To be fair, the designer who made it made several pieces for the SCCBS mechs and figures, and that’s the only one lego made.
4 Likes
I don’t think it’s specifically for knees and elbows, it was meant to link platforms in the mario sets too. Modern lego elements are meant to be multi purpose like the ones from the 80s. “Despecialized” parts if you will.
4 Likes
Ah, ok. That makes sense.
4 Likes
The limb element was primarily designed for mechs and figures in the 6+ age bracket. Years of focus group testing and customer feedback have shown LEGO that including more articulation actually hurts the play experience for many younger kids. (Especially those who don’t have as much experience with LEGO/action figures.) They get frustrated by having to stop in the middle of play to fiddle knees and ankles into a very specific position just to be able to stand a mech or figure up on a flat surface. (Sources: [1] [2] [3])
A lot of LEGO’s current design guidelines for system mechs were specifically influenced by feedback relating to the first wave of Exo-Force. (Sources [4] [5]) If you look through all of the system mechs they’ve done over the years, you’ll find that fixed knees have actually been mostly the standard since the latter days of that theme. Things like the original marvel mech template are moreso the exception than the rule.
4 Likes
The Bionicle Miramax Trilogy was also apparently removed from youtube a few months ago. Which is even weirder when you take into consideration the fact that it was previously allowed by Miramax to be uploaded.
Now, why would lego care about enforcing copyright protection on a dead brand? Especially with movies that aren’t even currently available on any streaming services.
7 Likes
That’s a great observation and question! 
Perhaps, the rumors about a Gen3 in 2025 weren’t entirely false, after all.
In that case, the date is obviously wrong, as we are almost halfway through this year and it’s unlikely that anything to happen until next year or after.
But I wonder if these are signs of Lego finally doing something with Bionicle in the upcoming years, or it’s all just a coincidence.
I guess we have to wait and see.
6 Likes
Tho I could always be wrong and maybe Lego is just planning to launch their streaming service Lego+ which includes all Lego movies and TV shows ever made/hj
6 Likes
My understanding is those were taken down because of fraudulent claims from a third party.
The claimant identified themself as “LEGO GROUP” in all caps (rather than the proper phrasing: “The LEGO Group”) and provided a Gmail address as contact info.
It’s also likely that LEGO themselves aren’t even the current holders of the distribution rights for the Mirimax trilogy movies. When uploads of The Legend Reborn get claimed for instance, it comes from Universal, not LEGO.
Put simply: they weren’t taken down by LEGO. They were taken down by someone pretending to be LEGO.
10 Likes
Maybe it’s time bionicle returns in minifig scale? With pieces and building techniques existing now we’d get some beautiful play sets of all the iconic places
3 Likes
This is clearly the work of disgruntled Slizer enthusiasts.
7 Likes
I can’t really see minifig scale Bionicle coexisting with Ninjago. They’d just be too similar, and Ninjago probably isn’t going anywhere any time soon. (especially considering that there’s another theatrical movie on the way!)
8 Likes
after 27 years, our plan in finally becoming reality…
6 Likes
The fact this wasn’t a 2-3 piece ratchet joint is an insult imo.
3 Likes
They tested that but it didn’t work for the intended age demographic.
4 Likes
You can say what ever you want, the fact of matter is, I know what’s going on here at my job, and you don’t. I won’t be discussing any else.
I really don’t understand their logic regarding the ratchet joints. They’re so stiff compared to ball joints (that they happily use everywhere now) that I don’t think you could make a “fiddly” mech design with them (unless it’s extremely top-heavy or large). For context, they’ve used the same ratchets on every Star Wars AT-ST and AT-AT variant for the last decade, and those legs are only fiddly on the AT-STs due to the chicken-leg design. I’m guessing that part of their logic is them just not wanting knees and elbows on mech sets in general, seeing as how they’ve stopped doing those for at least 5 years. Their Twitter post doesn’t really specify how or what they did in terms of play-testing, it’s just one guy saying “We tried this and concluded it wasn’t working.” So unless they actually prove that kids really like the over-$24.99-mech sets being bricks on par with 1980s Transformers, I wouldn’t be surprised if it was simply LEGO just wanting to get out of adding articulation to non-collector sets.
4 Likes
I’ve got a pretty good idea actually.
You aren’t the only person to claim employment at LEGO, and you definitely do have the ability to substantiate any of the additional Bionicle-related claims you’re making without jeopardizing your position or leaking any sensitive info. For now though, it’s just another baseless rumor.
Well it’s also the matter of a much more complicated piece being added to a library of admittedly simple pieces in a simple set - you have to figure out a delicate ratcheting mechanism inside a closed space that has absolutely no room to spare, since you also want a hole in the middle.
Ultimately I would’ve personally chosen to not make the piece at all, but I can see why LEGO would go for one static and unmoving part instead of two highly complex and stable ratcheting pieces. I’d prefer it the other way, but it makes manufacturing way easier.
6 Likes
Very true.
3 Likes
introducing:
biomedia project+
only 8 widgets a set release cycle, with music streaming, news stories, top quality Bionicle games, access to Bionicle instructions, and 3 incredible movies. package of latest parts will be delivered monthly!
SUBSCRIBE TODAY
we also have the legend reborn
4 Likes
advertising isn’t allowed smh my head, anyways do y’all offer family plans with that so I can get my friends in another Koro covered
I have The Legend Reborn on DVD, got it for Christmas… totally worth it
7 Likes