TT not going to "take the piss" out of LEGO-game fans

By Johnny Minkley Published 4 September, 2008

One or two "high standard" games a year.

UK studio Traveller's Tales has insisted it will not "take the piss out of the consumer" in further expanding its licence-to-print-money LEGO mega-franchise.

Rich Earl, producer of the imminent LEGO Batman game, told Eurogamer the studio would cap future releases tied to the toy brand to preserve quality.

"There's an expectation now that there would be a LEGO game per year, and we certainly feel that one or two games would be the right amount per year, otherwise there'd be a saturation of LEGO games and they'd lose the charm," he revealed.

"We're also conscious that we're making games for young kids. We don't want to take the piss out of the consumer and end up making any old rubbish. We're hoping people feel our games are of a high standard and we want to continue doing that."

The LEGO Star Wars games titles alone have shifted over 15 million copies, with LEGO Indiana Jones topping charts earlier this year. And the developer's success is already impacting other media, with a LEGO Batman cartoon on the way, created using the game engine.

Beyond Batman, more LEGO-branded games are in the works at the studio, but Earl refused to be drawn on persistent rumours that, since being acquired by licence-holder Warner Bros. last November, Traveller's Tales had begun work on a Harry Potter title.

"Personally I hope [it happens]," said Earl. "The LEGO models are obviously there. With Warner's back catalogue of movies there's a lot of opportunities opened up, so we'll have to see. We haven't announced anything yet. We've got a wall of the next few years lined up in the office and it always keeps changing.

"As long we continue to make good games, and the gameplay doesn't get tired, then there's no reason why we can't continue to use the LEGO franchise and brings these famous characters to life."

Earl further hinted that more Star Wars and Indy titles could be on the way, adding: "We have a relationship with Lucas, so there's nothing to say we won't have more opportunities along that vein."

LEGO Batman releases on all major formats later this autumn. You can see more on the game and from our exclusive interview with Earl over on Eurogamer TV.

Picture of Johnny.

About Johnny Minkley

Eurogamer TV's Johnny Minkley is a veteran journalist with a lifelong passion for games and the games industry. He uses Twitter more than most people use air.

Read more articles from Johnny by visiting the Johnny Minkley archive page.

You may also like...

Comments (40) Latest comment 3 years ago

Comments threads automatically close after 30 days, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

  • cyacomini #1 3 years ago

    LEGO Beetlejuice
    LEGO Goonies
    LEGO Howard the Duck

    You can keep the rest ;)

  • madgerald Verified Studio Head of PR & Marketing, Colossal Games LTD #2 3 years ago

    LEGO Jackie Chan

  • miiiguel #3 3 years ago

    Lego Halo

  • DanWhitehead #4 3 years ago

    Lego Casablanca.

    Finish it, then you get an Achievement for playing it again. If your name is Sam. Even though he never actually said that.

  • jonsaan #5 3 years ago

    Well the quality already dipped a bit with Lego Indy to be brutally honest. Not so much the fault of TT. More the lack of characters you want to unlock in the Indy saga. Now LEGO pokemon........

    I realise it will never happen.

    I doubt they will ever find another saga as rich as Star wars to mine for characters.

  • Britesparc Verified Creative, ITV #6 3 years ago

    I reckon they'll wait till all the films are out (2010?) before doing LEGO Harry Potter.

    But LEGO Superman, LEGO Green Lantern, and LEGO Anything Else DC Since Warners Bought Traveller's Tales would be a good bet.

    Dan is a genius, BTW.
    Edited by 1 at 04/09/08 @ 16:11

  • redneon Verified Programmer, SUMO Digital #7 3 years ago

    LEGO LOGO - Control the turtle made of LEGO bricks to draw pictures.

  • mazzl #8 3 years ago

    wel... lego acne tunes.. buggs bunny, roadrunner.. and so on.. would be cool as hell :)

  • skillian #9 3 years ago

    I've a lot of respect for Tt in how they've handled these games. It would have been easy to skimp on the quality and let the brand name sell the games, but they really have gone for high quality, intelligent and slickly-produced games and have built themselves a bona-fide AAA franchise because of that. Many developers could learn a lot from this.

    And yes, LEGO Goonies would be fantastic, though LEGO Matrix, LEGO Police Academy, LEGO Watchmen and LEGO Willy Wonka would all be insta-buys for me.

  • andywilkie35 #10 3 years ago

    Lego Hostel

    nah seriously a Lego Lord of the Rings would make sense

    Trilogy, has swords so sticks with Star Wars gameplay, everything says do it!

    I didn't like the bit where he said that these games are made for "young kids" coz I happen to quite enjoy them actually...unless I mistook it.

  • FairgroundTown #11 3 years ago

    Am I the only one who saw the headline and thought of our very own TerminalTerror

  • charliemouse #12 3 years ago

    I enjoy the games but they're not exactly the high-quality big-budget titles he's implying they are are they?

    Dodgy mechanics, screen tearing, ocassionally broken co-op (fancy repeatedly spawning over a pit?).

    Yes they're good fun but I think they're revered a bit too highly, just my opinion though.


    How about Lego Katamari Damacy? Or would that work better with Stickle Bricks?

  • davc4 #13 3 years ago

    I think these games are "for Kids", I really enjoy playing them and occasioanlly play with my wee lad when he lets me.

    I honestly like the Lego DC universe idea, Harry Potter would also work,

    But how about Lego Asterix that would be fantastic in my nostalgic opinion.

  • Triggerhappytel #14 3 years ago

    Two LEGO games a year built from the same framework with near-identical gameplay is taking the piss.

  • p00ntang #15 3 years ago

    LEGO Lord of the Rings Trilogy! YES!

  • menage #16 3 years ago

    Phew.

