g4 fandom paranoia. THE END IS NIGH!

[Mana Minori]

How do you guys feel about it? I don't know how many in the g1 fandom are aware, but every few months  or so, the people of g4 seem to get it in their head that "OMG THE FANDOM IS DYING!" This has been an ongoing thing for years. Twilight gets wings "The fandom is dying!" CMC gets their cutie marks "the fandom is dying!" Bronycon announces their last con in 2019 "omg the fandom is dying!" It's funny, but at the same time, and much more so, it's irritating to me. You can only cry wolf so many times before someone chooses to deliberately sic a wolf on them to get them to shut up. No one bothers to use reason and investigate to see that- hey, the Star Trek fandom is still around. Hey, the MLP g1 fans are still around- what's there to worry about with the g4 fandom, right? But of course, these are the guys who don't bother researching anything, and still think that MLP g2 is My Little Pony Tales.

*exasperated sigh*

thoughts on the ever-common, senselessg4 fandom freakout regarding the stability and apparent fragility of their fandom?

[flutterscotch]

Ahem, excuse me, the end is NEIGH.  I don't care if the fandom dies.  I've been around the block enough to know Hasbro will just dust this cash cow off every decade or so.

[Leave a Whisper]

Those who go, will go. Those who stay will stay. They'll either be absorbed into the larger community, or still be err them, elsewhere. Considering g4 is winding down and g5 announced, they aren't wrong about the end of an era in sight.

[RoseNoire]

I don't care about that. If you are truly passionate about something, that means you won't drop it when it officially ends. Those people complaining about the end of the fandom don't make much sense to me. They are not fans in my opinion, just spawns of constant anger and complain.
I know how important FiM can be for some people, but the show has been running for 8 years, the Brony community has settled properly by now, I really think the real fans won't just drop their passion at the exact date whenever G4 will end. Bronies will stay creative and productive, they will keep doing what they like. Even better, there could be new bronies way after the series ended just because new people discovered it and found forums and communities.
It's the exact same thing happening with people growing up in the 2000's and collecting G1s.(Just like me, heh.)

[Mana Minori]

I don't care about that. If you are truly passionate about something, that means you won't drop it when it officially ends. Those people complaining about the end of the fandom don't make much sense to me. Are they really fans or something ?

there will always be someone who whines and complains

[Taffeta]

I actually have seen similar things in Monster High collecting. I think its that transition from something that's available and constantly being added to to something finite and moving into the past. For some folk that';s difficult if they're used to something being one way and not the other.

For a lot of us who collect older gens we're kind of inured to the "it's ended" thing and as others said, we continue to love those things regardless. But I am not sure if the bronies who complain about this are ready for that change. Some of them will stick though. I really hope for a future community which is more inclusive of everyone rather than split into bronies/everyone else like now, so it may be a good thing in the end.

Fad fans will probably go but MLP has gone through so many changes and reinventions that I guess it really won't matter in the long run for people here. It will be for the bronies to settle themselves how they want to go forward. But if they do quit and move on that's their right too...

[Shadoweon]

G4 is coming to an end and it is kind of sad to see all the big fandom stuff fade away, you don't see much merch in stores either except for at Walmart and Target. I grew up with G3 and had hand-me down G1s as a very young child but G4 is the gen where I got serious about collecting.

I'd have to see what the designs of gen 5 are like before I really decide if I will like the new characters/designs, it is going to be sad if all the characters and plot lines from the show are totally forgotten though.

[Mana Minori]

G4 is coming to an end and it is kind of sad to see all the big fandom stuff fade away, you don't see much merch in stores either except for at Walmart and Target. I grew up with G3 and had hand-me down G1s as a very young child but G4 is the gen where I got serious about collecting.

I'd have to see what the designs of gen 5 are like before I really decide if I will like the new characters/designs, it is going to be sad if all the characters and plot lines from the show are totally forgotten though.

I still see merch (sparingly) at GameStop, and a LOT moreso at Barnes n' Noble Bookstore, 99 Cents Stores, Ross, DD's Discounts, 5 Below..... There's a chance since KB Toys is rumored to come back, we'll see MLP there, too. It's not a if its gone away completely.

[tailrustedtealeaf]

I think it's quite funny, as someone who was both in and out of the fandom.
In the fandom it was just...come on guys, what does it matter to you if she becomes a princess.
Out of the fandom, it's even funnier. 

[pawpatrolbab]

The fandom will never truly die, even if the show stops being made. Fandom still exists through everything

[Jordan]

I think change is needed though. the mane 6 is amazing and I applaud the team for what they've been able to do with the story but you can only drag the same 6 characters so far before it seems to be a bore every now and then. I'm actually excited to see what the future of g5 holds! I think a big reason why I kinda stopped collecting is that EVERY release is just another pinkie or twilight. though I do love their toys.....after 2-3 years with minimal background/new characters is kinda boring and I want more boy ponies!!

[lovesbabysquirmy]

IMHO I am shocked that G4 is still going... I thought for sure they'd stop at Season/Year 5.  But... it was unexpectedly a cash cow with the surprise demographic of bronies.  So of course Hasbro wants to drag it out as far as they can.  But all good things must come to an end... I just want it to happen SOON so I can decide if I like G5 and if I get to pay attention to toy releases over the next ten more years, or just continue to ignore them all.

[banditpony]

How do you guys feel about it?

I don't care.

People can like ponies if they want. people can grow out of it too. *shrug*

It's can be sad when something you like comes to an end, so I can understand people being upset about it -- even if some take it too far.

[Mana Minori]

I think change is needed though. the mane 6 is amazing and I applaud the team for what they've been able to do with the story but you can only drag the same 6 characters so far before it seems to be a bore every now and then. I'm actually excited to see what the future of g5 holds! I think a big reason why I kinda stopped collecting is that EVERY release is just another pinkie or twilight. though I do love their toys.....after 2-3 years with minimal background/new characters is kinda boring and I want more boy ponies!!

sadly, I think g5 (according to leaks) will just be more Mane 6.

[brightberry]

The g4 toyline and show are ending.  But Fandoms go on for decades.