Lego City 2023 Leaks, Rumours, Speculation And Discussion

[ks6349]

16 minutes ago, Murdoch17 said:

They may have made the same amount of 60390 and 60382, but maybe 60382 sells better than the other, so there is more available of 60390. Or, market research told them to make less of one because it won't sell as well.

Which one is accurate, or maybe neither is true? The world will never know! Honestly, it's best not to wonder why TLG does things the way they do. Their approach to selling / designing products can be enough to drive the most reasonable, logical person straight-up insane! I hope this answers your question, @ks6349.

I find that for the City sets I like in particular, their quantities are often less than usual, however, City themes are not very welcomed here. Creator Expert or Icon sell much much better.

[Murdoch17]

30 minutes ago, ks6349 said:

I find that for the City sets I like in particular, their quantities are often less than usual, however, City themes are not very welcomed here. Creator Expert or Icon sell much much better.

@ks6349 City has been on a downward slide design-wise for a while now, and quite a few people buy Friends buildings instead and just modify them for minifigs to compensate for lack of good designs. This might explain why some are more freely available than others.

As for the modular buildings, they are a completely different case altogether: you can't compare Friends / City to them. It's like comparing apples and oranges... It just doesn't work. (though Friends has been getting VERY close to them quality-wise!)

[TeriXeri]

12 hours ago, Murdoch17 said:

City has been on a downward slide design-wise for a while now, and quite a few people buy Friends buildings instead and just modify them for minifigs to compensate for lack of good designs. This might explain why some are more freely available than others.

Leaving out the special case of 4+ sets, which are basicly their own category here 

 

It's not so much City has been going "downward" , it's more that the recent years they focused on a younger target age group.

2017 still had a few 8-12 Jungle sets.

2018 had very few 7-12 sets, and even the big releases like Trains and Capital City were just 6-12.

2020/2021 was probably the low point of age ratings in the recent City times, with most sets being 5+ and 6+, no 7+ at all, also it was the end of those "People Packs",  a highly discussed loved category of City set.

 

After 2022, City started adding a lot more 7+ sets again, with Trains, Rocket Launch, Moon Base , Hospital , etc.

And now with 2023, that even increased, with the new big City Center set even 8+.

 

In Comparison, Friends age rating on sets has been higher on average, even the smallest sets are 6+, and 7+, and the theme contains a lot more 8+ and 9+ as well and the larger sets even go up to 12+, also for a long time now.

 

Creator 3-in-1 also has been rated above city's age rating on it's buildings as well, even during the City periods full of 5+ and 6+, 3-in-1 "City" buildings were 8+ and 9+, pretty constantly for 10 years.

 

While age rating isn't a definitive factor for complexity etc (18+ doesn't automaticly mean insane complexity) , it's still a decent indicator of difference between City being generally simpler compared to Friends and 3-in-1 in terms of design goals.

Of course a Friends 8+ building can still use big wall panels, but usually that's meant to have a place for a sticker decoration (as seen with sets like International School or Sports Center) , but those sets also have a lot more other details using regular bricks or sideway plate/tile constructions.

Moving on, to sets like Botanitcal Garden, 12+ , basicly bridges the gap between Teens and AFOL target, and as expected, a lot of good comments on that set on LEGO fan sites etc, while City AFOL comments very often are just about the minifigs or especially exclusive animals in them.

Meanwhile a 6+ City build like the Appartments, uses pillars and wall sections for basicly the entire build, and the SNOT tile section is rather simple 1 wedge plate.
But even for 2023 5+ and 6+ sets , the new design approach is still very visible and an improvement imo.

Edited May 17, 2023 by TeriXeri

[ks6349]

14 hours ago, Murdoch17 said:

@ks6349 City has been on a downward slide design-wise for a while now, and quite a few people buy Friends buildings instead and just modify them for minifigs to compensate for lack of good designs. This might explain why some are more freely available than others.

As for the modular buildings, they are a completely different case altogether: you can't compare Friends / City to them. It's like comparing apples and oranges... It just doesn't work. (though Friends has been getting VERY close to them quality-wise!)

I think Lego intends to produce less of some certain City sets for unknown reasons. For example, the recycling truck, the vet rescue and the grocery store, I don't think kids today love Lego so much as that my time that they will buy them all once they are released. 

[TeriXeri]

2 hours ago, ks6349 said:

I think Lego intends to produce less of some certain City sets for unknown reasons. For example, the recycling truck, the vet rescue and the grocery store, I don't think kids today love Lego so much as that my time that they will buy them all once they are released. 

There are also many more similar sets available at the same time.

 

60292: Town Center had a garbage truck for the last 2 years (2021-2022).

60316: Police Station has a Garbage truck (2022 onward)

41712: Recycling Truck is still a fairly new mid-2022 set in Friends.

 

60382: Vet Van Rescue is a 4+ set, so likely lower production run due to lower target age group, and also had a near identical Friends version with 41694: Pet Clinic Ambulance in 2022.

