LEGO moves to build in-house game development capability
Summary
LEGO Group is shifting toward internal game development after decades of relying on third-party studios
The move signals a strategic push to control its digital and physical brand experience end-to-end
Key partnerships with Epic Games and 2K remain active, but the long-term direction is clear
"As long as we're under the LEGO brand, we can cover experiences for kids of all ages, digital or physical. [Games development in-house] is something we're building up"
01
Strategic shift - from licensing to internal development
LEGO Group is actively building an in-house game development function for the first time in its history
Historically, all LEGO video games were developed through third-party studio partnerships
CEO Niels Christiansen confirmed the in-house build-up directly to the Financial Times
It remains unclear whether this move will reduce or replace existing external collaborations
02
Key active partnerships still driving LEGO's game presence
The LEGO x Epic Games collaboration remains LEGO's most significant current gaming project
LEGO mode in Fortnite launched in 2023 and has grown into one of the game's most popular verticals
The mode offers a crafting and survival experience featuring LEGO minifigure versions of Fortnite skins
LEGO partnered with 2K on LEGO Drive, a racing game released in 2023, planned as the first in a sports game series
03
Pipeline signals - football game and Harry Potter in the mix
A LEGO football game is believed to be in development, with LEGO sets already appearing online as indirect confirmation
Rumours persist of a new LEGO Harry Potter title covering the full franchise, similar in scope to LEGO Star Wars The Skywalker Saga
TT Games, historically the primary LEGO game developer, has largely wound down its LEGO title production
04
What to watch - LEGO's game studio ambitions take shape
LEGO's in-house capability is still early-stage, with no studio name, size, or release timeline announced
The key question for the industry is whether LEGO will reduce external partnerships or run both tracks in parallel
Publishers and external dev studios should monitor how LEGO's internal build-up affects future IP licensing and co-development opportunities
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COMPILED BY GAMES ATLAS EDITORIAL
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