>>10202322I have a similar theory, though I wouldn't have my hopes up too much.
I noticed Bionicle got relatively more attention and popularity lately from people who grew up with it back then but stopped keeping up with Bionicle and Lego stuff when they got older. A lot of people are surprised when finding out Bionicle sets aren't made anymore. The prices of used Bionicle sets also went up a lot just through this year.
I feel like the Lego Group noticed the popularity Bionicle gained in the last 1-2 years, and realized how much Bionicle is a part of their image now. Think of that Ideas contest this year, the references in some sets, how they are trying to resurrect constraction integrated into system (the spiderman ultrabuilds and those marvel mechs), and now the brickbuilt GWP. It might be that they're just nostalgia baiting for some easy profit and trying to calm down the Bionicle fandom which they think of as a loud (and annoying) minority. But there might be a chance that they're planning and designing a new generation of Bionicle maybe trying to learn from the mistakes of G2 and use the things that worked in Ninjago, and in the meantime they're trying to tell fans Bionicle still exists through these small references, tribute sets and contests.
But yeah, I guess hope for the best but prepare for the worst.