After more than a decade of Traveller’s Tales LEGO games, the next major LEGO title will not be made by the studio. While it is still hard at work on its next co-op adventure, 2K is planning on releasing its own LEGO adventure withLEGO 2K Drivethis May. This will be the firstmajor non-licensed LEGO gamenot made by Traveller’s Tales in a while, and that puts the brand in a pretty similar position toCall of Duty.
Apparently, the nextCall of Dutywill be a continuation of Infinity Ward’sModern Warfare 2, but it will be developed by Sledgehammer Games. Handing off aCall of Dutysubseries to a different developer in this way seems like a very risky endeavor. The same thing seems to be happening with theLEGObrand, and that puts a lot of pressure onLEGO 2K Drive.
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LEGO 2K Drive Has a Lot Riding On It
Since 2005, Traveller’s Tales has been the main distributor of LEGO video games. It changed the entire trajectory of the brand withLEGO Star Wars: The Video Game,and LEGO has not looked back since. The franchise has explored a plethora of different IPs fromStar WarsandIndiana Jonesto Marvel and DC Comics. Since the studio was acquired by Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment, it has solely focused on expanding this LEGO franchise.
Warner Bros. has been the primary publisher of LEGO games since 2007, but that all seems to be changing in 2023. Afterthe release ofLEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga, the LEGO Group chose not to extend TT Games' exclusive LEGO contract. This was allegedly due to declining sales and reports of crunch culture at the studio. While it has another LEGO game in the works, it is unclear what the future of TT Games will look like after losing this contract.
The LEGO Group has since signed a new deal with 2K to deliver multiple AAA games. The first of these games willcome in the form ofLEGO 2K Drive, and if that is a success then it will mark a new beginning for the LEGO brand. No longer will LEGO games be tied down by TT Games' model, and that should lead to a more diverse catalog. It will be interesting to see where these studios take LEGO in the future, but there is also some worry within the community.
Traveller’s Tales has been making LEGO games for over 15 years, and it has done a great job of adapting popular IPs. It has created some of the best movie tie-in games, andits LEGO co-op gameplayhas enthralled audiences for years. The studio has shown LEGO fans what to expect from a good LEGO title, and those same expectations will likely carryover to whatever 2K makes. IfLEGO 2K Drivecannot meet the standards set by Traveller’s Tales then it could hurt anticipation for LEGO’s future. Since some players will have lofty expectations, 2K may be facing an impossible situation.
Taking Traveller’s Tales' exclusive LEGO contract awayis a major change that will lead to a very different looking game landscape. IfLEGO 2K Driveis a success then the LEGO Group will probably branch out even more and give the license to even more studios. This could lead to a diverse catalog of games that offers something for everyone, and that sounds very exciting. However, if it falls flat then LEGO may be forced to return to the status quo of the last 15 years.
It will be interesting to see how this all plays out, and no matter what happens, Traveller’s Tales will hopefully still make its licensed LEGO games.LEGO 2K Drive’s success should not kill the franchise; it will hopefully only diversify it. Having more options is always a good thing, as long as those options are able to retain the heart of their predecessors.
LEGO 2K Drivereleases on May 19 for PC, PS4, PS5, Switch, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
