Anyone have thoughts or insights about why Lego is ending the partnership with FIRST? Thirty years is a long enough track record that it doesn't seem like an overnight decision...
The Lego Mindstorm robotics kit that powered the whole thing was discontinued in 2022. Since they're no longer making the robotics kits they have nothing to donate to the competition (or run the competition on).
The LEGO Education version of MINDSTORMS Robot Inventor, SPIKE Prime, is still available and a new robot kit, Computer Science and AI, is being released this year. After next season, LEGO will be continuing on with their own K-8 robotics program (as will FIRST).
The robot kit can be kept and used again each season. Only the challenge kit (mat and mission models) change each season. The current robot kit is $540 vs just $95 for the challenge kit.
Anyone have thoughts or insights about why Lego is ending the partnership with FIRST? Thirty years is a long enough track record that it doesn't seem like an overnight decision...
The Lego Mindstorm robotics kit that powered the whole thing was discontinued in 2022. Since they're no longer making the robotics kits they have nothing to donate to the competition (or run the competition on).
The LEGO Education version of MINDSTORMS Robot Inventor, SPIKE Prime, is still available and a new robot kit, Computer Science and AI, is being released this year. After next season, LEGO will be continuing on with their own K-8 robotics program (as will FIRST).
such a shame, I’m a FIRST FRC alum from about 20 years ago. I hope they bring back vex robots to replace Lego.
Maybe this: https://www.nhpr.org/nh-news/2026-03-12/dean-kamen-resigns-f...
What a bummer. FIRST robotics was a big part of why I’m an engineer today.
I hope they manage the transition well. If it's a lightswitch change it will such for schools to have to pivot and buy new equipment.
It used to be usual to buy a new Lego kit for each robot built, each season.
Schools may have Lego kits, but there’s not a lot of stuff that would be carried over from season to season.(1)
I think the roughest part of the transition will be the software, but that has always been a relatively small part of the whole FLL “game”.
(1) Massive exception for schools that are all-in on a Lego+FLL program, but I think that is a tiny minority.
The robot kit can be kept and used again each season. Only the challenge kit (mat and mission models) change each season. The current robot kit is $540 vs just $95 for the challenge kit.