Journey to Done- The REAL reasons why Bionicle failed

Nick on Planet Ripple
3 Aug 201627:20

Summary

TLDRIn this heartfelt video, the speaker reflects on the unexpected cancellation of Bionicle Generation 2 (G2), blending frustration, nostalgia, and hope for the future. They explore the line's recent downfall, discussing the sets' strengths and weaknesses, and lamenting LEGO's marketing strategies. The script reveals deep disappointment over G2's abrupt end and critiques LEGO's failure to adequately promote Bionicle in a market dominated by digital toys and well-established brands like Star Wars. Ultimately, the speaker calls for unity among fans and hints at continued personal engagement with Bionicle's legacy through creative projects.

Takeaways

  • 😔 The cancellation of Bionicle G2 was unexpected and disappointing for fans.
  • 🤔 The speaker suspects that Bionicle G2 may have been undermarketed and faced stiff competition from other LEGO themes.
  • 📉 Bionicle G2's sales figures must have been extremely low, leading to an abrupt cancellation instead of a planned end.
  • 🎥 The speaker criticizes the handling and conclusion of the 'Journey to One' storyline as rushed and unsatisfying.
  • 💭 There was potential for a more engaging and extended storyline for G2, but it was not realized.
  • 🧩 The speaker expresses a desire for more detailed and engaging storytelling in future LEGO franchises.
  • 🤷‍♂️ The speaker questions whether construction themes like Bionicle can succeed in the modern toy market.
  • 📉 The failure of Bionicle G2 may make LEGO hesitant to introduce new construction themes in the future.
  • 🛍️ Retailers may be reluctant to stock future Bionicle products due to the poor performance of G2.
  • 🌟 Despite the setback, the speaker remains hopeful that Bionicle could make a successful comeback with the right approach.
  • 🎮 The speaker plans to redirect their energy towards other interests, such as video games, but will continue to support Bionicle in any future form.

Q & A

  • What was the user's initial reaction to the cancellation of Bionicle G2?

    -The user was surprised and disappointed by the cancellation of Bionicle G2, as they had been optimistic about the future of the franchise and had invested a significant amount of money in the sets.

  • How does the user feel about the quality of Bionicle G2 sets?

    -The user believes that the Bionicle G2 sets were of good quality, with some even being great. They appreciated the return of gear functions, posability, and the colorful, elemental design of the figures.

  • What was the user's expectation for Bionicle G2 based on the ending of 2016 sets?

    -The user expected Bionicle G2 to continue with more detailed and feature-rich sets, including improved proportions and a more intense elemental feel, based on the positive trends seen in the 2016 sets.

  • What does the user attribute the failure of Bionicle G2 to?

    -The user attributes the failure of Bionicle G2 to a combination of factors, including poor marketing, competition from other LEGO themes, and a shift in children's interests away from action figures.

  • How does the user feel about the marketing strategy for Bionicle G2?

    -The user believes that LEGO's marketing for Bionicle G2 was lukewarm and insufficient, particularly in reaching out to children and differentiating Bionicle from other LEGO themes.

  • What was the user's reaction to the way Bionicle G2 was cancelled?

    -The user felt that the cancellation was abrupt and unexpected, likening it to a punch to the gut, and is disappointed that the potential of the franchise was not fully realized.

  • What does the user think about the potential for Bionicle to return in the future?

    -The user is hopeful that Bionicle could return in the future, but acknowledges that its success would depend on learning from past mistakes and creating a more compelling and well-supported product line.

  • How does the user view the impact of the Bionicle G2 cancellation on the toy industry?

    -The user is concerned that the cancellation could create a prejudice against construction themes and make retailers less willing to take risks on similar products in the future.

  • What is the user's opinion on the fanbase's reaction to Bionicle G2?

    -The user is frustrated with the negativity and division within the fanbase, particularly those who rejected G2 and celebrated its cancellation, but appreciates the respectful discussions and continued support from other fans.

  • What are the user's thoughts on the ending of the Journey to One series?

    -The user was disappointed with the rushed and unsatisfying ending of Journey to One, feeling that it wasted potential and left the franchise in a meaningless state.

Outlines

00:00

📦 Reflecting on Bionicle's Demise and Fan Reactions

The speaker begins by humorously preparing to discuss the cancellation of Bionicle Generation 2 (G2), as prompted by a user. They intend to cover a range of reactions from criticizing LEGO's decisions to remembering the franchise positively and urging the fanbase to avoid conflicts. The discussion includes a detailed analysis of the Bionicle G2's features, improvements, and shortcomings, highlighting the sets' design evolution and the community's mixed reception. The paragraph ends with a poignant note on the unexpected and abrupt end of G2, expressing a personal and community shock over its discontinuation.

05:02

📉 Analyzing the Factors Behind Bionicle's Poor Sales

This paragraph delves into the reasons behind Bionicle G2's failure, focusing on its initial poor sales and subsequent cancellation. The speaker speculates that the first wave of products sold so poorly that LEGO decided to halt the line unexpectedly, despite plans for future waves. The paragraph critiques LEGO's marketing strategy, which failed to adequately engage a new generation of children who are less interested in action figures. It discusses broader market trends and LEGO's shifting focus towards more popular themes like Ninjago and system sets, which overshadowed Bionicle.

