Lego Universe brings many of the features most players of other Lego games are familiar with to the PC and adds a large world to explore with massively multiplayer online experience, or MMO. Unlike current Lego games, there are currently no plans to license others intellectual property to build into the game, such as Batman and Indiana Jones. This will not stop players from being able to create the Millennium Falcon or USS Enterprise with Lego bricks they collect or purchase in game. Lego Universe uses all bricks and pieces that exist in real life, which allows the player to buy a completed build in game as a physical Lego set, shipped right to their door step.
Not all models will require brick-by-brick building. Many objects while going through the worlds will be quick build items, similar to what most of the current Lego games use, where you just hold a button over a stack of bricks and it executes a quick build to get you on your way. There is also a simple build mode where you can build objects with just a few pieces, such as a rocket ship, with as little as two or three pieces.
Since Lego Universe is targeted for gamers aged eight and up, parental concerns are obviously an issue with a MMO. One of the key parental controls in the game is to allow chat to only pre-designated set of friends, so they can be sure their child will not meet and chat with one of those "special" friends who is looking for someone else's bricks to play with. Another concern for just about anyone who would consider this is subscription pricing; unfortunately no monthly price has been announced just yet.
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