First off, a huge thank you to everyone who has been playing LEGO Horizon Adventures — seeing the community share their stories and experiences with the game has been incredible! If you’ve played LEGO Horizon Adventures, you know that everything in the game is made entirely out of LEGO elements. Now that same creativity and attention to detail have been brought into the real world with our official Aloy & Varl vs. Shell-Walker & Sawtooth set! With only a couple days left until the set releases in stores on March 1, we want to give you a behind-the-scenes look into how we brought the game’s vibrant world to life in physical form. Watch the video below or read on to see how it all came together!
Stephane Varrault, Design Director at Guerrilla reflects on the collaboration with Studio Gobo and The LEGO Group: “Working with LEGO bricks and trying to replicate all the machines in this universe forces you to think about abstraction, and abstraction is good for a designer because you start to think about the essence of fun. It’s about going back to the essentials.”
With that design concept in mind, Senior Model Designer Joseph Kyde at The LEGO Group went to the drawing boards to figure out the design for fan and developer-favorite machine, the Shell-Walker. Figuring out the inner workings of the crate with precious cargo that Shell-Walkers keep on their back was no easy feat. “The hexagonal cargo pod was an extremely challenging build to make out of LEGO elements and it was one of my favorite examples of a problem-solving exercise for this set,” Joseph points out. He remembers starting with a crate that closely resembled the in-game version but quickly realized it needed to be simplified for easier building. After days of trying out multiple iterations and different ideas, he ended up on a design with two symmetrical components that come together with a satisfying *click*.
The Shell-Walker is not the only machine included in the set. “I’m super excited for the fans and builders to get this set, because you can build the Sawtooth!” Guerrilla’s Senior World Artist, Lucas Bolt exclaims. “They are very detailed, and you can also pose and animate them.” With its articulated design, the Sawtooth makes a formidable opponent to include in your own adventures. “Having that ability to make your own storylines from this incredible LEGO set is a brilliant opportunity, and I’m so incredibly honored that it’s coming out of LEGO Horizon Adventures,” says Kat Woolley, Senior Producer at Studio Gobo.
All adventures need their heroes, and this set includes Aloy and her loyal ally and friend Varl! “Including Aloy was a no-brainer,” expresses Frédéric Andre, Creative Lead at The LEGO Group. Aloy’s minifigure features incredible detailing, from her signature outfit to a more expressive face that perfectly captures her playful character in the game. And she’s not alone. “Varl has the same amount of detail as Aloy. He has all the decoration to make him a fantastic minifigure!” Frédéric adds.
With both of these heroes, the machines and some environmental pieces in the set, you can bring even more dynamic storytelling to your LEGO Horizon Adventures experience. Whether you’re reenacting your favorite moments from the game or coming up with brand-new stories, there are endless possibilities to get creative. After all, if Varl can rebuild a Sawtooth and give it a stylish new look with some extra LEGO flair, who’s to say what you might come up with? We can’t wait to see what you build, so be sure to share your photos, videos, and stories with us by tagging Guerrilla on social media when you get the set!
The Aloy & Varl vs. Shell-Walker & Sawtooth set is available from March 1, 2025 via LEGO.com and selected retailers around the world. Make sure to follow Guerrilla on Instagram, TikTok and YouTube for all the latest news and updates about Horizon. Happy building!
