LEGO Mixels Official Press Release

Yesterday, the whole LEGO fan community was given a peek at LEGO’s latest new theme called “LEGO Mixels” at the San Diego Comic Con 2013. The new theme has something to do with Cartoon Network and contains LEGO versions of what are going to be cartoon characters. Mixels will be hitting stores and screens in March 2014 and now LEGO and Cartoon Network have officially released a press release for the Mixels theme.

The Mixels theme will have three waves of mini-model sets that will be connected to an animated Mixels TV series airing on Cartoon Network sometime next year (probably in March when the sets are released). A mobile game will also be released for handheld devices (probably on the iOS and Android phone operating systems). You can read the full press release via Cartoon Network below:

ATLANTA, July 22, 2013 /PRNewswire/ — Cartoon Network and The LEGO Group announced today that they will jointly produce an unprecedented new global entertainment franchise. Launching in 2014, Mixels is the next franchise in integrated family entertainment from two of the world’s leading experts in youth engagement. The new venture will feature animated content (primarily shorts), a rich digital gaming experience, a collectible building toy concept and more

Animated content will air on Cartoon Network and on www.cartoonnetwork.com, featuring the colorful Mixels creatures that can mix and combine with one another in creative and unpredictable storylines. A collectible portfolio of low-priced mini building sets will launch in three waves in 2014 and an app-powered gaming experience will engage fans in a deep mobile game that will cover the sprawling world of Mixels.

Mixels was developed through a true collaboration between Cartoon Network, a leading global kids entertainment company, and The LEGO Group, globally renowned for its heritage of quality, creative play experiences. The two companies joined forces when Cartoon Network Studios had an interest in creating original content based on the inherent open-ended values of LEGO® play, at the same time that The LEGO Group was exploring a new concept involving small creatures – and Mixels was born. The property was developed by a multinational team of content innovators, designers and animators – from Los Angeles to Atlanta to San Diego to Connecticut to Denmark.

“This is the next step in the evolution of Cartoon Network Studios and the way we develop original IP,” said Rob Sorcher, chief content officer, Cartoon Network. “Bringing together world-class animators and game developers with LEGO content and product design teams at the earliest stages of creation proved to be an energizing collaboration, showcasing the creative strengths of both brands.”

“Our relationship with Cartoon Network has really evolved and they have been really great, supportive partners who share our passion for children,” said Jill Wilfert, vice president licensing and entertainment for The LEGO Group. “After working closely with them for the last few years, it is obvious that they truly understand and fully embrace our brand and our core values, so we are thrilled to embark on this new journey to develop and deliver a highly creative and fully integrated new experience with them.”

“Families today are engaged in many ways and want a seamless entertainment experience,” said Stuart Snyder, president and chief operating officer for Turner’s Animation, Young Adults & Kids Media Division. “The reach of all the Cartoon Network platforms combined with the different touch points of the beloved LEGO brand will enable us to create a fully integrated and rich experience from the very beginning.”

Mixels will inspire new ways for young people to engage in immersive entertainment content that fuels sustainable, creative physical and virtual play. Fans and the audience will become creators and active participants in the process, creating new characters and content. This is a multi-format, multi-platform experience where a kid can join in anytime, anywhere.

With this exciting new franchise, Cartoon Network Studios will drive all narrative, animation and digital content and Cartoon Network Enterprises will handle Mixels non-toy licensed merchandise. The LEGO Group will focus on Mixels toy design, manufacture and distribution as well as licensed LEGO Mixels publishing to support the property.

Cartoon Network (CartoonNetwork.com) consistently is the #1 U.S. television network among boys 6-11. Currently seen in nearly 100 million U.S. homes and 194 countries around the world, Cartoon Network is Turner Broadcasting System, Inc.’s ad-supported cable service now available in HD offering the best in original, acquired and classic entertainment for kids and families. In addition to Emmy®-winning original programming and industry-leading digital apps and online games, Cartoon Network embraces key social issues affecting families with solution-oriented initiatives such as Stop Bullying: Speak Up and the Move It Movement.

