Should there be a few years wait time in between generations?

[Mana Minori]

There has been rumors of Hasbro's staff working on a MLP g5 movie to spearhead 2020, soon after g4 ends in 2019, and this actually concerns me. While I am all too ready for a new generation to take place (preferably with new characters as the focus), I feel like this next generation- if rumors are true- is going to be released far too soon; as it would be right on the heels of FiM ending. There would be no room to allow for the fanbase and collectors to sit back, relax and speculate as to what's coming next. There's the issue of burnout as well, as few people will be given time to pad their wallets and don their helmets for the next tsunami of ponies so quickly after g4 is over with. It is said that "absence makes the heart grow fonder.", but I suppose Hasbro didn't get the memo.

[Leave a Whisper]

A few years? No.

[TheBeatlesPkmnFan42]

It would be nice to have a bit of a break between pony releases between G4 and G5 so I can try focusing on getting some past generation ponies I want instead of getting distracted with new releases! But I don't really mind too much either way, especially since there hasn't been an actual gap between generations since the gap between G1 and G2. Granted, there was a gap between G2 and G3 for the US since G2 did so poorly here, but over in Europe at least, there's been consistent new pony releases ever since G2 began in 1997.

[LadyMoondancer]

There's no reason to have a few years between generations.  Transformers hasn't had a 'generation gap' since 1997, and their generations tend to last only about 3 years.

The adult fanbase is the cherry on top of the cake for Hasbro . . . but what matters most is the ACTUAL cake, which would be the kids who buy (or who are bought) MLPs.  A cake without a cherry is still a perfectly serviceable, delicious cake.

[Safflower]

I think a lot of people who don't really collect G4 or G4.5 are ready for a new generation and dont want to wait a few years after G4 ends to see new ponies. Also, if we look back, the period between G1 and G2 was not fun for collectors. We like MLP, we don't really want it to stop or take a break from it! Though some people might want to take a little break from G4 to focus on past gens or for another reason. But I don't think people would like to be forced to wait. Though I would like maybe half a year to wait for the brony fan base to calm down a bit and so I could focus on G1.

Hasbro probably won't take a few years without MLP on the shelves. Their main target is little girls. Little girls want pony toys and a pony cartoon. Stopping won't make them happy. Stopping would prevent them selling toys and making a lot of money off of one of their flagship brands. Also, the absence of MLP could lead to other brands dominating the girl toy isle. Hasbro doesn't want that to happen.

[Mana Minori]

There's no reason to have a few years between generations.  Transformers hasn't had a 'generation gap' since 1997, and their generations tend to last only about 3 years.

The adult fanbase is the cherry on top of the cake for Hasbro . . . but what matters most is the ACTUAL cake, which would be the kids who buy (or who are bought) MLPs.  A cake without a cherry is still a perfectly serviceable, delicious cake.

Transformers is a completely separate franchise, though.  I really think a gap is good, as it'd also give more time for the toy designers to do more research on what the target audience really wants, rather than randomly throwing gimmicks at the wall every few weeks and hoping they stick.

[Baby Sugarberry]

There's certainly something to be said for a gap between generations financially, though possibly not years. 
Retailers buy stock based partially on what's previously sold well, industry forecasts, product pitches,  and also based on what they still have.  So a gap ensures all the old stock gets cleared off store shelves and won't be competing with the new lineup.  Gaps may also be used to hit critical retail periods, like the pre-Holiday season.

[Leave a Whisper]

I think a lot of people who don't really collect G4 or G4.5 are ready for a new generation and dont want to wait a few years after G4 ends to see new ponies. Also, if we look back, the period between G1 and G2 was not fun for collectors. We like MLP, we don't really want it to stop or take a break from it! Though some people might want to take a little break from G4 to focus on past gens or for another reason. But I don't think people would like to be forced to wait. Though I would like maybe half a year to wait for the brony fan base to calm down a bit and so I could focus on G1.

Hasbro probably won't take a few years without MLP on the shelves. Their main target is little girls. Little girls want pony toys and a pony cartoon. Stopping won't make them happy. Stopping would prevent them selling toys and making a lot of money off of one of their flagship brands. Also, the absence of MLP could lead to other brands dominating the girl toy isle. Hasbro doesn't want that to happen.

Half a year would not be bad.

[Taffeta]

I feel like taking a break doesn't really make a difference these days, the target is the kid and it sounds like they're not bothering to rebuild the whole generation, just reboot it. There's no point in rebooting two or three years down the line. Better to do  it quickly.

