BrickLink Designer Program Series 5 winners announced

All very nice except the popcorn wagon. Will be getting ready for the inevitable website issues on release day!

The Antique Shop is really lovely, I'll order it, and I'll consider the Thieves of Tortuga if the price is reasonable.

Glad the Mushroom village will add a new avenue for buyers, while the Tortuga island village will give existing pirate boats somewhere to raid.

As proved, there is no gains for scalpers in new program, so you don’t need to wait the day X to buy:)

Transylvania is a definite buy. I recently brought the mountain fortress off eBay and that was well worth the purchase and this looks just as good, if not better.

As for the others, the popcorn wagon, possibly, but it's a shame the antique shop isn't a tall modular. Might see what the price is, get two and moc it. The mushroom set is no, though a good sequel to the other, and I'm not sure on the pirate village.

It's a pitty that there is no Wolfpack set among the winners. I was really hoping for a Wolfpack Castle.

The Tortuga and Transylvania sets are great. I like the layout and details. Look like fun builds. As for the popcorn wagon, the scale of the wagon itself is off. The customer can't reach the counter for the popcorn.

@Fenneke_Jose said:
"It's a pitty that there is no Wolfpack set among the winners. I was really hoping for a Wolfpack Castle."

I think they cancelled each other out by the sheer influx of Wolfpack designs now those torsos are readily available. And given their popularity, I wouldn't rule out LEGO's doing a Wolfpack GWP or something themselves in the near future.

That said, all of the above picks look better to me than any of the Wolfpack designs I've seen, and I say this as a LEGO Castle fan. Thieves Of Tortuga looks very tempting, and could be the perfect companion piece to Barracuda Bay and El Dorado Fortress, but it also looks like another € 300+ set that takes up a lot of space. Luckily I have close to a year to contemplate a potential purchase.

@ToysFromTheAttic said:
" @Fenneke_Jose said:
"It's a pitty that there is no Wolfpack set among the winners. I was really hoping for a Wolfpack Castle."

I think they cancelled each other out by the sheer influx of Wolfpack designs now those torsos are readily available. And given their popularity, I wouldn't rule out LEGO's doing a Wolfpack GWP or something themselves in the near future.

That said, all of the above picks look better to me than any of the Wolfpack designs I've seen, and I say this as a LEGO Castle fan. Thieves Of Tortuga looks very tempting, and could be the perfect companion piece to Barracuda Bay and El Dorado Fortress, but it also looks like another € 300+ set that takes up a lot of space. Luckily I have close to a year to contemplate a potential purchase."

Few things are still missing. We still don’t have Wolfpack shield und flag. Plus the whole sub theme was so small that it’s very hard to catch that Wolfpack vibe imho.

That Translyvania set might be the first Designer Program thing I ever go in for. I've wanted more fancy horror sets. I wonder what pieces LEGO will source for the figures in the official assortment.

Hoping to be able to grab all 5 sets! Such a great selection.

All five are very impressive & polished builds - the colours & clever part usage in the wrought iron detailing on the Transylvania set are phenomenal. Likewise Tortuga has some really nice detailing. The prices on those two will be scary, but I suspect both will go quickly. Happily instructions will be made available…

The mushroom village is definitely the one I’m hoping to snag & maybe the other two depending on price.

The last mushroom building was the first BDP set I bought, this will be the second. Might get Transylvania too

Thieves is great, and as someone with PoBB and Eldorado, I'm not sure I will get it? It's very much a pirate version of the Medieval Town Square or whatever, and it's great in that way, but it doesn't really fit what I want from my pirates display? Anyways, a nice set and it'll look good on all your displays.

Transylvania, however, is freaking amazing. Goes well with the CMF Basil, and is a great standalone display set. Could easily be used for a modern Fright Knights castle, so I'm really excited for those who love the FK theme.

@vzarmo said:
" @ToysFromTheAttic said:
" @Fenneke_Jose said:
"It's a pitty that there is no Wolfpack set among the winners. I was really hoping for a Wolfpack Castle."

I think they cancelled each other out by the sheer influx of Wolfpack designs now those torsos are readily available. And given their popularity, I wouldn't rule out LEGO's doing a Wolfpack GWP or something themselves in the near future.

That said, all of the above picks look better to me than any of the Wolfpack designs I've seen, and I say this as a LEGO Castle fan. Thieves Of Tortuga looks very tempting, and could be the perfect companion piece to Barracuda Bay and El Dorado Fortress, but it also looks like another € 300+ set that takes up a lot of space. Luckily I have close to a year to contemplate a potential purchase."

Few things are still missing. We still don’t have Wolfpack shield und flag. Plus the whole sub theme was so small that it’s very hard to catch that Wolfpack vibe imho.
"

Part of the charm of the original Wolfpack is that it was such a small faction with only three proper sets and a handful of other appearances. It had so much potential as a full theme, but we never saw it come to fruition, and I think that adds to the mystery surrounding this faction. Perhaps the 'what could've been' in the end is more inspiring than what we might've gotten if the theme was further developed instead of the Dark Forest sets. That unlocked potential is likely why we see so many MOC's; because there are so many gaps we could fill in. But maybe we don't need to.

