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LEGO unveiled Smart Play at CES 2026, embedding interactive tech into bricks. The first Star Wars sets launch March 1, with preorders Jan. 9.
LEGO is bringing its bricks to life.
The company unveiled LEGO Smart Play, a new platform that builds interactive technology directly into LEGO creations, allowing physical builds to respond to play in real time.
Revealed during the company’s CES presentation, Smart Play uses sensor-enabled bricks and accessories to add sound, motion, and reactive behavior to traditional sets, without screens or apps, marking a major shift in how LEGO approaches interactive play.
LEGO Smart Play centers on a new component called the LEGO Smart Brick, which embeds sensors and on-board electronics directly into a standard-sized brick. The brick contains a custom-made chip, motion and light sensors, sound detection, a small speaker, and wireless charging, so LEGO creations react instantly as they’re moved, connected, or played with.
The Smart Brick works with Smart Tags and Smart Minifigures, which trigger specific sounds and behaviors when placed in certain builds or scenarios. All interaction occurs within the build itself, with responses triggered by how children move, connect, or reposition pieces.
The company says all Smart Play components are compatible with its existing System-in-Play, meaning the technology is designed to blend into traditional LEGO building rather than replace it.
LEGO is rolling out Smart Play with Star Wars as its debut franchise, launching three all-in-one sets that bundle the Smart Brick with interactive minifigures and tags. The initial lineup includes Luke’s Red Five X-Wing, Darth Vader’s TIE Fighter, and a Throne Room Duel set, each designed to trigger sounds, motion cues, and character-specific responses during play.
The sets are built to let players recreate and remix iconic Star Wars moments, from engine roars and blaster fire to lightsaber hums and musical cues tied to specific characters.
“With LEGO SMART Play, legendary stories and characters of the Star Wars galaxy will come to life like never before,” said Julia Goldin, LEGO’s Chief Product & Marketing Officer, referencing LEGO’s long-standing collaboration with Lucasfilm as a natural fit for the platform’s storytelling focus.
Pre-orders for the first Smart Play sets open Jan. 9, with availability beginning March 1 in select markets. LEGO describes Smart Play as a platform that will continue to grow over time, with additional updates, technology, and releases planned beyond the initial Star Wars launch.
Follow our live CES 2026 coverage for ongoing announcements, new devices, and emerging tech themes.
Liz Ticong is a staff writer for eWeek and TechRepublic focused on AI, cybersecurity, enterprise software, and data. She has more than 10 years of editorial experience as a technology industry writer, combining reporting, product research, and hands-on software testing in her coverage. Her work has been published on Datamation, Enterprise Networking Planet, and TechnologyAdvice.com. She writes technology news, software reviews, product comparisons, and buyer’s guides for business and IT readers.
