Lego City (stylized as LEGO City) is a theme under which Lego building sets are released based on city life, with the models depicting city and emergency services (such as police and fire), airport, train, construction, and civilian services. It evolved from LEGOLAND Town as one of the three original themes that Lego produced upon its launch of the Lego minifigure in 1978 along with Castle and Space, with each of the three themes representing the 'Past' (Castle), 'Present' (Town) and 'Future' (Space). The Town brand was briefly replaced with Lego World City in 2003 and 2004 before it was simply rebranded as Lego City in 2005.
The Lego City theme traces its origins to Lego Town, a theme introduced with the first minifigures in 1978, when a completely new range of buildings and vehicles were introduced for the European markets, although Lego sets with city buildings and vehicles had been commonplace since the late 1960s.[2]
Prior to 1978, LEGOLAND-branded sets were focused mainly around buildings and vehicles which were intended to function more as static models. In 1975, a precursor to the minifigure was introduced, in the same scale but without moving parts. These "stiffs" (as they are nicknamed by LEGO enthusiasts) were still unable to ride the vehicles. This was changed with the new minifigures - in 1978 in Europa and 1979 in North America the first vehicles that were minifigure compatible were also released, although some smaller sets still combined the minifigure with model vehicles. In 1980, the Trains theme was completely revamped to complement the Town sets. By 1983, the remaining vehicle based sets that were not minifigure compatible had been discontinued.
All sets were originally released under the "LEGOLAND" label until it was discontinued and replaced with "Lego System" branding in 1991. Eventually, different sub-themes under the "Town" brand were used to tie together related sets, such as police, coast guard, emergency services, airport, road rescue, trains, fire, and harbor. In 1999 Lego Town was replaced by City which was known as Lego City Center in The United States.[citation needed] The theme was discontinued in 2002, and replaced by Lego World City in 2003. During the Christmas season, a City-themed advent calendar set is sold through the online Lego Shop and at retailers.
On June 22, 2019, Lego City Adventures aired on Nickelodeon during a Saturday morning lineup along with SpongeBob SquarePants. From 2020 on, the annual City Advent Calendars would be based on the show specifically, rather than Lego City in general.
In June 2020, following the murder of George Floyd by police, Lego made an announcement that they would temporarily stop marketing police-related Lego City sets. Due to misinformation claiming that they removed these sets from being sold that led to backlash, Lego issued a follow-up statement emphasizing that the sets were still for sale and that digital advertising for the sets would just be temporarily halted.[3][4][5]
In January 2021, Lego released a new plate-based road system for the City theme that differed from its predecessor, which used baseplates whose height equaled one-half of plate.[6] However, this system was criticized by some members of the Lego community due to its alleged incompatibility with the former baseplates, which had been gradually reduced in usage and limited to sets such as Lego Modular Buildings, and are less cost-effective.[7]
Sub-themes
According to BrickLink, The Lego Group has released 1476 playsets and promotional packs of the Lego City theme.[1]
Outside of Lego City's generic city and town life based sets that are released regularly (with Fire and Police being the two most prolific - both of which have been the flagship sets throughout the history of the theme), City has had various subthemes, many of which are recurring. Under the Lego Town theme, the subthemes released during the 1990s and early 2000s also had individualized branding and labeling. In 2003 and 2004,[8] the only town-based sets were released under the "World City" label. Since the launch of City in 2005, they are just labeled as City sets but often have multiple sets based around a single concept released at the same time during Lego's release schedule.
Many of these subthemes would diverge notably from the urban city life depicted in general sets, including such themes as leisure resorts, rural farming and space port rocket launching.
