Has Hasbro ever officially used the term G3.5?

[Sparkle Pony]

I feel like I had seen them use the term once or twice, but I cant quite remember for sure...  Heck, I can't even remember if Hasbro uses the generation terminology at all!  I'd love some clarification before I drive myself crazier thinking about this.

[Leave a Whisper]

Hmm. I don't know? That's a good question.

[LadyMoondancer]

No, Hasbro has never used G3, G3.5, or any of the Gx names for MLP, they are only used by fans. 

The G1 / G2 etc terms were cribbed from the Transformers fandom.  In the early 90s Hasbro had a line of toys labeled "Transformers: Generation 2".  The idea being to convince Radical 90s Kids that these Transformers were somehow better than previous Transformers, because they were new.  (Even though all the Generation 2 Transformers were literally the same TF molds as before, just with gaudier colors and cheaper plastic.)

Anyway, since Hasbro called those toys "Generation 2", Transformers fans then retroactively called the earlier Transformers "Generation 1".

So anyway, in 1997 Hasbro made a new generation of ponies.  Pony collectors called them "the new ponies" or "the '97 ponies" (because they were first sold in 1997) while G1 ponies were called "the old ponies" or "80s ponies."

Then in 2003 a new set of ponies came along.  Everyone debated what to call them because if G2 ponies were "the new ponies" then what were these new ponies . . . "the new-new ponies"?  Confusing!  So pony fans started using G1 / G2 / G3.

[Taffeta]

I think they have used G4 at times when dealing with the bronies, but I may be wrong/it may be unofficial merchandising under licence. But we devised those terms (by we I mean the whole community) and they only existed at all when G3 began, prior to that G1 and G2 were just the old ponies and the new ponies...

I doubt Hasbro care how we classify.

[Sparkle Pony]

I think they have used G4 at times when dealing with the bronies, but I may be wrong/it may be unofficial merchandising under licence. But we devised those terms (by we I mean the whole community) and they only existed at all when G3 began, prior to that G1 and G2 were just the old ponies and the new ponies...

I doubt Hasbro care how we classify.

I was just wondering more if Hasbro ever picked up the term from the community and started using it themselves.  Especially G3.5 since that was pretty much entirely a collector distinction as far as I know.

[Taffeta]

I think they have used G4 at times when dealing with the bronies, but I may be wrong/it may be unofficial merchandising under licence. But we devised those terms (by we I mean the whole community) and they only existed at all when G3 began, prior to that G1 and G2 were just the old ponies and the new ponies...

I doubt Hasbro care how we classify.

I was just wondering more if Hasbro ever picked up the term from the community and started using it themselves.  Especially G3.5 since that was pretty much entirely a collector distinction as far as I know.

They're all entirely a collector distinction G1, G2, G3, G3.5, G4. As LM said. They came from the community, largely forums like this. If Hasbro uses them now it's because they want to appeal to the community, but they had no role in creating any of them. At least not in this community

What I think you're kind of asking is whether Hasbro saw a distinction themselves between 3 and 3.5, and therefore acknowledged that by using the terms. But I think they're two separate things. I think they saw a distinction and designed it that way. But to them whatever they're selling at any one time is 'My Little Pony'.

Aside occasional flirtations with G1 retros in 2008, this more recent flurry of retro stuff is kind of new and mostly franchised anyway. So I am not sure even if we see these terms being used now by companies, whether any of them are actually Hasbro or not...

G3.5 was not aimed at us, anyway. When it was out, it was aimed at kids, who also wouldn't be using the terms. So I think it unlikely that they'd ever use that terminology. They weren't interested in the adult fandom particularly back then. G4 kind of changed that because of its surprising and worrying impact in various sectors...but before that, MLP was just a toyline Hasbro happened to sell to kids.

[LadyMoondancer]

Hasbro employees probably would know what G4 means, but as far as official merchandise / announcements / etc they have never used it as far as I know.  They just say "My Little Pony" or "My Little Pony Friendship Is Magic."

G3.5 was a term that came from fans, as some fans thought the chibi ponies should be called G4 thanks to their wildly different molds, while others thought they should be G3s due to being the same characters in the same universe.  So fans split the difference and called them G3.5.

As for the G1 retro ponies, their official terms seems to be "Classic", which I do like.  (It's classy, ha ha.)

[Taffeta]

As for the G1 retro ponies, their official terms seems to be "Classic", which I do like.  (It's classy, ha ha.)

The irony of that is that in Europe and the UK G1 used 'classic' before. The adult ponies sold on the bordered cards in the late 80s/early 90s were all part of the "Classic Collection". In a sense they are just returning to type...

[KottonKandy]

I've never understood the whole G3.5 thing....Why .5? Because they have big heads? Why weren't they just G4? Because they had some of the same characters? Heck, G4 still has Applejack, so does that make them technically G1.4? G3 reused characters too, so it's obvious that doesn't influence the naming.

I legit don't understand. It just makes no sense no matter how I look at it.

[Ragamuffin]

I've never understood the whole G3.5 thing....Why .5? Because they have big heads? Why weren't they just G4? Because they had some of the same characters? Heck, G4 still has Applejack, so does that make them technically G1.4? G3 reused characters too, so it's obvious that doesn't influence the naming.

I legit don't understand. It just makes no sense no matter how I look at it.

I feel like G3.5 could've been G4 if it wasn't for the Core 7 already existing in G3. Core 7 came out and then Hasbro took the same exact thing and put it in a completely new art style. It really blurs the line, I think.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J0KTjRHj5nU
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N48yB5H6ZBo
^^^ Same exact characters, same exact song, same exact opening. Just a different style...

