A decade on from the launch of the LEGO Friends brand, the LEGO Group has re-imagined the Friends Universe, with the introduction of new diverse characters, to enable more children to feel represented during play.
The next generation has been designed to celebrate diverse friendships in the modern world, according to the company.
Input has been implemented from kid testing, research and feedback from letters sent to the company, which all found children had a desire to see themselves, their friends and their families better represented.
The new universe sees additions of multiple skin tones, cultures, physical and non-visible disabilities and neurodiversity. The new sets and series will feature characters with limb difference, Downs Syndrome, anxiety, vitiligo, and a dog with a wheelchair. The new friends also explore and work to overcome modern challenges.
“At the LEGO Group, we understand that children want the characters they encounter to be more like the diverse personalities they meet in real-life,” commented Tracie Chiarella, head of product for LEGO Friends at the LEGO Group. “We’re continuously evolving our products so that they’re reflective of society today and that’s why we’re proud to launch this brand new generation of LEGO Friends.
“We want children to see the new LEGO Friends Universe, both in the physical product and the content we’re launching in 2023, as a reflection of their own friendships and to see the characters as authentic. We have chosen to evolve the LEGO Friends Universe and TV show to be more inclusive in order to give parents and kids more tools to navigate friendship and their emotions as they grow and learn.”
The new LEGO Friends sets will launch from 1 January 2023, while a LEGO Friends TV special is due to air in February 2023, kicking off the new TV series.
Want to read more news like this? Simply sign up to our daily digest by clicking here. You can also follow @LicensingSource on Twitter and @licensing_source on Instagram.