10:03

🤔 Speculations on Bionicle's Future and Legacy

In this section, the speaker ponders the future of Bionicle and the construction toy genre within LEGO's portfolio. They discuss the potential for a Generation 3 but express doubts due to the brand's damaged reputation among retailers and consumers. The narrative explores the long-term effects of Bionicle's cancellation on LEGO's strategy and the reluctance of stores to stock new products from failed lines. It highlights the internal support within LEGO for Bionicle and a possible, though uncertain, revival in the future.

15:04

🚫 Discussing Community Reactions and Misconceptions

The speaker criticizes certain negative fan reactions to Bionicle G2, particularly blaming its failure on the use of Hero Factory parts. They argue against the toxic behavior in the community that undermined the theme's success. The paragraph also touches on the broader implications of fan expectations and their impact on Bionicle's perception and market success.

Mindmap

Keywords

💡Bionicle

Bionicle is a line of Lego construction toys, characterized by its unique action figures and associated rich lore. In the video script, Bionicle's cancellation and its impact on fans and the market are discussed in-depth. The narrator reflects on the changes in toy preferences over time and how these have influenced Bionicle's success and eventual decline. The term 'Bionicle' represents not just the toy line but also a cultural symbol for its dedicated fan base, who have seen the franchise through its highs and lows.

💡G2

G2, or Generation 2, refers to the second iteration of the Bionicle series launched by Lego. The script discusses how G2 was prematurely ended due to poor sales, despite having introduced innovative designs and features that improved playability and aesthetics. The cancellation is a central theme of the video, symbolizing broader challenges in toy marketing and the struggles to connect with a new generation of consumers.

💡ccbs

CCBS stands for the 'Character and Creature Building System,' a building technique used by Lego, particularly noted in the Bionicle and Hero Factory series. In the video, the narrator discusses how some fans rejected G2 Bionicle partly because they perceived CCBS as inferior to older Bionicle construction techniques. This highlights a divide within the community between nostalgia and acceptance of new innovations.

💡Marketing

Marketing in the script refers to Lego's promotional strategies for Bionicle. The narrator criticizes these efforts as 'lukewarm,' suggesting they failed to effectively engage the target audience, particularly the younger generation more accustomed to digital entertainment. This perceived failure is pivotal in understanding the broader narrative of Bionicle's decline and the challenges faced by physical toys in the digital age.

💡Hero Factory

Hero Factory was another Lego franchise, mentioned in the script as being similar to Bionicle in using the CCBS but often regarded by fans as less compelling. This comparison is used to discuss the community's reception of new Lego themes and the challenges of living up to the legacy of a beloved series like Bionicle.

💡Ninjago

Ninjago is referenced in the video as a successful Lego theme that has become an 'evergreen' series, continuously produced due to its popularity. The narrator compares Bionicle's lifecycle to Ninjago's, highlighting how Bionicle failed to achieve similar lasting success. This comparison underscores themes of change and adaptation in consumer preferences and market dynamics.

💡Fan base

The 'fan base' refers to the community of dedicated Bionicle enthusiasts. In the script, their reactions to the cancellation of Bionicle G2 are explored, ranging from nostalgic remembrance to frustration over the perceived direction of the franchise. The fan base's engagement and advocacy are portrayed as crucial yet insufficient to sustain the franchise alone.

💡Constraction

Constraction, short for 'constructible action figures,' is a type of building toy represented by Bionicle. The script discusses constraction's decline in popularity as children's entertainment preferences shift towards digital mediums. The term embodies the challenge of maintaining relevance in an evolving toy industry.

💡Legacy

In the context of the video, 'legacy' refers to the long-standing impact and cultural significance of Bionicle since its original release. The script reflects on how Bionicle helped save Lego during financial struggles and how its innovative designs influenced future Lego products. The legacy of Bionicle is a poignant theme, connected with both its past successes and its potential for revival.

💡Evergreen theme

An 'evergreen theme' in the Lego context refers to a product line that is continuously available due to enduring popularity. In the video, Bionicle is contrasted with evergreen themes like Ninjago, pointing out the difficulties Bionicle faced in sustaining interest over multiple generations. This concept highlights the challenges of keeping a brand relevant amid changing market conditions and consumer tastes.

Highlights

Creator discusses the unexpected development of a video on the Bionicle franchise.

User buxo art requested a rage-filled discussion about Lego's actions towards Bionicle.

The video aims to address the somber but hopeful remembrance of the Bionicle franchise and its potential future.

The response to the user's question includes a mix of emotions: anger, sadness, and hope.

Bionicle G2 has been discontinued, which was suspected but hoped to be avoided.

The creator's review of The Shadow Bas concluded on a positive note, looking forward to 2017.

Some people did not care about the Bionicle sets, but the creator found them to be of good quality.

The 2015 Bionicle sets brought back gear functions and combined it with modern standards.

The 2016 Bionicle sets were praised for their detail, texture, and elemental spirituality.

The cancellation of Bionicle G2 was sudden and shocking, likening it to a punch to the gut.

Lego typically plans to keep lines like Bionicle going for at least three years.

The poor sales of Bionicle G2 suggest it had to have sold 'apocalyptically bad' to be cancelled prematurely.

Lego's marketing for Bionicle was lukewarm and a factor in the franchise's downfall.

The world of Lego is much larger now, and Bionicle can no longer be the top dog.

The creator suggests that Lego should have been more aggressive in marketing Bionicle to today's children.

The failure of Bionicle G2 may make Lego reluctant to release a new construction theme.

Retailers may be harder to convince to stock Bionicle due to its previous poor sales.

