"Lego has a nostalgia problem. I do, too. Like Hollywood and its eternal cycle of remakes, the Danish company has found a bottomless treasure pot full of GenX and Gen Z people willing to burn their credit cards to turn their golden memories into bricks. By my count, 2025 alone brought a record-setting 16 sets related to old Lego properties and external IPs, shattering 2023's previous peak of 9 sets."
"Lego won't share sales figures but, privately, insiders have hinted that these sets bring in lots of revenue, especially because they are large and complex with many pieces and high price tags. The year-over-year increase of new sets seem to confirms this: Between 2014 and 2022, the company released an average of 3.7 sets per year tapping into '70s, '80s, and '90s themes. That number has more than doubled. From 2023 through 2025, Lego produced 31 nostalgia-focused sets-a dramatic acceleration that establishes a new baseline."
"Many of these sets are part of the Lego Icons line, which launched in 2020 as a way to tap into the growing appetite from Lego's adult customers. Other sets come through the Lego Ideas, launched in 2008, a sort of Kickstarter-ish platform that asks fans to submit designs for official Lego sets. These are then voted on by the community and a handful"
Lego has sharply increased releases of nostalgia-focused sets, reaching 16 related sets in 2025 versus nine in 2023. Between 2014 and 2022 the company averaged 3.7 nostalgia taps per year; from 2023 through 2025 it produced 31 nostalgia-focused sets, establishing a new baseline. Many releases are part of the Lego Icons line (launched 2020) targeting adult customers, while other sets emerge from Lego Ideas, a fan-submission platform launched in 2008. Insiders report these large, complex sets generate substantial revenue because of high piece counts and price tags. Nostalgia adds extra satisfaction and designers create detailed, faithful recreations at brick scale.
Read at Fast Company
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