Why everyone hates Lego now

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Lego is a global super brand, a system of thoroughly standardized building bricks marketed worldwide and controlled meticulously down to the tiniest detail.

The once small Danish family workshop long ago grew into the largest toy manufacturer on the planet. A

multi-billion dollar company with decades of nearly non-stop revenue growth. But alongside that success,

growth. But alongside that success, something else has been growing.

Frustration. More and more fans are accusing LEGO of abandoning its roots, overpriced licensed sets, an increasingly aggressive branding policy,

an army of lawyers ready to pounce, color inconsistencies, declining quality.

One of the questions that I get a lot is that LEGO keeps increasing prices and decreasing quality.

>> Needless to say, this set was definitely overpriced. Lego in 2025 reached an

overpriced. Lego in 2025 reached an all-time high regarding prices. Is Lego

getting too expensive?

>> How did Lego get so big? And why are they suddenly getting so much hate?

>> Game begin.

Lego's story begins here in a small carpentry workshop in Billand, Denmark.

This is Ole Kirk Christiansen. He lives

a modest life. He's a father to four sons, raising them alone since his wife died after giving birth to his youngest.

It's the 1930s during the Great Depression and life is tough. Business

is slow and money tight. But Oie doesn't give up and starts designing wooden toys. His miniature products start to

toys. His miniature products start to sell well enough that he ends up shifting his entire business to making them.

In 1936, he picks a fitting name for his thriving enterprise. In Danish, liot

thriving enterprise. In Danish, liot means play well, a phrase which ends up becoming Lego. His sons are always at

becoming Lego. His sons are always at his side, helping out wherever they can.

One of them is especially involved, Gotfred. He quickly becomes

Gotfred. He quickly becomes indispensable. At age 12, he's already

indispensable. At age 12, he's already keeping the company's books. At 14, he quits school and becomes an apprentice carpenter. Over time, he gets more and

carpenter. Over time, he gets more and more involved in the family business.

Then World War II breaks out, but Lego holds up surprisingly well. In dark

times like these, children need toys more than ever. In the 1940s, Oolie begins experimenting with a new material, plastic. After the war, he

material, plastic. After the war, he buys a British injection molding machine. He's curious what he can do

machine. He's curious what he can do with it and starts playing around. The

machine comes with a set of sample pieces, including these stackable building blocks. They were designed by a

building blocks. They were designed by a British toy maker named Hillary Paige, founder of the company Kiddcraft. He

also holds the right to the design of these studded bricks. Oolie is

fascinated by them. He makes a few subtle tweaks. He straightens out the

subtle tweaks. He straightens out the rounded corners, flattens the studs on top, and slightly adjusts their size.

Then, in 1949, he and his family released the first brick set of their own, the so-called automatic binding bricks. Oolie designed them to be a

bricks. Oolie designed them to be a well-made, durable, and well-th thoughtout toy at a reasonable price, not a luxury item. Since Paige's patent

only applies in the UK, Oolie's set isn't violating any Danish laws.

Evidently, LEGO took inspiration from toy bricks designed by someone else. But

fast forward 70 years, the company is mercilessly sending cease and desist letters to anyone attempting to do the same.

For this video, we talked to German content creator Thomas Panka. He runs a popular YouTube channel about building brick sets and has become one of LEGO's fiercest critics. He actually started

fiercest critics. He actually started out as an official LEGO retailer. His

original logo featured a studded brick silhouette. But when he tried to

silhouette. But when he tried to register it as his own trademark, LEGO's lawyers came knocking. A legal battle ensued over his branding and using the word Lego as a generic term for building

bricks. He was eventually forced to

bricks. He was eventually forced to change his logo and walked away from working with the company.

Generally, LEGO doesn't want other manufacturers of interlocking plastic toy bricks to use the word Lego to advertise their products. If the name were to become a generic term for these

bricks, including lowquality ones, then that could damage the company's reputation. Lego might no longer be able

reputation. Lego might no longer be able to clearly set itself apart from its competitors.

In a worst case scenario, LEGO becoming a generic term could cost the company its trademark protection. So, LEGO

doesn't just go after YouTubers. They

also sue other businesses. A Dutch

manufacturer of concrete blocks described its studded block system as comparable to Lego bricks on its website. LEGO noticed and sued in 2025,

website. LEGO noticed and sued in 2025, explicitly demanding they stop using the word Lego in connection with their products. The construction company

products. The construction company argued that Lego suffered no real damage. After all, no 8-year-old child

damage. After all, no 8-year-old child had ever been spoiled by his parents with a 2500 kilo concrete block because they had asked for Lego. But a Dutch

court eventually ruled in Lego's favor.

