Every year we strive to innovate and make our products even better for children all over the world. A lot of effort has gone into the development of the LEGO characters and universes across our entire product range, so it makes us very happy when changes are noticed.
LEGO Friends in 2018 looks a bit different than what it has in the past. To be specific, the 5 main characters have a slightly different look but also the city and the citizens of Heartlake City have changed.
But what are the reasons for the change?
Firstly, we want to assure you that all 5 friends are still there in 2018.
Andrea, Mia, Emma, Stephanie and Olivia – they all still exist! Also the character’s main interests and personalities remain mainly unchanged.
What you will see in 2018 is an evolution of LEGO Friends, a progression of the story and characters to make sure children get an even greater play experience. Every year more than a million children and parents reach out to us and share what they love and what they would like to change. In the LEGO Friends range children told us that they would like even more differentiated characters and also suggested improvements to Heartlake City.
We always take great care to listen to input from children, and the LEGO Friends team has worked hard to make even more engaging and relevant experiences for children – and also make the LEGO Friends universe more true to the actual world children live in.
Taking a starting point in reality, we’ve made the characters more diverse in their appearance and have added more depth to their personality. And of course, they still live in Heartlake City. But just as the characters have changed, Heartlake City has become more differentiated and rich. There are different districts and there are other citizens that play a more active role in the story.
The changes we have made does not change the fact that previous and new LEGO Friends sets will cater for great building and play experience in 2018 and beyond, and we hope to inspire even more stories and play opportunities for children in the future.
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Statement issued via The LEGO Ambassador Network
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In addition to the changes for Andrea, Emma, Mia, and Olivia -- Daniel has changed & grown up a bit too:
51 comments:
It's great that Lego Group tries to make an evolution, but how can Olivia just change her skin colour? Or Mia her eye colour, and Emma, and Andrea? Other things are ok, but these are the problems for longtime fans. Anyway thanks for other informations - I luv learning new things about Friends world, and if they'll think up more facts, it'll be more fun for me (because I'm almost walking Lego Friends Encyclopedia now xD). Btw, does anyone know if Lego plans to make a new Character Encyclopedia book?
BL0NDwAvE
Btw how can "normal" people just contact Lego when have some ideas to make it better? Through the 5 years I had many ideas, which would I like to share, but I'd also need to know where to send it to worth it. Thanks!!!
Well, personally I'm all for diversifying the friends line. Everything was a bit too white before, I mean sure we still have a white majority but this is certainly a step in the right direction. I personally think Stephanie is still pretty ambiguous as far as her race goes, she's probably just American though. Andrea is African-American, Olivia is Hispanic, Emma is Asian & I think Mia is of Irish or Scottish decent.
I'm all for deepening and enriching the theme, and making it more diverse, but I still don't see why they're changing the Friends' appearances so much. Also, the new color schemes look so strange compared to the older ones... Do you think they will combine well?
Daniel doesn't look so great though. I think he's trying to be Martin.
I like the changes to Andrea, because while she looks more mature, her eye and skin color stayed the same. I understand that they want friends to be more diverse but couldn't they add more people to be official friends? i.e. a new girl in town? It makes sense that Mia would have green eyes but after 5 years????? But after all that most lines of dolls and stuff like that there is usually 4 white girls and 1 black and honestly I don't see why people are saying they won't buy friends anymore
I am really sorry to Lego bu I much preferred the recent sets and I am quite upset that you are changing the style. Since I was small, I have fallen in love with Lego Friends. Now, I am using the Elves sets more but I still love the Friends sets. However, it is entirely their choice for the change. I will perhaps quite enjoy the new changes.
I wish they had just added more characters instead of changing the main ones. While the new dolls' races and appearances are more distinctive, they are also more cliche, like the green-eyed redhead or the black girl with braids. I guess that last group of small sets and the 5-in-1 was Lego's way of saying this is the last time we'll be able to get the core characters in their original looks and outfits, sort of like a send off. I noticed that a couple other doll lines have done this sort of thing before revamping the product.
