What Happened in the LEGO World This Week?
While July 1st brings the much-anticipated summer wave of new LEGO sets, the final week of June delivered a surprising amount of movement — from early releases to major community reactions and retailer shifts.
🧱 Early Set Drops & Store Sightings
Retailers across Europe, particularly in Germany, France, and parts of Ireland, began early stocking of July 2025 sets, including:
- LEGO Dreamzzz Wave 3
- Ninjago: Dragon Core Wave
- City Jungle Rescue Subtheme
- Icons 10341 NASA Artemis Launchpad
LEGO Certified Stores in Dublin and Berlin were among the first to post in-store builds and pricing, with fans noting price hikes on several Icons and Speed Champions sets. Notably, the NASA Artemis set is priced at €199.99, triggering debate in AFOL forums about value-for-money compared to the Saturn V or Discovery Shuttle.
🎁 LEGO Insiders Weekend Confirmed – July 6–7
LEGO officially announced its Insiders Weekend for July 6–7, featuring:
- Double Points on ALL purchases
- A new GWP: 40689 Firework Celebration Stand
- Early access to VIP-exclusive bundles, including a rumored “Modular Minis Collection”
The GWP threshold is reportedly set at €100, prompting savvy shoppers to hold off on Dreamzzz and Ninjago purchases until the promo goes live. LEGO.com has already added banners teasing “a colourful celebration for builders of all ages.”
💥 BrickLink Designer Program Series 2 Set Shipping Begins
Backers of the BrickLink Designer Program Series 2 sets began receiving shipping notifications for:
- Retro Bowling Alley
- Parisian Street Market
- General Store
The LEGO community has praised the quality of the packaging and instructions, with many comparing the designs favourably to official LEGO Icons sets. This week’s buzz? A rumour that the Series 3 crowdfunding launch date will be announced at LEGO CON in late July.
📉 LEGO Retirements List Updated
June 30th saw updates to LEGO’s internal “Retiring Soon” list. Sets expected to leave shelves before year-end include:
- 21331 Sonic the Hedgehog – Green Hill Zone
- 10297 Boutique Hotel (Modular Building)
- 75329 Death Star Trench Run Diorama
Collectors and investors have already noticed price creep on the Trench Run Diorama, particularly on Amazon EU. If you’re after it, this summer may be your last shot at RRP.
🧪 Beta Testing for LEGO’s Digital Building App 2.0
LEGO quietly rolled out an invite-only beta of its new digital building platform, a successor to LEGO Builder. The updated app reportedly features:
- AI-assisted instructions that adapt to skill level
- Part-swapping suggestions for alternate builds
- A new “Build with Friends” mode for remote co-building
Selected testers have shared screenshots on Reddit and Eurobricks, and AFOLs seem cautiously optimistic. No word yet on public release, but internal documents suggest Q4 2025.
💤 Hands-On With LEGO Dreamzzz Wave 3
Are the Builds Growing Up with Their Audience?
Released July 1st, 2025, the third wave of LEGO Dreamzzz delivers a fresh chapter in one of LEGO’s boldest narrative-driven themes. But with an audience that’s grown since the 2023 debut, are these new sets keeping pace?
We tested 3 standout builds, including 71485: Nightmare Titan Castle, 71483: Zoey’s Thunderbird Escape, and 71482: Izzie & Bunchu’s Final Dream Duel — with two very different fans:
Luke (7 years old): “It’s like a boss fight! I love that you can change the monster’s arms and the wings open when you press the back!”
Darren (AFOL): “Dreamzzz is maturing. The use of Technic pins for multi-stage builds, the refined colour palette, and the multi-path instructions are smart. I love that it lets kids improvise, but also now gives display value.”
Key Findings:
- Complexity: Average piece counts up 15% from Wave 2. Most sets now take 60–90 minutes to build.
- Storytelling: Play features like gear-driven transformations and alternate builds give real RPG vibes.
- Minifigures: Improved moulds, dual-moulded arms, and more expressive faces — these aren’t afterthoughts anymore.
Verdict: Dreamzzz is evolving. It’s not just dreamlike, it’s ambitious. A line worth watching if you’ve got imaginative kids, or if you appreciate LEGO’s riskier IPs.
🎁 Best LEGO Buys Under €100 – Birthday Present Ideas!
Whether you’re buying for a young fan, a budding builder, or yourself (we won’t tell), here are 5 top-value LEGO sets under €100 this summer. We factored in playability, part value, build experience, and retailer availability.
| Rank | Set | Price | Why We Love It |
|---|---|---|---|
| 🥇 1 | 31154 Forest Animals: Red Panda | €49.99 | Incredible posability, 3-in-1 value, bright parts |
| 🥈 2 | 60391 City Space Explorer Rover | €59.99 | Mid-scale space playset with great wheels & figs |
| 🥉 3 | 21264 Minecraft Crafting Workshop | €94.99 | Packed with modular sections and animals |
| 4 | 10328 LEGO Icons Bouquet of Roses | €59.99 | Beautiful, shelf-worthy, and never wilts |
| 5 | 71478 Dreamzzz: Zoey & Zian the Cat-Owl | €84.99 | Great colours, hybrid creature, top-tier fig design |
🛒 All available via LEGO.com as of writing, and we’ve spotted the Red Panda and City Rover for 10–15% off at major EU retailers.
🌌 From Shelf to Legend
Which LEGO Star Wars Dioramas Deserve Display Forever?
The LEGO Star Wars Diorama Collection began as a tribute to cinematic moments in compact, UCS-adjacent form. Now, with 9+ sets in the series, we’re ranking them all based on display impact, build quality, minifigure inclusion, and value per cm².
🏆 Our Tier List:
S-Tier (Must Display):
- 75329 Death Star Trench Run – Dynamic, minimal, and movie-perfect.
- 75330 Dagobah Jedi Training – Gorgeous swamp layering, clever tree design.
A-Tier (Great Display):
- 75352 Emperor’s Throne Room – Playable AND regal.
- 75353 Endor Speeder Chase – Awesome motion illusion with clear supports.
B-Tier (Collectors Only):
- 75339 Death Star Trash Compactor – Too chunky for the shelf.
- 40531 Lars Family Homestead (GWP) – Lovely, but hard to source.
Verdict:
The Trench Run remains the ultimate blend of nostalgia and modern LEGO design, and it’s the only one that doesn’t feel cramped at this scale. If space is limited, start there.
📺 Coming Up Next Week…
Here’s what’s brewing for next week at RedmondsForge.com for the first full week of July:
🧱 Full Review: LEGO Icons 10341 The NASA Artemis Launchpad
Is it the next Saturn V, or a display nightmare? We’ll find out.
🐉 LEGO Ninjago Summer 2025: Mechs, Mythology & Maturity
Are dragons out? Is Nya finally getting her moment? Our deep dive incoming.
🎨 Customisation Nation: The Best Third-Party Accessories for LEGO Minifigs in 2025
From capes to chrome weapons, what’s worth your pocket money?
📢 Final Brick:
This week proved LEGO isn’t afraid to dream big, or zoom in. From modular mythmaking to collector-caliber dioramas, there’s a build for everyone right now. Whether you’re shopping, building, or displaying.
Happy bricking and keep building!
