Summary
- LEGO is well-known for its licensed adaptations but has also created successful standalone games, showcasing the franchise's unwavering creativity.
- The LEGO franchise is branching out further with LEGO 2K Drive as a notable example, allowing players to create their own vehicles out of LEGO bricks.
- The sports genre lacks competition in arcade experiences, making it a smart business move for LEGO to explore this genre and capitalize on its strong brand recognition.
The LEGO franchise is predominantly known for its many adaptations of licensed film properties, from LEGO Star Wars to LEGO Harry Potter. Every few years, however, the company's gaming division has branched out to create something that bears the LEGO name alone. Some of these games have become cult hits, while others are established successes, and in any case they demonstrate the unwavering creativity of the franchise's developers. Just as almost anyone can find fun in the toy bricks, it seems there's at least one LEGO game almost every gamer can enjoy.
Over the last year, it would seem that the LEGO franchise has begun to branch out once again with its titles. After the gargantuan release that was LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga, the series appears to be shifting gears toward a new genre. With the release of LEGO 2K Drive, LEGO has been signaling a new era for the franchise with sports games at the center of it all. It's a genre that LEGO has yet to jump feet first into, but there's reason to believe it has the skills to lightly pivot from its licensed ventures and express the breadth of its creativity through the wide world of sports.
Sports Games Are Fertile Ground For LEGO's Creativity
LEGO bricks are all about creativity, and LEGO games have always been about harnessing that creativity and applying it to a dynamic gaming experience. The franchise's most recent foray into the sports genre, LEGO 2K Drive, exemplifies this creativity with its game mechanics and design choices. Players are able to create any kind of vehicle they want out of LEGO as if they've been handed a bucket of bricks in real life. It's an unparalleled amount of freedom for a racing game, and it's likely just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to what the franchise can do with the sports genre.
Reports suggest that 2K is developing a LEGO soccer game titled LEGO 2K Goooal!, and it's here that the franchise has a chance to explore its creativity like never before. While diverse customization options are to be expected in this title, it's the implementation of unique game mechanics that will really make it stand out. Whether it's game-changing power-ups with a LEGO twist or complete subversions of soccer's rules, the LEGO franchise has an opportunity to cement itself as the place to go for family-friendly fun in the sports genre.
LEGO Has Little Competition In Arcade Sports Games
While LEGO's push into the sports genre makes sense from a brand perspective, it also makes sense as a business decision. The sports genre is dominated by simulation experiences that make every effort to perfectly replicate what fans see on television. From EA's FIFA and Madden NFL to MLB The Show, these franchises dwarf other arcade experiences and practically make them obsolete. LEGO, however, has the advantage of brand recognition on its side. No matter what sport the franchise explores, it will have little competition and likely enough support to stay afloat among more established names.
The LEGO name is known the world over for its accessible, lighthearted games, and its foray into the sports genre seems like a natural progression. LEGO 2K Drive was a serviceable debut for this new era, and the leaked LEGO 2K Goooal! Has the opportunity to be a standout soccer experience. There's no information on what 2K's third sports game with LEGO will be, but if it demonstrates the same level of creativity as most other LEGO games, it could help the franchise become known for much more than licensed film adaptations.