Why did you change the style of the friends? I really liked lego friends seires but now I can't buy any more! The changes to Olivia and the other girl's were strange! Daniel's face looks silly. I'm not going to like the Lego Friends, so you have lost one fan! For 5 years, I've collected the whole lego friends set but i'm really dissapointed and i'm also really, really sad!!!!!!!
I don't like the changes of the main characters, especially olivia. The new color theme is not as natural as before. I have collected friends sets for 5 years. Now Lego make me stay away from the new Friends line. Hate to say goodbye those mini features. But they're not Olivia , Emma, Mia , Stephanie and Andrea to me anymore.
I love the new look. Glad to see new hair , clothes, face. people change as they age. I am so looking forward to the new sets. I change up on the hair and clothes as much as I can anyway. Who wants the same old look over and over if you already have it. Good job !!!
i like Andrea's old hair and all of the old faces
Why did they change Olivia’s skin color?! When r these sets going to be released?
This is interesting. I like that LEGO is not only a company that makes kid's toys, but is also trying to improve our world. By showing good, meaningful messages through your toys, you're communicating to the next generation of people what a fair world should look like.
Also, different kids of all around the world can now have even more fun playing with the Friends sets because they can connect to them.
On the other hand, I don't like how their smiles got bigger. Yes, you should be happier, but a few subtle smiles like Mia's would've been better. I also don't like how Andrea's hair got...sort of bigger. I thought the older version was already great!
Daniel (2018) is said from the description on Mia’s Treehouse set is Mia’s brother. Maybe the the Daniel from 2016 and 2018 are completely different ecxept the name...
I HATE the new lego friends changes! They are awful and make me want to gag! These are not the lego finds I know and love... or at least I used to love! I despise the changes! And I know lots of others do too!
I HATE the new lego friends changes! They are awful and make me want to gag! These are not the lego finds I know and love... or at least I used to love! I despise the changes! And I know lots of others do too!
The new Lego friends suck! There faces are creepy, weird, and distracting as well as the changes in their hair, skin color, and appearance. The old ones were so much better. I will never buy the new Lego friends sets. My favorite characters have turned into other people altogether, and I feel I don't even know them anymore.
I really dislike the art style of the new illustrations. I’m very pro-diversity and think it’s great to give children the chance to play with toys that reflect themselves BUT I think it was really bizarre to change Olivia’s skin tone. What about the kids who identified with her original look? I’m not sure why they didn’t just introduce a new character? The changes to the other characters isn’t too drastic, especially with the mini dolls but Olivia’s is very dramatic.
And again, the new illustrations are terrible. They looked so much prettier in the older artwork. The new illustrations look a lot more juvenile—like they are in middle school or elementary school rather than in high school like in the original drawings. If they look so juvenile, how can they still drive and go on crazy adventures?
Hi Lego! Didn't you said that you take good care of the input from the children?! Becouse it lokks like you're not playing attention to the childrens in this comment section and on other websites becouse PEOPLE ARE HATES THE NEW LOOK OF THE FRIENDS especial Olivia's new look (I have to agre with them :( )
But now seriusly the 90% of the kids are not happy with tis new design didn't you think that you should do somethinh about this? For example you can add a new character with a new skin color insted of changing Olivia's!! Or that would be too hard for you??!
New sets are awful, I bought several for my daughter and we returned them all to store to get older sets. I'm not sure what they were smoking when they decided to make Olivia black.
This upsets me. I like the idea of more diverse people, but you can;t change the main friends. I have loved LEGO Friends since the very beginning. Now it has completely changed......
I hate the changes to and I,m not going to rest till they are changed back I wrote a letter to lego if we all write a letter we mite be able to change them back.
i don't want to be a downer, but why did you have to change them. I liked the old Lego characters, do they really have to change them? Why!?
