After ten years of development, the time has arrived: at CES 2026, Lego presented what it claims is its biggest innovation since 1978. An inconspicuous brick conceals technology that could change how we play forever. Lego modestly believes it is the biggest revolution since the introduction of the minifigure in 1978.

The new Lego Smart Play platform promises to enable physical Lego models to react to the game in real time — without a screen! Talk about the feel of the classic brick merged with modern technology.

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The Heart of Innovation: The Lego Smart Brick

After ten years of development in the Creative Play Lab, Lego presents the Smart Brick — a 2 x 4 brick (the classic among the bricks) with impressive technical features. Within lies sensors for acceleration, light and sound, an LED array, a loudspeaker with synthesizer, and wireless charging capability. Cameras and recording microphones are missing on purpose — for data protection reasons. The existing microphone serves as a clever sensor. For instance, you can blow into a birthday cake made of bricks to trigger a reaction.

The smart brick forms the brain of a complex ecosystem: smart tags and special minifigures with NFC chips identify objects: The so-called “Neighbour Position Measurement System” (NPM) uses magnetic fields to detect the position of other Smart Bricks, and the proprietary BrickNet protocol enables wireless communication between the bricks without a central hub.

Imagine kids (or older kids, of course) playing with Lego racing cars that make different sounds depending on the racing situation. At the presentation, a tiny Lego pilot even started to grumble when the nose of his plane was pulled up too high. In any case, the principle promises countless possibilities.

It All Begins with Star Wars

The choice of Star Wars as a launch partner is, of course, strategically perfect and offers Lego fans completely new possibilities:

• Lightsaber humming: If you move Luke Skywalker or Darth Vader, you will hear the characteristic buzzing sound
• Engine sounds: X-Wing and TIE Fighter come to life with authentic sounds
• Imperial March: If you place Emperor Palpatine on his throne, the legendary Imperial March soundtrack plays

From March 1, 2026, the first three sets will launch: Darth Vader’s TIE Fighter ($70), Luke’s Red Five X-Wing ($100) and the largest model in the series: the Throne Room Duel & A-Wing set ($160). The large set consists of a total of 962 bricks and, in addition to two smart bricks, also has three Smart Minifigures on board: Luke Skywalker, Darth Vader, and the Emperor.

A Long-term Vision

Lego Smart Play is far more than a short-lived gimmick; it is the basis of a long-term vision. The company has already announced that the platform will be constantly expanded through continuous updates, new products, and technological developments.

According to Lego, a crucial part of this strategy is the planned expansion sets, which are compatible with the system but do not contain any smart components themselves to lower the entry barrier. This innovation is the result of a ten-year, deliberate development process in the Creative Play Lab, which responds directly to children’s desire for more interactivity and liveliness in their play.

With the Smart Brick, Lego is attempting to balance between the classic, creative building experience and a completely new dimension of interaction. The launch with Star Wars is a brilliant start that fuels anticipation for future themed worlds.

The bricks have effectively been given their own “voice” — and in the future, they will not only tell fantastic Lego stories, but also provide young and old builders with a completely new tool to interactively create their own adventures.

I personally like this approach, but did Lego impress you as well? Do you think these smart elements are a breath of fresh air in the good old Lego world?