Between staggered releases and set-exclusive GWPs, LEGO shoppers need to get increasingly smart with their shopping.
Long-term LEGO fans will know there's a typical rhythm to LEGO releases. Big drops of over 100 sets fall on January 1, June 1, and August 1, with smaller drops taking place at the beginning of every other month. May 1 and September 1 often also feature big Star Wars and Harry Potter drops respectively, as well as promotional events and GWPs.
However, the LEGO Group has been increasingly playing around with this formula that's been in place for years, and that's no less apparent than this month, September 2025. Back to Hogwarts saw the first week of the month focus on Harry Potter, complete with one set-exclusive GWP and two others tied to minimum spends on Harry Potter LEGO sets.
There were a handful of other releases on September 1, but the biggest releases of the month were staggered out throughout the following weeks: 76300 Arkham Asylum on September 9, 10365 Captain Jack Sparrow’s Pirate Ship on September 12, and 21360 Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory on September 15. With three days between each one, that means that the LEGO Insiders early access didn't coincide for any of the staggered sets.
As well as the Harry Potter-only GWPs, 40769 SEGA Genesis Controller was available throughout those release dates, but sold out in some regions after a matter of days. 10365 Captain Jack Sparrow’s Pirate Ship was the only later release to have its own GWP in the form of 5009609 Captain Jack Sparrow's Compass.
Considering it's taken us three paragraphs to break down the new releases and GWPs scattered throughout the month, it's safe to say it's not quite as simple to plan your LEGO purchases as previously. Instead of picking your day-one purchases for the month and keeping an eye out for GWPs, it takes some strategic planning to get the most LEGO bang for your buck.
We've also seen increasing amounts of incompatible GWPs, as in August where there were technically four freebies available – but they were all available for different spends, or excluding specific sets. Two months before in June, the LEGO Group offered various multi-buy discounts that were region-specific, an unusual move from the company.
Add to that the fact that there are more LEGO releases than ever year on year for the last two years, and LEGO shopping quickly becomes overwhelming – and frustrating. For those who wanted to buy 10365 Captain Jack Sparrow’s Pirate Ship, but also wanted to ensure they got 40769 SEGA Genesis Controller, it adds some extra stress to the experience. For high-profile releases like 76300 Arkham Asylum, if you don't want to risk the DC LEGO set going on back order (as it now is in the US), it's best to buy early – but then you're forced to split your purchases if you wanted to buy any of the other two later releases for September.
Without set release dates beyond the end of the year, it's hard to say whether the trend of staggered releases will continue in 2026. It's clear that it's been a growing focus in 2025, however – for better or for worse.
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