As Disney looks to expand its Star Wars offerings beyond film and television, it does so carefully with new ideas designed to both serve the overarching story while, more importantly, feeling like natural additions to a franchise that spans generations of fans, as well as light years.
Over the years, that approach has resulted in screen-accurate lightsabers, annual collaborations with Columbia Sportswear, and an ever-growing selection of toys and collectibles. However, Disney’s latest collaboration with Lego takes a different approach.
Lego’s new Smart Play system introduces sound and responsiveness directly into physical sets – without relying on apps, screens or cloud connectivity – and it’s launching with three Lego Star Wars buildings arriving on March 1.
“It’s meant to enhance the play experience and increase the fun,” Dalal told me. “All the sounds and the interactivity — they’re what bring the sets to life.”
From Disney’s perspective, the collaboration builds on more than 25 years of Lego Star Wars history, a legacy rooted in storytelling through play rather than static display.
“Yes, you can show it, but ideally you recreate your stories of how you know it,” Dalal added. “But now you get to do it in a new immersive way that makes someone want to play it again and again because it’s a different story.”
Whether it’s the X-Wing, TIE Fighter or Throne Room set, builders get the foundation instead of a fixed script. Smart Brick, Smart Minifigures and Smart Tags add reactive sound and character responses, allowing players to take familiar Star Wars moments and recreate them in their own way.
At the same time, Disney was aware of what Smart Play would not contain.
“It’s just taking the elements of what they like and putting it in a really safe environment within the essence of why you buy a Lego Star Wars set,” Dalal said.
This balance reflects how kids play today, blending digital sensibilities with hands-on creativity while keeping the focus on physical building.
“We meet kids where they are today in the digital age, while also grounding the technology in traditional physical building sets,” continued Dalal. “DCP is constantly innovating to improve the level of play.”
Over its 25-year run, Lego Star Wars has expanded in almost every direction — from premium, $1,000 collectible builds like the Death Star to more affordable sets aimed at younger fans. The line has developed alongside the franchise itself and is not only linked to the films, but animated series such as The Clone Wars and more recently Disney+ shows. Smart Play signals the next evolution of this approach, one that suggests Lego Star Wars is still growing rather than settling into repetition.
That evolution is defined as much by restraint as by ambition. Even compared to Lego’s previous tech-driven experiments, Smart Play is significantly pared down: There are no screens, no listening microphones, and no AI. The system also avoids active network connections or any dependency on the cloud.
While other parts of Disney are actively exploring AI-powered experiences, Smart Play reflects a different philosophy. As Dalal put it, technology exists to extend play and enhance fun—not to compete for attention or introduce complexity for its own sake.
Star Wars, Dalal explained, is uniquely suited to this kind of approach.
“Star Wars stories offer an endless pattern of play because the galaxy is so vast,” she said. “The Smart Play system is a tool to help children unlock their creativity and tell their own Star Wars stories.”
This sense of scale is enhanced by the franchise’s instantly recognizable audio cues – from music to ship noises – that lend themselves naturally to reactive play.
“I think you have to have the right pairing of technology to IP,” Dalal said. “And the Star Wars galaxy specifically offers endless storytelling and instantly recognizable elements from the saga like music, ship noises and more.”
Rather than directing play, Smart Play is designed to reward curiosity. The smart brick reacts differently depending on which characters or items are nearby, encouraging experimentation and surprise.
“People love the unexpected,” Dalal said. “There are fun Easter eggs in the kits and so many different ways to engage with the products.”
For Disney and Lego, Smart Play reflects a shared belief that technology should support storytelling, not overshadow it. By keeping the technology under the hood, Lego Star Wars preserves what has made the series successful for decades, while opening the door to new ways to play in a galaxy that continues to expand.
“Fans have been enjoying Lego Star Wars sets for over 25 years,” noted Dalal. “This innovation is the perfect hybrid of physical and digital play and will bring Star Wars home in a fresh and exciting way.”
Follow TechRadar on Google News and add us as a preferred source to get our expert news, reviews and opinions in your feeds. Be sure to click the Follow button!
And of course you can too follow TechRadar on TikTok for news, reviews, video unboxings, and get regular updates from us on WhatsApp also.
