A special collaboration.... LEGO X HASBRO

Even as a child I had a strange feeling for toy brands, maybe that was because several companies had connections with my hometown. At one point, Leicester was home to Mattel's UK warehouse, the headquarters of Corgi Toys, Tonka Toys, Invicta Plastics and who could forget the legendary Palitoy, makers of the first Star Wars toys. Many of these names are long gone, while others live on under the Hasbro brand. Hasbro has long been considered a rival to the LEGO Group. So when rumors spread that a Transformer LEGO® set was on the way, they were taken with the biggest grain of salt ever. But the set was real and the former rivals are now best friends. This unlikely new collaboration shows no signs of slowing down.

Transformers Optimus Prime

The first result of this unlikely collaboration was the LEGO Icons Optimus Prime set. This isn't the first time the Transformers have appeared in brick form. In the early 2000s, Hasbro and Oxford released several brick-based playsets under the Ker-o brand. These were a direct competitor of LEGO. The LEGO version of Autobot Leader can transform just like the other toys. It's possible Prime will be joined by a fellow Transformer this year as part of the 40th anniversary celebration.

Dungeons & Dragons – Dragon's Keep: Journey's End

Shortly after the Transformers set, LEGO Ideas and Wizards of the Coast, a Hasbro company, announced a collaboration to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Dungeons & Dragons. LEGO Ideas ran a competition asking fans to create a DnD-themed set. The winning set was Dragon's Keep and it is expected to be fully revealed soon. There is already teasing going on. A LEGO Ideas set isn't the only LEGO DnD we'll be treated to this year. Rumors suggest we'll also be getting a DnD Collectable Minifigures series later this year.

LEGO DUPLO Peppa Pig

After Hasbro purchased Entertainment One, they gained control of the Peppa Pig show. Although they have now sold the production company, Peppa Pig remains part of Hasbro. As part of the 20th anniversary celebrations, several LEGO DUPLO Peppa Pig sets will be released later this year. Sets were rumored to include a supermarket, Peppa's house, a boat and a treehouse, with many of the show's characters becoming DUPLO figures. Additionally, Peppa Pig-themed areas will be added to various LEGOLAND parks around the world.