LEGO® Universe: Death of a Dream

FromLEGO® Bits N’ Bricks

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LEGO® Universe: Death of a Dream

FromLEGO® Bits N’ Bricks

ratings:

Length:

86 minutes

Released:

Mar 3, 2021

Format:

Podcast episode

Description

In this second of a two-episode Bits N’ Bricks special, journalist Brian Crecente and documentarian Ethan Vincent trace the bumpy launch and eventual death of the LEGO Group’s first massively multiplayer online game: LEGO® Universe.

Released:

Mar 3, 2021

Format:

Podcast episode

Titles in the series (56)

An official LEGO® Games podcast dedicated to digging out and exploring some of the many fascinating stories and lessons learned from a quarter century of game development. The podcast will feature the most memorable games and, importantly, some of those dedicated developers who helped bring them to life.

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LEGO® Island: In this episode of Bits N’ Bricks, journalist Brian Crecente and documentarian Ethan Vincent explore the creation, context, and impact of LEGO Island. Published in 1997, the open-world computer game may not have been the first LEGO® video game, but it was possibly the most impactful. by LEGO® Bits N’ Bricks
56 min listen
LEGO® Builder’s Journey: In this episode of Bits N’ Bricks, journalist Brian Crecente and documentarian Ethan Vincent trace the inception of LEGO® Builder’s Journey and how its unusual development led to the creation of spin-off studio Light Brick Studio, which was funded by LEGO Ventures. by LEGO® Bits N’ Bricks
72 min listen
Fluid Play: In this episode of Bits N’ Bricks, documentarian Ethan Vincent and journalist Brian Crecente explore the birth and evolution of the LEGO Group’s efforts to cohesively combine physical and digital play. The two trace the company’s efforts from the never-released smart toy DUPLO® Circus based on the LEGO® KidPad technology platform, through to the work in one reality creations like Life of George and Fusion, to finally the release of fluid play concepts Hidden Side and LEGO® Super Mario. by LEGO® Bits N’ Bricks
60 min listen
LEGO® Minifigures: A Conversation: In this special “conversation” episode of Bits N’ Bricks, journalist Brian Crecente and documentarian Ethan Vincent speak with Tara Wike about how the beloved LEGO® minifigure evolved in digital form and how those video game creations helped to influence the physical figures. by LEGO® Bits N’ Bricks
43 min listen
Minecraft: In this episode of Bits N’ Bricks, journalist Brian Crecente and documentarian Ethan Vincent unearth new details about never-before publicly discussed LEGO® brick themed Minecraft game: Brickcraft. The episode dives into the details of the early relationship between the LEGO Group and Mojang, why the game was eventually scuttled, and the LEGO Group’s early efforts in trying to create an open world sandbox game made of LEGO bricks. by LEGO® Bits N’ Bricks
60 min listen
LEGO® Universe: Birth of an Idea: In this first of a two-episode Bits N’ Bricks special, journalist Brian Crecente and documentarian Ethan Vincent trace the early roots and pre-production of the LEGO Group’s first massively multiplayer online game: LEGO® Universe. by LEGO® Bits N’ Bricks
69 min listen
LEGO® Friends: A Conversation: In this special “conversation” episode of Bits N’ Bricks, journalist Brian Crecente and documentarian Ethan Vincent speak with Elena Catón about her early research for the LEGO Group into the way girls interact with computer software and games, and how that led to the creation of the forgotten 1999 classic computer game LEGO® Friends. by LEGO® Bits N’ Bricks
37 min listen
Darwin: In this episode of Bits N’ Bricks, journalist Brian Crecente and documentarian Ethan Vincent unearth the almost forgotten work of the LEGO Group’s early work in digital efforts at its Strategic Product Unit Darwin. by LEGO® Bits N’ Bricks
71 min listen
LEGO® VIDIYO™: A Conversation: In this episode of Bits N’ Bricks, journalist Brian Crecente and documentarian Ethan Vincent speak with the LEGO Group’s Julia Goldin and Will Thorogood about the new LEGO® VIDIYO™ sets. by LEGO® Bits N’ Bricks
41 min listen
Unity: In this episode of Bits N’ Bricks, journalist Brian Crecente and documentarian Ethan Vincent trace the evolution of the LEGO Group’s work to empower fans’ efforts in the digital arena from the decades-ago release of LEGO® Digital Designer to the recent unveiling of the Unity LEGO Microgame creation system. by LEGO® Bits N’ Bricks
53 min listen
TT Games: In this episode of Bits N’ Bricks, journalist Brian Crecente and documentarian Ethan Vincent speak with the founders of TT Games about the formative years for the studio, the creation of its popular LEGO® Star Wars™ games, and what’s to come for the group. by LEGO® Bits N’ Bricks
68 min listen
Holiday Special: In this special holiday episode of Bits N’ Bricks, journalist Brian Crecente and documentarian Ethan Vincent have a spoiler-filled chat with Ken Cunningham about his work directing this year’s LEGO® Star Wars Holiday Special. The three discuss the evolution of LEGO movies and how LEGO video games have helped to shape the way the bricks and minifigures are perceived and given voice in movies. by LEGO® Bits N’ Bricks
33 min listen
Nexo Knights and the Big Bang Theory: While LEGO Nexo Knights was a massive transmedia property that spanned television, books, magazines, toys, and even an amusement park ride, it was the video game that held the property together and fueled its success. by LEGO® Bits N’ Bricks
44 min listen
LEGO® Loco: The LEGO Group’s Take on SimCity: The story behind second-wave LEGO video game LEGO Loco and how it drew deep inspiration from SimCity and Will Wright’s theories around digital toys and playful experiences. by LEGO® Bits N’ Bricks