From 1991 to 2002, sub-themes included Arctic, Boats, City Center, Classic, Coastguard, Construction, Drivers, Extreme Team, Fire, Flight, Football, Launch Command, Leisure, Maintenance, Medical, Outback, Paradisa, Police, Race, Racing, Res-Q, Shell, Space Port, Telekom, and Vehicles.[citation needed]
From 2005 to the present, sub-themes have included Airport,[10] Arctic,[11] Cargo, Coast Guard,[12] Construction, Deep Sea Explorers, Farm,[13][14][15][16] Fire, General, Harbour, Jungle, Medical, Mining,[11] Police,[11][17][18] Seasonal, Space, Town,[19] Trains,[15][16] Traffic,[20] Volcano Explorers,[10] and Wildlife Rescue.[21][22]
Stuntz is a sub-theme and was launched on 1 October 2021. Total of 10 sets being released and featured fly-wheel powered bike functionality. Also included launch ramps, flywheel stunt bikes, obstacles, building Lego flames and dare-devil type challenges.[23][24][15][25][16]
Octan
"Octan" redirects here. Not to be confused with octane.
Octan logo, unchanged since 1992
Octan is a fictional oil company that has appeared in multiple Lego sets since 1992.[26][27] Prior to this, logos of the real-world oil companies were used. Esso was used up until 1966, when it was replaced by Shell in all markets except the United States, where Exxon was used instead. The Shell logo continued to be used on promotional sets after that time. In 2014, Lego announced it would not renew its marketing agreement with Shell, under pressure from the environmental group Greenpeace.[28]
Octan first appeared in the 1992 sets "6397 Gas N' Wash Express" and "6594 Gas Transit".[27] Since the release of the Octan name, Lego has not signed any further deals with Shell or other gas corporations, as Octan was made the primary vehicle fluid company.
Octan (or oktan) is the Danish word for octane, a component of gasoline.
Octan has appeared in a number of Lego video games. Lego Island for example features an Octan gas station and the company sponsors the race track.
In The Lego Movie, Octan is the base company of the main antagonist Lord Business (voiced by Will Ferrell). His company is the producer of almost all of the commodities in his dominion.
In a number of Town and City sets it is shown that Octan has a racing team that competes in at least Formula One, GT racing and rallying.[27]
A video game developed by TT Fusion called Lego City Undercover was released for the Wii U on March 18, 2013; a port of the game was released April 4, 2017, on Microsoft Windows, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One.[29][30][31] A prequel to the game was also released for the Nintendo 3DS on April 21, 2013.[32] Lego City content, based on Lego City Undercover, was added to the toys-to-life video game Lego Dimensions on May 9, 2017, via a "fun pack" containing a Chase McCain minifigure and a constructible Police Helicopter.
In 2019, Nickelodeon premiered a new series in June of that year, based on the Lego City theme. The series, titled Lego City Adventures features the newly introduced named characters from the brand as they do their daily jobs in the fictional metropolis.[34][35][36][37][38][39]
In 2023, Lego released a new series of shorts based off their recent 'No Limits' theming for city, releasing once a week starting in August. This series focused on a small friend group of extreme-stunt vloggers pushing their limits in the city.[40][41][42]
Theme park attractions
In 2002, a Lego City themed land was introduced to Legoland Deutschland Resort, featuring Airport, Harbour Cruise, Hyundai Legoland Driving School, Hyundai Legoland Junior Driving School, Lego Factory, Legoland Express, Power Builder and Shipyard Playground.[43][44][45][46][47]
In 2011, a Lego City themed land was introduced to Legoland Florida, featuring Ford Driving School, Ford Jr. Driving School, Flying School, Boating School and Rescue Academy.[48]
In 2012, a Lego City themed land was introduced to Legoland Malaysia Resort. The City area is designed as a miniature town with attractions and rides controlled by children.[49] The area featuring Boating School, Driving School, Junior Driving School, Lego City Airport, Legoland Express, Rescue Academy and The Shipyard.[50]
In 2017, a Lego City themed land was introduced to Legoland Japan Resort. Lego City is on the park's north side, with fun activities for the children and family to do together, like the Junior Driving School where children learn to drive an electric car and receive a driver's license at the end of the ride. Coast Guard HQ allows the driver to take the wheel in a gentle and relaxing boat ride. Besides showing children how to drive, the Rescue Academy offers a fun experience where teamwork is needed to put out fires. The resort also has a Lego cinema where everyone is welcome to watch Lego movies. Lego City has various places to visit such as the Studio Store, Heartlake Shop, and City Shop, each shop with a different theme. There are also three places to buy snacks or lunch, Pit Stop Juice ‘n’ Drive, Brick House Burgers and Marina Snack Shack.[51]