@Zackula said:
"The last mushroom building was the first BDP set I bought, this will be the second. Might get Transylvania too"

Now there's an idea! It could be the S25 Vampire Knight (Basil)'s home!

A nice assortment this round! These sets are usually too expensive for me to go in, but having bought the Mushroom House, I will definitely be getting the Village.

@sjr60 said:
"Absolutely adore the Antique Shop, but I can't quite put my finger on why... it just looks so right! My must buy favourite. "

This is a lovely build for sure, but "it looks so right" is due to the light inside which makes the interior look cozy. But I suppose this is just rendered like that and irl the windows will not be alight and it will look dark and uninviting?

That Popcorn wagon looks neat. I don't think I need any of these thankfully. Money would stop me anyway.

The Mushroom house has a different feel than these. I don't know what it is, but even though same designer and same "theme" I don't feel they blend as well together. But it seems I am in the minority since there is a lot of love for them.

Yay, the Mushroom Village made it! It was so good it played a part in me deciding to order the Mushroom House (since I knew the Mushroom Village would be on my wishlist and I'd be kicking myself if I hadn't picked up its predecessor as a companion piece).

Adventure in Transylvania is also impressive—yes, it's another castle, but its aesthetic is refreshingly different from any castles that have been made as Lego sets before.

Tortuga and Transylvania are FIRE

These are so inspiring, Adventures in Transylvania is a reminder of the level of architecture and detail with which castles or indeed buildings can be taken.

The Transylvania model looks gorgeous - it's already my favorite BDP set to date, and I'm not even a big fan of gothic horror-style stuff. It just looks so unique and colorful and well-designed! Super happy to see Mushroom Village make it through as well!

I'll miss the entry from that special asian seaside andventure theme. The Ocean House is spendid and the next one (hidden library, I think?) looked special too.
Maybe in Series 6!

I for one don't mind having a couple repeat winners.
The Asian Oceanside and Mushroom "themes" being unique to Bricklink is kinda cool.

The mushroom village making it through after the mushroom house are great news ! I have a host of fantasy minifigs waiting to populate it. I could so much see it become a fully fledged theme over time.

Tortuga and transylvania are not my thing but they look gorgeous too.

I hope the swamp castle will get another chance on a later round.

Those Animal Crossing parts align well with the Mushroom Village theming.

@Kiiranaux said:
"I'll miss the entry from that special asian seaside andventure theme. The Ocean House is spendid and the next one (hidden library, I think?) looked special too.
Maybe in Series 6!

"
Agreed - the merchant store from this series was probably my favourite of all this designer’s models. Hopefully it becomes available thru one channel or another.

Yessss, Adventures of Transylvania was one of my personal favorites. The Thieves of Tortuga looks amazing too, and I'll probably have to get Mushroom Village to go with the Mushroom House I have pre-ordered. That's 3 out of 5, the other 2 models are fantastic as well but I don't think I can justify spending the money to order all 5.

Does anyone know if Lego gift cards can be used during checkout for BDP sets during the crowdfunding period? I haven’t backed one before and was curious whether I’d be able to input a gift card during the checkout process like I do for a normal set (along with paying using PayPal or a credit card for the remainder of the balance).

I have no interest in the BDP. There are plenty of Lego sets readily available at retail, I'm not going to mess around with the voting, preordering, prepaying, waiting forever for delivery
If the previous Mushroom House had been a retail set, it would have been a Day One purchase.

How do you buy these?

@MandoEli37 said:
"How do you buy these?"

You wait until a day in early June of 2025, then you attempt to purchase them within a narrow window, while everyone else around the world does as well, and the site crashes . . . constantly. The most enticing of the lot will likely sell out in a matter of hours, maybe a day, or day and half. Most of the others will follow suit in the days following. Then you wait 6 months for the set(s) to show up at your door.

Alternatively, you get on EBay at some point after that June afternoon scramble, and you buy the set(s) you're interested in for a premium, possibly upwards of double the retail price. And again, depending on how close to the scramble date you purchase, you ... wait.

@ToysFromTheAttic said:
" @vzarmo said:
" @ToysFromTheAttic said:
" @Fenneke_Jose said:
"It's a pitty that there is no Wolfpack set among the winners. I was really hoping for a Wolfpack Castle."

I think they cancelled each other out by the sheer influx of Wolfpack designs now those torsos are readily available. And given their popularity, I wouldn't rule out LEGO's doing a Wolfpack GWP or something themselves in the near future.

That said, all of the above picks look better to me than any of the Wolfpack designs I've seen, and I say this as a LEGO Castle fan. Thieves Of Tortuga looks very tempting, and could be the perfect companion piece to Barracuda Bay and El Dorado Fortress, but it also looks like another € 300+ set that takes up a lot of space. Luckily I have close to a year to contemplate a potential purchase."

