For over nine decades, the LEGO Group has operated on a simple, brilliant premise: if you can imagine it, you can build it. But at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) 2026 in Las Vegas, the Danish toy giant decided it was time for those builds to start imagining things right back.
In a presentation that felt more like a tech keynote than a toy launch, Julia Goldin (Chief Product & Marketing Officer) and Tom Donaldson (Head of Creative Play Lab) unveiled LEGO® SMART Play™. It is, quite simply, the most significant evolution of the LEGO System-in-Play since the iconic Minifigure was patented in 1978.
And because the LEGO Group knows exactly how to make a splash, they didn’t come alone. They brought the heavy hitters from Lucasfilm and Disney to announce that the first playground for this tech will be a galaxy far, far away.
What is the LEGO SMART Brick?
If you’ve ever sat on the floor making “pew-pew” noises while flying an X-Wing through the air, LEGO SMART Play™ is about to make your vocal cords very happy. The system is built around the LEGO SMART Brick, a piece of engineering wizardry that houses a custom-made chip smaller than a standard LEGO stud.
While it looks like a regular brick, it’s packed with more tech than the original Apollo 11 moon lander. This is what’s inside:
- Accelerometers and Gyroscopes: It knows if your ship is banking left, diving, or landing.
- Light and Sound Sensors: The brick reacts to the environment around it.
- Active Synthesiser and Miniature Speaker: It doesn’t just play recorded clips; it generates responsive audio.
- Wireless Charging: No fumbling with AA batteries mid-battle.
The goal here is “invisible technology.” The LEGO Group’s Creative Play Lab team has spent years ensuring that the tech doesn’t distract from the physical building experience. There are no screens required. Your eyes stay on the bricks, but the bricks start responding to you.
The Ecosystem: Tags and Minifigures
The SMART Brick doesn’t work in isolation. It’s the “brain,” but it needs “senses.” This comes via LEGO SMART Tags and LEGO SMART Minifigures.
When a SMART Minifigure (like Luke Skywalker or Darth Vader) is placed near the SMART Brick, the system identifies the character. Suddenly, the brick knows exactly who is in the cockpit or who is holding the lightsaber. The SMART Tags act as environmental triggers, place one in a docking bay, and the brick will play refueling sounds. Place one in a forest build, and you might hear the chirping of alien birds.
Best of all for us LEGO purists? Every single element is fully compatible with the existing LEGO System-in-Play. Your 1990s castle sets and your 2026 Smart Bricks can live together in perfect harmony.
First Look: The LEGO Star Wars™ SMART Play™ Sets
To showcase what this tech can really do, LEGO is launching three “All-In-One” sets on March 1st, 2026. These sets are designed to be the ultimate entry point, containing everything you need to get the system up and running.
1. Luke’s Red Five X-Wing™ (75423)
The X-Wing is the quintessential LEGO Star Wars ship, but this version is different. With 584 pieces, it includes SMART Minifigures of Luke Skywalker (in flight gear) and Princess Leia.
The set comes with an Imperial turret and a command centre. When you move the X-Wing near the command centre, the SMART Tags trigger prep-for-flight dialogue. As you lift the ship, the accelerometer kicks in, revving the engine sounds. If you “fire” the wings, the onboard speaker emits that crisp, cinematic laser blast we all know and love.
2. Darth Vader’s TIE Fighter™ (75421)
At 473 pieces, this set focuses on the Empire’s side of the dogfight. It features an Imperial Fueling Station and a SMART Darth Vader. The tech here is used to replicate the haunting, screeching roar of the twin ion engines. The “invisible” light sensors can even detect when the ship is in a “dark” part of the room, adjusting the cockpit glow and sound effects to match a deep-space environment.
3. Throne Room Duel & A-Wing™ (75427)
This is the flagship of the launch. At 962 pieces, it’s a massive tribute to Return of the Jedi. It features three SMART Minifigures: Luke Skywalker (Jedi), Darth Vader, and Emperor Palpatine.
The storytelling potential here is staggering. When you place Palpatine on his throne, the SMART Brick recognises the tag and begins playing “The Imperial March.” If you bring the Luke and Vader SMART Minifigures together, the system detects their proximity and triggers the iconic hum and “clash” of a lightsaber duel. It’s a reactive, cinematic experience that happens entirely through physical touch.
A New Chapter for Play
As Asad Ayaz of Disney and Dave Filoni of Lucasfilm noted during the reveal, this is about extending the story. For 25 years, LEGO and Star Wars have been the perfect match, but this adds a literal “voice” to the play.
Tom Donaldson summed it up best: “We are setting a new standard for interactive, imaginative experiences… and all without a screen.” In an age where parents are increasingly worried about tablet fatigue, a toy that uses cutting-edge AI and sensor tech to encourage more floor-time building is a welcome breath of fresh air.
Can’t Wait to Get Your Hands on it?
- January 9th, 2026: Pre-orders open at LEGO.com.
- March 1st, 2026: Official launch in select global markets.
LEGO SMART Play™ looks set to redefine what it means to “play well.” The galaxy is no longer far, far away, it’s sitting on your rug, and it’s finally talking back.
