People love the unexpected Disney on 25 years of Lego Star Wars, Smart Play, and why it's just getting started

Date:
Fri, 16 Jan 2026 23:30:00 +0000

Description:
TechRadar caught up with Divya Dalal, VP of Global Hardlines at Disney Consumer Products, to discuss 25 years of Lego Star Wars and the launch of Smart Play.

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When Disney looks to expand its Star Wars offering beyond film and
television, it does so carefully, with new ideas designed to both serve the overarching story while, 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-expanding lineup of toys and collectibles. Disneys latest collaboration with Lego, however, takes a different approach.

Legos new Smart Play system introduces sound and responsiveness directly into physical sets without relying on apps, screens, or cloud connectivity and
it launches with three Lego Star Wars builds arriving on March 1.

For Divya Dalal, Vice President of Global Hardlines at Disney Consumer Products, the technology is intentionally designed not to stand on its own.

Its meant to enhance the play experience and add to the fun, Dalal told me. All of the sounds and interactivity theyre what bring the sets to life.

From Disneys 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 display it, but ideally, youre recreating 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 over and over because its a different story.

Whether its the X-Wing, TIE Fighter, or Throne Room set , builders are given the foundations rather than a fixed script. The Smart Brick, Smart Minifigures, and Smart Tags add reactive sound and character responses, allowing players to take familiar Star Wars moments and reimagine them in their own way. (Image credit: Lego)

At the same time, Disney was deliberate about what Smart Play would not include.

Its 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.

That balance reflects how kids play today, blending digital sensibilities
with hands-on creativity while keeping the focus on physical building.

We are meeting kids where they are today in the digital age, while also grounding the tech in traditional physical building sets, Dalal continued.
DCP is constantly innovating to level up play. (Image credit: Lego)

Over its 25-year run, Lego Star Wars has expanded in nearly every direction from premium, $1,000 collector builds like the Death Star to more affordable sets aimed at younger fans. The line has evolved alongside the franchise itself, tying into not just the films, but animated series like 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 very much growing rather than settling into repetition.

That evolution is defined as much by restraint as by ambition. Even compared to Legos previous technology-driven experiments, Smart Play is notably pared back: there are no screens, no listening microphones, and no AI. The system also avoids active network connections or any reliance on the cloud.

While other parts of Disney are actively exploring AI-powered experiences, Smart Play reflects a different philosophy. As Dalal framed it, the
technology exists to extend play and amplify 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 play pattern given the galaxy is so vast, she said. The Smart Play system is a tool to help kids unlock their
creativity and tell their own Star Wars stories.

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That sense of scale is reinforced by the franchises instantly recognizable audio cues from music to ship noises which lend themselves naturally to reactive play.

I think you have to have the right pairing of tech 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 responds differently depending on which characters or elements
are nearby, encouraging experimentation and surprise.

People love the unexpected, Dalal said. There are fun Easter eggs within the sets 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 tech under the hood, Lego Star Wars preserves what has made the line successful for decades, while opening the door to new ways of playing within a galaxy that continues to expand.

Fans have enjoyed Lego Star Wars sets for over 25 years, Dalal noted. This innovation is the perfect hybrid of physical and digital play, and will bring Star Wars home in a fresh and exciting way.

You can also preorder it on Amazon in the United States here.

Lego UK: 139.99

Lego Australia: AU$249.99 View Deal

You can also preorder the X-Wing on Amazon in the US.

Lego UK 79.99

Lego Australia: AU$149.99 View Deal

It's also available at Amazon in the United States here .

Lego UK: 59.99

Lego Australia: AU$99.99 View Deal

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Link to news story: https://www.techradar.com/streaming/entertainment/its-meant-to-enhance-the-pla y-experience-disney-on-why-star-wars-was-the-right-place-to-launch-smart-play- and-how-people-love-the-unexpected


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