After decades of largely unchanged fundamentals, the LEGO Group is once again experimenting with how its bricks can behave, not just how they look. At the Consumer Electronics Show 2026, the company unveiled Lego Smart Play, a new system built around a “smart brick” designed to introduce sensors, sound, and motion awareness into traditional Lego builds. Rather than positioning this as a separate product line, Lego is framing Smart Play as an extension of existing play patterns, with components intended to integrate into standard sets.
The Smart Play brick functions as the system’s core, housing sensors including accelerometers, light detection, and sound input, alongside a small speaker powered by an onboard synthesizer. Wireless charging is built in, removing the need for replaceable batteries. While Lego has previously explored electronic elements through products like its Super Mario sets, Smart Play represents a more general-purpose platform, aimed at supporting a wider range of interactions rather than character-specific behaviors.
The system does not rely on the brick alone. Lego is also introducing Smart Play minifigures and flat, two-by-two “tag” elements that work in combination with the smart brick. Together, these pieces allow builders to create reactive elements such as triggered sounds, simple animations, and visual responses. Based on demonstrations shown at CES, interactions are driven by physical placement and movement rather than screens, keeping the focus on hands-on play rather than app-based control.
To introduce the technology, Lego is leaning on familiar intellectual property, starting with three new Star Wars building sets designed specifically around Smart Play. These sets will be available for preorder on January 9 and are scheduled to launch on March 1 through Lego’s own stores, website, and other retailers. The lineup includes Darth Vader’s TIE Fighter, Luke’s Red Five X-wing, and a combined Throne Room Duel and A-wing set, each bundling the Smart Play brick with themed minifigures and tags. Prices range from $69 to $159.99, placing them in line with other mid- to high-tier licensed Lego sets.
While the Star Wars branding may skew toward collectors and long-time fans, Lego maintains that Smart Play is primarily aimed at children. Company representatives describe it as a way to add responsiveness and experimentation to freeform building, rather than a shift toward scripted or digital-first play. Importantly, the Smart Play components are compatible with existing Lego bricks, meaning they can be mixed into older sets or loose collections rather than replacing them.
From a broader perspective, Smart Play reflects Lego’s ongoing effort to balance tradition with experimentation. The company has spent years testing how far it can introduce technology without undermining the open-ended creativity that defines its products. Whether Smart Play becomes a foundational system or remains a niche add-on will likely depend on how flexible it proves to be once it reaches homes, classrooms, and the inevitable custom builds created by dedicated fans.
