In the age of instant information, the journey of buying a LEGO set has undergone a radical shift: we are now experts on models we have never even touched.
Alongside the announcement of the upcoming release of 11377 The Lord of the Rings: Minas Tirith, the LEGO Group published multiple in-depth photos and videos showcasing the set’s intricacies. To some fans, that sounds amazing. To others, it can ruin the experience.
Before a LEGO set even reaches shelves, the internet strips away the mystery. Fans already see every detail, every minifigure, the full instruction manual, multiple reviews, and a speed build. They know every building technique, every Easter egg, every sticker, and every printed part long before the box arrives.
And this exposure does not just come from leaks, but from the LEGO Group’s own marketing too. For modern consumers who want to know exactly what they are paying for, this level of transparency works well. But has this constant exposure started to fade the pure surprise of opening a long-awaited set?
Part of that feeling likely comes from nostalgia. Think back to seeing a television advertisement that says, ‘a man has fallen into the river in LEGO City’, showing only a brief glimpse of the set. Or flicking through a catalogue before Christmas and circling sets based on a single image.
Before the digital age, LEGO sets carried far more mystery. Some of that came from being a child, but much of it came from having far less information available. Today, leaks appear months before set releases, embargoed reviews arrive early, and social media algorithms push LEGO content the moment a reveal drops.
However, discussing every reference, building technique, and new mould remains undeniably fun, and sharing a passion for LEGO brings people together. But there is also an argument that the surprise has faded.
A set can leak six months before its reveal, get rumoured repeatedly, receive an official announcement, appear in early reviews, and then finally release. By that point, some fans already feel oddly finished with it.
The hobby has also become more analytical. Fans compare price–per–piece, scrutinise minifigure selections, and debate value long before a set releases. That often replaces the pure excitement that once came with discovering something new.
However, the modern information cycle also brings benefits. LEGO sets are expensive, and early reviews help fans avoid disappointment. You can spot heavy sticker use, repetitive builds, or misleading promotional photography before you commit to a purchase. Even if you already know what the finished model looks like, the building process still feels new.
Community hype also plays a major role too. Some fans enjoy speculation, reveal season, and analysing rumours almost as much as building the sets themselves. Many would not buy a set without watching at least one review first. In some ways, anticipation has become part of the experience itself.
Yet people still enjoy films after watching trailers, and they still enjoy games despite leaks. Information does not automatically remove excitement, but it can change how that excitement feels.
The real question is not whether this change is good or bad, but what it does to the moment that matters most – opening the box for the first time and building the set. We may simply value different things today.
Perhaps the real surprise no longer comes from discovering what is inside the box, but from finding out whether a set can still live up to months of online hype once the building begins.
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