I've been a fan of Lego Friends since 2013, and to be honest, I hate the new minidolls. Seriously Lego, how can you expect us to just accept the fact that Emma and Olivia have changed races?! And it's not just the minidolls, I also really dislike the new sets. I'm sorry Lego, but I don't think I'll ever buy another Friends set. :(
Ich mag die neuen Figuren nicht besonders aber ein Paar wie Andrea haben sich wirklich gut verändert.Zum Beispiel die Augen von Emma sind jetzt viel zu unnatürlich. Genauso wie die aufgedruckte Brille von Olivia, dass sieht einfach bescheuert aus. Und wegen den verschiedenen Hautfarben kann man die Outfits der Figuren viel schlechter wechseln. Und das habe ich wirklich immer gerne gemacht. Aber ich finde es Sehr schade dass kleine Details jetzt nur noch mit Aufklebern in den Sets sind es wäre viel schöner wenn es wirklich solche kleinen Lego Teile gäbe die WIRKLICH in Schränken oder an der Wand eines Hauses stehen. Es ist ja toll wenn die Sets so detailliert sind,aber wenn dann bitte richtig!!!
Auch Mia guckt ein bisschen komisch. Und alle Figuren die offene Münder haben sehen meist komisch aus. Oder Tiere mit rausgestreckten Zungen, was soll das denn?! Sieht einfach nur doof aus und nervt beim spielen!!!!
Ey Sorry dass ich immer motze denn diese Seite hier ist echt SUPER!!!
As a fairly recent AFOL, I was aware of Friends sets only from end 2016 and thought there was much to like on the whole. However I find myself not drawn to the style of latest offerings; Sets are more angular, lacking the charm of before - as though Lego have a new team of Friends designers. For example, Cupcake Cafe and Art Cafe. The latter does not appeal to me, though newcomers might like it.
I much prefer the idea of family ie a house with parents and perhaps a sibling, but nothing this year. Instead, a residence for 5 friends and again, a vehicle to fit 5 friends.
As for the figures, it seems to me that one of them, Andrea, now looks almost like the parent of the former Andrea figure. I don't mind the glasses on Olivia, but dislike the new hair.
I don't think change is bad. Why the need for lipsticked mouths though? Always thought Lego was different, clean with better values, not running with the pack... But things change..
- WK
change it back change it back change it back
please change it back i all ways loved Olivia because im Livvy but now the skin color and glasses sure its multiculer or how ever you spell it but i really liked the old Olivia and every body else please change it back
-O.M
I know it's been like a year since the release of the new designs, but I'm new to this website so I thought I'd comment anyway. I read all of the previous comments on this post before mine, and I completely agree that it was wrong to have changed the 5 main characters to fit stereotypes, as that kind of diversity is insanely cliché. And instead of changing Olivia so drastically to the point where she's almost unrecognizable, I feel that it would've been good to have just give her glasses, and that it would've been nice if they introduced a new friend who's Latina with a possibly different hair style instead as to add to a wider range of diversity. Overall, the minidoll designs seem really off now, like pretty much all of their lips look really wrong. And don't even get me started on how Daniel looks now (insert shudder). Additionally, I find that the new 2019 sets seem to be very lackluster, with Emma's art studio and Olivia's cupcake café very similar to what we've already seen in the past, but waaaaayyy worse. From what I've seen online, there aren't that many play features and the interior is awfully plain as if the designers couldn't think of a creative and interesting way to maximize the interior design. If they won't change the minidolls, I feel that they least we can hope they'll do is that they can greatly improve the quality of the sets they're producing now. Hopefully anyway.
-T.L., a TFOL who grew up with the old sets who may or may not still play with them on a weekly basis.
I agree with these comments; the new characters are unrecognizable. I grew up with the older versions, so the new ones seem like totally different people. I'm very pro diversity but, honestly, this seems too cliche.
I first figured out that they changed in january of 2018 and I was unhappy,i have been playing with lego friends since it started,please change it back!
I don't have a problem with changing the characters so they are better suited for each coming generation, but the appearances of the girls was fine. In my opinion the new changes are of a lesser quality than the originals and the new looks are stereotypical, especially in Olivia. Olivia is the "smart girl" and it is a big stereotype to dork up her look with the glasses and frizzy-er hair. Don't get me wrong, I'm all for "updating" the girls but not completely changing their looks. I would be all for introducing new girls to the group, this opens up many more opportunities to diversify the group. Lego is one of the toys I want to save for my kids but NOT with the new designs. I don't want to be rude because I know that people at Lego work hard to deliver quality toys, but that quality is declining. I don't see the same interest in the new sets and definitely am seeing repeats. Its kind of like a show that has gone on way too long. The stories that went along with the sets were relatable and encouraging for kids, and I think the the same five characters need some new friends to help add to the stories. Maybe they could go on a world tour or something, but they definitely do not need the drastic changes that they faces in 2018.
