As part of the launch for LEGO SMART Play, the Exosphere in Las Vegas transformed into a brick-built Death Star that fans could take down via a life-sized SMART Play X-wing.
Following the LEGO Group’s announcement of LEGO SMART Play, a brand-new, tech-based platform to complement traditional LEGO play, the Las Vegas Exosphere became a LEGO Death Star, and event attendees could hop in the cockpit of a life-sized SMART Play X-wing to attempt the trench run.
The world’s largest LED screen, the Exosphere’s 580,000 square feet were taken over by the dark side of the Force, projecting the Empire’s power onto the streets of Las Vegas. Brave attendees could jump in the cockpit of the nearby X-wing, modelled after 75213 Luke’s Red 5 X-wing, whose controls were synched to the Exosphere, creating one of the coolest flight simulators there is. If the pilot was successful, the Exosphere Death Star would shatter into pieces — almost as many as if you drop 75419 Death Star…
There was quite the crowd on hand to celebrate each victory for the Rebellion, including NFL quarterback Jaxson Dart, who had his own turn at tackling the famous trench run.
“I’ve been a massive Star Wars fan my entire life — from dressing up as Anakin Skywalker at my childhood birthday party to my on-field look inspired by his character,” said Dart, quarterback for the New York Giants. “Tonight, I felt like a kid again, stepping into the giant LEGO X-Wing and lighting up the Las Vega skyline in honour of my favourite movies. I’m thrilled to be here celebrating the future of LEGO Star Wars and to share my passion for that galaxy with the next generation of Star Wars fans.”
While the life-sized SMART Play X-wing was a limited-time event to mark the announcement of the new products, the play scale X-wing will be available from March 1, 2026 as part of the 75423 Luke’s Red Five X-wing set, one of three SMART Play Star Wars sets releasing (the other two are 75427 Throne Room Duel & A-wing and 75421 Darth Vader’s TIE Fighter).
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“LEGO SMART Play marks an exciting new chapter in the LEGO Group’s story; one where creativity, technology, and imagination come together like never before,” shared Julia Goldin, Chief Product & Marketing Officer at the LEGO Group. “Showcasing our latest innovation via an incredible experience on Sphere in Las Vegas allowed us to celebrate play on an extraordinary scale by bringing the Star Wars galaxy to life, in alignment with our friends at Disney Consumer Products and Lucasfilm. This experience captures the essence of what the LEGO brand has always stood for: inspiring builders of all ages to create, explore, and push the boundaries of what’s possible!”
Ron Faris, Senior Vice President, Global Brand Marketing, Disney Consumer Products, added: “The LEGO SMART Play system will breathe new life into the Star Wars galaxy, giving fans endless opportunities to create and experience Star Wars at home like never before. The size and scale of Sphere in Las Vegas lent itself perfectly for this first-of-its-kind Star Wars experience recreating the iconic trench run, allowing us to highlight the immersive capabilities of the new LEGO SMART Play system on a new canvas.”
“This interactive Exosphere experience — which brings LEGO SMART Play and Star Wars to life on an unprecedented scale — marks the first collaboration to leverage Sphere’s new immersive Exosphere technologies and exemplifies how brands can utilize Sphere to connect with their fans in new ways,” said Marcus Ellington, Executive Vice President, Ad Sales and Sponsorships, Sphere.
If you’re interested in learning more about LEGO SMART Play, you can see answers to five of the biggest questions here, as well as an in-depth look at the upcoming sets here. You can read reactions to the new sets too – whether they are too expensive and what potential SMART Play offers for the future.
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