Also the upcoming 60380: City Centre does have the first Vet building in the City theme, so I wouldn't be surprised to see a non 4+ VET vehicle set next year.

 

As well as more similar VET/Pet related sets : 

41738: Dog Rescue Bike, 41741: Dog Rescue Van , 41727: Dog Rescue Center (2023 onward)

41442: Vet Clinic Rescue Buggy , 41445: Vet Clinic Ambulance , 41446: Heartlake City Vet Clinic , 41692: Vet Clinic Rescue Helicopter (all 2021)

 

 

 

Edited May 17, 2023 by TeriXeri

[danimarroquin]

Seems really weird , the city sets still haven’t being reveal officially yet at the Lego web , and makes me think if they are Going to be release in a couple of weeks or are they gonna wait till July 1st ? 

4 hours ago, TeriXeri said:

Leaving out the special case of 4+ sets, which are basicly their own category here 

 

It's not so much City has been going "downward" , it's more that the recent years they focused on a younger target age group.

2017 still had a few 8-12 Jungle sets.

2018 had very few 7-12 sets, and even the big releases like Trains and Capital City were just 6-12.

2020/2021 was probably the low point of age ratings in the recent City times, with most sets being 5+ and 6+, no 7+ at all, also it was the end of those "People Packs",  a highly discussed loved category of City set.

 

After 2022, City started adding a lot more 7+ sets again, with Trains, Rocket Launch, Moon Base , Hospital , etc.

And now with 2023, that even increased, with the new big City Center set even 8+.

 

In Comparison, Friends age rating on sets has been higher on average, even the smallest sets are 6+, and 7+, and the theme contains a lot more 8+ and 9+ as well and the larger sets even go up to 12+, also for a long time now.

 

Creator 3-in-1 also has been rated above city's age rating on it's buildings as well, even during the City periods full of 5+ and 6+, 3-in-1 "City" buildings were 8+ and 9+, pretty constantly for 10 years.

 

While age rating isn't a definitive factor for complexity etc (18+ doesn't automaticly mean insane complexity) , it's still a decent indicator of difference between City being generally simpler compared to Friends and 3-in-1 in terms of design goals.

Of course a Friends 8+ building can still use big wall panels, but usually that's meant to have a place for a sticker decoration (as seen with sets like International School or Sports Center) , but those sets also have a lot more other details using regular bricks or sideway plate/tile constructions.

Moving on, to sets like Botanitcal Garden, 12+ , basicly bridges the gap between Teens and AFOL target, and as expected, a lot of good comments on that set on LEGO fan sites etc, while City AFOL comments very often are just about the minifigs or especially exclusive animals in them.

Meanwhile a 6+ City build like the Appartments, uses pillars and wall sections for basicly the entire build, and the SNOT tile section is rather simple 1 wedge plate.
But even for 2023 5+ and 6+ sets , the new design approach is still very visible and an improvement imo.

'

 

2 hours ago, ks6349 said:

I think Lego intends to produce less of some certain City sets for unknown reasons. For example, the recycling truck, the vet rescue and the grocery store, I don't think kids today love Lego so much as that my time that they will buy them all once they are released. 

Still after all this the city line it’s one of the top selling themes in LEGO production . 

[Murdoch17]

4 hours ago, danimarroquin said:

Seems really weird , the city sets still haven’t being reveal officially yet at the Lego web , and makes me think if they are Going to be release in a couple of weeks or are they gonna wait till July 1st ?

If you're in the USA, you won't be able to buy them until August 1st. Everywhere else on the globe (as far as I know) gets the sets June 1.

...Unless you don't get it directly from Lego, then the stores might break street-date and sell them early.

I hope this answers your question, @danimarroquin.

Edited May 17, 2023 by Murdoch17
got June and July mixed up. It's fixed now!

[TeriXeri]

29 minutes ago, Murdoch17 said:

If you're in the USA, you won't be able to buy them until August 1st. Everywhere else on the globe (as far as I know) gets the sets July 1.

Multiple European stores have City sets listed for June 1st.  (of course they also list it as "expected date") 

But it's still strange none are on the official site, even Friends only has 4 sets shown so far, as June 1st.

Creator 3-in-1 has a August release date here as well for the 2 sets. (2022 had them release in June, so things can indeed change)

 

Purely speaking for Europe here. 

US release dates can indeed be different.

Edited May 17, 2023 by TeriXeri

[TeriXeri]

Box art for those arctic sets is strange, with those falling green meteors on every set box, while only being in 1 actual set : 60378: Arctic Mobile Laboratory

Unless LEGO traveled back in time to the year 2000, and neon green spiders are invading the planet , the meteors had spiders in those sets : 

 

Edited May 17, 2023 by TeriXeri

[Jdrewg]

26 minutes ago, TeriXeri said:

Box art for those arctic sets is strange, with those falling green meteors on every set box, while only being in 1 actual set : 60378: Arctic Mobile Laboratory

Unless LEGO traveled back in time to the year 2000, and neon green spiders are invading the planet , the meteors had spiders in those sets : 

 

Could they be an aurora?

