📰 LEGO World Highlights
- Over 100 new LEGO sets released in August, including big-ticket icons like 10358 Transformers: Soundwave, the Haunted Mansion 3‑in‑1, Game Boy announcement, and One Piece Baratie Floating Restaurant, all launching on or around 1 August.
- Technic wave arrives same time: Ferrari FXX, Ford Bronco, Lamborghini Revuelto, Volvo Hybrid Excavator, and the Lunar Outpost Moon Rover, loaded with intriguing parts updates and recolors from New Elementary.
- Icons theme expands with Toothless: How to Train Your Dragon, Sherlock Holmes Book Nook and a Balrog walled diorama, new sets out earlier in July.
📦 GWP Spotlight: LEGO Fortnite Promo
- BrickHeadz 40760 Adventure Peely & Cuddle Team Leader officially launched 1 August as a Gift With Purchase (GWP) on LEGO.com and in LEGO Stores, triggered by purchases over ~$130 USD (or ~£130/€130 regionally).
- Popular among Fortnite fans, the BrickHeadz duo packs 258 pieces and colourful builds that balance blocky charm with playful details.
- Redmond’s Forge snagged two of these GWP sets during our big haul, pure luck with the purchase threshold hitting just right!
📡 The Internet is Talking
Enthusiasts and reviewers are abuzz:
- GamesRadar+ named Lego Rivendell the best overall set of 2025, with shout‑outs to the Talking Sorting Hat, Age of Ultron scene and Lion Knights’ Castle.
- Online build communities are dissecting the Technic releases: lion’s share of appreciation for the new Lunar Rover treads in dark azure, and creative repurposing of curved panels in MOCs.
- LEGO forums are predicting huge demand for One Piece and Soundwave, with speculation that they’ll become holiday season hot‑tickets Jay’s Brick Blog.
🛒 Our Redmond’s Forge Hauls
From 29 July to 4 August, here’s what Darren & crew scored:
- Two Peely & Cuddle Team Leader GWPs (GWP haul success number one!)
- Soundwave (10358) – Insiders pre‑order for our collection.
- Haunted Mansion 3‑in‑1 – purely on Darren’s nostalgia radar.
- Lunar Outpost Moon Rover – tech junkie Luke wanted every tiny dark‑azure tread. Great purchase for parts too.
- Italian Riviera (21359) – pre‑order locked in early for architecture cred.
- Mixed smaller botanical sets: Hibiscus (10372) and Mini Bonsai (10373).
We crossed the $130 threshold twice in one order, so picked up two GWPs, making it a double‑win 🎉.
🧱 Builds & Reviews in the Forge Kitchen
The kitchen table saw a flurry of building action:
- Luke (7) led Soundwave while Rose (4) joined in putting details on the Haunted Mansion.
- Darren tackled the Moon Rover, praising the complexity of the Technic elements and the dark azure treads, which he called “super satisfying to click into place”. A full review comes later, focusing on part potential for MOC‑makers.
- We also tackled Italian Riviera, noting the “rich Italian colour palette and bricks‑in‑the‑ravine architecture”. A full review intro is already prepped.
- Mini builds got Instagram love: Mini Bonsai and Hibiscus were quick but beautiful—perfect for display or gifting.
🎯 Sets We Recommend (August Picks)
| Set | Why buy |
|---|---|
| Rivendell | Epic size, detail, Easter eggs, a top pick from GamesRadar |
| Soundwave (10358) | Striking Transformers fan build, moving collector’s piece |
| Haunted Mansion 3‑in‑1 | Seasonal mood and rebuild variety |
| Baratie Restaurant (One Piece) | Huge, imaginative, defining anime adaptation |
| Moon Rover | Technic purists and MOC inventors love the new pieces |
| Italian Riviera | Perfect display piece and scenic architecture gift set |
🌍 Lions Touring the Isles: Two Epic Trips Highlights
This week, Darren’s LEGO‑loving Lions fan club made two legendary tours across the UK and Ireland, live‑blogged and interspersed with LEGO stops:
Trip 1: The Emerald Tour – Dublin to Killarney
- Grabbed sets at the LEGO Store in Dublin, got insider tips on Italian Riviera release.
- Visited Limerick & Killarney toy shops, Soundwave and Moon Rover still in stock! A local builder even showed Darren a custom Rivendell MOC in progress.
Trip 2: Celtic to Anglo-Welsh-Scottish Trip
- Ferried from Dublin (nice pick-up of boosters and botanicals) across to Wales.
- Newcastle LEGO certified store gave Darren an early peek at City and Friends sets coming later this month.
- Snagged Star Wars promo details that we’ll share soon with the community.
Both tours scored massive social engagement and power‑purchase opportunities particularly with a large tree MOC sticking out of the boot.
💬 Final Thoughts & What’s Next
- This week marked the official launch of August’s big wave – over 100 sets, flow of promos, and the Fortnite BrickHeadz GWP kicked in.
- Redmond’s Forge success: double GWP haul, high‑impact purchases like Soundwave and Italian Riviera, plus epic road‑trip LEGO hunting.
- We’re reviewing: Moon Rover, Italian Riviera and Soundwave in full, expect full posts soon.
🧡 Share with Us
What set are you most excited about this August wave? Did you snag the Fortnite Peely & Cuddle Team Leader? We’d love to hear your haul stories or review requests! As usual, you’ll find me at the kitchen table building with Luke and Rose, and catching up on all the brick‑talk online.
Until next time, happy building and safe travels from the Lions across the Isles!
