LEGO and Snapchat: a new collaboration in Augmented Reality
LEGO and Snapchat
During the recent Snap Partner Summit 2021, LEGO and Snapchat unexpectedly presented Connected Lenses, a new application of Augmented Reality lenses for the Ghost App developed by Snap Inc. Thanks to this new lens, Snapchat users will be able to connect between them and have fun building together even if they are not in the same physical place thanks to the Augmented Reality engine implemented in the App itself. Let's see what it is?It is the first time that LEGO has pushed so much towards augmented reality, creating together with the Snapchat developers an application that will allow users to build virtually, in a shared environment and made using Augmented Reality, a creation in LEGO bricks. For the first time, therefore, different users will be able to experience the same lens experience at the same time even if they are not in the same physical place, regardless of whether they are in two different rooms or in two different locations in the world.
The innovative application Connected Lenses created by LEGO and Snapchat will therefore allow us to share a building experience with LEGO bricks directly within the Snapchat App itself, sharing real-time and co-localized interactions during which you can chat, play and build with our friends, wherever they are.
In the demonstration video presented at the Summit
we can in fact see two users, each from their own home, acting on the same LEGO set floating above their respective work surfaces thanks to Augmented Reality, adding new bricks, visual and sound effects, animations and anything else added by one of the two users, immediately and in time or real are displayed on the other's smartphone.
The collaboration with LEGO wants to highlight the latest extension introduced in Snapchat's Augmented Reality lenses, which already include
the popular photo filter lenses that allow users to take Snaps in which are transformed, add 3D effects, objects and characters the well-known Landmarker lenses, which give new (and virtual) life to the most famous monuments around the world the nice Explorer lenses, or the thousands and thousands of photographic lenses made by the users themselves via the Snap Lens Studio desktop app The new lens from LEGO and Snapchat will soon be available on the official LEGO profile itself.
The contents of this article:
LEGO's other collaborations with Snap Inc LEGO and Augmented Reality The LEGO VIDIYO sets
The other collaborations of LEGO and Snapchat
This is not the first collaboration between LEGO and Snapchat. Let's discover the previous ones together.The first LEGO Wear store… with no clothes on display
On the occasion of London Fashion Week, LEGO Wear and Snapchat have created a real virtual clothing store. In fact, an innovative pop-up store created with Augmented Reality technology has been set up, in order to promote the first exclusive collection of LEGO Wear limited edition clothing dedicated to adults. The pop-up store appears physically empty, with the exception of a Snapcode station (the "version" of Snapchat to the QR code), which represents a sort of portal that, thanks to mobile scanning, allows buyers to enter the virtual store. including a DJ, a LEGO bouncer, an arcade game and most importantly, exclusive products from the collection ready for purchase.Lea Sandell, Global Social Media Innovation Lead for LEGO said:
“As a brand we are exploring a multitude of digital platforms and technologies to connect with our fans in an engaging and innovative way. This is an experiment that aims to unite the physical and digital worlds. For us, the core of the LEGO experience is to use the imagination to join our bricks creatively, but we see technology as an extension and enhancement of the physical experience. We are always looking for new ways to implement the lego experience and make it fun and engaging for our fans ”
Snapchat, LEGO and the LEGO DOTS lense
LEGO and Snapchat have created a LEGO DOTS themed lense for Snapchat that provides the ghost App users with a selfie filter that allows you to add the charms symbols of LEGO DOTS sets (the various smileys, the icons etc) and a border to the photos. theme with some of the LEGO DOTS bracelets.(Credit photo: bricksfanz.com)
Snapchat, LEGO and the lens of LEGO Star Wars helmets
LEGO and Snapchat have created a lense that allows users of the Ghost App to literally wear one of the 4 LEGO Star Wars helmetsLEGO Star Wars # 75276 Stormtrooper helmet LEGO Star Wars # 75277 Boba's helmet Fett LEGO Star Wars # 75304 Darth Vader Helmet LEGO Star Wars # 75305 Scout Trooper Helmet A video has been released (po i removed from Youtube) showing the effects function, but we weren't able to find the lenses on Snapchat, which could mean that it was a limited event for the 4th May special day (May the 4th be with you ) celebrated around the world by fans of the Star Wars saga. We'll see if this particular lense is permanently integrated into Snapchat, so that builders and fans of the saga around the world can see what they would look like wearing a full-size LEGO Star Wars helmet.