In 2021, a Lego City themed land was introduced to Legoland New York a land that is made to look like a city and based on the Lego City toy theme.[52] The area featuring Coast Guard Academy,[53][54][55] Driving School,[56][57] Fire Academy[58][59] and Junior Driving School.[60]
In November 2021, Lego City themed land was announced for the upcoming launch of Legoland Shanghai Resort in 2024.[65][66]
Reception
In September 2016, The Lego Group reported that the Lego City, Lego Star Wars, Lego Ninjago and Lego Nexo Knights themes had delivered a turnover of DKK 15,692 million in the first half of 2016, a sales increase of 10 per cent compared with the same period in the previous year.[67]
In March 2022, The Lego Group reported that the Lego City, Lego Technic, Lego Creator Expert, Lego Harry Potter and Lego Star Wars themes had earned for the full year of 2021. Revenue for the year grew 27 percent versus 2020 to DKK 55.3 billion and consumer sales grew 22 percent over the same period, outpacing the toy industry and driving market share growth globally and in largest markets.[68]
On 28 September 2022, The Lego Group reported that the Lego Star Wars, Lego Technic, Lego Icons (formerly Creator Expert), Lego City, Lego Harry Potter and Lego Friends themes had earned for the six months ending 30 June 2022. Revenue for the period grew 17 percent to DKK 27.0 billion compared with the same period in 2021, driven by strong demand. Consumer sales grew 13 percent, significantly ahead of the toy industry, contributing to global market share growth.[69]
In January 2023, Farmers Market (set number: 60345) was listed as one of "The Best Lego Sets for Kids in 2023" by IGN.[70]
In March 2023, The Lego Group reported that the Lego City, Lego Technic, Lego Icons, Lego Harry Potter and Lego Star Wars themes had earned for the full year of 2022. Revenue for the year grew 17 percent to DKK 64.6 billion and consumer sales grew 12 percent in 2022, achieving growth in all major market groups with especially strong performance in the Americas and Western Europe.[71]
In August 2023, The Lego Group reported that the Lego Icons, Lego Star Wars, Lego Technic and Lego City themes had earned for the first six months of 2023. Revenue was DKK 27.4 billion, a growth of 1% compared with H1 2022. Consumer sales grew 3% outperforming a declining toy market and contributing to strong market share growth.[72]
Awards and nominations
In 2008, Lego City was awarded "Toy of the Year" and also "Activity Toy of the Year" by the Toy Association.[73]
In 2009, Garage (set number: 7642) was awarded "DreamToys" in the Construction category by the Toy Retailers Association.[74]
In 2010, Airport (set number: 3182) and Cargo Truck (set number: 3221) were awarded "DreamToys" in the Creative Play category by the Toy Retailers Association.[75]
In 2011, Harbour (set number: 4645), Police Boat (set number: 7287) and Police Station (set number: 7498) were awarded "DreamToys" in the Construction category by the Toy Retailers Association.[76]
In 2012, Mine (set number: 4204) was awarded "DreamToys" in the Construction category by the Toy Retailers Association.[77]
In 2013, Coast Guard (set number: 60014) was awarded "DreamToys" in the Granny Knows Best category by the Toy Retailers Association.[78]
In 2014, Mobile Police Unit (set number: 60044) was awarded "DreamToys" in the Build The World category by the Toy Retailers Association.[79]
In 2015, Deep Sea Exploration Vessel (set number: 60095) was awarded "DreamToys" in the Build It And They Will Thrive category by the Toy Retailers Association.[80]
In 2016, Volcano Exploration Base (set number: 60124) was awarded "DreamToys" in the Action Station category by the Toy Retailers Association.[81]
In 2017, Coast Guard 4x4 Response Unit (set number: 60165) and Jungle Exploration Site (set number: 60161) were awarded "DreamToys" in the Build It, Make It, Do It category by the Toy Retailers Association.[82]
In 2018, Arctic Mobile Exploration Base (set number: 60195) was awarded "DreamToys" in the Play, Set & Match category by the Toy Retailers Association.[83]
In 2019, Deep Space Rocket and Launch Control (set number: 60228) was awarded "DreamToys" in the Trains, Planes and Automobiles category by the Toy Retailers Association.[84]
In 2020, Deep Space Rocket and Launch Control (set number: 60228) was awarded "Toy of the Year" and also "Construction Toy of the Year" by the Toy Association.[85]
In 2021, Stunt Show Truck (set number: 60294) was awarded "DreamToys" in the Everybody's Building category by the Toy Retailers Association.[86]
Lego Pirates was a Lego theme launched in 1989 featuring pirates, soldiers from the Napoleonic Wars, Pacific Islanders, sailing ships, and buried treasure, being influenced by the late Golden Age of Piracy. The theme has been seen in Lego System, Duplo and the 4+ theme.