The creator expresses concern that the failure of Bionicle G2 could prejudice other potential construction themes.

The creator criticizes the vocal portion of the Bionicle community for their negative stance on G2.

The video discusses the potential of Bionicle's return if recent wave sales improve dramatically.

The creator shares an alternative, positive ending for the Bionicle story that could have been.

Despite the discontinuation, the creator remains a Bionicle fan and plans to continue creating content.

Transcripts

00:02

[Laughter]

00:20

[Music]

00:24

a few days ago I didn't expect to be

00:26

making a Rand video and have a use for

00:28

these again but whatever I'm going to

00:29

address up appropriately for this one

00:31

that's better before I started writing

00:33

this one I was asked by user buxo art so

00:36

what should we expect a rage Fiel screed

00:38

towards Lego for what they've done a

00:40

somber but hopeful remembrance of the

00:41

franchise as a whole and what could come

00:43

in the future a plea to the fan base not

00:45

to go to war over this something else at

00:48

the time I answered B maybe a little of

00:50

C but looking at the way the script has

00:52

turned out I'm going with all the above

00:54

so sit tight as we touch upon everything

00:56

that's contributed in some way to

00:58

Bionicle most recent downfall

01:01

so bionical G2 has been canned I

01:03

suspected something like this could

01:05

happen but I hoped it wouldn't and I

01:06

ended my review of The Shadow Bas on a

01:08

positive note looking forward to

01:09

anything that may come about in 2017 and

01:12

encouraging others to do the same I know

01:14

some people don't care about these sets

01:15

but I think they're pretty good some of

01:16

them even pretty great sure there were

01:18

the odd balls like skull Scorpio and Kar

01:21

but that's the worst i' ever got and

01:22

there still only like two out of 35 sets

01:25

the line has been pretty solid the 2015

01:27

tow were kind of basic in some ways but

01:29

they brought back gear functions and

01:30

combined it with modern standards of

01:32

posability and different heights builds

01:34

and looks and such the protectors were a

01:36

good mure in stand in and made the

01:38

island ofoto feel populated these

01:39

figures were colorful and had an

01:41

elemental feel that took me back to the

01:42

early years the island itself while

01:44

essentially being a giant pizza made an

01:46

intense setting to set the new story in

01:48

the creatures help make the place feel

01:49

even more alive and diverse and it was

01:51

just great to see bionical animals

01:52

appearing again the skull villains were

01:54

so so but a feel Lumar and the shadow

01:56

Beast really raised the bar and the 2016

01:58

to were the bomb to me they all had

02:01

their quirks including a few mildly

02:03

annoying ones but they had almost

02:04

everything people said the 2015 to were

02:06

missing there were more detailed having

02:08

way more of that old school texture they

02:10

had better proportions in some ways with

02:13

their shoulders move forward and the

02:14

gear function moved down and they had an

02:16

even more intensely Elemental even sort

02:18

of spiritual feel with the emphasis on

02:20

trans pieces and whatnot which seems to

02:22

be what they were going for in the story

02:24

plus we got a lot of cool masks to

02:25

collect over these two years and now

02:28

it's over just like that there are no

02:31

more sets aside from a couple of poly

02:33

bags of combiner models that I don't

02:35

really care about for me to review and

02:37

there won't be anymore probably forever

02:40

I got to tell you this really came out

02:41

of nowhere like a punch to the gut the

02:43

writing was on the wall it was clear the

02:45

line wasn't selling that great and G2

02:47

stays were numbered I and many others

02:50

had accepted that bionico would be

02:51

ending next year and probably even with

02:53

just a good buy wave around New Year's

02:55

at that so at least I had that to look

02:57

forward to you know just just one more

02:59

wave I mean this line was really going

03:01

somewhere the playability of this year

03:02

sets was outstanding the creatures on

03:04

the toe United with all their added

03:06

functions and everything it really

03:07

elevated Lego's construction lines to a

03:09

whole new level like they raised the

03:11

ceiling of how much they could

03:12

accomplish with their buildable action

03:14

figure lines how much cooler could a

03:16

third wave of TOA possibly be maybe

03:18

aku's new body was a sign of things to

03:20

come like they'd create a completely new

03:22

torso build that seemlessly combined the

03:24

two previous years's functions in a

03:26

brand new way that didn't look nearly as

03:27

awkward or they'd have an entirely new

03:30

function that would blow us away and I

03:32

couldn't even imagine what they would

03:33

look like because the designs were so

03:35

fresh this year they'd probably have all

03:36

sorts of cool new armor and even more

03:38

pieces that brought ccbs and old school

03:40

Technic together they might look nothing

03:42

like they did at the start of G2 by the

03:44

time it ended it feel like the sky was

03:46

the limit but now it's just a dream and

03:49

I don't think everyone has quite

03:51

adequately grasped just how truly

03:53

shocking and insane this actually is

03:56

Lego typically plans to keep lines like

03:57

this going for 3 years there at least 2

03:59

and A2 during those years they plan out

04:02

their next theme and replace the current

04:03

line with that one once the existing

04:05

theme is ended so giving a theme six

04:07

waves or at least five has become pretty

04:10

standard practice that Rhythm they've

04:11

created is the way they do things now

04:13

that's typically the minimum that's what

04:15

they did with Ninjago first run and then

04:17

they did that with Chima which they

04:19

intended to be Ninjago successor to

04:21