 

 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aurora

[Murdoch17]

1 hour ago, TeriXeri said:

Multiple European stores have City sets listed for June 1st.  (of course they also list it as "expected date") 

But it's still strange none are on the official site, even Friends only has 4 sets shown so far, as June 1st.

Creator 3-in-1 has a August release date here as well for the 2 sets. (2022 had them release in June, so things can indeed change)

 

Purely speaking for Europe here. 

US release dates can indeed be different.

Sorry! got June and July mixed up, apologies.

The post in question has been fixed.

Edited May 17, 2023 by Murdoch17

[The Island Chronicles]

10 hours ago, Murdoch17 said:

Sorry! got June and July mixed up, apologies.

The post in question has been fixed.

Wait! So we'll have to wait until July to get these sets? 

[TeriXeri]

15 hours ago, Jdrewg said:

Could they be an aurora?

Probably inspired by it with the color (and there's also an actual aurora behind it), but the green lines are certainly meteors as there's a glowing crystal in the meteor in the mobile research set.

But then again, it's just box art, and using the same background art style for the overall Arctic subtheme for 2023 makes sense .

Would've been cool if that dual moulded meteor shell was transparent bright green as well but it makes sense they re-used the darker meteor variant from the Launch Base 60351 from 2022.

 

Overall, I think the sets from this wave are very clever, the snowplow/pisten bully can be used with the upcoming Winter Sports center as well, and the seal/ship/ submarine and smaller boat aren't strictly Arctic either, so cover multiple interests.

 

Edited May 18, 2023 by TeriXeri

[Murdoch17]

7 hours ago, The Brick Boss said:

Wait! So we'll have to wait until July to get these sets? 

June 1. Sorry for the confusion!

[The Island Chronicles]

2 minutes ago, Murdoch17 said:

June 1. Sorry for the confusion!

I'm wondering when they'll appear on the official site. Other themes already list sets that are coming soon. I hope we don't have to wait until August in the US. 

[Jdrewg]

50 minutes ago, The Brick Boss said:

I'm wondering when they'll appear on the official site. Other themes already list sets that are coming soon. I hope we don't have to wait until August in the US. 

They're up on the US site now! 

https://www.lego.com/en-us/themes/city

 

[The Island Chronicles]

4 hours ago, Jdrewg said:

They're up on the US site now! 

https://www.lego.com/en-us/themes/city

 

I'm hot now! We've gotta wait until August in the US. Like as in NONE of the sets are coming to the states until August. Lego really knows how to do they're biggest selling region wrong.

Edited May 18, 2023 by The Brick Boss

[TeriXeri]

Yeah sets are up in Europe too, but other sites still have some better pictures imo.

For example, those pictures (LEGO.com does have them on the back of the box, just smaller)

This new building system really does remind me of the 2017-2018 Creator 3-in-1 buildings, but without removable walls/windows/doors, so should be a bit more sturdy, especially considering those 2 thick plates.

I do like it, but I also don't mind the lack of stairs or open sections.

The system gets better with more sets, and I think the color schemes, and windows/details of the sets fits better together compared to the Creator 3-in-1 2017/2018 sets.

And honestly, by just combining modules, you can make crazy things like a skate halfpipe on top of a highrise building, or use a rock wall from the ski resort to get to a rooftop bar.

Or with some imagination, you can put that 8x16 blue road plate without the bike tile as a swimming pool, or perhaps an aquarium (or use that transparent blue walkway as an aquarium tunnel) in combination with those animals/underwater scenery from those 2023 Divers sets

 

Edited May 18, 2023 by TeriXeri

[jonwil]

I am hoping we get a kangaroo at some point.

 

[Murdoch17]

For those wondering about release dates: according to Brickset, it will be August before City sets hit US shelves.

https://brickset.com/article/95701/city-and-friends-images-added-to-lego-com

[thekeeperofthereaper]

i love the new arctic subtheme and this will be the most i have bought from the city theme in a while

ill be getting at least 2 of 60376 for obvious reasons

even without the orca i still like the arctic explorer ship a lot too and i still think this set is better value for money than the last big ship set

hmm what are the chances a lego city whale is in the works soon

[The Island Chronicles]

49 minutes ago, Murdoch17 said:

For those wondering about release dates: according to Brickset, it will be August before City sets hit US shelves.

https://brickset.com/article/95701/city-and-friends-images-added-to-lego-com

Yeah I'm mad about that. Why? 

[icm]

That's the way it's been with City for several years now: Europe in June, North America in August. No surprise there.

[Lion King]

19 hours ago, jonwil said:

I am hoping we get a kangaroo at some point.

 

Or in CMF series some days. 

5 hours ago, icm said:

That's the way it's been with City for several years now: Europe in June, North America in August. No surprise there.

If I remember correctly, the winter wave was released wor wide. If so, then why summer wave’s different regional release dates? 

[Quandale Dingle]

When will the advent calendar and passenger plane be revealed?