If you felt disappointed and angry over the wrongs committed by Lego Universe, then have no fear! Lego Minifigures Online is set to bring back the people lost from Lego Universe and also win over the hearts of fans of the Skylanders series and role-playing games like Elder Scrolls Skyrim. Yes, that’s right! Lego Minifigures Online will combine the toy-game crossover mechanic of the Skylanders games with the adventure role-playing of games like Skyrim.
Under development at Funcom, Lego Minifigures Online will be available as a free-to-play game for PC and tablets. However, there will be an option for a subscription which is the only way players will be able to communicate with each other along with other benefits. I’ll touch more on that later.
The game is being classified as an MMO but will retain many of the gameplay mechanics set forth by the console Lego games such as the upcoming Lego Batman 3. There will, of course, be more multiplayer and character progression options available to put it in the role-playing perspective.
Lego Minifigures Online will feature a wide range of themed worlds based around classic Lego themes like Space and Castles. It will also introduce us to 
some new themes such as Mythology. These worlds will be accessed from a central hub just like accessing the stages in the current Lego video games. These worlds will also feature multiple dungeons for players to party up with their friends or to participate in raids.
In keeping with classic Lego game tradition, Lego Minifigures also retains the character swapping mechanic that is available during gameplay. You will have the ability to swap your character out with another from a small group of other characters, each with different abilities. You will need this ability to solve the games many puzzles and to help you defeat your enemies. There will also be a team based PvP option available, however the mechanics of how this will work are yet to be determined.
So what about the Minifigures already??
Ah! I am so glad you asked! The Minifigures will be available for purchase in stores just like Skylander figures. However, unlike those, the Minifigures will only be available in a blind bag. Meaning you won’t know what you get until you open it. Also, each Minifigure will come with an unlock code for the corresponding in-game character unlock only. No information of any kind is stored on the figure itself. This is also not the only way to unlock characters. You can unlock new Minifigures through normal gameplay, making a virtual purchase, or for paying a monthly membership.
So is it really free-to-play?
Yes, Lego Minifigures Online is totally free-to-play. But, as stated before, the only way to communicate with other players will be through membership. There are other perks to subscribing as well. Along with random Minifigure unlocks you will get a weekly allowance of diamonds in-game and a monthly bonus bag which will include a random Minifigure. The parents section of the official website explains the purchases as follows:
Lego Minifigures Online is a Free-to-Play game with optional in-game purchases, and the game can be played completely without paying. Diamonds (in-game currency) and Memberships are also available as optional purchases. Children below the age of 13 have to rely on their parents for such purchases.
Membership fees will range from $7.99 for one month, $39.99 for 6 months, or $59.99 for one year.
As a HUGE fan of all the Lego games so far, I am very excited to hear about this game. I have played every Lego console game since Lego Star Wars and have absolutely destroyed each one of them. I don’t know what it is about these games but they bring out the completionist in me. They are super fun to play, have a great sense of humor, and they are very addictive to play. Knowing that it is also free-to-play is also a big plus. For me, this is because it seems like it will be a never-ending Lego game that the completionist in me is gonna scream “ONE MORE LEVEL!” at 3am when I have to be up for work at 5. I wonder how much Monster energy you can really drink before it becomes bad for you?
Lego Minifigures Online is scheduled to be released this fall for PC and tablet devices. There is an open beta going on for Lego Minifigures on PC for those like me that can’t wait to not sleep while playing with Legos.
