TL;DR
At CES Lego unveiled Smart Play, a system that packs sensors, a speaker and a rechargeable battery into a 4×2 Smart Brick that reacts to movement when paired with Smart Minifigures or Smart Tags. The company built a custom ASIC for the bricks and is launching three Star Wars sets first; no developer kit or open platform tools have been announced.
What happened
At CES Lego introduced Smart Play, a modular system that places electronics inside conventional bricks. The four-by-two Smart Brick contains light and motion sensors, lights, a speaker and a wirelessly rechargeable battery so builds can change behavior based on how a piece is moved or oriented. Those behaviors are triggered only when a Smart Brick is near a Smart Minifigure or a flat 2×2 Smart Tag, which appear to include an NFC-style chip. Lego says it designed a custom silicon ASIC for Smart Play that is smaller than a standard Lego stud and specialized for this purpose. The initial product rollout is tied to Star Wars: three sets (Darth Vader's TIE Fighter, Luke Skywalker's X-Wing and Emperor Palpatine's Throne Room) were announced, with preorders opening January 9 and shipping beginning in March. Lego has signaled future updates but has not announced tools for hobbyists or third-party development.
Why it matters
- Embedding dedicated ASICs in bricks brings new interactivity to traditional construction play, changing how physical builds can respond.
- Tying Smart Bricks to Minifigures and Tags suggests a curated, component-linked experience rather than freely programmable hardware.
- First-wave focus on licensed Star Wars sets shows Lego is using established IP to introduce the tech, which may shape early use cases and expectations.
- Lack of an announced developer kit or open platform raises questions about how much creative hacking or third-party expansion will be possible.
Key facts
- Smart Play system debuted at CES; Lego announced it at the show.
- A 4×2 Smart Brick includes light and motion sensors, lights, a speaker and a wirelessly rechargeable battery.
- Smart Bricks respond to movement, rotation and placement when near a Smart Minifigure or 2×2 Smart Tag.
- Smart Minifigures and Smart Tags reportedly contain an NFC-like chip to communicate context to the Smart Brick.
- Lego created a bespoke silicon ASIC for Smart Play, described as smaller than one standard Lego stud.
- Smart Minifigures are said to have distinct ‘‘personalities’’ and react differently in play scenarios via the Smart Brick.
- Three Star Wars Smart Play sets were announced: Darth Vader's TIE Fighter, Luke Skywalker's X-Wing, and Emperor Palpatine's Throne Room (includes an A-Wing).
- Preorders for the initial sets open January 9, with shipping scheduled to begin in March.
- Lego stated Smart Play will expand with future updates and launches but provided no details on third-party support.
What to watch next
- Whether Lego will release a developer kit or APIs to let users create custom Smart Tags, Minifigures, or behaviors — not confirmed in the source.
- How the market reacts to Star Wars-focused launch bundles and whether non-licensed or DIY sets follow — not confirmed in the source.
- Pricing beyond preorder windows and how widely Lego will roll out Smart Play across its product lines — not confirmed in the source.
Quick glossary
- ASIC: Application-specific integrated circuit: a custom-designed chip built for a particular use or device rather than general-purpose computation.
- NFC: Near Field Communication: a short-range wireless technology used for simple data exchange and identification between nearby devices.
- Smart Brick: In this context, a Lego 4×2 brick that includes embedded sensors, a speaker, lights and a rechargeable battery to enable interactive behaviors.
- Smart Minifigure: A Lego minifigure that includes embedded electronics or identification chips so it can interact with Smart Bricks and trigger different responses.
Reader FAQ
Will Lego release a developer kit for Smart Play?
Not confirmed in the source.
How do Smart Bricks know what to do?
Smart Bricks house sensors and play sounds or lights when near Smart Minifigures or Smart Tags, which communicate context to the brick.
Which sets launch first with Smart Play?
Three Star Wars sets: Darth Vader's TIE Fighter, Luke Skywalker's X-Wing, and Emperor Palpatine's Throne Room (includes an A-Wing).
When will the initial Smart Play sets be available?
Preorders start January 9 and shipments are scheduled to begin in March.
OFFBEAT Lego crams an ASIC in a brick to keep kids interested Neat idea, but with no mention of a dev kit it's another sign of Lego's descent into designing…
Sources
- Lego crams an ASIC in a brick to keep kids interested
- Lego unveils a technology-packed Smart Brick at CES 2026
- How we made the LEGO® SMART Play™ system
- Smart Brick Debuts with Star Wars Sets in 2026
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