Lego Harry Potter is a Lego theme based on the film series of the same name and the eponymous novels by British author J. K. Rowling. It is licensed from Warner Bros. Lego models of important scenes, vehicles and characters were made for the first six films and all of the published books. The first sets appeared in 2001, to coincide with the release of the first film, Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone. Subsequent sets were released alongside the new films, until Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. The line then went dormant for three years, with sets being released in 2010 and 2011. In 2018, it was announced that more sets based on the Harry Potter franchise would be released, including new sets based on Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them and its sequel, Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald.
Lego Star Wars is a Lego theme based on the Star Wars media franchise created by George Lucas. It includes over 928 Lego building toy sets, 1389 Lego minifigures, an eponymous video game series containing six games, and multiple animated short films and television series.
Lego Toy Story is a Lego theme based on the Disney·Pixar's Toy Story film franchise. The first four sets were released on December 30, 2009, with an additional two sets being released on January 4, 2010. In May 2010, five Lego and four Duplo sets were released under the Toy Story 3 sub-theme. The original theme was discontinued in 2011. For the release of Toy Story 4 there was one Duplo set based on the third film and 6 Lego sets based on the fourth film. These sets were released in March and in April 2019 this time under the Juniors line. The minifigures in the sets were also now redesigned. The revival theme was discontinued in 2021.
Lego Minifigures are a 2010 Lego theme based on a set of collectible Lego minifigures. Each figure is an original character with new clothing and facial designs, and many contain previously unseen accessories. Each series usually contains 16 different minifigures; however, some series contain as few as 9 minifigures, while others contain up to 22. Since 2021, the number of different minifigures for a series is set to 12. In 2023, the Disney 100-anniversary series came out, bringing the total number of figures to 18, although it was once again reduced to 12 with the second Marvel series. This series also introduced paper boxes, instead of the plastic bags, making it no longer possible to feel up the pieces for each figure.
Lego Ninjago is a Lego theme that was created in 2011 and a flagship brand of The Lego Group. It is the first theme to be based on ninjas since the discontinuation of the Lego Ninja theme in 2000. It was produced to coincide with the animated television series Ninjago, which was superseded in 2023 by a new series titled Ninjago: Dragons Rising.
Lego Pharaoh's Quest was a Lego theme that was first introduced in 2011. It uses elements from the previous Lego Adventurers theme. The Lego Pharaoh's Quest theme was discontinued by the end of 2012.
Lego Friends is a product range of Lego construction toys designed primarily for girls that was launched in 2012. It introduced "mini-doll" figures, which are about the same size as traditional Lego minifigures but are more detailed and realistic. The original cast consisted of Andrea, Olivia, Stephanie, Mia and Emma. The theme was rebooted and relaunched in January 2023 to focus on a more diverse cast of characters, the main cast now consisting of Aliya, Nova, Zac, Liann, Paisley, Leo, Autumn and Olly.
Lego Super Heroes is a theme and product range of the Lego construction toy, introduced in 2011, owned by The Lego Group and licensed from DC Entertainment, Marvel Entertainment, Warner Bros., The Walt Disney Company and Pixar.
