Lego takes on Optimus Prime

Lego announced today their latest kit, in conjunction with Hasbro - an Optimus Prime lego set that can transform after it's been built! Available from June 1st, the set costs £149 and contains over 1,500 pieces.

From the Press Release

Billund, Denmark May 12th: Leading global toy companies, the LEGO Group and Hasbro, Inc. (NASDAQ: HAS) unite for the first time to bring the iconic Transformers Autobot, Optimus Prime, to life in LEGO® form – complete with alt mode. The new LEGO Transformers Optimus Prime set is a tribute to the heroic Autobot leader with over 1,500 detailed LEGO pieces. Once assembled, the figure features 19 points of articulation that allow fans to convert from robot to truck alt mode and back again. This is one of the first times a LEGO set has been able to convert between two models, without the need to rebuild.

The new LEGO set will transport fans back to 1984 to when Transformers first exploded into popular culture with the original toy line and animated TV series. Modeled after the G1 Optimus Prime character, the new LEGO set includes remarkable attention to detail and features such as the ion blaster, Energon axe, an Energon Cube and the Autobot Matrix of Leadership which can be stored in the chest chamber.

Senior Designer at the LEGO Group, Joseph Patrick Kyde, says about the collaboration: “It has been an honour and joy to work together with Hasbro to develop a LEGO version of Optimus Prime! I am excited to see these two toy companies come together for the first time to celebrate the leader of the Autobots. Optimus Prime has become a pop culture symbol of courage, selflessness, and great leadership as well as an awesome toy that embodies the problem-solving and creativity skills that both companies value so much. It’s been a wonderful and challenging task to bring him to life using LEGO bricks, especially making sure that he can shift modes without disassembly and stay true to his signature look and style.”

Casey Collins, Head of Licensed Consumer Products and Business Development at Hasbro noted: “We’re excited to bring two of the world’s greatest play and entertainment companies together to celebrate this larger-than-life, iconic character – Optimus Prime. We know fans everywhere will be thrilled by this collaboration as it enables fans and families of all ages to create memories as they work together to build the LEGO Transformers Optimus Prime.”

Once complete building this 1,508-piece model, fans can admire their build with pride by adding the display plaque to pay tribute to the iconic Transformers character.

The LEGO Transformers Optimus Prime set will be available globally from LEGO.com/optimus and in LEGO stores from June 1st priced at 169,99 USD/EUR.