(Credit photo: brickfanatics.com)
LEGO and Augmented Reality
The integration with Snap Inc.'s Augmented Reality lenses is not LEGO's first experience in this field . In addition to the unfortunate series of LEGO Hidden Side sets, in fact, on March 1st 2021 the first sets of the new LEGO VIDIYO theme began, developed in collaboration with Universal Music Group (we talked about it in our article) and which aims to provide children with a protected and safe social platform within which they can share music videos made with the smartphone and in which they can be protagonists together with their favorite characters (LLAMA and the other Beatboxes, as well as to the various Bandmates) and taking advantage of the huge UMG discography. The new LEGO VIDIYO sets are much better from the point of view of interfacing with the App. The builders of the sets of the previous LEGO Hidden Side theme were in fact penalized from the point of view of the construction experience due to the fact that by modifying the sets these were not most recognized by the Augmented Reality engine of the App connected to the sets themselves. The new LEGO VIDIYO sets, on the other hand, not only allow you to interact with the sets themselves, but also allow small builders to interact with the characters of the App both with real "backdrops" (the park under the house, their own bedroom, etc.) and built by by themselves using the LEGO bricks in their possession. In addition to the first series of sets and characters released in March, the new “summer” sets, even more imaginative and creative than the previous ones, will also be available for purchase from 1 June. Let's go and discover them together.The LEGO VIDIYO sets
The LEGO VIDIYO sets can be grouped into three categories:Beatboxes Bandmates Stage (buildable stages)
The Beatboxes
The BeatBox sets containing the eight main characters are:LEGO VIDIYO # 43102 Candy Mermaid BeatBox
Includes Candy Pop minifigure, 14 random BeatBits and 2 special BeatBits. BeatBox sets are portable so you can always have them with you and can be decorated externally with the LEGO elements included in the set. Measurements: over 8cm high, 7cm long and 11cm wide.
LEGO VIDIYO # 43103 Punk Pirate BeatBox set
Includes Pirate Punk minifigure, 14 random BeatBits and 2 special BeatBits. BeatBox sets are portable so you can always have them with you and can be decorated externally with the LEGO elements included in the set. Measurements: over 8cm high, 7cm long and 11cm wide.
LEGO VIDIYO # 43104 Alien DJ BeatBox set
Includes Alien DJ minifigure, 14 random BeatBits and 2 special BeatBits. BeatBox sets are portable so you can always have them with you and can be decorated externally with the LEGO elements included in the set. Measurements: over 8cm high, 7cm long and 11cm wide.
LEGO VIDIYO # 43105 Party Llama BeatBox set
Includes LLAMA minifigure, 14 random BeatBits and 2 special BeatBits. BeatBox sets are portable so you can always have them with you and can be decorated externally with the LEGO elements included in the set. Measurements: over 8cm high, 7cm long and 11cm wide.
LEGO VIDIYO # 43106 Unicorn DJ BeatBox set
Includes Unicorn DJ minifigure, 14 random BeatBits and 2 special BeatBits. BeatBox sets are portable so you can always have them with you and can be decorated externally with the LEGO elements included in the set. Measurements: over 8cm high, 7cm long and 11cm wide.
LEGO VIDIYO # 43107 HipHop Robot BeatBox set
Includes Robot Break-dancer minifigure, 14 random BeatBits and 2 special BeatBits. BeatBox sets are portable so you can always have them with you and can be decorated externally with the LEGO elements included in the set. Measurements: over 8cm high, 7cm long and 11cm wide.
LEGO VIDIYO # 43109 Metal Dragon BeatBox set
Includes Metal Dragon minifigure, 14 random BeatBits and 2 special BeatBits. BeatBox sets are portable so you can always have them with you and can be decorated externally with the LEGO elements included in the set. Measurements: over 8cm high, 7cm long and 11cm wide.
