I read an interesting history of Lego's evolution that was at one point on their site (can't find it now). It essentially indicated that the toy's popularity began to wane in the 90s, and the company experienced their first quarter with a net loss in its history. The alarm bells sounded, and the marketing geniuses (?) were gathered together. Licensing was the solution. IIRC, the Star Wars brand was the first to be tried, and was a great success.

It pains me to walk into toy stores today. Yes, I'm an adult, but I'm one that yearns for the flavour of the past, and toys are one thing that can connect you to that time without expensive, mind-altering chemicals. Sadly, the items lining the shelves are a crystal clear reflection of today's kids: the toys foster little creativity. Building toys are passed over for ready-made, out-the-box or off-the-card replicas of the sub-standard psuedo-anime that is spewed from the plasma panel. And the building toys that remain are exactly as bigman2003 indicated--pre-fabricated shapes, fitting together in only one way to resemble only one thing.

Alas, this is what kids want today. Simple, fast, easy. There may be a small group that wants the challenge, but their demographic is too small a value on a marketing report.

I'd like to go on about how it's government-sponsored program to control us from cradle to grave, but as a subversive liberal Canadian living in the US, the feds are watching me. Say hello to the nice g-man, people!