LEGO Life is out and LEGO Play is in – the LEGO Group is replacing the existing experience with something new for young fans.
If you’ve been looking for a new app for your young builders, then the LEGO Play app, which launched globally on the Apple App and Google Play stores on July 1, is available in 76 markets and 25 languages.
The app’s stated mission is to not only give kids the tools to build, create and play but to also help them experiment, learn and grow through play. Experiences on the app include 3D brick building, mini games, an avatar designer and photobooth, a tile building tool, LEGO set and minifigure photography space, and more.
There will also be various games for users to play – these games have been developed using the Principles of Play that were developed as the result of a collaboration between the LEGO Group and the United Nations.
The app is targeted at kids aged 6 – 14, but parents must be involved during the signup process and consent to their child’s involvement in the app. It’s not a social media app, but it has a social media element that allows kids to share their creations with a wider community, should they desire. As for safeguarding, all contributions are moderated before being uploaded, as are any subsequent changes to those creations.
LEGO Play replaces the LEGO Life app, which launched in 2017. As of August 1, the LEGO Life app has been retired. But it’s not all change – the Non-Playable Characters (NPCs) from the LEGO Life app have moved onto LEGO Play. For the past month, these NPCs have been letting users of the older app know about its upcoming decommissioning, and they’ll also be there to welcome users of the new app. Looking forward, LEGO Play will be integrated into other LEGO areas, including LEGOLAND and the LEGO magazine.
The app has been designed specifically for the new generation of builders who have taken to the LEGO hobby since LEGO Life first launched. “If you look at gen alpha, they’re the gaming generation and the generation before them was social media,” says Jen Benz, Director of Kid’s Digital Engagement for the LEGO Group.
“Gaming is how they play, relax and communicate. If you ask a kid to define a game, they believe any play experience, especially on an app, is a game, and we want to lean into that as opposed to LEGO Life being very social based. There’s still the feed and opportunity to share what you create and inspire others – our goal with this change is to help highlight the other kinds of play that LEGO is known for.
“It’s about taking a broader look at what building means – it’s physical blocks, but there’s other ways to build, like the tiles, piecing the minifigure together and then taking those things you’ve built and playing with them, through storytelling or customising them. You can take your build and enhance it with doodles or other tools and elements that kids are more familiar with. We’re trying to lean into play in a way that this generation of kids use.”
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As noted, the audience for LEGO Play is already substantial, with the app being available in 76 markets and 25 languages at launch. Open beta testing, however, was with a primarily US audience.
When using the word ‘community’ in relation to LEGO bricks, AFOLs and LUGs are often the first terms that come to mind. However, the LEGO Play app is about fostering a new generation of builders both through play and through engaging with creations made by others.
“We want kids to be inspired, and for them to learn from watching what others are doing. We have a creative quest series where there are mini lessons to learn specific building techniques or other creative ways to make things,” says Jen.
“The point to take away is that we’re not trying to create LEGO Netflix; our success goals are not to maximise the time kids spent playing or watching videos. We’re purpose driven to ensure that what we provide fits with our mission of helping kids be creative, learn, experiment and have fun.”
The LEGO Play is available to download from the Apple App and Google Play stores now.