LEGO VIDIYO # 43110 Folk Fairy BeatBox
Includes Folk Fairy minifigure, 14 random BeatBits and 2 special BeatBits. BeatBox sets are portable so you can always have them with you and can be decorated externally with the LEGO elements included in the set. Measurements: over 8 cm high, 7 cm long and 9 cm wide.
The Bandmates
The 12 Bandmates characters that are part of each of the two series, join the 8 main characters of the Beatboxes and those who are part of the new Stages to compose the most absurd, fantastic and heterogeneous crews in the musical world. They are sold in the form of a mystery box, so the individual characters will be searched and exchanged with friends to make up the entire crew of 12 collectible characters.Series 1
Each set / mystery box includes instructions and collectible booklet
Red Panda Dancer
Cotton Candy Cheerleader
Shark Singer
Bunny Dancer
Discowboy Singer
Genie Dancer
Samurapper
DJ Cheetah
Ice Cream Saxophonist
Alien Keytarist
Banshee Singer
Werewolf Drummer
Series 2
Each set / mystery box includes instructions and a collector's booklet
Zombie Dancer
DJ Beatbox
Slime Singer
DJ Captain
Alien Dancer
Karaoke Mermaid
Dragon Guitarist
Vampire Bassist
Puppy Singer
DJ Rasp-Beary
Discowgirl Guitarist
Carnival Dancer
(Available ile from October 1, 2021)
Stage (buildable stages)
LEGO VIDIYO # 43111 Candy Castle StageIncludes two Candy Ballerina and Blue-beary minifigures Guitarist complete with accessories, 14 random BeatBits and 2 special BeatBits. By swapping the buildable heads that are part of the stage, you can change the scenery of the VIDIYO music videos. For example, creating a digital ice cream forest or a background of chocolate canyons by swapping the heads of the little mouse and squirrel. Measurements: over 13cm high, 14cm long and 17cm wide.
LEGO VIDIYO # 43112 Robo HipHop Car
Includes two Sing Bot and Bass Bot minifigures complete with accessories, 14 random BeatBits and 2 special BeatBits. By swapping the buildable heads that are part of the stage, you can change the scenery of the VIDIYO music videos. For example by creating a digital high-tech garage or graffiti parking lot backdrop. Measurements: over 8 cm high, 18 cm long and 12 cm wide.
LEGO VIDIYO # 43113 K- Pawp Concert
Includes three Bunny Guitarist, Kitten Keytaris and Flying Unicorn Singer minifigures complete with accessories, 14 random BeatBits and 2 special BeatBits. By exchanging the buildable heads that are part of the stage, you can change the scenery of the VIDIYO music videos, for example by swapping the unicorn's head with the cat's head to see the backgrounds of the videos change. Measurements: over 13cm high, 14cm long and 30cm wide.
LEGO VIDIYO # 43114 Punk Pirate Ship
Includes three Squid Drummer, Shark Guitarist and Mermaid Violinist minifigures complete with accessories, 14 random BeatBits and 3 special BeatBits. By swapping the buildable heads that are part of the stage, you can change the scenery of the VIDIYO music videos, for example by swapping the skull head for a shark head or by swapping the speakers of the treasure chest for cannons. Measurements: over 19cm high, 24cm long and 18cm wide.
LEGO VIDIYO # 43115 The Boombox | € 99.99 (June 1st)
Includes four Alien Singer, Leopard Guitarist, Fairy Singer and Vampire Guitarist minifigures complete with accessories, 14 random BeatBits and 4 special BeatBits. By swapping the buildable heads that are part of the stage, you can change the scenery of the VIDIYO music videos, for example by creating 4 different combinations of buildable heads, buildable speakers and lights, each inspired by a different musical genre. The iconic full-scale Boombox transforms into the largest of the LEGO VIDIYO stages, measuring over 16cm high, 23cm long and 35cm wide.
