Is the forum dying?

[Galactica]

I'm actually amazed and thrilled that the MLPArena has persevered when ALL other major 80s toy-based forums (there were SO many back in early 2000s) have all but disappeared (or have very spotty participation).

The Arena is FAR from inactive!  Yes the focus on MLP:FIM and bronies has died down, but there is still quite a core of plain ole MLP fans and collectors of all generations, and I'm always seeing new faces.

I think it is a testament to the dedication of Loa and mods who have not gotten sick of the place and let it fall to ruin.  And of course the perseverance of MLP fans.

[chateaushelton]

I agree with pretty much everything that's been said in the above posts.

I also wanted to add how much I like the Arena and its vast resources. I enjoy reading long informative and detailed posts and have learned so much.

To all the admin and members that make this the place it is - Thank you!

[Flitter]

G4 hype has definitely died down and forum activity with it. There used to be discussion about nearly every single new product and episode. That slowed significantly. I expect we'll see an upswing in activity once we start to get more hints of G5. 

[Koudoawaia]

This place seems fine to me. Ought to see the Lion King FanArt Messageboard these days. That place truly is dead. Except for the annual Secret Santa, the only threads that get made are by two members who like to roleplay with each other.

[Broken Irishwoman]

Yes, please, please, please keep this forum alive! I'm usually here everyday, but I have long episodes of not participating. This doesn't have anything to do with the Arena, I'm like that with every forum, I don't know why.

I'm super anti social media, so if this forum ever dies, that means no more ponies for me. I haven't bought a pony online for years because of my budget, but when I do, I always turn to the Arena.

[Annichen]

I can only speak for myself as I drop by and then go away for several years and then turn up again and then go away again. Being 42 now my life is full of stuff that needs taking care of and hanging online is not a priority or anything I have time for. It's great to have a place to go to when you need to talk to people who actually know anything about MLP collecting but I don't really feel the same way about forums as I did back in the early 2000s. ..and..wasn't there a place prior to the Arena ? I feel like I was member at another place as well - not the Scandinavian forum, another one. Anyone recall ?..growing old and very senile 

[Safflower]

I can only speak for myself as I drop by and then go away for several years and then turn up again and then go away again. Being 42 now my life is full of stuff that needs taking care of and hanging online is not a priority or anything I have time for. It's great to have a place to go to when you need to talk to people who actually know anything about MLP collecting but I don't really feel the same way about forums as I did back in the early 2000s. ..and..wasn't there a place prior to the Arena ? I feel like I was member at another place as well - not the Scandinavian forum, another one. Anyone recall ?..growing old and very senile 

Was it the Trading Post? I think it was around before the Arena...

[Annichen]

Oh yes ! Remember that  Could be another too of course as I was all over the place in the early days, Internet was new in the house back then - late bloomer.. and no Facebook of course.
MySpace wasn't much of a MLP community was it ? I was friends with collectors buy it wasn't as practical as a forum.
The Arena will forever be my go-to place. My first signature was a photoshopped photo of me riding a MLP, wonder if I still have it ???  That got a lot of girls going ooooooohhhhh me too me tooo  Love the MLP community, they totally get all the madness <3

EDIT. I went to check mlptp.net and yes, I was there under my old name satannichen  I rcall how tight knit we used to be, is it still like that here among all or is it a smaller group that gravitate towards each other ? I'm trying to see old names here buy maybe I'm jusr too senile to manage as there are several from back then here but the names doesn't ring a bell  *sigh*

[Shaiyeh]

Maybe some of the old peeps on here seem unfamiliar since a lot of users here had at least one screen name change through the years mine used to be miss_tuneful

[Annichen]

Maybe some of the old peeps on here seem unfamiliar since a lot of users here had at least one screen name change through the years mine used to be miss_tuneful

Maybe you recall the old Scandinavian forum ? I don't even remember the name at this point. And the meet ups had its own thread and maybe even a website ? I used to love watching the photos and read about it. I was never able to go as my health failed and it is still impossible to go anywhere.
It never really broke out a big MLP collector community in Norway, we were two in the very early days and then there was a few more, like 4, but we never kept in touch. Sweden seemed like the place to be, hanging out watching the old MLP series and trading ponies ...ah..perfection <3

[Shaiyeh]

I do, I was lil_miss_tuneful on there as well xD the summer meetups were great!

That forum has, however, died, and I dare say the arena is nowhere near as slow as it was on there when things started slowing down.

[Annichen]

Yeah, as I've been here on and off for a long time it seems the Arena is still going strong. Maybe people compare it to Facebook and as that place is packed at all times it might seem a bit slow here but it's a whole different vibe I think - the Arena is very nice and friendly but FB can get very nasty and fake.
The Arena is the internet equivalent of Ponyland and this is our home..that's how I see it anyway 
I've always been impressed by the fact that we manage to keep our horses in line, if ya get what I mean.

[Post edited - Noasar]

[allymer]

i guess it also come to the fact most of us collect toys- and  (has it happen with the G3 line) now days all we got is 6 mane with that hairdos or mane6 with those accessories and we as collector got tired of those- there is no frash products to be excited about and share that excitment with others

also 10 years ago we had 2/5 lines to collect and now it more diverse so not everyone atrracted to say topic... like if its topics about g1 and a lot of people are g4 they may have less intrest in interacting with that say topic

but we the Arena survive for many years and i hope for many many years to come

this is a magical place for our community

[Annichen]

also 10 years ago we had 2/5 lines to collect and now it more diverse so not everyone atrracted to say topic... like if its topics about g1 and a lot of people are g4 they may have less intrest in interacting with that say topic

That is an excellent point as I actually recall wishing for separate sections for G1 and G2 back then...right now I feel like I'm lost in a clothes shop - I can't see anything because of all the clothes. It is getting messy.
Are there many who only collect one or just a few of the lines or do most collectors actually go for the whole shebang ? I mean, you'll need a second house..or perhaps two ! I struggle to keep my ponies in one room, and I only collect G1.

[Prince_Sunbeam]

I wonder if the upcoming "G5" will bring in a new wave of folks? I assume that makes sense right? I only joined here post/mid Brony craze myself so I haven't been around long enough to really know.

There is definitely a much greater depth of community and discussion here. Which takes a little more effort to participate in. I think social media has become so popular because it is so low commitment. You can just "like" something and move on, with some illusion of interconnection.