Last week a new LEGO® game from Tencent was teased on the Chinese social media channels. Although some thought it could be the results of a rumoured LEGO and Nintendo partnership, the games is actually a new LEGO Worlds-type sandbox game called LEGO Cube. The mobile title has been developed in partnership between the LEGO Group and Tencent, and will be the first ever LEGO branded mobile game released in China. As you can see from the video below, the game will see you become a LEGO minifigure character and roam around a vast LEGO world. It will become available towards the end of 2018 and from the look at things it will only be released in China. However gamers elsewhere will have unannounced LEGO mobiles titles from TT Odyssey to look forward to in 2019 and beyond
LEGO® CUBE – THE FIRST LEGO BRANDED MOBILE GAME IN CHINA, DEVELOPED BY TENCENT GAMES
(Shenzhen, China, 19 September 2018) LEGO® CUBE, a sandbox game for Chinese players, was unveiled today at the “Imagination Creates the World” event by Tencent Games and the LEGO Group. This is the first mobile game developed under the strategic partnership between the LEGO Group and Tencent to provide fun, creative and safe digital experiences in China.
LEGO Cube is a sandbox game developed and operated by Tencent Games under the license of the LEGO Group, featuring LEGO bricks, minifigures and other iconic LEGO properties. It is expected that the game will be publicly available at the end of 2018.
In sandbox games players are not bound by the of rules of traditional games. Rather than follow a linear story or structure, players are encouraged and empowered to explore the game world as they want. Creativity is at the very core of the game, where a players’ imagination is their only limit.
LEGO Cube provides an imaginative, creative and safe digital gaming experience and encourages players to explore, create and learn in safe open-ended play, leading to endless possibilities. It also offers players opportunities to develop skills including: 3D design, construction and building and coding.
Sean McEvoy, Vice President of LEGO Games at the LEGO Group, said “The LEGO Group has more than 20 years of experience in creating fun and creative games that extend and amplify LEGO play. We are excited to preview our first branded mobile game with Tencent Games in China. LEGO Cube is a platform that will enable more children and adults to engage with the LEGO brand in China, empowering them to explore their imagination and creativity in a digital world.”
The LEGO Group sees digital media, such as games, apps and movies, as an exciting opportunity to add new, exciting layers and dimensions to the LEGO experience and make it relevant to even more children.
LEGO Cube is the latest offering under the strategic partnership between the LEGO Group and Tencent which was announced in January 2018. Based on a mutual understanding of digital child safety, the two companies are working together to re-imagine the digital future of Chinese children. The LEGO Video Zone was launched on Tencent Video in May 2018 to provide a fun, inspiring and safe digital entertainment experience for Chinese children.
Paul Huang, Senior Vice President of the LEGO Group and General Manager of LEGO China, said “As a company with 86 years of history, the LEGO Group has always made safety its top priority, be that for our physical products or our digital experiences. Children are our role models and our most important purpose is to inspire them and help them develop through play. This means taking our responsibility as a company very seriously, since children’s safety is and always will be our most important concern.”
LEGO Cube will safeguard players of all ages with protection features on product and content design, user registration, parental controls and player-to-player interaction. The game will also require identity and age verification. This will empower children to play LEGO Cube, but on a dedicated server, featuring additional child safety measures. LEGO Cube will also feature an anti-addiction system to ensure a safe and healthy play experience.
