At CES 2026 Lego showed one of its most ambitious innovations: Smart Brick, a 2×4 brick identical in size to the classic ones but equipped with sensors, lights, sounds and wireless communication. It’s the heart of Smart Play, a new platform that promises sets capable of reacting to the way they are built and used, without screens or external apps. The stated objective is to enrich the physical experience while keeping the spirit of the Lego game intact.
How smart bricks work
Inside the Smart Brick there is a tiny ASIC chip, flanked by an accelerometer, speaker and an LED matrix. The bricks sense movement, orientation and proximity to each other, communicating via BrickNet, a Bluetooth-based local network. To complete the ecosystem come Smart Minifigures and Smart Tags, elements that provide narrative context and influence the behavior of the sets.
Star Wars sets
The commercial debut of Smart Play will take place with sets dedicated to Star Wars, designed to offer constructions that “respond” to the child’s actions. Models include combinations of Smart Bricks, smart minifigures and tags, turning assembly into a seamless interactive experience. The basic idea is to expand the narrative possibilities, ensuring that the constructions react to the movement or arrangement of the pieces, without distorting the physical game.
There are three small to medium sized sets. Darth Vader’s TIE Fighter includes 473 pieces, a Smart Minifigure, a Smart Brick and a Smart Tag, at the price of 70 dollars (about 64 euros). Luke’s X-Wing Red Five rises to 584 pieces, two intelligent minifigures and five Smart Tags for 100 dollars, approximately 92 euros.
The richest set is Throne Room Duel & A-wing, with 962 pieces, two Smart Bricks and three Smart Minifigures, offered at 160 dollars (just under 147 euros). Pre-orders will be available starting January 9th with the release in US stores on March 1st. For the moment, however, there are no precise dates for Europe.
The issue of sustainability and disposal
However, the introduction of electronic components opens up a crucial question: environmental sustainability. LEDs, batteries and chips make these bricks different from traditional Lego, which are historically long-lived and reusable for generations. The risk is that, at the end of their life cycle, Smart Bricks become electronic waste, difficult to dispose of and recycle except through dedicated supply chains. The presence of integrated batteries raises questions about their replacement and the correct recovery of materials.
Lego ensures long battery life and shared wireless charging, but the question remains what will happen in ten or twenty years. The company will likely need to invest in take-back programs, controlled recycling and modular designs that allow it to separate plastics and electronics. Without these guarantees, innovation risks conflicting with circular economy objectives.
Creativity under observation: enthusiasm and criticism
There is no shortage of doubts on the educational level. Some experts worry that too much interactivity could limit imagination, historically the heart of Lego play. Others, however, see Smart Play as an opportunity to integrate physical and digital in a natural way, leaving children in control of the experience. The challenge will be to find the balance between technological stimulation and creative freedom.
Smart Brick marks an important turning point for Lego: a step towards the future that fascinates and divides. Between recreational potential, environmental risks and educational questions, success will depend on the company’s ability to innovate without betraying the values that have made its bricks iconic.
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