paraphrase they basically said when you

04:22

see this next line you'll be like what

04:25

Ninjago so five waves each now Chima

04:28

wasn't well received by everyone but it

04:29

sold well enough to finish its run even

04:32

if it kind of lost all its demon

04:33

relevance by the time the final wave

04:35

rolled out and was promptly replaced by

04:37

Nexon Knights which intern will be

04:38

replaced by another successor in a

04:40

couple years unless it proves popular

04:42

enough to keep running longer than Chima

04:44

did Ninjago became more popular than

04:46

Lego could ever have expected so that

04:48

theme was brought back becoming an

04:49

evergreen theme not unlike bionical G1

04:51

was for a time but there was still a gap

04:53

when the first run ended because Lego

04:55

needed more time to plan on its next run

04:57

so thanks to Ninjago unprecedented

04:59

sucess success they changed their policy

05:01

so now instead of limiting a typical

05:03

theme to 3 years if a theme can prove

05:05

itself to be viable in those early sales

05:07

figures it'll be similarly upgraded to

05:09

Evergreen status and continue as long as

05:11

it remains viable which Chima did so you

05:15

see these people do things way in

05:18

advance like years they don't just whip

05:20

up a set and then start shipping it out

05:22

the next month so even if Bionicle

05:23

didn't sell that well for various

05:25

reasons we can at least rest assured

05:27

that it would finish its three-year run

05:29

so all of LEGO's work wouldn't go to

05:31

waste how wrong we were this kind of

05:34

thing doesn't just happen guys the only

05:37

way Lego could do this is like this line

05:39

didn't just sell bad it had to tank it

05:42

must have sold apocalyptically bad right

05:45

at the gate the first winter wave must

05:46

have left shelves so slowly that

05:48

somebody Lego saw those sales figures

05:50

coming in during those first few months

05:51

spit their coffee all over their screen

05:53

and ran to this appears in a panic

05:55

screaming all the way holy crap you guys

05:57

we got to cancel this line right now

05:59

like tomorrow we're hemorrhaging money

06:01

but by then they'd already developed the

06:03

next three waves to their final stages

06:05

so they may as well release those and

06:07

try to make some of that money back and

06:09

now we've run out of whatever products

06:10

they were able to finish I don't know

06:12

what to think of this but I can guess

06:15

there are many things this could be

06:17

blamed on though I mainly blame Lego's

06:19

lukewarm marketing bionico was basically

06:22

de on a rival in that regard this whole

06:24

action figure thing is a much harder

06:26

sell for kid than it used to be the

06:28

world of Lego is a much bigger place

06:30

than it was in 2001 bionico can't be top

06:33

dog like it was back then because back

06:35

then Lego's other stuff wasn't

06:36

interesting or big enough to compete

06:38

with it I think there was a large part

06:39

of whatever factors made it easier for

06:41

the theme to be so successful back then

06:43

that is not the case anymore system sets

06:46

are selling great that's Lego's bread

06:48

and butter now as I'm sure no doubt many

06:50

brick Centric apals feel it always ought

06:52

to be with the popularity of Ninjago and

06:54

the pleasant surprise that was the

06:55

Fantastic Lego movie kids are crazy

06:58

about Bricks now and ccbs is a part of

07:00

this push too it's basically the closest

07:02

construction figures as we know them

07:04

will ever get to being built with

07:05

classic Lego bricks without actually

07:07

being made of bricks but these same kids

07:10

at least a lot of them don't really care

07:12

about action figures today's kid is born

07:15

with an iPad in their hands it's

07:16

starting to replace action figures just

07:18

like those replaced rocking horses and

07:20

wheel duckies that you'd pull around on

07:22

strings or the classic pushing a can

07:24

around with a stick Lego has found ways

07:27

to combat this with their system sets

07:28

such as Lego agent second run NEX kns

07:31

and most notably Lego dimensions and

07:33

this was working out for them but

07:34

Bionicle didn't fa so well now their

07:36

heart was in the right place everything

07:38

we didn't like about the 2015 animations

07:40

was designed to make it work in what

07:42

Lego clearly felt was the only way it

07:44

could in this day and age the art was

07:46

simple clean and defined making it easy

07:48

to watch on the smaller screen of an

07:50

iPhone and the episodes themselves were

07:52

very short bite-sized easily digestable

07:54

chunks that could be watched and

07:56

finished during a bus right to school

07:58

and it sounds like a more strategy but

08:00

relying primarily if not solely on this

08:03

to make bionico reach the kids of the

08:05

day just wasn't enough and by the time

08:07

they finally got around to releasing

08:09

books games and an actual show to

08:11

support it it was too late the damage

08:13

was done Lego needs to be much more

08:16

aggressive when they push constraction

08:17

on the kids of today yes I think they

08:20

should have given it a show in 2015 at

08:22

least like 10 episodes or 13 and maybe

08:24

Focus some of them on a certain toe or

08:26

other giving kids time to really get to

08:28

know them like we did back in the day

08:30

and the online animations Comics iPhone

08:32

games and what have you would support

08:34

that Lego evidently made a mistake by

08:36

expecting Our Generation us older fans

08:39

to market the current line to the new

08:41

generation for them Lego was banking on

08:43

our Nostalgia to carry the line long

08:45

enough for it to click with kids but

08:47

that clearly didn't work seeing how many

08:49

people rejected it as some herofactory

08:51

rehash whatever you think about it

08:53

personally Lego simply didn't give

08:55

children enough incentive to want to

08:56

have anything to do with Bionicle when

08:58

