LEGO Enters New Era With Smart Bricks That React to Play

By Danial Martinus • 07 Jan 2026 in Gear

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For decades, LEGO has thrived on one simple promise: give kids a bunch of bricks, and they’ll build their own worlds. With the new LEGO SMART Play system recently unveiled at CES 2026, that promise has been nudged into a new era of innovative play.

It quietly weaves advanced technology into physical bricks, letting LEGO creations react to how they’re played with.

The biggest shift in the LEGO System in Play

If you think of LEGO, you’d probably picture bricks, as well as those minifigures. But the latter only came about in 1978. So you can imagine just how much the addition of minifigures changed the game back then.

With the new SMART Play system, kids can finally use “less” of their imagination thanks to the more than 20 patented technologies packed into the new system.

The SMART Brick, for instance, is a deceptively ordinary-looking element. It actually contains a custom-made chip smaller than a standard LEGO stud, alongside sensors, accelerometers, light and sound detection, a miniature speaker with its own synthesiser, as well as wireless charging.

But when you team the SMART Bricks up with SMART Tags and SMART Minifigures, you’ll get builds that respond in real time. Engines roar, lasers fire, lights flicker, and more, depending on how kids move, place, or interact with their creations.

Most importantly, though, is the fact that this new tech is still compatible with the existing LEGO system, which means you won’t have to replace all your classic bricks.

“For over 90 years, the LEGO Group has sparked imagination and creativity in children around the globe,” says Julia Goldin, Chief Product & Marketing Officer of the LEGO Group.

“As the world evolves, so do we—innovating to meet the play needs of each new generation. LEGO SMART Play is the next exciting chapter in our LEGO System in Play and something we are super excited about being able to bring to the world at this scale.”

The new platform makes its debut on 1 March 2026, launching first within the LEGO Star Wars universe. This includes three all-in-one sets, like Luke’s Red Five X-Wing, Darth Vader’s TIE Fighter, and the Throne Room Duel & A-Wing set.

Pre-orders open on 9 January, with availability starting on 1 March at the official LEGO site as well as select retailers.