LEGO and The Pokémon Company announced 12 new Pokémon-themed building sets featuring interactive Smart Play technology on June 3 [1].

The partnership merges physical construction with digital gaming to drive foot traffic to retail locations and expand the existing LEGO-Pokémon collection. This integration aims to bridge the gap between traditional brick-building and the mobile gaming ecosystem.

The new line introduces 17 new Pokédex entries [1]. These sets utilize Smart Play technology, which allows the bricks to interact with digital platforms. However, accessing all the Smart Play features requires a minimum investment of $70 [3].

To support the launch, LEGO is partnering with Scopely for a series of in-store promotions. Global LEGO stores and online shops will facilitate the rollout, with physical stores being converted into Pokémon Go PokeStops and Gyms [2]. This collaboration provides players with in-game rewards for visiting these locations [2].

These promotional rewards and the associated in-store events are scheduled to run through September 2026 [4]. Pre-orders for the sets opened immediately following the announcement earlier this week [1, 5].

While some reports mentioned only five sets [2], other sources confirmed the full unveiling of 12 distinct products [1]. The variety of sets is designed to appeal to both casual collectors and dedicated Pokémon trainers seeking to complete their digital and physical rosters.

“LEGO and The Pokémon Company announced 12 new Pokémon-themed building sets featuring interactive Smart Play technology”

This collaboration signals a deeper integration of 'phygital' retail, where physical products serve as gateways to digital rewards. By turning stores into Pokémon Go hubs, LEGO is leveraging the massive active user base of Niantic's game to increase retail foot traffic, while the Smart Play technology attempts to modernize the building experience through hardware-software synergy.