they have a wealth of other bigger safer

09:01

themes vying for their attention imagine

09:03

you were a little kid in December last

09:04

year or January this year and you just

09:07

saw the force awakens and thought it was

09:09

awesome let's say you go to Toys R Us or

09:12

Walmart the next day and you pass the

09:13

Lego aisle who are you going to want

09:15

when you see them on the shelves of

09:17

course you're going to want your

09:18

favorite characters from that awesome

09:20

movie you love they've got kylo Ren and

09:22

Finn and Ray and Po and fasma they're

09:24

all there why would you ever bother with

09:27

these what the heck is about iCal some

09:30

weird alien robot things that look kind

09:32

of cool but you've probably never seen

09:34

them before and you don't know these

09:36

characters very well so what incentive

09:38

do you have what reason has Lego given

09:41

the children of today to choose Bionicle

09:43

over their other lines oh hey your older

09:46

brother's told you about it once or

09:47

twice before because he collected things

09:49

like that when he was a kid oh oh yeah

09:52

that's a great selling point you're

09:54

really s me on that one Lego but you see

09:56

even in the case of Star Wars kids

09:58

aren't buying these because they like

10:00

constraction figures no they're buying

10:02

them because they love Star Wars that's

10:05

why this line is doing well and Bionicle

10:07

isn't because it's a bigger safer brand

10:10

that Lego barely even needs to put any

10:12

effort into promoting these are going to

10:14

sell no matter what Bionicle never had a

10:16

chance you know just today before I even

10:19

wrote this script I was at a family

10:20

gathering at one of our summer cottages

10:22

and I spent some time with this one

10:24

little cousin I haven't seen since like

10:26

Christmas and he told me without me even

10:28

asking or whatever that he likes

10:30

Bionicles kids like seven he probably

10:32

doesn't even know that it's been

10:33

canceled yet or even understand what

10:35

that means and I've heard of the people

10:37

who were there to experience G1 share

10:39

similar stories about their little

10:41

cousins or siblings getting into G2 or

10:43

even G1 but clearly these kids are a

10:46

very small minority compared to the vast

10:48

number of kids more interested likeo

10:51

other louder more aggressively marketed

10:53

and in their face themes and to be

10:55

honest it kind of makes me wonder if

10:57

it's even possible for a like Bionicle

11:00

not just Bionicle itself but anything

11:02

even vaguely resembling in some way to

11:04

ever succeed in this day and age or

11:07

maybe it isn't possible maybe too many

11:09

of today's kids are just too different

11:10

from us and don't like the same things

11:12

maybe the world and toys have change too

11:15

much for Bionicle to succeed like

11:17

construction itself isn't going anywhere

11:19

ccbs is still a viable building system

11:21

that Lego will continue to use in themes

11:23

like Star Wars but will we ever see

11:25

anything outside of that has the spirit

11:27

of Lego construction died who are

11:30

certainly not going to see bionico

11:31

replaced by another original Ip along

11:33

the line of nexo knights next year their

11:35

designers haven't had enough time to

11:36

finish developing a theme like that

11:38

going by their usual development cycle

11:40

so we won't see anything like that until

11:41

2018 at the earliest or at least that's

11:45

how we could have expected things to go

11:46

if bionico was even moderately

11:48

successful but now they sold so badly

11:51

Lego had no choice but to pull the plug

11:53

so prematurely will this make them

11:55

reluctant to release a new construction

11:56

theme will they play it safe and keep

11:58

releasing ing Star Wars and superhero

12:00

Ultra builds and just leave it at that

12:02

well they go back to the drawing board

12:04

looking at GTO as a cautionary tale so

12:06

they can know what to avoid doing with

12:07

other lines in the future and lastly

12:10

what's going to happen to Bionicle

12:12

itself well at least within Lego itself

12:15

I think we're good Bionicle is an

12:16

important theme to Lego nothing is going

12:18

to change that there are many people in

12:20

that company who have championed

12:21

Bionicle as the theme that saved Lego

12:23

and who tried their hardest to make

12:24

bionico great and are probably way more

12:26

disheartened than we are by what's

12:28

happened hopefully several or maybe even

12:30

many years from now enough people within

12:32

Lego would be inclined to take an

12:34

introspective look and realize wow we

12:36

really dropped the ball that time but

12:38

it's still a good theme with a lot of

12:39

potential for success so let's learn

12:41

from our mistakes and do things

12:42

differently this time even though there

12:45

are currently no plans to bring bionico

12:46

back when the subject of G3 came up on

12:48

Twitter a Lego representative plainly

12:50

answered that this possibility cannot be

12:52

completely ruled out even now Lego still

12:54

no doubt recognizes Bionicle as a

12:56

legitimate IP that could still come back

12:58

in some form for or other and is

12:59

deserving enough that they try again

13:01

someday retailers on the other hand will

13:03

be much much harder to convince see

13:06

stores like Walmart and Target and Toys

13:07

R Us have to buy their stock from

13:09

manufacturers then when those products

13:11

are sold again through the store that

13:13

store gets a cut so they make them money

13:15

back when the product they've invested

13:16

and doesn't sell they're going to be

13:18

less inclined to buy any future stock

13:20

from that company when bionica was

13:22

canceled the first time it wasn't

13:23

selling badly but Lego saw those numbers

13:26

going down and stop production to

13:27

protect the IP and stop it from really

13:29

dying see at least if it ended while it

13:32

