New sets were recently selected for crowdfunding in the August 2023 Bricklink Designer program update. Fans submitted 190 concepts for consideration, and the voting process narrowed that down to merely five. These were the round two selections, so they join the five previous sets from round one. Consequently, the Bricklink Designer Program currently has 10 sets preparing to go up for crowdfunding in 2024. Round one sets open in February, while round 2 sets go up in June. Of course, we currently only have images of the fan concepts. Brick counts and such may still change, and there’s no word on pricing yet. With that said, here are all the Bricklink Designer Program sets currently headed for crowdfunding.
Round 1 of the 2023 Bricklink Designer Fan Concepts
Round 2 of the Bricklink Designer Fan Concepts
We can already see a few emerging trends in these two waves. Classic themes like Western, Castles, and Pirates take the forefront alongside modular style buildings and trains. Don’t get me wrong, these are all stunning designs. I also LOVE Castles and Pirates. However, I am wary about the Bricklink Designer Program becoming a platform for every Jack and Jill to pump out their version of a castle, modular, or train station. For example, the Mountain Fortress. I might buy this set, but the first round of the Bricklink Designer program gave us the Castle in the Forest. Subsequently, the LEGO® Group pumped out the Lion Knights Castle. Mountain Fortress does not stray far from either formula with its swing-open concept. Again, I love it. However, I am already getting the “do I need another castle?” vibe.
The August 2023 Bricklink Designer update includes a couple of refreshing entries though. The Mushroom House strays from the developing trends, as does the Ocean House. I like the latter because it could go with Pirates, or not. And even though the Omnious Isle falls into the predictable AFOL voting trap, I remain thrilled to see a new Pirates set on the horizon. What do you think of the upcoming Bricklink Designer crowdfunding options? Let me know in the comments or reach out on social media.
Until next time,
-Tom
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