supposed to be about creativity and innovation not just castles again and again