LEGO 10260 Downtown Diner – where are the classic minifigures?

The LEGO Group has explained why Creator Expert 10260 Downtown Diner has traded the classic minifigure faces for modern, expressive designs. When LEGO Creator Expert 10260 Downtown Diner was first revealed, fans noticed that the classic minifigure smiley face – that has been a constant throughout the modular building line – had been dropped, in favour of the usual modern day minifigure faces. The LEGO Creator Expert designers shared a statement with the LEGO Ambassador Network, to provide AFOLs with an explanation for the change:

Over the past 10 years our modular buildings have evolved in many ways. We’ve added more interior details, more story-telling and more emotional triggers such as unique decorations on windows & Minifigure torsos. We now feel the time is right to bring the Minifigure expression in line with all the amazing details now offered throughout our models. We have always loved the classic smiley face for its versatility and nostalgia value, but are now excited to explore the new possibilities expressive faces will offer us.

The statement does not provide a specific reason for why this has been changed now, and will likely do little reassure those who enjoyed getting the classic face with the modular building sets. Thankfully for those fans, it does not take much work to pop off the new heads and replace them with the more traditional version. LEGO Creator Expert 10260 Downtown Diner will be released on January 1, 2018 at shop.LEGO.com.