G4s: Why so small?

[Cyber-Satan]

I am not exactly an expert when it comes to the G4s. I haven't really been keeping up with the recent releases or anything like that, I've just been sticking to the G1s recently but a question that keeps popping into my head about the G4s is this: Why are they so small?!
Here is a photo of the 'progression' of regular pony sizes from G1 to G4. (Excluding G3.5s)
[Apologies for the poor-quality image]
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Here is my question to Hasbro..are the new G4s even playable?
When I was around 6-7, I grew up with G3s. They were easy to pick up and play with - with large castle and bakery sets with interactive accessories. How on earth is making the pony almost 2x smaller make it playable? The ponies are so small that they almost seem to be designed NOT to be played with, but rather to be put on display. This would make sense perhaps to a collector - but not to a child!
I wouldn't say it's a major issue - but the fact that you have to pay MORE for a pony that is larger and has more play value is what bothers me.
Why did they become so small? They are starting to look like the G3 Mini series rather than full sized ponies!
Does anyone else think the same? Or am I just looking a bit to much into it? 

[Galactica]

My niece (about 5 now) really likes the "princess size" for playing.  She seems to ignore the rest.  I think that is the most "playable" size for her hands.

The Fashion Style ponies are a bit too large for her, but that is the size I prefer.  The G4Zillas are pretty cool too, I'll admit.

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[okamigirl64]

Probably the main thing is cost. I guess Hasbro thought that people would still buy it even though it was smaller. I feel like the cost of a pony hasn't changed, only how much it cost to make it. I may be wrong, but weren't G3s (and maybe G1s and G2s?) around 5 dollars for one? I guess because of economic reasons, they had to reduce the size of g4s to keep with the 5 dollar price range.

[Galactica]

I always thought it was cost too-  now I think that most of the cost has to do with the hair, and maybe packaging, because with the thinner, shorter hair of the Zilla ponies, and minimalist packaging- they are able to sell the Zillas for $9.99 - which is way less than a FS.

[okamigirl64]

I always thought it was cost too-  now I think that most of the cost has to do with the hair, and maybe packaging, because with the thinner, shorter hair of the Zilla ponies, and minimalist packaging- they are able to sell the Zillas for $9.99 - which is way less than a FS.

The FS have accessories too, which adds to the cost as well.

[sd_dreamcrystal]

I haven't seen a Zilla personally so right now I don't know if I even like them

[Shiromisa]

Because money.

[achab1984]

I have always wondered why to. But at least they don't have super big head like a lot of other toys out there.

[PinkRosedust]

Well when I was little, I happily played with much smaller toys (LPS, Puppy in my Pocket...almost any tiny animal I could find). And what about Polly Pocket? Doesn't get much tinier than her! =P

I wouldn't mind them being slightly bigger but I'm mostly happy with their size. It's cute.

[ponyqueen]

Because money.

Hammer meets nail. Whatever they do to remain economically viable and keep feeding me ponies, I don't have much objection to (although what *were* they thinking with 3.5?)

[Marigold]

I loved small toys as a kid.  So I don't think size matters.  Except in production costs.

[diamondshy]

I guess I've always assumed production cost too.  And I'll throw my hat in too as preferring smaller toys when I was a kid.  Man, I would have obsessed over blind bags if I were little, and I probably would have liked G4 for its smallness as much as I would have liked the others for colors, poses, and variety!

[AnnetheCatDetective]

Totally playable!

I liked smaller toys when I was a kid, much as I loved the G1 ponies. I'd lie on the floor with a tiny little 'town' spread out... the pony would be the biggest of the group, generally, because mostly I'd have... let's see, there was a My Little Kitty family, some small hard rubber figures, Sylvanian Animals, Playmobil figures, Quints... Lots of very small toys.

So I enjoy the small G4 brushables, and think they would have been right up my alley as a kid. (I'd have mixed scale with no compunctions back then, my toys interacted despite vast differences in scale)

I want that Zilla Rarity though, oh man.

[partypony566]

G2 babies are even tinier than G4 babies!

[LittleSpiffy]

I played with smaller toys when I was a kid, but the G1 ponies just felt "right" for my hand.  They still do, something about the size/curves.

However, as a collector I love that the G4's are tiny: I can fit more into a smaller space