Few things are still missing. We still don’t have Wolfpack shield und flag. Plus the whole sub theme was so small that it’s very hard to catch that Wolfpack vibe imho.
"

Part of the charm of the original Wolfpack is that it was such a small faction with only three proper sets and a handful of other appearances. It had so much potential as a full theme, but we never saw it come to fruition, and I think that adds to the mystery surrounding this faction. Perhaps the 'what could've been' in the end is more inspiring than what we might've gotten if the theme was further developed instead of the Dark Forest sets. That unlocked potential is likely why we see so many MOC's; because there are so many gaps we could fill in. But maybe we don't need to."

I would say 3.5 proper sets. Don’t forget the Rogue cmf.
I see you point and understand and I agree with you. I just don’t see a big Wolfpack castle(?) or line of sets. We have almost everything except a ship. However a revamp would be good.

@279 said:
" @MandoEli37 said:
"How do you buy these?"

You wait until a day in early June of 2025, then you attempt to purchase them within a narrow window, while everyone else around the world does as well, and the site crashes . . . constantly. The most enticing of the lot will likely sell out in a matter of hours, maybe a day, or day and half. Most of the others will follow suit in the days following. Then you wait 6 months for the set(s) to show up at your door.

Alternatively, you get on EBay at some point after that June afternoon scramble, and you buy the set(s) you're interested in for a premium, possibly upwards of double the retail price. And again, depending on how close to the scramble date you purchase, you ... wait."

At least here in the UK, ebay sold prices for the Mountain Fortress have been 10-20% higher than RRP. Sellers are losing money or just about breaking even after fees. But of course getting the VIP points.

Doesn´t the designers who get picked make a hefty profit from the sales, as the sets always sell out? Might be one reason not having recurring winners?

@WizardOfOss said:
"But dare I say BDP desperately needs more smaller sets? Apart from that Popcorn Wagon, these once again will all likely be €200-400 sets."

I guess it’s something to do with profitability, but I wish Bricklink - and Lego Ideas - would consider some of the smaller sets for release. Not everybody has the money or space for the endless stream of £200 sets.

@Lamarider said:
"Doesn´t the designers who get picked make a hefty profit from the sales, as the sets always sell out? Might be one reason not having recurring winners?"

They get 1% of the sales. Ideas product designers get 10%, for comparison.

@Murdoch17 said:
" @Lamarider said:
"Doesn´t the designers who get picked make a hefty profit from the sales, as the sets always sell out? Might be one reason not having recurring winners?"

They get 1% of the sales. Ideas product designers get 10%, for comparison."
Negative, Ghost Rider, pattern is full.

IDEAS creators get 1% of unit sales (obviously no cap)
BLDP creators get 5% of unit sales (capped by BLDP max, currently 30,000 units)

@MonsterFighter said:
" @WizardOfOss said:
"But dare I say BDP desperately needs more smaller sets? Apart from that Popcorn Wagon, these once again will all likely be €200-400 sets."

I guess it’s something to do with profitability, but I wish Bricklink - and Lego Ideas - would consider some of the smaller sets for release. Not everybody has the money or space for the endless stream of £200 sets. "
I suspect they try to meet varying price points per Series, just like a normal theme wave. But that’s always going to depend on the quality of whatever was submitted that round and what we vote for.

@vzarmo said:
" @ToysFromTheAttic said:
" @vzarmo said:
" @ToysFromTheAttic said:
" @Fenneke_Jose said:
"It's a pitty that there is no Wolfpack set among the winners. I was really hoping for a Wolfpack Castle."

I think they cancelled each other out by the sheer influx of Wolfpack designs now those torsos are readily available. And given their popularity, I wouldn't rule out LEGO's doing a Wolfpack GWP or something themselves in the near future.

That said, all of the above picks look better to me than any of the Wolfpack designs I've seen, and I say this as a LEGO Castle fan. Thieves Of Tortuga looks very tempting, and could be the perfect companion piece to Barracuda Bay and El Dorado Fortress, but it also looks like another € 300+ set that takes up a lot of space. Luckily I have close to a year to contemplate a potential purchase."

Few things are still missing. We still don’t have Wolfpack shield und flag. Plus the whole sub theme was so small that it’s very hard to catch that Wolfpack vibe imho.
"

Part of the charm of the original Wolfpack is that it was such a small faction with only three proper sets and a handful of other appearances. It had so much potential as a full theme, but we never saw it come to fruition, and I think that adds to the mystery surrounding this faction. Perhaps the 'what could've been' in the end is more inspiring than what we might've gotten if the theme was further developed instead of the Dark Forest sets. That unlocked potential is likely why we see so many MOC's; because there are so many gaps we could fill in. But maybe we don't need to."

I would say 3.5 proper sets. Don’t forget the Rogue cmf.
I see you point and understand and I agree with you. I just don’t see a big Wolfpack castle(?) or line of sets. We have almost everything except a ship. However a revamp would be good. "

I can't honestly call a CMF a 'set'. :-)

Point of the Wolfpack was that these were just a band of robbers, not much of an organized crew. Land pirates. Everything they owned was stolen and repurposed, and given their countryside raids, they'd probably want to keep a low profile and not inhabit a ruin for any long period of time or set sail with their banners waving. Something like the legendary Buckriders, whose reputation was more renowned than their actions.