How can Olivia change her skin colour? It's impossible!
i hate the changes you can not change how you look and why dose the smart girl have glasses. i believe it is a horrible idea to change them you can not change your skin colour or race if you wanted to update them give them a different hairstylist and outfit.
They changed Olivia because there was one dark skinned lego friend (Andrea) and 4 caucasian lego friends. They wanted to make it more diverse so that girls with a mid/tanned skin tone felt included. I personally prefer the new looks of the girls. The personality changes were better too. Before, they were all "stereotype" girls, Emma obsessed with fashion, Mia animals, dressed in stereotype fashion. To me they were like cardboard cutouts! The changes have not only made them more realistic but more developed and unique. Good on you Lego!
They changed Olivia because there was one dark skinned lego friend (Andrea) and 4 caucasian lego friends. They wanted to make it more diverse so that girls with a mid/tanned skin tone felt included. I personally prefer the new looks of the girls. The personality changes were better too. Before, they were all "stereotype" girls, Emma obsessed with fashion, Mia animals, dressed in stereotype fashion. To me they were like cardboard cutouts! The changes have not only made them more realistic but more developed and unique. Good on you Lego!
Why did youchange Olivia's skin color? Its not olivia anymore�� and smart girls read does not watch tv all the time so why did you give her glasses??? I mean why?
Can I still buy old Olivia lego sets??if so plz tell me how???
Why did you change olivias skin color?
To be honest, I don't really like the changes of the Lego Friends 2018. This is because they are not really the same anymore and it makes it look like they are totally different. Ever since grade 2 or 3, I watched the original Lego Friends and I liked it the way it was. I am currently going into grade 6. When I first saw the changes, I didn't like the illustrations of them because in my opinion, the original illustrations looked better (and more like lego.) I get that Andrea was the only one black in the original, but I liked Olivia's skin tone. (It feels to me that she got a sun tan.) Sorry, but the original lego friends was better.
I wish you would not have changed the look and voices in the YouTube videos. They should stay the older version. Or make both versions please...
lego friends story become boring, they five become stupid and superwomen, no friendship, more love with boys, and Olivia become ugly and not charming. She is the clever and charming girl before
LEGO you broke my heart,you changed may things,BUT WHY TAKE OUT MARTIN??????????. You could make River end up with someone else but Emma,Mia and OLivia.They all had Matthew for Emma,Jacob for Oivia and MARTIN FOR MIA<<WHYYYYY??? I was so triggered and cried.You could make river end up with someone but them bc I loved the old otps.Please lego I beg you,we miss the old times.
I like the old characters better
I like the old animation better
I liked the old characters better. I think they could have added a new character with Olivia's tanned skin rather than changing her.
tbh you shouldn't have change lego friends at all, it was so pretty and amazing before, it made my childhood beautiful, and i was hoping i would make more kids childhood, now my younger siblings watch it and its not bad but she too likes the ond one beter, you could've change their appearance but in the same animation, but i like it that emma is now asian and olivia has a darker skin tone yet the old version was the best! and why did you even take martin out and replaced him with an idiot and the girls personality are 5 stupid girls fighting with a mad scientist, they are like the most stupid creatures in the show and they are not matured anymore, you literally ruined my interest in lego friends and ruined it for the future generation of kids, appearance wise its more open, but their attitude just got worse, they dont have a bf anymore (martin) and there is no friendship building in the show, i know this was made in 2018 but i still cant over the fact you changed it, i hope you read this and consider changing it back, thank you (also the older version of voice actors are more iconic)
I like the new version better but WHY DID YOU GIVE OLIVIA GLASSES?!!!! couldn't you give someone else bu her the glasses?
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