[Update] LEGO announces eight BrickLink Designer Program sets now available for pre-order

Update: All of the BrickLink Designer Program sets are now available for pre-order with shipping slated to begin in January of 2022. There is one small tweak though, as the Mountain View Observatory has been pushed back to another review round. Get all the details down below or go pre-order the sets yourself.

Earlier in the year, the LEGO Group announced its latest collaboration with BrickLink, detailing a way for rejected Ideas projects to still have a chance of becoming an official set with the BrickLink Designer Program. Now four months later, we’re getting a look at which of the kits have actually made it through the first phase of the process and will soon be available for pre-order. Ranging from the first BIONICLE set in five years to moving sculptures and more you’ll want to head below for all of the details on the LEGO BrickLink Designer Program pre-order.

BrickLink Designer Program finalists unveiled

Back when we first covered the details of the BrickLink Designer Program, there were 31 creations up for consideration to be official kits. Now that the dust has settled, we’re finally getting the first wave of creations that fans will have a chance to vote on becoming a set by pre-ordering ahead of shipping later in the year.

Of the eight different kits that can potentially ship out to builders, only five of them will actually be graced with being put into production. The first five projects to reach 3,000 pre-orders will actually go on to become official kits. Each one of these will be available in limited quantities, with the top five models entering in 5,000 set releases. So if you’re looking to bring one of these to your creation, only a limited number will be available.

Here’s a look at all eight of the creations on tap:

• BIONICLE Legends by Sokoda – $119.99
• Castle in the Forest by povoq – $179.99
• Great Fishing Boat by EdouardClo – $129.99
• Kakapo by themfledge – $79.99
• Mountain View Observatory by ThomasW_BL – delayed
• Particle Accelerator by JKBrickworks – $99.99
• Pursuit of Flight by JKBrickworks – $54.99
• Sheriff’s Safe by Il_Buono – $49.99

BrickLink Designer Program sets go up for pre-order next week

Pre-orders will officially go live on the BrickLink Designer Program kits next week on July 1 at 11 a.m EST. They’ll be available via the official BrickLink site, which is now operated by the LEGO Group. And from someone who has already purchased kits from previous collaborations from the two, the program is quite reliable and trustworthy. As of now, pricing for each of the models has yet to be announced.

9to5Toys’ Take:

The last time the LEGO Group partnered with BrickLink to release kits, I picked up two of the creations and found them to be some of the more unique official creations we’ve seen to date. Now that builders will have a chance to score another selection of fan-made models, it looks like much of that same novelty is carrying over.

These are builds that the LEGO Group themselves wouldn’t release, and it’s not because of quality or lack of interest. All eight of the BrickLink Designer Program kits going up for pre-order are certainly worth being produced in their own right, but at least builders will get a chance to decide which five kits actually achieve set status.

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