    Lego Transsformers1
    Lego He-Man

  • aldo_14 #17 3 years ago

    LEGO Grand Theft Auto, please.

  • DFawkes #18 3 years ago

    I thought it had been overdone as soon as they'd finished Star Wars. All the other games just feel reskinned versions, or maybe it's just me.

    I'd still go for a Lego Lord of the Rings, I still haven't played a LOTR game that wasn't good.

  • semtex03 #19 3 years ago

    LEGO Godfather
    LEGO Sopranos
    LEGO Terminator
    LEGO Alien(s)

  • firefly #20 3 years ago

    @aldo 14
    http://www .youtube.com/watch?v=EMY9VlMIEJk

  • Pulsar_t #21 3 years ago

    Ha.. Annual Lego updates in the vein of EA Sports yearly rubbish!

  • peterfll #22 3 years ago

    LEGO Big Brother please.

  • Royal Fool #23 3 years ago

    I've never associated Traveller's Tales with quality anyway, sorry. I've felt that all the LEGO games so far have been rather poor.

  • IronCladChicken #24 3 years ago

    @mazzl
    acne tunes? - Sounds uncomfortable

  • Pulsar_t #25 3 years ago

    @Royal Fool
    I agree. Ever since Sonic 3D in fact.

  • BillyBrush #26 3 years ago

    i was going to say 1 or 2 every year would take the piss..

    but then someone at the Top Posted Lego Howard The Duck

    now i wants...and Lego Short Circuit and Katate Kid pls

  • viper_h #27 3 years ago

    LEGO Star Trek?

  • Britesparc Verified Creative, ITV #28 3 years ago

    @ andywilkie35

    They're DEFINITELY kids' games. But I still enjoy playing them. And I actually think Indy's the best, in terms of its gameplay and dynamics and stuff, but I agree unlocking Indy characters is less interesting than Star Wars ones.

    Two games a year is an absolute maximum - one a year would do TBH. But it looks as if Indy and Batman are quite different, so if they can keep the variety hopefully it'll work out okay; don't just recycle Star Wars.

    And sorry to puncture everyone's nostalgia bubble but, LucasFilm relationship aside, I doubt we'll see LEGO versions of anything non-Warner Bros. But LEGO Looney Tunes would, indeed, be fantastic.

  • Skurmedel #29 3 years ago

    Two games per year is already "saturating it". On the flip side they seem to be quite good, so I guess there is no real problem.
    Edited by 1 at 04/09/08 @ 18:04

  • Stoatboy #30 3 years ago

    re: "I'd still go for a Lego Lord of the Rings, I still haven't played a LOTR game that wasn't good."

    They could just do a spin-off featuring one of the main characters: Lego Las.

  • smelly #31 3 years ago

    id go for Lego GTA

  • agparrot #32 3 years ago

    Lego Thundercats.

  • jaxon58 #33 3 years ago

    They're doing a LOTR games next. You'll see.

  • WinterSnowblind #34 3 years ago

    They can only make Lego games based on existing Lego franchises, and the franchises have to be owned by Warner Bros. Things like LOTR would work well, but don't have a chance of happening.

  • Olemak #35 3 years ago

    Limiting the wish-list to franchises Warner Bros. actually does own makes it pretty likely that we'll see a LEGO LOTR, indee, especially with the hobbit movie coming up. SO make that Lego Hobbit, with a LEGO LOTR trilogy sequel som e years down the line. Monster hit written all over it.

    I'd like to see A LEGO nightmare on Elm Street of course, but that seems unlikely.

    Here a wiki list of warner francises:

    # Superman
    # Batman
    # Harry Potter
    # The Matrix Series
    # Ocean's 11
    # Lethal Weapon
    # Scooby-Doo
    # Police Academy
    # The Lord of the Rings after the takeover of New Line Cinema
    # Austin Powers after the New Line Cinema takeover
    # Blade after the takeover of New Line Cinema
    # Harold & Kumar after the takeover of New Line Cinema
    # A Nightmare on Elm Street after the takeover of New Line Cinema
    # Friday the 13th after the takeover of New Line Cinema
    # Mortal Kombat after the takeover of New Line Cinema
    # Rush Hour after the takeover of New Line Cinema
    # The Mask after the takeover of New Line Cinema
    # Final Destination after the takeover of New Line Cinema

    My money's on LOTR, Matrix and possibly Austin Powers. LEGO Mortal Kombat would be pretty ironic.

  • BBIAJ #36 3 years ago

    I'd settle for LEGO Ghostbusters or Back To The Future Trilogy, shame neither is Warner Bros. then.

  • bdgr #37 3 years ago

    lego back to the future sounds ace!

    lego aliens would be sweet, you could even add the predator for lego aliens vs predator (although the films were a bit short on quality!)

    :)

  • Triggerhappytel #38 3 years ago

    @ Olemak - just to clarify, Warner Bros. didn't take over New Line Cinema. They are both owned by them Time Warner group, and as far as I'm aware, the higher management have decided not to allow New Line to make any more huge budget movies after the flop of The Golden Codpiece.

    I expect the most appropriate source material (and likely available) would be Lego Harry Potter and Lego Lord of the Rings, however Warner don't own either franchise so it would depend on JK Rowling/the Tolkien estate. The Matrix is a Warner franchise though, if I'm not mistaken, and that could make a cool parody game.

  • BobsUncle #39 3 years ago

    If you took away the LEGO style, these games would all just be really shit and simple movie tie-in platformers. People only like them for the LEGO gimmick.

    Take LEGO star wars, now remove the LEGO and render them as normal people. Instant 1/10 failure.

  • Martin #40 3 years ago

    @DanWhitehead: Shouldn't you get an achievment for just playing it once then?

    @Stoatboy: Let me get you your coat...