The construction company can no longer use the name Lego on its website.

LEGO is doing everything in their power to protect their brand. Other YouTubers

we talked to think you can't blame them for operating just like any other large company. This might not sit right with

company. This might not sit right with some because they still view LEGO as a traditional family business responsible for cherished childhood memories. But in

truth, the company long ago transformed into a global corporation with an appropriately sized legal team.

For decades, LEGO has fought to control its identity while turning into this empire. It's a dilemma modern founders

empire. It's a dilemma modern founders face, too. How do you scale sustainably

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shopify.com/fern or scan this QR code. Back to Lego, a now fullyfledged, lawyered up mega corp, which hasn't always been like this.

By the 1950s, Woolie's son, Godfred, is taking over more and more responsibility at the company. He officially renames the product Lego bricks and he comes up

with a groundbreaking idea. Back then,

their bricks still looked like this.

They're now completely hollow and have these little slits on the side. They can

be stacked, but don't actually interlock. Taller towers could still

interlock. Taller towers could still collapse easily. So, Godfred

collapse easily. So, Godfred incorporates these little hollow tubes into the bricks underside. On January

28, 1958, he files a patent for the new design. The side slits disappear as

design. The side slits disappear as well. The Lego brick as we know it today

well. The Lego brick as we know it today is born.

A few weeks later, Godfred's father, Oie, passes away. But the founders's death doesn't slow down the family business. If anything, this is the

business. If anything, this is the moment LEGO really starts taking off.

Godfred pins down the six guiding principles of Lego and distributes them to retailers. The toy has to be compact,

to retailers. The toy has to be compact, reasonably priced, and durable. It's

meant to be timeless, easily distributed, and suitable for all children, regardless of age and gender.

The new LEGO boxes and building instructions illustrate what you can build, but also encourage alternate builds and creativity. All sets can be combined with each other. The bricks you bought years ago will fit perfectly with

the bricks you buy today and those you'll buy tomorrow. Good calls it the Lego system in play.

>> Lego is here. build hotels, animals, people, boats, skyscrapers, and more.

>> Next, he looks for ways to pull kids even deeper into the world of Lego. In

1968, he opens the first Legoland park in Billand. It's a passion project for

in Billand. It's a passion project for him and a milestone for the brand. He

also expands his vision of Lego's audience. So far, the company has been

audience. So far, the company has been primarily targeting kids in elementary school. But in 1969, Lego introduces the

school. But in 1969, Lego introduces the Duplo variant for younger children. It's

the same system, only with bigger bricks. Godfred believes that kids don't

bricks. Godfred believes that kids don't need endless amounts of toys. They need

a compatible system that lets them create new worlds over and over. Just

like his father, Oolie, he focuses on quality and on keeping his products affordable for as many people as possible.

Today, many LEGO products are expensive.

Roughly $280 for this Beauty in the Beast castle, $330 for a river steamboat, almost $700 for the Titanic,

$850 for the Millennium Falcon, and of course, you can also buy cheaper sets.

But the best sellers category quickly brings you into triple digits.

LEGO itself claims that set prices hinge on several factors. on the number of pieces in the set, on how many new molds were required for their forms, and on the cost of licensing characters from

other brands and companies. This crawler

crane, for example, is a licensed product from the German Swiss equipment manufacturer Leehair. It's part of the

manufacturer Leehair. It's part of the LEGO Technic line, has 2,883 pieces, and will cost you $700. To be

fair, big sets are more expensive, licensed sets even more so, and it's also explicitly marketed as for adults.

If you break the set down to price per piece, you're paying about 24 cents per element. That ratio isn't the perfect

element. That ratio isn't the perfect metric. It doesn't factor in things like

metric. It doesn't factor in things like mini figures, which can increase a set's value. It also doesn't reflect the

value. It also doesn't reflect the complexity of the build. Still, the

price per piece ratio helps compare sets against each other. The Millennium

Falcon works out to about 11 cents per piece, but this Star Wars set has many fewer parts and comes in at 18 cents per piece. And this bonsai tree has no

piece. And this bonsai tree has no license, only around 470 pieces, and comes in at 12 cents per piece. LEGO's

pricing isn't exactly consistent by this metric, but it's still fair to say that licensed sets generally tend to be more expensive than non-licensed sets. And on

average, sets today do cost more than they did 10 or 20 years ago. But the

average number of pieces has also gone up. Adjusted for inflation, LEGO's

up. Adjusted for inflation, LEGO's average price per piece has stayed relatively stable.