The LEGO Group is a privately held, family-owned company, based in Billund, Denmark. It was founded in 1932 and today the group is one of the world’s leading manufacturers of play materials for children. The LEGO Group is committed to the development of children’s creative and imaginative abilities. LEGO products can be purchased in more than 130 countries. For more information, visit http://www.LEGO.com.

LEGO, its logo, the brick and knob configuration and the minifigure are trademarks of and © The LEGO Group. All Rights Reserved.

What do you think about LEGO Mixels now that we all have more information about what exactly Mixels is and how it will be publicized next year? Share your thoughts in the comments below.

Source: Brick Fanatics

SDCC 2013: Two More LEGO Minecraft Sets Unveiled

At the beginning of this month, we revealed that there could be two more LEGO Minecraft sets to be released in the future and that they would be 21105 LEGO Minecraft: The Nether and 21106 LEGO Minecraft: The Village. LEGO unveiled both the sets today just before the 2013 San Diego Comic Con and in a press release (see below). They will cost US$34.99 each and will both be coming out on September 1st 2013.

• 21105 The Nether depicts The Nether, a Netherrack-fulled realm full of zombie pigmen and floating ghasts, and includes 3 micromob figures (two Ghasts and a Zombie Pigman). You can also build a Nether Portal.

• 21106 The Village depicts a randomly generated village in the Overworld. Villages typically have a well, a church, a library, some farms, a blacksmith and some more houses. Non-player character villagers occupy these “towns” in Minecraft and the LEGO set has 3 micromobs: a Zombie, a Villager and a pig.

COMIC-CON INTERNATIONAL: SAN DIEGO (July 17, 2013) — Delighting LEGO® and Minecraft fans across the globe, The LEGO Group today announced it is extending its relationship with Swedish game developer Mojang to build on the blockbuster success of its first LEGO Minecraft building set to add two new models that will be released September 1, 2013.

LEGO Minecraft provides the opportunity to build, reconfigure and create new Minecraft micro-worlds in a physical LEGO way. The two new 3″x3″x3″ models, The Village and The Nether, are on display for the first time at Comic-Con International in San Diego. Fans can also enjoy and take pictures with a large interactive 3D mosaic complete with Micromob character props at the LEGO booth (#2829).

“LEGO Minecraft is a perfect example of how people’s passions can be amplified when digital and physical interests are combined, and there couldn’t be more synergy between the engine that drives the Minecraft gaming experience and the creative fuel of a LEGO building experience,” said Michelle Wilson, senior brand manager for LEGO Systems, Inc. “We are thrilled to continue our collaboration with Mojang to create new Minecraft characters and environments in LEGO form so that fans can get as creative as they’d like in their physical world as in their digital one.”

“There’s no doubt about the connection between LEGO building and Minecraft — not only the design similarities, but the immense creativity that our fan bases share,” said Lydia Winters, Mojang’s director of fun. “Given how well received the first model was last year, we can’t wait to see what fans think of these new designs.”

LEGO Minecraft New Product Highlights

The Village
With this model, fans can create and customize their own Minecraft village with LEGO bricks. Just like the game, fans can build houses, grow crops and beware the mines in their own micro-world as well as play out their own storylines with Pig, Villager and Zombie constructible Micromob figures.

The Nether
Builders can create the Minecraft Obsidian Portal and The Nether to explore the newest biome with this microscale LEGO model, complete with Netherrack, gravel, flowing lava and bedrock. This model includes two Ghasts and one Zombie Pigman constructible Micromob figures.

The new LEGO Minecraft micro-scale models can be split into four sections and reconfigured for different play experiences. They will be available beginning September 1, 2013 with a suggested retail price of $34.99.

The first LEGO Minecraft set, 21102 LEGO Minecraft Micro World, was originally a CUUSOO project and is out now on the LEGO.com Shop. It sold out straight after it was released, which is what might happen when these Minecraft sets come out in September.

So if you’re in San Diego at the moment, I suggest you pop down to the San Diego Convention Center and head to the LEGO booth (number #2829) at the 2013 San Diego Comic Con. There’s a huge LEGO Minecraft mosiac there as well as both of the new LEGO Minecraft sets on display.

What do you think about these two new LEGO Minecraft sets? Will you be likely to purchase one or both of them when they come out in September? Share your opinion in comments section below.