Citations › Citation ID: 143

C143. BOOK: Daniel Konstanski, The Secret Life of LEGO Bricks: The Inside Story of a Design Icon (Unbound, 2022), p. 268-269.

The term ‘big bang’ had floated around the LEGO Group before LEGO NINJAGO as the description of a new theme’s dream outcome: that it would produce a big impact on customers. LEGO NINJAGO, however, changed the term from an aspiration to the proper name for a new class of LEGO theme. This was accomplished by inadvertently creating the formula that every subsequent big-bang theme has followed. This formula consists of four parts: a well-developed universe to explore, strong characters for children to explore it through, a TV show or similar media for telling the world’s story, and the vague X-factor. X-factors are the great challenge of big bangs, and are what ultimately allowed LEGO NINJAGO to succeed so much more than LEGO Atlantis, which had the other three traits. X-factors are something cool and different that attract children who were not previously interested in LEGO toys. Difficult to pin down, and highly variable in their success, X-factors have become the de facto trait that distinguish big bangs from regular themes. LEGO NINJAGO spinners reign supreme as the single greatest X-factor ever developed, but every big bang which followed would have their own as well. Now, creating X-factors is a separate stream in the development process, with teams devoted exclusively to developing them, working alongside more traditional set and element designers.

A 'big bang' theme aims to create a big impact on customers by having a well-developed universe, compelling characters, a TV show, and a uniquely differentiated 'x-factor'.