Additional Coverage:
- Iconic children’s toy brand goes high-tech to bring creations ‘to life’ without screens (foxbusiness.com)
LEGO Unveils Screen-Free “SMART Play” Technology at CES 2026, Bringing Creations to Life
LAS VEGAS, NV – Forget screens and tablets, LEGO is taking a bold leap into the future of play with its new “SMART Play” platform, designed to make children’s brick creations react, move, and respond during hands-on play. The innovation was unveiled Monday at CES 2026, the annual consumer electronics trade show in Las Vegas, showcasing how embedded technology can inject life into physical LEGO builds without relying on digital devices.
The LEGO SMART Play platform integrates an array of sensors and interactive elements directly into select bricks and figures. This groundbreaking approach allows creations to produce sounds, lights, and various effects based on how they are assembled and used, fostering a more dynamic and engaging building experience. LEGO emphasizes that this technology is specifically designed to keep children immersed in physical building, making their tangible creations more responsive and interactive.
“The launch of LEGO SMART Play brings creativity, technology, and storytelling together to make building worlds and stories even more engaging, and all without a screen,” stated Tom Donaldson, senior vice president and head of creative play lab at the LEGO Group. “We truly believe we are setting a new standard for interactive, imaginative experiences and can’t wait to see this innovation in the hands of kids when we launch this year.”
The LEGO SMART Play platform is slated for a March 1st launch, with an initial rollout featuring a lineup of Star Wars sets. These sets will incorporate the built-in technology to add authentic sounds and effects to iconic builds and characters.
“For the first time in the history of LEGO Star Wars, with LEGO SMART Play sets, the battle comes to life, allowing fans to recreate iconic scenes and interactions, as well as create new ones,” the toy manufacturer announced. Fans can anticipate unlocking SMART features such as the distinct hum of Lightsabers with the SMART minifigures of Darth Vader and Luke Skywalker, the powerful engine roar of an A-wing, and even the ominous strains of “The Imperial March” with Emperor Palpatine seated on his throne.
LEGO is hailing the new platform as its “biggest innovation” since the introduction of the first LEGO minifigure in 1978, signaling a significant shift in how children will interact with their beloved building blocks.