was still selling okay they could bring

13:34

it back at a later date a retailer would

13:36

look at those later numbers and see that

13:38

the theme was still viable and that they

13:40

could expect Bionicle to sell at least

13:42

as well as it did during his Twilight

13:43

years if not better that's why Lego was

13:46

able to bring Bionicle back because the

13:47

numbers in those later years were still

13:49

okay but if it's sold so badly the

13:52

stores like Walmart and Target are still

13:54

trying to get rid of last year's stock

13:55

and have grown so tired of the theme

13:57

that they aren't even accepting the late

13:58

latest wave making these sets

14:00

effectively one big toys rist exclusive

14:02

how reluctant do you think they'll be to

14:04

allow these things into their stores

14:06

again if Lego tries to put together a

14:08

generation 3 now or at any point in the

14:10

near future these store owners aren't

14:12

going to look back at G1 because it's

14:13

sold great at first they're going to go

14:15

by the most recent and most reliable

14:17

data to judge how successful they can

14:19

reasonably expect another Revival to be

14:22

they'll look at whatever Lego selling

14:23

them and think yeah sure because it

14:25

worked out so well last time right get

14:27

that swag out of here and this isn't a

14:30

stupid or short-sighted way to do things

14:33

these people can't just say yes to every

14:34

new product being presented to them

14:36

because oh it sold great for a while

14:38

that one time a couple of decades ago or

14:40

however long it'll be by then they have

14:42

to rely on the latest data on the most

14:44

relevant information they have because

14:47

that's the closest older products like

14:48

that come to in any way representing

14:50

current trends it's easy for us to say

14:52

from the comfort of our armchairs well

14:54

they should give Bionicle a chance

14:55

because of its potential and sure it' be

14:58

nice if they did but we can't reasonably

15:00

expect them to that sentiment isn't

15:02

going to mean anything to the people at

15:03

the top if they've come to know Bionicle

15:05

as that one particular Lego IP that

15:07

doesn't sell because it's toxic and the

15:09

kids don't like it stick to Star

15:11

Wars can you see why this line has

15:13

failed really actually failed this time

15:17

the only way bico could feasibly return

15:18

after g2's early wave sold as bad as

15:20

they must have is if the more recent

15:21

wave suddenly started selling like hot

15:23

cakes if journey to one became a smash

15:25

hidden Bionicle product started leaving

15:26

the shelves in much greater numbers a

15:28

massive turnaround like that this sudden

15:30

upward Trend would show how viable the

15:32

theme is Lego would get right back to

15:34

work on it with a new story and bring it

15:36

back in a year or two as some sort of

15:37

sequel to G2 and retailers would be more

15:39

eager to populate their store shelves

15:41

with these characters but we don't have

15:43

any indication that things are going

15:44

that way this is what worries me about

15:47

the future of the theme I just don't see

15:49

how it could recover from this but I'm

15:50

even more worried that this rotten taste

15:52

that's left in store owners's mouths May

15:54

create a sort of prejudice that could

15:56

extend to other potential constrction

15:58

themes that aren't guaranteed to sell

15:59

the way Star Wars is and also this is

16:02

going to upset a lot of people but I

16:04

need to talk about the fans for a bit

16:06

you know who I'm talking about Lego

16:08

expecting us to carry the theme into the

16:10

new generation pretty much by ourselves

16:12

was a stupid strategy no argument there

16:15

but I did my part I gave Lego almost

16:17

$600 for all these sets for crying out

16:19

loud that's no joke Jang did his part

16:22

TTV did their part we all tried to give

16:24

this line as much exposure and promotion

16:26

as we could because we believed it was

16:28

worth our time but on various message

16:30

boards and common threads you'll see

16:32

people who are saying this entire

16:34

complex situation all these factors all

16:36

of this can be attributed to one thing

16:39

the fact that Lego used Hero Factory

16:42

parts and I am so sick of seeing people

16:47

spreading this toxic crap insisting that

16:50

Lego never really had the gut to bring

16:51

back the real bionical and that they've

16:53

been trying to trick us all this time

16:55

into buying ccbs because you're actually

16:57

not supposed to like like it cuz it's a

16:59

bad system that you can't build anything

17:00

worthwhile with or some baseless kakami

17:02

rhetoric like that they basically want

17:04

Lego to bankrupt themselves by bringing

17:06

back all the new molds I'm not going to

17:08

say this very vocal chunk of the

17:10

bionical community was big enough to

17:11

have killed G2 themselves but they sure

17:13

didn't help I find it kind of insulting

17:16

that people could just pretend that this

17:17

line hasn't made big strides throughout

17:19

its run and is still comparable to Hero

17:22

Factory I mean Hero factor was a cute

17:24

idea and all but a lot of the later sets

17:26

were rubbish but I already touched upon

17:28

that my 2015 to a mega review so I won't

17:30

go into my reasons for thinking that for

17:32

a second time here these people aren't

17:34

worth talking about anymore than I

17:35

already have and they will never be able

17:37

to convince me that ccbs isn't a fun

17:40

system to work with or that these

17:41

figures are crap even when it comes to

17:43

G2 supporters though there's still some

17:45

blame to be found G2 story had some good

17:48

ideas but his execution was lukewarm and

17:50

nothing special I think we can all agree

17:53

on that to some extent but there are

17:54

some people who have enjoyed G2 a great

17:57

deal but were tend to Simply keep up

17:59

with a story and didn't actually buy any

18:02

