Summary
BrickLink is the largest online marketplace for reselling Lego products. Its website also offers resources for Lego fans, including an extensive catalog of products and parts and community forums. [1]
| Formerly | BrickBay |
|---|---|
| Company type | Private |
| Industry | E-commerce, internet forum |
| Founded | 19 June 2000 |
| Founder | Dan Jezek |
| Fate | Acquired by The Lego Group |
| Headquarters | , United States |
Area served | Worldwide |
| Products | LEGO Parts |
Number of employees | < 30 |
| Parent | The Lego Group |
| Website | https://www.bricklink.com/ |
History edit
BrickLink was founded by Dan Jezek, who had made it after other online sellers were impressed by the website he made for his own Lego store. Originally named BrickBay, the site started operation on June 19, 2000. After online retailer eBay challenged the use of "Bay" in the name, it was renamed BrickLink in 2002.[2]
In 2010, Jezek died suddenly,[3] and his mother Eliska Jezkova succeeded him as CEO. In 2013, the site was acquired by Nexon founder and CEO Jung-Ju "Jay" Kim, who transferred its assets into BrickLink Limited, a Hong Kong-based company.[4] Kim, a Lego fan himself, created some of the most important features of the current BrickLink website, including the BrickLink AFOL Designer Program (now the BrickLink Designer Program) which sold top-rated fan designs as packaged, unofficial sets, and the BrickLink Studio digital design software.
On November 26, 2019, The Lego Group acquired BrickLink Ltd. for an undisclosed amount.[5][6][7]
Other projects edit
Studio edit
Studio is a freeware computer program for creating virtual 3D models with Lego bricks. It was released on BrickLink as an open beta on December 13, 2016.[8] The next major update to the program, version 2.0, was released in open beta on July 18, 2018. Multiple feature were added to the program, including a photorealistic rendering option, BrickLink integration for ordering parts to recreate the model physically and an instruction manual generator. In January 2022, The Lego Group announced that BrickLink Studio would replace the Lego Digital Designer (LDD) software as the official virtual LEGO building software going forward.[9]
AFOL Designer Program edit
In 2018, to celebrate 60 years since the modern Lego interlocking brick design was created and patented, BrickLink teamed up with The LEGO Group to create the AFOL Designer Program. It allowed users to upload their own Lego set designs into a competition. The winning designs had the opportunity to be crowdfunded and, if successful, sold on the BrickLink marketplace.[10]
References edit
- ^ Nightingale, Laura (30 January 2021). "The amazing Lego trading website to buy and sell parts and sets". SurreyLive.
- ^ "EBay Settles Site Name Disputes With BidBay.com, BrickBay.com". The Wall Street Journal. 20 February 2002. Retrieved 28 November 2022.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ "Bricklink founder Daniel Jezek has passed away [News]". The Brothers Brick. 27 October 2010. Retrieved 28 November 2022.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ "Nexon Chairman Acquires Bricklink". Korea IT Times. 10 June 2013. Retrieved 28 November 2022.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ "Lego accused of muscling in on fans after BrickLink takeover". the Guardian. 20 December 2019.
- ^ "The Guardian view on Lego for adults: play is a serious business | Editorial". the Guardian. 17 January 2020.
- ^ "Nexon founder sells BrickLink to LEGO in streamlining move after botched gaming deal". Pulse by Maeil Business News Korea. 28 November 2019. Retrieved 28 November 2022.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ "BrickLink - Stud.io (Archived)". web.archive.org. 5 January 2017. Retrieved 2019-02-26.
- ^ "BrickLink Studio replacing LDD". BrickSet. 12 January 2022. Retrieved 28 November 2022.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ "AFOL Designer Program [BrickLink]". www.bricklink.com. Retrieved 2024-04-17.
External links edit
- Official site