Lego has unveiled its first-ever Smart Bricks. The company calls its most revolutionary innovation in nearly 50 years. The iconic colourful bricks that have fuelled generations of imagination are stepping into a new era.
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The new Smart Play was announced at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) 2026 in Las Vegas. The system introduces sound, light and motion-sensitive responses to traditional Lego sets.
How Smart Bricks work
At the heart of the system is a 2×4 Smart Brick embedded with a custom-designed chip, sensors, an accelerometer, LED lights and a small speaker. The brick reacts dynamically during play by lighting up, playing music or producing sound effects, capable of detecting motion, orientation and nearby blocks. The technology is wirelessly charged via a shared pad that can power multiple bricks simultaneously.
Star Wars sets to debut Smart Play
Lego has confirmed that the Smart Play technology will debut with three new Star Wars sets launching in March, with rumours suggesting future expansions, possibly including Pokémon-themed sets. According to the company, the system has been eight years in the making and aims to deepen storytelling and engagement while keeping play tactile and screen-free.
“As the world evolves, so do we,” said Julia Goldin, Lego Group’s chief product and marketing officer, adding that digital technology offers an opportunity to expand physical play rather than replace it.
Expert questions impact on imagination
However, the move has sparked a mixed response among child development and play experts. Josh Golin, executive director of children’s wellbeing group Fairplay, warned that Smart Bricks risk undermining what has traditionally made Lego special, children’s ability to create stories entirely through imagination. “Children’s Lego creations already move and make noises through the power of their imagination,” he said.
Andrew Manches, professor of children and technology at the University of Edinburgh, echoed the sentiment, noting that Lego’s simplicity has long allowed endless creative freedom. Still, he welcomed efforts to thoughtfully merge physical and digital play, provided they respond naturally to children’s actions.
A familiar balance between tradition and change
Lego, founded in 1932 as a small carpentry workshop. From the introduction of minifigures in 1978 to blockbuster licensing deals like Star Wars in 1999. Whether Smart Bricks become the next defining chapter or a controversial experiment, only the time will tell, but the company is clearly betting that innovation and imagination can coexist.
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