Lego Legends of Chima was a Lego theme that was introduced in 2013 and discontinued in 2015. The product line was based on the storyline of Legends of Chima, a 3D animated television series, which was produced to coincide with the Lego theme. The storyline was set in the fictional realm of "Chima", a fantasy world inhabited by various warring tribes of anthropomorphic animals that battle to collect a substance called "Chi". Alongside the television series and several shorts based on Lego Legends of Chima. The theme also produced a range of associated media, including theme park attractions, video games, and publications.
Nexo Knights is a 3D animated television series that aired on Cartoon Network and premiered in 2015. It was produced by the Lego Group to coincide with the Lego theme of the same name. The series is based on a fantasy castle concept and is set in a futuristic kingdom called Knighton, which is home to five young knights. The storyline follows the adventures of the five knights as they defend their home from a court jester named Jestro and his monsters. Four seasons were produced for a total of 40 episodes. The fourth season finished airing in 2017. In 2018, the Lego Group discontinued the Nexo Knights theme, which also resulted in the cancellation of the series.
Lego Disney is a Lego theme based on the various Disney Princesses and Disney characters involved in different Disney films and television series. It is licensed from Walt Disney Pictures. The theme was first introduced in 2016 and was re-branded theme from the Lego Disney Princess line in 2017. The toy line was accompanied by several shorts and television specials based on Lego Disney.
Lego Juniors was a product range of the construction toy Lego, designed for children aged 4 to 7 years old. It acted as a transition from the Duplo to the regular Lego System. Lego Juniors initial release was on February 14, 2014, with the tagline Easy to build. It was the successor to the Bricks & More line released in 2009. Unlike its predecessor, Lego Juniors offered specialized bricks to make builds look more realistic while using fewer pieces for an easier build. The product line was discontinued by December 31, 2018 and rebranded as "4+" in 2019.
Lego Trolls World Tour was a Lego theme based on the film of the same name created by Thomas Dam. It is licensed by Universal Pictures and DreamWorks Animation. The theme was introduced in January 2020 and was discontinued by the end of July 2021.
The Lego Movie is a Lego product line based on the 2014 film of the same name. It was licensed from The Lego Group and Warner Bros. Animation. The theme was first introduced on 26 December 2013 in the United Kingdom and 30 December in the United States to coincide with the release of the film, along with The Lego Movie Video Game. Further sets were produced to coincide with the release of the second film in The Lego Movie franchise, titled The Lego Movie 2: The Second Part. The product line was discontinued by 31 December 2019.
The Lego Batman Movie was a product line based on The Lego Batman Movie, the second film of The Lego Movie franchise. It is licensed from The Lego Group, DC and Warner Bros. Animation Studios. The theme was first introduced on 10 February 2017 as part of a licensing and merchandising programme associated with the film. Alongside the release of the Lego sets, the programme included the release of several promotional short films and The Lego Batman Movie Game app. The product line was discontinued by 31 December 2018.
Lego Jurassic World is a Lego theme based on the Jurassic World media franchise created by Michael Crichton and centered on a disastrous attempt to create a theme park of cloned dinosaurs. It is licensed from Universal Studios and Amblin Entertainment. The theme was introduced in June 2015, with the release of toy sets and the video game Lego Jurassic World, both to promote the film Jurassic World. Subsequent sets were released in 2018, alongside the next film, Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom. Various animated projects have also been made, including the 2018 television special Lego Jurassic World: The Secret Exhibit, and the 2019 miniseries Lego Jurassic World: Legend of Isla Nublar.
Lego The Lord of the Rings is a Lego theme based on The Lord of the Rings film trilogy directed by Peter Jackson and the novel by the English author and scholar J. R. R. Tolkien. It is licensed from Warner Bros., New Line Cinema and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. The theme was first introduced in 2012. The first sets appeared in 2012, to coincide with a release of the video game Lego The Lord of the Rings. Subsequent sets based on The Hobbit film trilogy would also be released and the video game Lego The Hobbit was released in 2014. The product line was discontinued by the end of 2015. Later, the theme was relaunched in January 2023 with three new sets released as the part of the Lego BrickHeadz theme. In February 2023, The Lego Group unveiled a new Rivendell set that released on 8 March 2023 as the part of the Lego Icons theme. Further, a Barad-Dûr set released on 1 June 2024, also as part of the Icons theme.