Many modern sets are far more intricate and complex. That means the individual

and complex. That means the individual pieces are often smaller. The real key is that LEGO specifically tailor its pricing to different target groups. Kids

mostly see a toy. Parents see a gift that feels both safe and familiar, but other adults see collectibles. No matter

how expensive a Lego set is, there always seems to be a market for it. But

it took a long time before the company could charge prices like this. In the

70s, the company begins to realize its strongest USP isn't the design of the bricks. It's the worlds you can build

bricks. It's the worlds you can build with them.

Gfred's son, Kale Christianen, will be the one to turn Lego into a globally competitive brand. Like his father, Kale

competitive brand. Like his father, Kale grows up inside the family business. He

also ends up gradually taking on more and more responsibility. And during the 70s, he comes up with one brilliant idea after another. Up until now, LEGO sets

after another. Up until now, LEGO sets have been rather simple. The product

range consists mostly of houses and vehicles. But now, Kill introduces

vehicles. But now, Kill introduces themed sets, entire worlds for kids to dive into and get creative. And with

them come the new minifigures, which are still patented by LEGO today. They're

LEGO's answer to German competitor Playmobil. The minifigures instantly

Playmobil. The minifigures instantly make every build feel more alive. You

can fly through space with the space cruiser and invent adventures for its crew. You can lead brave knights into

crew. You can lead brave knights into battle at a medieval castle, play with Lionol Lion and his friends at Fabuland, or set sail with a pack of reckless pirates. And if your parents are willing

pirates. And if your parents are willing to splurge, you can bring all of it together in one integrated world. In

1977, LEGO introduces its Technic series, more complex builds with gears, axes, and motors. The sets explicitly target older kids and teenagers. In

1979, Kill officially takes over. Two

years later, LEGO retroactively secures all rights to the Kidcraft Bricks and trademark. Kill strengthens LEGO's

trademark. Kill strengthens LEGO's position in the European market. And in

the US, he gives the brand a major boost in visibility through a partnership with McDonald's. Soon, almost every family

McDonald's. Soon, almost every family home has the iconic messy bin overflowing with Lego pieces. The

brand's meteoric rise coincides with the peak years of the baby boom and that generation's children. LEGO's revenues

generation's children. LEGO's revenues skyrocket during much of the 80s. Soon,

the company employs 5,000 people worldwide, and it just keeps on growing.

But then come the '90s.

As children across the world are busy fiddling with GameBoys and feeding Tamagotchis, LEGO fears its colored bricks might not keep up. The company

responds by tripling production within just four years and by desperately trying to keep up with the times. LEGO

aggressively expands its portfolio. It

introduces clothing lines, jewelry, and opens new Legoland theme parks in England and the US. The brand even takes a shot at video games.

But many of these ventures don't pay off. LEGO ends up spreading itself too

off. LEGO ends up spreading itself too thin. Too many product lines, soaring

thin. Too many product lines, soaring production costs, plateauing sales, and declining profits. Lego enters a

declining profits. Lego enters a downward spiral.

In 1998, the company reports its first ever loss. But a year later, Star Wars

ever loss. But a year later, Star Wars Episode 1: The Phantom Menace hits theaters, and LEGO announces an exclusive licensing partnership with Lucasfilm.

The Star Wars sets are an instant hit.

Suddenly, fans can take home pieces of their favorite universe, rebuild it, and reenact iconic scenes. In the early 2000s, LEGO also launches the Bionicle series, which becomes a massive success

in the US. But the company also introduces new products that many users feel are too simplistic, like the Galidor series. The figures are composed

Galidor series. The figures are composed of just a handful of parts. Kids can

skip the entire building process and go straight to playing. In that era, some consumers walked into toy stores and didn't recognize the Lego section, even while standing right in front of it.

Star Wars and Bionicle aren't enough to save the company. By 2003, LEGO is facing bankruptcy, reporting a staggering $238 million loss. Dark days

for the Danish toy empire. To get out of this crisis, LEGO will make a series of drastic changes, many of which will shape the company today.