of the sets and then they act surprised

18:05

that the line didn't sell well enough to

18:06

fund the story for another year

18:08

seriously like I'm not even going to

18:11

harp on these people I'm not mad at them

18:13

I'm just using this anote to illustrate

18:15

a point that just as there are many

18:17

different types of bionical fans there

18:19

are also many many many many many many

18:22

many reasons why bionico failed and it

18:25

Cann all be chucked up to any one easy

18:27

to bling thing like ccbs the worst it

18:30

gets is these people who are laughing in

18:31

our faces people in the bionica

18:33

community who are eating this up making

18:35

fun of us for being invested in a toil

18:36

line as if they themselves aren't the

18:38

people going why are you even surprised

18:40

of course G2 is going to fail it sucks

18:42

so hard Hero

18:43

Factory the kind of people who have been

18:45

kept awake at night for almost 2 years

18:47

by the idea that people are enjoying

18:49

this line that they don't approve of

18:50

people enjoying and who are happy Nate

18:52

rejoicing that it's ended because they

18:54

think the mere existence of G2 somehow

18:56

tarnishes G1 and they think they need to

18:58

avenge us somehow by killing G2 because

19:01

they don't want Bionicle to be like

19:02

Transformers where it can be remade over

19:04

and over and over again and be enjoyed

19:06

by new generations by people besides

19:08

them people who aren't worthy and aren't

19:10

true FS like them that it's sacred and

19:13

it needs to be their special something

19:14

that nobody else gets a touch because

19:16

they don't understand like that's so

19:18

selfish it's repugnant to celebrate G2

19:21

ending to act like this is somehow a

19:23

positive thing that is good that people

19:25

don't get to enjoy this thing anymore

19:27

yay other people don't get to enjoy

19:29

something that I don't like anymore Lego

19:31

friendly made a smart move by canceling

19:33

something that people could have enjoyed

19:34

without my approval I can't imagine how

19:38

miserable it must be to have so much rot

19:41

inside that you have to derive some sick

19:43

satisfaction from the very fact that

19:45

other people aren't able to enjoy

19:47

something in order to make yourself

19:49

happy to feel good because of that

19:51

because it is sick very people shouldn't

19:54

be This Bitter over a toy line I'm just

19:57

trying to imagine what sort of of ego

19:58

and at the same time insecurities one

20:00

must have to feel like something they

20:02

love is being attacked by the mere

20:04

existence of some new version of it that

20:06

this will retroactively hurt the older

20:08

thing they love by going back in time or

20:11

whatever that no they have to protect

20:13

the memory of it they must preserve its

20:15

Purity you know who you are and if

20:18

you're not well great on the other hand

20:21

I do greatly appreciate the people on

20:23

various sides of our community who are

20:24

being respectful about this Kellen has

20:26

been very critical of G2 sets and all

20:29

but his latest video was just what

20:30

people like me Nia to see and his dark

20:32

humor made me laugh much harder than it

20:34

should have I don't want to see g2's

20:36

canellation divide the community any

20:37

more than its existence already has

20:40

before I talk about how I'm going to

20:41

carry on from here though I want to talk

20:43

about journey to one itself for a little

20:45

bit journey to d as I like to call it

20:47

wasn't even that good I mean the first

20:49

two episodes were okay they were

20:51

acceptable but that last episode was

20:53

awful to qu Jang once again the graphic

20:56

style and quality was very good good the

20:58

writing though was truly terrible words

21:00

that come to mind include cliche

21:02

predictable repetitive low brow thin

21:05

shallow unive disappointing cringeworthy

21:08

sad and forgettable in fact it felt

21:11

almost insulting the wrap-up instead of

21:13

leaving open the imaginative

21:14

possibilities of a future of exciting

21:16

Adventures essentially renders the

21:18

entire franchise utterly meaningless

21:21

what an incredibly unfortunate way to go

21:24

out

21:26

dang that's a pretty scathing review

21:28

coming from a clean guy like Jang I'll

21:30

be sure to link the original blog entry

21:31

if you want to read his full thoughts on

21:33

how things have gone really though even

21:35

as dull and weirdly Pac as it was the

21:37

show did get a little exciting near the

21:39

end we got our first look at a grand

21:41

city with a scale unpar with metroui

21:43

this place that was clearly supposed to

21:45

be the setting for the entirety of 2017

21:47

we see shadowy aodin serving makuda not

21:50

unlike the shadow murin of 2008 and holy

21:52

smokes dares makuda I mean his design

21:55

isn't that great but still it felt for a

21:57

little a while like they were hyping up

21:59

the final year I was getting more

22:01

excited by the minute and then gy

22:03

escapes the shadow realm returns to her

22:06

body and we get a cliche power struggle

22:08

that sends makuda and the toea back to

22:09

where they came from the story ended way

22:12

too quickly I went hold on is that it it

22:16

was obvious by then that they takeen all

22:18

the material they were saving for 2017

22:20

and condensed it all into the last six

22:22

or so minutes of Jerry to one sorry what

22:26

really I should have seen this coming

22:27

right away way while the tow are busy

22:29

fighting the shadow hord Beast um goes

22:31

looking for the six fragmented pieces of

22:32

makuta's mask of ultimate power which I

22:34

have no doubt we going to be next year's

22:37

Collectibles maybe each piece

22:39

representing a different element and

22:40

packaged with a different TOA could be a

22:42

different color and The Mask itself

22:44

would be huge made specifically to be

22:46

worn by a massive Titan set with a

22:48

custom built head for the complete and

