LEGO PULLS PLUG ON BIONICLE FAN GAME AFTER 8 YEARS
May 19, 2025 9:44 AMLEGO's recent takedown request has led to the shutdown of the highly anticipated fan game "Bionicle: Masks of Power" after eight years of dedicated development. The team behind the project, who aimed to align with LEGO's Fair Play Guidelines, stated that they received no specific reason for the takedown. The developers suspect that the game's quality made it indistinguishable from an official LEGO product, resulting in a perceived risk to the copyright holder. Instead of giving up, the team has formed a new indie studio named Unmasked Games and released a demo walkthrough of their work. They expressed their disappointment but also excitement for future projects while highlighting the long-dormant Bionicle IP that has not seen new toys or significant development since 2010.
Why did LEGO shut down the Bionicle fan game?LEGO shut down the Bionicle fan game "Masks of Power" due to concerns that it could be mistaken for an official product, despite the developers' compliance with LEGO's Fair Play Guidelines.
Bionicle, once a hugely popular product line for LEGO, was discontinued in 2010 after years of running toy lines, comics, and animated series. Despite its absence in the market, Bionicle has retained a devoted fanbase that continues to celebrate its rich lore and complex universe. The "Masks of Power" game was eagerly anticipated and featured elements that resonated with these loyal fans, highlighting the ongoing passion for the franchise even in its long-standing dormancy.
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Miss Peachy commented on: 2025-05-19 10:00:13
It’s wild how fan projects like this walk such a fine line between tribute and too good—kinda ironic that their hard work might’ve been their downfall. Still, stoked to see what Unmasked Games cooks up next, Bionicle vibes or not LEGO’s sitting on a goldmine with Bionicle’s nostalgia, so it’s a shame they’d rather shut things down than collaborate. At least the devs are rolling with the punches and keeping the spirit alive.
Stimpy commented on: 2025-05-19 09:54:11
Man, it’s a bummer to see LEGO crack down on passion projects like this, especially when the devs were trying to play by the rules. On the bright side, it’s cool they’re pivoting to indie dev—hopefully they can channel that Bionicle energy into something fresh Classic case of corporate overreach, but props to the team for turning a setback into a new studio. Maybe this’ll finally push LEGO to revive Bionicle properly instead of leaving fans in the dust.
