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From the moment Gengar and the pixelated Nidorino encounter each other in the opening animation of the first film Pokemon Games on the original Game Boy in 1996, Pokemon The franchise has been a perennial favorite for children and adults alike. With the mark of 2026 Pokemon The 30th Anniversary, Lego’s first-ever collaboration with the hugely popular monster-attracting action, is perfectly timed – a crossover of pop culture giants with only one problem: anyone who isn’t a super-fan with deep, cavernous pockets isn’t invited.
The last advertisement The existence of a Lego Pokémon line isn’t a surprise — the Danish brick brand first revealed that it has entered into a “multi-year partnership” with The Pokémon Company once again March 2025– But the composition of the group itself was like that. Despite the mass appeal, Lego will launch with only three sets, and each set is rated 18+. In short, it’s aimed exclusively at the “Adult Fans of Lego” (AFOL) market and priced right for them.
The most affordable group is Evie587-piece model priced at $60. Franchise character Pikachu ranks in the middle, in terms of price, with 2,050 pieces Pikachu with Pokeball It is set at an MSRP of $200. Finally, the standout piece is a massive three-in-one set Venusaur, Charizard, and Blastoise– The final evolutions of the game’s first Pokémon – which amount to a whopping 6,838 pieces for $650.
Aside from the high prices, all three collections target nostalgic adults by relying exclusively on the first generation. Pokemon Toys, designed for display during play – assembled models create display pieces with minimal expression or posability. All of this begs the question: Are kids still welcome when it comes to Lego?
No children allowed?
Lego being too expensive or targeting adult collectors is nothing new —2025 $1000 star wars Death star It reached a new high price threshold, while at $400 USS Enterprise-D from Star Trek: The Next Generation– 38 year old show – Now looks like a bargain compared to Venusaur, Charizard, and Blastoise. It’s also not unusual for Lego collectors’ sets to be displayed once built, rather than played with – look, but don’t touch.
However, Lego’s other collaborations with magic across generations usually offer something for everyone. the Super Mario The range makes a relevant comparison here, based on another Nintendo property, with plenty of kid-friendly features Mario Kart Contestants and Larger play sets In contrast to a collector’s degree Mario and Kart Or the replica Lego Boy game. After Lego Pokemon It has absolutely nothing for younger builders at launch, nor, at the time of writing, has anything been announced to reach that audience. grant Pokemon The brand has broad appeal across age groups, but it’s Lego’s decision to exclusively chase the lucrative collector’s market that’s most surprising – and some experts believe it risks undermining the brand’s position as being for everyone.
“Pokémon and LEGO have multi-generational fan bases, yet there is no clear narrative around multi-generational play, which goes against the spirit of LEGO,” says Katerina Heljaka, a senior researcher in gaming and play cultures at the University of Turku in Finland. “The new sets emphasize novelty, collectibility, and fandom, which is consistent with AFOL preferences, but offer little objective feedback about how people play together.”
Playing together is something Lego has been aiming for for some time, with a selection of sets designed to be built collaboratively using… lego builder apps Build Together feature. Family mode breaks down instructions into smaller parts, so multiple people can create their own sections, then combine them together for the final creation. After advertised Pokemon The sets, it’s just the smallest, Eevee, which – according to the announcement – “gives fans the ability to build together with friends and family.” Another departure from Lego’s global appeal.
The result, Heljaka says, is that “licensed collectibles may be viewed as display pieces for individual play rather than tools for cross-play,” adding that upcoming sets are “closed object products that behave more like 3D jigsaw puzzles than platforms for cross-play by building together.”
Its price is out
Further solidifying LEGO Pokemon The Adults Only range is a pair of collectibles that money literally can’t buy. The 233-piece Mini Pokémon Center is only available through Lego Insiders Club membership systemredeemable for 2,500 points accumulated through other purchases made on the Lego website or in its stores, while Kanto region badge seta 312-piece “Gift with Purchase” set that recreates the eight gym badges players have earned Pokemon red/blueHe was only Available to those who pre-order the most expensive trilogy developments directly from Lego.
The rarity of this badge set in particular has worked to Lego’s advantage – it’s a coveted set that was produced in limited quantities, tied exclusively for the most expensive set in the line, pushing the $650 evolution trio to sell out almost immediately in most regions. Professional YouTuber Lego Bamidele”Gang Breaks” calculated It made Lego $30 million in just 24 hours.