22:50

mask to fit over that would be awesome

22:53

and yet umarak finds them all on what

22:54

couldn't have been more than like an

22:56

hour or two in their time then we get

22:57

get to the black crater the city that

22:59

used to be there the shadow realm I

23:02

assumed the umak would open the portal

23:03

attempt to pull makuda through and then

23:05

the toe would stop him only to get

23:07

sucked into the shadow rum themselves

23:08

and the entire third year would take

23:10

place in a nightmare World under

23:12

makuta's rule see what you will about

23:14

g2's story that would have been an

23:16

excellent way to end it and tie

23:17

everything together but nope they had to

23:20

rush it in fact given all this material

23:23

they had to work with seeing it

23:24

scrunched up like this it's probably one

23:26

of the most if not the most rushed

23:28

ending to a story I've have ever seen in

23:29

my entire life it's even more rushed

23:31

than g1's ending I was kind of stunned

23:34

by it look at all this material kind of

23:36

waste just think of how cool the sets

23:38

could have been if we ever got that far

23:40

oh well the whole thing was just

23:42

insulting especially how they handled

23:43

the whole concept of the toist destiny

23:46

their entire Adventure being written in

23:47

stone beforehand and aimu knowing how

23:49

everything was going to play out and not

23:51

telling them anything leading them on to

23:52

get their butts kicked over and over and

23:54

over again because that's the way it was

23:56

supposed to play out in other words

23:59

that's the way it was written to be what

24:01

a sham so much waste of potential for an

24:03

ending that could have been at least

24:05

decent if not

24:07

epic hey guys this is just something

24:09

extra I wanted to squeeze into the video

24:11

after I recorded all this other stuff a

24:12

light bub appeared over my head and I

24:14

had this great idea of my own way that

24:16

journey to one could have ended okay so

24:18

the tow are in their power struggle with

24:20

makuda they've just about completely

24:22

used up their powers to banish into the

24:24

shadow realm you know they're about to

24:25

disappear into light and shoot into

24:27

space and all that but then at the last

24:28

second aimu sees them writhing in pain

24:31

he sees their determination he doesn't

24:33

want them to have to suffer this so he

24:35

rewrites Destiny he changes things he

24:38

jumps in the path of the beam and uses

24:39

his own power to finish the ritual and

24:42

banish makuda and so he disappears and

24:44

the TOA like they fall to the ground

24:46

they collapse because their power has

24:47

been almost completely drained and

24:49

they're like it's like they're in shock

24:50

but they're still alive and then they

24:52

hear aku's voice coming from the heavens

24:55

and they hear him say that he wants him

24:57

to write their own Destinies now he

25:00

wants them to continue living in this

25:02

world to live among the aodin and learn

25:05

to enjoy life and all that stuff that he

25:06

doesn't want them to leave that their

25:08

power will always be needed and all that

25:11

I think that would be a much better

25:14

ending than the one we got yeah yeah I

25:16

just seriously just this up just

25:18

out of nowhere I'm writing a better

25:20

story than Lego okay back to the video

25:23

if there's one somewhat positive thing I

25:25

can take from this whole thing is it's

25:28

another $200 to $300 that I won't be

25:29

giving Lego next year and I can put it

25:31

towards something else that's probably

25:34

the most cynical thing I never thought

25:35

I'd have to say on this channel it's not

25:37

like we haven't been here before but

25:39

Bionicle as a brand may be in much worse

25:41

shape this time than it was when Lego

25:43

simply put it to bed for a while in 2010

25:45

it didn't catch on with G wiers and it

25:47

didn't click with kids well some but

25:50

obviously not enough there's something

25:52

final about this it's disconcerting to

25:54

say the least you may be half expecting

25:56

me to end this video by saying saying I

25:58

don't know how to carry on from here but

26:00

actually I do I am never going to stop

26:02

being a bionical fan like I'll always

26:05

like it I've put Nova orbus on the back

26:07

burner for a while as I work on another

26:08

series that I've yet to reveal but I may

26:10

have found a new format that'll help me

26:12

turn out chapters much quicker and I'll

26:14

try to get back to work on it in the

26:15

next month or so there is a void to be

26:17

filled by this series and I want to be

26:19

able to do that for all the burned

26:20

Bionicle fans who want to see it

26:21

continue in some form I've also just

26:23

ordered a bunch of parts on Bricklink

26:25

that I'll need to finish touching up my

26:26

revamps of most of the G2 characters so

26:28

once those parts come in I'll put

26:30

something together with those final

26:31

updates to these characters and some

26:32

closing thoughts to end this era of

26:34

bionical wi I know this video has been

26:36

fairly negative but I'm going to try to

26:37

go back to being positive from now on

26:39

whether Bionicle comes back again or not

26:41

and with no more G2 reviews coming up I

26:44

guess that leaves me more time to review

26:45

video games you know those other things

26:47

that I'm known to talk about sometimes

26:49

yay I know this has been a pretty slow

26:50

year so far on that front I've just been

26:52

enjoying summer too much to dedicate

26:54

time to making videos as things cool

26:56

down though I'll return to my usual Pace

26:58

it's all game reviews from here still

27:00

there will undoubtedly always be another

27:02

next time that I talk about Bionicle you

27:04

know this franchise that I love so much

27:06

or just Lego at large again this isn't

27:08

the end see you around

27:17

[Music]

27:18

peeps

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