35 min listen
LEGO® Universe: Death of a Dream: In this second of a two-episode Bits N’ Bricks special, journalist Brian Crecente and documentarian Ethan Vincent trace the bumpy launch and eventual death of the LEGO Group’s first massively multiplayer online game: LEGO® Universe. by LEGO® Bits N’ Bricks
86 min listen
LEGO® Universe Soundtrack: A Conversation: In this episode of Bits N’ Bricks, journalist Brian Crecente and documentarian Ethan Vincent speak with Richard Dekkard and Brian Tyler about their work on the LEGO® Universe soundtrack and the news of its remastering and first release on streaming platforms. by LEGO® Bits N’ Bricks
44 min listen
LEGO® Sonic Mania™: A Conversation: In this episode of Bits N’ Bricks, journalist Brian Crecente and documentarian Ethan Vincent speak with the fan creator, SEGA®, and the LEGO Group about the recently announced Sonic Mania™ Green Hill Zone LEGO® set. by LEGO® Bits N’ Bricks
44 min listen
To Be Continued: In the season finale, some of the Bits N’ Bricks team unite to discuss the making of the season’s episodes, their favorite stories, and where the show is headed after season one. A 2-minute quick read and a written transcript of the entire episode is available at https://www.lego.com/legogames-25-subpage. by LEGO® Bits N’ Bricks
55 min listen
LEGO® Overwatch®: A Conversation: In this episode of Bits N’ Bricks, journalist Brian Crecente and documentarian Ethan Vincent speak with Blizzard Entertainment and the LEGO Group about how the LEGO® Overwatch® theme sets came to be and the impact video games and the LEGO brand have on one another. by LEGO® Bits N’ Bricks
45 min listen
LEGO® Video Games and Digital Play: In this episode of Bits N’ Bricks, journalist Brian Crecente and documentarian Ethan Vincent chat about the 25th Anniversary of the first LEGO video game with LEGO Group CEO Niels B. Christiansen, chief product and marketing officer Julia Goldin, and vice president of LEGO Games Sean McEvoy. The three discuss the path forward for the company in an increasingly digital world. by LEGO® Bits N’ Bricks
47 min listen
A Fabled History: In this episode of Bits N’ Bricks, journalist Brian Crecente and documentarian Ethan Vincent chat with Kjeld Kirk Kristiansen, former CEO and grandson of the founder of the LEGO Group, and Jørgen Vig Knudstorp, executive chairman of LEGO Brand Group. The two discuss the company’s long and fascinating history with video games and digital play. by LEGO® Bits N’ Bricks
61 min listen
Birth of a LEGO® Brawls-er: LEGO Brawls was born as a fun run mobile game, but a little bit of Nintendo inspiration transformed it into a sort of LEGO-themed Super Smash Bros. brawler. In this episode, developer Red Games Co. walks us through the evolution, success, and long tail of LEGO Brawls. by LEGO® Bits N’ Bricks
52 min listen
May the Fourth Be With You: From brickifying emotional movie death scenes to the creation of the LEGO® Star Wars™ Pooper Trooper, Lucasfilm Games doesn’t just hand over its beloved properties, it also makes sure they’re handled properly. In this special May the 4th episode, we chat with two of the many Lucasfilm Games folks responsible for ensuring the sanctity of the Lucas creations while still allowing for TT Games’ beloved sense of humor. by LEGO® Bits N’ Bricks
62 min listen
Tiny LEGO Brick Towers, Big LEGO Brick Ideas: LEGO Tower wasn’t just a brickified take on smash hit Tiny Tower. It was an evolution of both that delightful game and LEGO Games’ approach to mobile games as a whole. by LEGO® Bits N’ Bricks
38 min listen
Inside LEGO® City Undercover: From Segway® to Zombie Hordes: Considered by many to be one of the LEGO Group and TT Game’s best titles, LEGO® City Undercover is a masterpiece packed with referential humor, hidden jokes, and not a few fascinating developer stories. Joins us as we dig into its creation and many hidden gems. by LEGO® Bits N’ Bricks
49 min listen
Roblox Meets Minecraft™ in China’s LEGO® Cube: LEGO Cube may be the LEGO Group’s most ambitious title to date, delivering a fully realized LEGO brick world to users who can create and share their own content in a mobile-first game. It may also never be released outside of China. by LEGO® Bits N’ Bricks
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Myth, Maori, and a Brain Tumor: The BIONICLE® Saga: From Boneheads of Voodoo Island to a Star Wars™--meets-Pokémon inspired transmedia mega hit: The metamorphosis of BIONICLE contains multitudes of fascinating stories and challenges including the tale of the franchise’s first retail video game and its failed sequel. by LEGO® Bits N’ Bricks
74 min listen
DUPLO® World, Create & Cruise, and LEGO Games for Pre-K: Why the LEGO Group decided to create games for preschoolers and how it continued its focus on empowering children while doing so. by LEGO® Bits N’ Bricks
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The Life (and Legacy) of George: Inside the birth of Life of George and how a flat, LEGO brick puzzle game sparked a reexamination of the role digital experiences can play in the physical toy business. by LEGO® Bits N’ Bricks
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Rocket Racer, Veronica Voltage and the Legend of LEGO® Racers: The first LEGO® video game to hit consoles outside of Japan was born of one man’s idea of allowing children to build LEGO brick cars and then race them around a track. This week’s episode dives into the three-year development of 1999's classic LEGO Racers. by LEGO® Bits N’ Bricks
47 min listen

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LEGO® Universe: Death of a Dream

LEGO® Universe: Death of a Dream

Description

Titles in the series (56)

More Episodes from LEGO® Bits N’ Bricks