I have noticed and seen a lot more and more that Lego is also unfortunately taking a couple of steps back when it comes to quality.

>> For a long time, LEGO was synonymous with highquality products at fair prices. But recently, more and more fans

prices. But recently, more and more fans have started complaining about declining quality, especially given how expensive many sets have become. One recurring

critique calls out noticeable color inconsistencies between Lego bricks.

>> His darn eyebrow. It's It's the wrong color. And I'm telling you, on camera,

color. And I'm telling you, on camera, it looks about the same as it does in real life. And to me, that's just really

real life. And to me, that's just really unacceptable.

>> LEGO says these variations can occur because the company is recycling old pieces to become more eco-friendly.

Others are frustrated by sloppy or downgraded minifigure prints.

>> Feel like majority of the minifigures have definitely been knocked down.

>> Some fans feel the company is cutting corners in the wrong places. This Star

Wars command shuttle costs $70 and could easily fit two minifigures, but comes with none. More and more creators are

with none. More and more creators are dedicating entire videos to discussing if and why LEGO's quality is getting worse. This YouTuber doubles down on

worse. This YouTuber doubles down on declining print details and accessories and minifigures, downgrades in the design of building instructions, and an increasing number of blatant errors like

typos in expensive license sets. Of

course, there are still many things that customers genuinely appreciate about LEGO, like the fact that LEGO instructions are so carefully designed that even total beginners can reliably complete any set. And through the years,

the brand keeps launching new sets that win over the community, like this iconic scene from Star Wars Episode 6, or this double-decker bus that YouTuber Thomas Panka loves. The attention to detail

Panka loves. The attention to detail reminds him of why he fell in love with Lego in the first place.

But since Panka has also become one of the company's fiercest critics, we asked him to walk us through some sets that truly upset him. For example, he thinks the Senna McLaren set was a cheap shot.

The racing helmet on Senna's minifigure was supposed to be the set's single most iconic detail, but Panka says it was done completely wrong. Off color,

wrongly positioned, misprinted, and just an overall disaster, especially for a licensed tribute set. He also criticizes a collector grade display model for using light gray joints on an otherwise

black dragon. He explains that Lego

black dragon. He explains that Lego simply doesn't recolor these standard parts for cost reasons. For him, that's unacceptable in a 120-year-old display piece aimed at adult collectors.

Panka is also not a big fan of LEGO's increasing use of brightly colored bricks inside sets. These fillings

completely digress from the general color palette. Panka believes this is a

color palette. Panka believes this is a strategic business decision. If the

internal structure is composed of mismatching colors, it's much harder to repurpose those parts and rebuild sets into different shapes. And it's more likely people will just buy a new set instead.

>> Using leftover colors inside sets may also help LEGO reduce production costs by burning through surplus inventory. In

2025, for the first time in 10 years, LEGO released a new Simpsons set. The

biggest criticism is that it relies far too much on stickers for a $200 set.

Without them, the Crusty Burger would just look bland and hardly feel like a licensed product at all. This 1,600 Lego piece model will retail for $200, which

considering the average price per piece ratio on LEGO sets makes this one overpriced. Either the IP license, some

overpriced. Either the IP license, some new minifigure parts, definitely not prints, as 95% of decorations are stickers, are driving the price up more

than it normally should.

Meanwhile, LEGO was starting to face more competition. In 1978, LEGO's patent

more competition. In 1978, LEGO's patent for its building brick expired. The

company tried to protect the stud and tube design through trademark law. But

in 2010, the EU's Court of Justice ruled that LEGO cannot trademark the shape of its brick. That decision finally opened

its brick. That decision finally opened the door for other manufacturers to legally produce compatible building blocks. If you want to explore outside

blocks. If you want to explore outside of Lego and get something that's probably better value for money, then you can do so with confidence with Carter. Panka showed us two models, one

Carter. Panka showed us two models, one from Lego and one from Chinese competitor Katada. Both sets cost the

competitor Katada. Both sets cost the same, but Panka thinks the Kada version is easily twice as good with equivalent material quality, but far more attention to Formula 1 details.