[DreamvalleyMLP]

No, Hasbro has never used G3, G3.5, or any of the Gx names for MLP, they are only used by fans. 

The G1 / G2 etc terms were cribbed from the Transformers fandom.  In the early 90s Hasbro had a line of toys labeled "Transformers: Generation 2".  The idea being to convince Radical 90s Kids that these Transformers were somehow better than previous Transformers, because they were new.  (Even though all the Generation 2 Transformers were literally the same TF molds as before, just with gaudier colors and cheaper plastic.)

Anyway, since Hasbro called those toys "Generation 2", Transformers fans then retroactively called the earlier Transformers "Generation 1".

So anyway, in 1997 Hasbro made a new generation of ponies.  Pony collectors called them "the new ponies" or "the '97 ponies" (because they were first sold in 1997) while G1 ponies were called "the old ponies" or "80s ponies."

Then in 2003 a new set of ponies came along.  Everyone debated what to call them because if G2 ponies were "the new ponies" then what were these new ponies . . . "the new-new ponies"?  Confusing!  So pony fans started using G1 / G2 / G3.

That was interesting, thanks!

I wonder, was G2 ever presented at the NY Toy Fair? Or did it just pop up in stores, out of the blue? I would be fun to see some of Hasbro's promo works announcing G2, if it exists. I know of the four petite pony versions of G2 characters, but other than that, I don't remember anything about the launch of the second gen.

[Moonbreeze]

No, Hasbro has never used G3, G3.5, or any of the Gx names for MLP, they are only used by fans. 

The G1 / G2 etc terms were cribbed from the Transformers fandom.  In the early 90s Hasbro had a line of toys labeled "Transformers: Generation 2".  The idea being to convince Radical 90s Kids that these Transformers were somehow better than previous Transformers, because they were new.  (Even though all the Generation 2 Transformers were literally the same TF molds as before, just with gaudier colors and cheaper plastic.)

Anyway, since Hasbro called those toys "Generation 2", Transformers fans then retroactively called the earlier Transformers "Generation 1".

So anyway, in 1997 Hasbro made a new generation of ponies.  Pony collectors called them "the new ponies" or "the '97 ponies" (because they were first sold in 1997) while G1 ponies were called "the old ponies" or "80s ponies."

Then in 2003 a new set of ponies came along.  Everyone debated what to call them because if G2 ponies were "the new ponies" then what were these new ponies . . . "the new-new ponies"?  Confusing!  So pony fans started using G1 / G2 / G3.

That was interesting, thanks!

I wonder, was G2 ever presented at the NY Toy Fair? Or did it just pop up in stores, out of the blue? I would be fun to see some of Hasbro's promo works announcing G2, if it exists. I know of the four petite pony versions of G2 characters, but other than that, I don't remember anything about the launch of the second gen.

I've been wondering the same. I would love to see some promotional material/ toy fair pics/ concept art.

[sd_dreamcrystal]

I've never understood the whole G3.5 thing....Why .5? Because they have big heads? Why weren't they just G4? Because they had some of the same characters? Heck, G4 still has Applejack, so does that make them technically G1.4? G3 reused characters too, so it's obvious that doesn't influence the naming.

I legit don't understand. It just makes no sense no matter how I look at it.

Technically AJ isn't really the same AJ from G1... Her design is inspired by G1 AJ though. Faust was the original creator of the G4 show and the ponies were based off of the first Generation ponies... RD based off of Firefly, Pinkie based off of Surprise, etc. They were called G4 because they were radically different from G3, with new characters and design (the only ponies that translated over from G3 that were Core ponies were RD and Pinkie, while Rarity and Fluttershy were names of ponies not from the core 7, and Twilight if you think about it shares a few aspects of Starsong who was also a core 7 G3). G3.5 used the exact same core characters from G3 which is why the community dubbed them a half generation.

If you really want to get into the nitty gritty on it, the generation tagging basically is used to help ID ponies for sales among collectors. The G4 rehashed toys were debated if they should be considered a half generation too... because it was the same characters but revamped molds... I think right now those newer molds are still just called G4 ponies... sometimes called Movie ponies or some such.

My wondering is if the reboot that has been said to come out after 2020... if it should actually be G5 or if it should be G4.5
Reasoning? If they are the exact same characters just redesigned a bit with style and species... would it not make sense they would really be a half generation?

[LadyMoondancer]

I've never understood the whole G3.5 thing....Why .5? Because they have big heads? Why weren't they just G4? Because they had some of the same characters? Heck, G4 still has Applejack, so does that make them technically G1.4? G3 reused characters too, so it's obvious that doesn't influence the naming.

I legit don't understand. It just makes no sense no matter how I look at it.

It was a combo of two things . . . First, even though the toy models were changing drastically, it was clearly the exact same universe as the previous G3 specials.  Not the same situation as G4 Applejack and G4 Rainbow Dash, who are "reboots."

Second, a lot of people had this idea that there had to be a gap of several years between gens or else it wasn't a new generation.  I'm pretty sure most collectors no longer believe this, but at the time it was a very ingrained idea.  (Even though technically there wasn't a gap between G2 and G3 in Europe . . .)

[Carrehz]

IIRC there was a debate at the time if it should be "G3.5" or "G4" and it was only -really- settled when G4 came around? but yeah, basically what LadyM said. Different style but too similar to G3 to properly be seen as an entirely seperate generaton.

I feel like I remember someone from Hasbro (or maybe someone involved with FiM?) using the term "G4"/"G5" a while ago? maybe in the leaked G5 stuff? but I don't recall them ever referring to the other gens by name. Officially they've always just been "My Little Pony".