It what amounts to rather unsurprising news, LEGO is looking to capitalize on another licensed property with their ever-lasting creative construction toys. With 20 million registered users and an uncanny inherent likeness to LEGO blocks, Minecraft is set for an easy transition to another form of non-digital merchandise.
After having been brought up in casual conversations by gamers around the world as as an easy comparison when explaining the Minecraft phenomenon to the unknowing, LEGO was used as a gag during Minecon from the Mega64 comedy troupe.
Shortly after, LEGO Cuusoo, the collaborative website bridging LEGO Group and their Japanese partner Cuusoo, partnered with Mojang in an effort to rally 10,000 fans together, enough so that the idea of Minecraft kits could be picked up by LEGO and developed into actual merchandise. In short, it worked and the concept passed initial review and is entering development.
Happy New Year! Since the Minecraftâ„¢ project reached 10,000 supporters on LEGO® CUUSOO, many of you have been eagerly awaiting our update. Until now, the project has been in the LEGO Review–a stage before product development begins where a LEGO Jury evaluates the idea’s feasibility as a product and makes a decision.
We're happy to announce that the Minecraft project on LEGO CUUSOO has passed the LEGO review and we are now developing a concept that celebrates the best aspects of building with the LEGO system and in Minecraft. We can’t wait to show it to you–but it isn't ready just yet. These things take time, so we appreciate your patience. More details are to come.
Outside of Minecraft's colorful diamond tools and unique wildlife - which includes explosive Creepers and terrifying Endermen - the environments and architecture featured in Minecraft are rather basic (take a look at the sample image up top), and we wonder what sort of sets will earn the attention of regular LEGO buyers.
Getting 10,000 online supports is one thing, tapping into a larger portion of the 20 million registered Minecraft users is another. Mojang can only hope to replicate the same sort of Minecraft success with their upcoming Scrolls and the three other announced games on the way. The real question however, is whether or not we'll see a LEGO Minecraft sometime in the future...
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Source: LEGO Cuusoo