Chips & Hardware
Lego debuts screen-free Smart Play system at CES 2026
Lego has unveiled its screen-free Smart Play system at CES 2026, featuring interactive bricks and minifigures that require no setup, launching with Star Wars sets in March.
Lego announced its new Smart Play system at CES 2026 on Monday, introducing interactive, responsive technology to its famously analog franchise. The system is designed to bring physical bricks to life without the use of screens or complex setup. There is no setup required to pair the elements of the Smart Play system, making it immediately accessible for play. The system includes a 2×4 brick, Smart Tag tiles, and Smart Minifigures. The Smart Bricks and Minifigures can sense nearby Smart Tags, which are 2×2 studless tiles with unique digital IDs that tell the Bricks and Minifigures how to act.
The hardware relies on a patented Application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC) chip, which is smaller than a single Lego stud. This chip uses near-field magnetic positioning to recognize the tags around it, alongside a miniature speaker, accelerometer, and LED array. To allow multiple Smart Bricks to recognize each other and operate in tandem, Lego developed a Bluetooth-based protocol called BrickNet. The company claims that BrickNet is protected by enhanced encryption and privacy controls, amid broader concerns regarding hacking into toys.
The first two Smart Play sets will feature a Star Wars theme. Pricing and availability details include:
- Preorders: Open on Friday.
- Official Launch: March 1.
- Luke’s Red Five X-wing building set: Retails for $69.99.
- Throne Room Duel and A-wing set: Retails for $159.99.
These initial sets use the Smart Play system to animate characters like Luke Skywalker and Princess Leia, allowing them to interact with Smart Tags to enable features such as Lightsaber duels.
Why it matters
Lego is adding interactive, responsive technology to its famously analog franchise, allowing physical bricks to interact with digital IDs without the use of screens.