UPDATE (AB): We’ve received word that the purported color change is not happening after all. Here’s Jan Beyer, Europe’s LEGO community coordinator:
Hi all, i spoke to our Design Lab again and this was a misunderstanding from my side. The Design Lab is constanly looking trough our color pallette to make them as consistant and efficient as possible.
So these were only thoughts and not any final decisions so please take the information down again everywhere you posted it and let the people know that no final decision was take so that it was basically a misundestanding.
I’ve just received word through the LA forums that a few colours will be changing over the upcoming years: trans-black (aka smoke), pearl light grey and pearl dark grey. I suspect for the majority of us the trans-black change will be the most noticeable.
I realise that these changes are going to upset some of you but since no-one has seen the new colours please keep your comments reasonable. Trans-black isn’t the first transparent colour to change (I think it’s probably one of the few to never have changed) but if you hate change I suggest you start stocking up now.
And to add a personal comment: I’m really looking forward to having a second trans-black. My cars will look extra snazzy with a bit of extra variety.
Well, as long as they’re not changing brown and grey. Otherwise all my stuff would be well and truly scuppered.
They changed trans colours before? Never noticed…
And who cares about pearl? To me that wasn’t even a colour to begin with. Just an excuse to use cheaper plastic.
What are they changing the colors to? Or are they just getting rid of them entirely? Oh, or are they changing the shades but keeping the colors. I’m confused.
Well officially trans-black is dumped and will be replaced by a new colour. The pearls are just changing to a new version (like what happened to orange back in the day).
But I wouldn’t read anything into the first point. Given the SW license there’s always going to have to be a trans-black colour of some form. My guess (backed up by a further guess of Steve Witt) is that the old trans-black (technically a transparent brown in LEGO speak) will just be replaced by a very similar colour that tarnishes less easily and is cheaper to make. That’s what’s happened to other transparent colours that have been changed (take 80s pieces and compare them to late 90s pieces to see what I mean).
Ohh, if only I COULD stock up…
Still hoping for the new colors… sand black and sand bley. :P
I would love them to introduce a darker yellow. Hey, a man’s gotta have dreams!
Jan Bayer has posted the following on the Ambassador forum:
>>> “Hi all, i spoke to our Design Lab again and this was a misunderstanding from my side. The Design Lab is constanly looking trough our color pallette to make them as consistant and efficient as possible.
>>> “So these were only thoughts and not any final decisions so please take the information down again everywhere you posted it and let the people know that no final decision was take so that it was basically a misundestanding.”
Is this a case of announce something, see what feedback you get, then announce that you never meant to announce it in the first place?
^ Oh good lord. I’ll add this update to Tim’s post, but the information LEGO communicated before stands.