Lego Vidiyo was a Lego theme that allows children to create their own music videos and dance clips using a range of Lego toy sets and an associated app. It is licensed from Universal Music Group. The theme was first introduced in March 2021, before being discontinued by the end of January 2022 after being deemed a commercial disaster.
Lego Monster Fighters was a Lego theme based on Universal Monsters from the horror fiction genre. The Monster Fighters fight against the Lord Vampyre's monsters while collecting the moonstones. The story takes place in the Monster Realm and it's similar to The Monster Squad film. The theme was first introduced in May 2012. It was eventually discontinued by the end of December 2014. The theme also produced a range of associated media, including theme park attractions, several shorts, video game, app and publications.
Lego City: Calling All Cars! (Level 1). Authored by Sonia Sander. Published by Scholastic US, 2010. ISBN0-54515-523-1
Lego City: Emergency Rescue Activity Book with Lego Minifigure. Published by Penguin Random House Children's UK, 2011. ISBN1-40930-885-5
Lego City: Fight this Fire (8x8). Authored by Anthony Michael Steele and Chuck Primeau. Published by Scholastic US, 2011. ISBN0-54531-759-2
Lego City: Spot the Crook: A Search and Find Book. Published by Penguin Books Ltd., 2011. ISBN1-40930-884-7
Lego CITY: Space Mission Activity Book with Minifigure. Published by Penguin Books Ltd., 2011. ISBN1-40931-036-1
Lego City Brickmaster. Published by Penguin Books Ltd, 2011. ISBN1-40535-623-5
Lego CITY: Police on Alert! Storybook with Minifigures and Accessories. Published by Penguin Random House Children's UK, 2012. ISBN1-40930-931-2
Lego CITY: Fire Team Adventure! Storybook with Minifigures and Accessories. Published by Penguin Random House Children's UK, 2012. ISBN1-40930-932-0
Lego City: Merry Christmas Lego City. Published by Scholastic US, 2012. ISBN0-54542-396-1
Lego City Sticker Storybook: Escape from Lego City. Authored by Wade Wallace. Published by Scholastic US, 2012. ISBN0-54528-095-8
Lego City: Save This Christmas. Authored by Rebecca McCarthy and J Jason May. Published by Scholastic US, 2012. ISBN0-54545-727-0
Lego City Space Escape!. Authored by Rafat Kotsut. Published by Scholastic, 2013. ISBN0-54552-947-6
Lego City: Detective Chase McCain: Stop That Heist! Level 2 Reader. Authored by Trey King and Kenny Kiernan. Published by Scholastic US, 2013. ISBN0-54549-596-2
Lego City: Fix That Truck (8x8). Authored by Anthony Michael Steele. Published by Scholastic US, 2013. ISBN0-54547-061-7
Lego City: Where's the Pizza Boy?. Published by Scholastic Inc., 2013. ISBN0-54560-805-8
Lego City: Build and Find with Minifigure. Published by Penguin Random House Children's UK, 2014. ISBN0-72329-774-6
Lego City: Mystery on the Lego Express. Authored by Trey King and Sean Wang. Published by Scholastic US, 2014. ISBN0-54560-366-8
Save That Cargo. Authored by Trey King and Chuck Primeau. Published by Scholastic US, 2014. ISBN0-54551-573-4
Lego City: Adventures in Lego City (Reader Boxed Set). Published by Scholastic US, 2015. ISBN0-54580-861-8
Lego City: 3, 2, 1 Liftoff!. Authored by Sonia Sander. Published by Scholastic US, 2016. ISBN0-54533-167-6
Lego City: Build This City!. Published by Scholastic US, 2016. ISBN0-54517-765-0
Lego City: Catch That Crook!. Authored by Michael Anthony Steele. Published by Scholastic US, 2016. ISBN0-54536-991-6
Jungle Chase! (Lego City). Authored by Ace Landers and Paul Lee. Published by Scholastic US, 2017. ISBN1-33817-320-0
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