Lego tends to be significantly more expensive than its competitors. This has

nothing to do with the raw material. The

bricks are made of ABS plastic, a lowcost material. According to LEGO's

lowcost material. According to LEGO's 2024 annual report, cost for raw materials accounted for less than 20% of all expenses. LEGO says its higher

all expenses. LEGO says its higher prices mainly stem from unique molds, special colors, complex product lines, and of course, licensing fees for many of the brand's flagship series. Parts of

the community criticize LEGO for perhaps focusing too much on marketing and too little on actual product development.

And the numbers seem to back that up. In

2024, more than 40% of LEGO's total expenses went into sales and distribution. That includes advertising,

distribution. That includes advertising, marketing, and personnel. Only about 5% went into R&D. Today, LEGO prioritizes efficiency and cost control. And it

seems that this shift repeatedly comes at the expense of quality. But this

strategic turn wasn't initiated by a member of the founding family. The man

responsible is a former McKenzie consultant.

This is Jorgen Vig Nudtor. He takes over as LEGO's new CEO in 2004 when the company is on the brink of bankruptcy and he's the one to steer it back onto firm financial footing. Under his

leadership, Lego sells off nearly everything outside its core business. A

thousand jobs are cut in Billand alone and production is shifted from highcost countries like Denmark, Switzerland and the US to Eastern Europe and China. Lego

also sells the majority stake in its Legoland theme parks. Nudespr trims down internal processes like idea to box development times. He cuts the number of

development times. He cuts the number of product variants and pushes for more efficient production. LEGO refocuses on

efficient production. LEGO refocuses on its classic building bricks and its winning formula system in play. Just one

year into his tenure, the company is back in the black. The main reason is that Nudes Torp actively targets an audience that Lego had overlooked for a long time. That precise decision becomes

long time. That precise decision becomes the key to LEGO's impressive turnaround.

By the late '9s, more and more adult LEGO fans come together on the internet.

They share pictures of their builds, trade tips, and bond over a nostalgic love for the brick. They'll come to be known as A-falls, adult fans of Lego.

They start meeting at unofficial fan conventions all around the world. Up

until now, LEGO had primarily marketed its products to kids, but Nudestor sees the potential in the passionate A-fall target group and starts developing more and more sets specifically for them. He

also forms an A-fall engagement team.

Adult fans can now submit their very own ideas for LEGO sets and actually see some of them hit the market. Since 2014,

LEGO fans around the world are able to submit their own designs through a program called LEGO Ideas. If a fan- created set is chosen to be made into an official LEGO set, the creator gets 1%

of the product's net sales. Aphals prove

to be an absolute jackpot for LEGO.

They're passionate, loyal, and they finally have the cash to treat themselves to things they couldn't as kids. Aphals don't just faithfully buy

kids. Aphals don't just faithfully buy the most recent sets. Many of them spend absurd amounts of money on rare collector's items. Some of these sets are traded off market for four or even 5

figure sums. Under Nudestor, LEGO starts producing exclusive sets that are only available for a limited amount of time. The

company deliberately creates a sense of scarcity that automatically turns certain products into high value collectibles. And every passionate

collectibles. And every passionate collector knows that particular kind of agony. the fear of missing out on a

agony. the fear of missing out on a limited release while it's on the market. The Ranker Pit retailed for $70

market. The Ranker Pit retailed for $70 back in 2013. Today, the sealed copy easily sells for $400. The Simpsons

House was produced for only 3 years before being discontinued. It originally

sold for around $200. Today, you'll find sealed boxes on eBay for $600. Minigures

are especially coveted. Today I'm taking a look on my most expensive figure I got in my collection and it's the U tide squadron pilot which is a very rare

figure. It was released back in 2019 as

figure. It was released back in 2019 as the gift to LEGO employees and the set is in the 20th anniversary Star Wars line. I bought this set in 2019 on

line. I bought this set in 2019 on Brickling for around $260. Today the

minifigure alone is priced at up to $1,600.

Some LEGO fans are such avid collectors that their basements end up resembling warehouse storage. Some do it out of

warehouse storage. Some do it out of pure love for the product. Others are

quietly hoping that one of their sets will someday skyrocket in value. There

are entire videos about treating Lego sets as investment assets.

Licensed sets have been crucial to LEGO's success since the early 2000s, but Nudestor exploits that strategy even further. Year after year, the company

further. Year after year, the company keeps adding more licensing partnerships. The CEO banks on the star

partnerships. The CEO banks on the star power and built-in marketing of these partner brands. And it's not just pop

partner brands. And it's not just pop culture. LEGO also teams up with

culture. LEGO also teams up with companies like Ferrari, Porsche, and Mercedes to release high-end automotive sets. At the same time, LEGO begins

sets. At the same time, LEGO begins building its own franchises with original characters. The animated series

original characters. The animated series Ninjago launches in 2011. In 2014, the Lego Movie hits theaters worldwide.