Personally, having been around for so many changes in generation, I'm not fussed either way really. I mean, I don't think we can compare to the end of G1 because at the time that was the end. There was no indication of any more MLP. For the US that was a long stretch to G2, from 1992 through to 1997. In the UK it was 1994-1998ish, and some of Europe 1995-1998ish. But we know that with hindsight. At the time we didn't know there would ever be MLP again. So we kind of resigned ourselves to that being the end (at least, I kind of did, focusing on building my collection through carboot sales). I came online just when G2 was first being mentioned, and to begin with it was all kind of exciting. It got hostile because of how different G2 was to G1, but I think that was also because it was unexpected.

I am not sure anyone expected G3 either, really. I mean, G2 ended so abruptly in the US but continued across Europe (UK was middling, we didn't get everything Europe did but we had them for longer than the US). I do remember the first talk about G3 and the excitement as people saw them. They were really different from G2 but more like G1 and so people kind of bonded with them very quickly. The g terms appeared only at that point.

So at that point I guess we became collectors of a multi-generational toy, and Hasbro has built on that a little with the switch from G3 to G4 via 3.5 and now this reboot (which I maintain is G4.5 unless it reboots the characters as well). I think with the momentum Hasbro has built up with MLP from G3 onwards, it makes sense to keep it going from a business perspective, if possible.

I think the time lapse thing isn't an issue...it's up to collectors when they want to dip into the new market, if they do. I think the bigger risk to MLP overall is the fixation with the mane six and the idea of keeping them going. Aside from being utterly bored with them, Mattel's attempt to reboot Monster High with the same characters only different has pretty much killed the line even more dead than it was going when they began that. It's not a pretty thing, to watch a toy in slow decline. Thing is, if MLP ever has that slow decline, there's a big question about whether there will then be a new generation beyond. So I think it's more about being completely fresh with ideas than the amount of time it takes. I am cool with them taking a year or even a few years out. I mean, I'm loyal to G1 and that ended more than 20 years ago, so I guess I'm not going to be put off by a few years. But LM is right. It's about the kids' attention, not ours. So whatever works for that I suppose is what should happen.

[RavenPaw]

I would like a break.  I know there won't be one, but it may not matter because I may not even collect G5 unless they do something amazing with it, which isn't likely.

But anyway the question is should there be a wait time, not will there be.  So to answer the question: Yes.  I would like a break to focus on collecting older generations and catch up on things, with maybe some retro stuff thrown in now and then for fun.  But just one year, two or one and a half years max.

But yeah kids are the main market so there won't be.

[Leave a Whisper]

I would like a break.  I know there won't be one, but it may not matter because I may not even collect G5 unless they do something amazing with it, which isn't likely.

But anyway the question is should there be a wait time, not will there be.  So to answer the question: Yes.  I would like a break to focus on collecting older generations and catch up on things, with maybe some retro stuff thrown in now and then for fun.  But just one year, two or one and a half years max.

But yeah kids are the main market so there won't be.

Same. Unless they go with the prettier, horsier designs and lots of New Ponies. I'm not interested.

[Taffeta]

I am only interested in new characters. If the new characters are interesting and the ponies look pretty I am willing to wait 10 years if necessary. If it's just the mane six in a more deformed style..*shrug*.

[LadyMoondancer]

Have you picked up any of the factory-style G1 customs, Taffeta?  I'm really impressed by their quality.  (Like Celebration, Dasher, etc.)   Or are you only interested in new ponies also in new molds?

[Taffeta]

Have you picked up any of the factory-style G1 customs, Taffeta?  I'm really impressed by their quality.  (Like Celebration, Dasher, etc.)   Or are you only interested in new ponies also in new molds?

I have Dasher, but he's my only one. I buckled around Christmas. My sister bought a pearly Puppy Love at Ponycon. She's a big fan of this project, as she doesn't believe in customising G1s, but likes the G1 style, so she sees these as 'almost-g1s' - in which a G1 was not hurt in the making of this pony (kind of)? Not such a huge fan of the sitting pose, so no Kitty Love for me. And I guess Genie didn't win me over...I suppose I'm too loyal to Glory?

I quite like the project, to be honest - though it is a touch more awkward to get them in the UK because the cost goes up (story of our lives) and our exchange rate is a bit rough still. So so far we've only got the one each.

I'm also open to new ponies in new moulds, though. G1 are my main passion because of the nostalgia factor that no other gen will ever be able to capture. But I am perfectly OK with a new style. I just want new characters to go with that style. I genuinely hate the mane 6 now, they're so monotonous on shelves. And much as I adore my special Fluttershy...I really can't wait for them all to go away :/

[tailrustedtealeaf]

I believe that in an email, there was a mention of a 9 month rest to let old toys cycle through sales and clearances to make way for G5?
I'd be alright with a break, even as a seapony/G4 fan I'm getting a bit tired and my interest in older gens is always growing.