When Disney looks to expand its Star Wars offering beyond film and television, it does so carefully, with new ideas designed to serve the overall story and, more importantly, feel 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-expanding line of toys and collectibles. Disney’s latest collaboration with Lego, however, 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 launches with three Lego Star Wars builds arriving on March 1.
“Its goal is to improve the gaming experience and increase the fun,” Dalal told me. “All the sounds and interactivity are 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 a static display.
“Yes, you can show him, but ideally you want to recreate your stories of how you met him,” Dalal added. “But now you can do it in a new immersive way that makes someone want to play it over and over again because it’s a different story.”
Whether it’s the X-Wing, TIE Fighter, or Throne Room set, builders are given the basics instead of a set script. Smart Brick, Smart Minifigures and Smart Tags add reactive sound and character responses, allowing players to take familiar Star Wars moments and reinvent them in their own way.
At the same time, Disney was deliberate about what Smart Play would not include.
“It’s just about taking the elements that they like and putting them in a really safe environment within the essence of why you buy a Lego Star Wars set,” Dalal said.
That balance reflects how children play today, combining digital sensibilities with hands-on creativity while maintaining the focus on physical construction.
“We’re meeting kids where they are today in the digital age, while basing the technology on traditional physical building sets,” Dalal continued. “DCP is constantly innovating to improve the game.”
Over its 25 years of existence, Lego Star Wars has expanded in almost every direction: from premium $1,000 collector builds like the Death Star to more affordable sets aimed at younger fans. The line has evolved along with the franchise itself, linking not only to the films, but also to animated series such as The Clone Wars and, more recently, Disney+ shows. Smart Play signals the next evolution of that approach, one that suggests Lego Star Wars is still growing rather than limited to repetition.
That evolution is defined by both moderation and ambition. Even compared to Lego’s previous technological experiments, Smart Play is remarkably stripped down: there are no screens, no listening microphones, and no artificial intelligence. 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 expand play and amplify fun, not to compete for attention or introduce complexity for its own sake.
Star Wars, Dalal explained, is especially well-suited for this type of approach.
“Star Wars stories offer an endless gameplay pattern given the vastness of the galaxy,” he said. “The Smart Play system is a tool to help children unlock their creativity and tell their own Star Wars stories.”
That sense of scale is enhanced by the franchise’s instantly recognizable audio cues (from music to boat noises) that lend themselves naturally to reactive playback.
“I think you have to have the right mix of technology and IP,” Dalal said. “And the Star Wars galaxy specifically offers endless storytelling and instantly recognizable saga elements like music, ship noises and more.”
Instead of directing play, Smart Play is designed to reward curiosity. The Smart Brick responds differently depending on which characters or items are nearby, encouraging experimentation and surprise.
“People love the unexpected,” Dalal said. “There are fun Easter eggs within the sets and lots of different ways to interact 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 line successful for decades, while opening the door to new ways to play within a galaxy that continues to expand.
“Fans have enjoyed Lego Star Wars sets for over 25 years,” Dalal said. “This innovation is the perfect hybrid of physical and digital gaming, 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 receive news, reviews and opinions from our experts in your feeds. Be sure to click the Follow button!
And of course you can also follow TechRadar on TikTok for news, reviews, unboxings in video form and receive regular updates from us on WhatsApp also.