It's perfect marketing for LEGO. 100

minutes of brand exposure wrapped in a fun animation blockbuster. But it's also a tribute to all the stop motion Lego films fans have been making since the 1980s. And it pays off. The movie

1980s. And it pays off. The movie

grosses around $470 million worldwide.

It's the most successful animated film ever produced by Warner Animation. LEGO

continues to turn out more movies and series over the years. By 2015, the company is fully back on track.

>> Best year ever for the LEGO Group. So,

just like uh at the Oscars or just like in the movie theaters this last year, we are also dancing and singing and saying everything is awesome.

Nudestor pulls off an impressive turnaround. Two things bring Lego out of

turnaround. Two things bring Lego out of crisis and back to the top. his

uncompromising focus on economic success and his radically honest leadership style of openly acknowledging when the company is struggling. Journalists end

up calling it the nudes torped cure and he won't be the last Mckenzie consultant to shape Lego.

In 2017, Neil's Christianen takes over as CEO. Despite the shared last name,

as CEO. Despite the shared last name, he's not part of the founding family.

Like Nudesp, Christianen had previously worked at McKenzie. Before joining LEGO, he spent years running the Danish multinational company Danfos. Now he's

determined to take LEGO to the next level. A key part of his strategy is

level. A key part of his strategy is reaching even more people around the globe, mainly by pushing into new markets. His main focus is China. For a

markets. His main focus is China. For a

company like us that are really interested in getting out their experiences to all kids throughout the world. So China is important with 200

world. So China is important with 200 million kids. Of course, it's a super

million kids. Of course, it's a super important market uh with with with many kids that we want to reach.

>> LEGO is now developing products specifically targeting Chinese customers. One example is the Monkey Kid

customers. One example is the Monkey Kid series, inspired by Chinese mythology and folklore. And over the next two

and folklore. And over the next two decades, Lego is also looking to firmly establish itself in India. Neil's

biggest concern is Lego's ability to stay relevant. He says it's the one

stay relevant. He says it's the one thing keeping him awake at night. But it

looks like he's found the formula to make it happen. even more products. LEGO

has released 840 sets in 2024 alone, covering every age group and every niche interest imaginable. Neils wants to

interest imaginable. Neils wants to complement physical play with digital experiences. And just like his

experiences. And just like his predecessor, Nudestor, the new CEO, is all in on collaborations with trending brands. And he's expanding the LEGO

brands. And he's expanding the LEGO brand itself. Today, you can buy shirts,

brand itself. Today, you can buy shirts, mugs, puzzles, and brick-shaped storage boxes. There are over a thousand

boxes. There are over a thousand official Lego stores worldwide, plus multiple indoor experiences like the Lego Discovery Centers and the Leg House. In 2019, the company brought back

House. In 2019, the company brought back the Legoland theme parks. Apart from a co dip, Lego revenues just keep on climbing. Under Neil's Christensen, the

climbing. Under Neil's Christensen, the company hits one sales record after another. Toy markets in Europe and

another. Toy markets in Europe and America may be in decline, but Lego continues to thrive. It's pulled far ahead of its competitors over the last few years. Today, it's by far the most

few years. Today, it's by far the most valuable toy brand in the world.

While LEGO's executive team is probably quite happy about all this, many long-term fans are drifting away.

Criticism from both customers and fans has only grown louder under the new CEO.

LEGO's prices feel too high and sometimes random. Overall product

sometimes random. Overall product quality appears to be declining. And to

many fans, it feels as if LEGO is now focusing mostly on new target groups.

Many believe that LEGO's success relies not so much on the quality of its current products, but more on the cherished childhood memories associated with the brand. We reached out to LEGO

for comment and all of these concerns, but never heard back. LEGO doesn't just sell toy bricks. It sells a feeling.

Almost no other company in the world is so effective at monetizing nostalgia.

But what nostalgic feeling will future generations of customers associate with Lego? Maybe it'll be their own movie and

Lego? Maybe it'll be their own movie and TV show heroes. And maybe strong licensing deals will forever be enough.

Or maybe not.