LEGO Skylines, the upcoming plastic city-builder from Iceflake Studios and Paradox Interactive, considered a fully brick-by-brick construction method but ultimately opted for a more streamlined approach. Producer Joanna Ronkanen explained that placing individual bricks would be too time-consuming for players, especially within the context of managing a city.
"We did discuss brick by brick building and things like that," Ronkanen stated, illustrating the point by showing a small LEGO park bench model that comprises approximately 50 bricks. "We wanted to make sure that we're on the correct level of customisation." She described the game's current template-based customization as "a quite beautiful compromise," allowing players significant freedom to modify prefabs with various details like hot tubs and flowerbeds. Game director Lasse Liljedahl added that more elaborate brick-related features are planned for later in the game, hinting that customizability is a core pillar of the experience.
The developers also acknowledged the potential for mods to enable deeper building mechanics in the future, though official support has not yet been detailed. The preview build allowed players to construct cities featuring custom coffee shops, houses, farms, and playgrounds, with a focus on linking residences, businesses, and utilities via roads, all while managing citizen happiness.
While the decision to forgo full brick-by-brick building may disappoint some dedicated LEGO enthusiasts, the developers believe their chosen compromise offers a more accessible and manageable experience for the city-builder genre, balancing creative freedom with gameplay efficiency. The game's systems for electricity production and zoning between residential and commercial areas are designed to work with the chosen level of customization.