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Author Topic: Will the Current "Retro Hype" Affect G5, or MLP's Future?  (Read 2174 times)

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Offline Ragamuffin

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Will the Current "Retro Hype" Affect G5, or MLP's Future?
« on: July 31, 2019, 12:01:36 PM »
We have the Basic Fun repros, we had Mash 'Ems, we had Loyal Subjects vinyls, we have Hallmark ornaments, we have all sorts of other merchandise ranging from shirts to kitchenware to colouring books to headphones, and this year we even got a SDCC exclusive. Basic Fun collaborated with Stranger Things and saw great success with that. And recently, we got those weird repro G3s made by... whoever (imo it might be Hasbro due to the fixation on Mane 6 instead of the Celebration ponies or even the Core 7).

Now Hasbro is joining in on the Retro craze with their own ponies. They've even made them their own page on the official My Little Pony website. They see G1s are beloved, and they're only now realising it because it's profitable.

G5 has been in development since about 2016 as far as we know, and with the movie releasing in 2021 (assuming they don't delay it), they're probably actively working on the movie right now and working on concepts for the toys. I gotta ask, do you think the "Retro Hype" has affected how they're going about G5 at all?

I think it's all weird, and I'm not sure what it means other than "money". While Basic Fun is making the Retros because there's an obvious demand, when Hasbro is doing it, it comes off as cashing in. It feels shallow and disingenuous. To me, it seems like "no one is buying G4s anymore, but we still want to make Mane 6... I got it! Why don't we make our own Retro ponies?! Yeah! People are all over 80s ponies nowadays, people won't able to resist buying these!"

I also personally still think they're going to go with the ultra-stylized, big-eyed, brachycephalic ""ponies"" we've had. G5 is probably too far in development at the moment for them to potentially make them more horse-y or whatever. But maybe with G5, Hasbro could make a separate spin-off-or-whatever line, focusing on G1s or "retro-styled" ponies?

(I know the "What if Hasbro's Retros were G5" thread exists but this is different)
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Offline Taffeta

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Re: Will the Current "Retro Hype" Affect G5, or MLP's Future?
« Reply #1 on: July 31, 2019, 12:14:34 PM »
I agree with you about how Hasbro's efforts come over, as they've largely ignored older gen ponies in favour of G4 for a long time. I remember hearing Summer talk at ponycon about all the hints they dropped for an exclusive that would be older gen related and then it was some kind of pinkie pie. Because all older gen collectors want pinkie pie. I think the brony hype swept Hasbro up in "this is MLP now" fever - because there was nothing really to tell them otherwise.

I don't know whose idea Basic Fun's thing was, and that's the interesting part to me. Did the company approach hasbro or did Hasbro approach them? Did Hasbro think about it but decide it too expensive to do themselves so licensed it out? I really wonder (and if anyone knows, awesome). But what I do think it's done is kick the G1 back into the spotlight.

I always thought 35 was a daft anniversary (not to mention it's now very spurious, the unipegs are out here now with 35th anniversary on the box, in 2019, which is actually THEIR 35th anniversary as a set but not really the overall message intended). And all these sets, not just one or two token ones like at 25th. Plus all the clothing and stuff in primark here had been going on a while. We also had notebooks going back even further. We had the dollymix going back to the end (?) of G3. So in a way this retro thing has been building.

BUT it's the first time since actual G1 that Hasbro seem to show any interest in their original franchise again. It's obviously about money...but...if Basic Fun's ponies and their popularity is now swaying them back towards the older style, I think it's more likely G5 might be influenced by G3 looks than G1. The retro G3 might be part of that, as a test the waters kind of thing.

I am not totally persuaded we know anything about G5, or if it even really exists as a toyline (rather than a cartoon series that may or may not happen), to be honest. We've seen nothing concretely toy-related in terms of leaks for G5 I don't believe. Just potential drawings and animation concepts. That means the actual toys are potentially fluid.

Some ponies changed a ton between their prototypes and release even during G1. The original pocket ponies were regular pose and sized, but ended up much bigger and in their own poses. Hasbro can change anything they like...and they want our money. And the money of parents of kids of pony age, who are probably also now our age...

I think if there is going to be a G5, then it could have an effect on a toy design. But I doubt it will kill off the M6.

(Maybe they'll reinvent the "original M6" instead, since they're on the website now, and we'll have hundreds of blossoms and snuzzles for the next ten years...)
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Offline banditpony

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Re: Will the Current "Retro Hype" Affect G5, or MLP's Future?
« Reply #2 on: July 31, 2019, 12:18:34 PM »
I imagine the retro stuff is just to fill a gap in between stuff. They obviously saw an opening.

I assume that g5 has been in the works for a long time. I don't think nostalgia itch is what they are aiming for.
« Last Edit: July 31, 2019, 12:51:50 PM by banditpony »
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Re: Will the Current "Retro Hype" Affect G5, or MLP's Future?
« Reply #3 on: July 31, 2019, 01:54:55 PM »
In the short term, I think it depends how far along they are in development. My guess is they are pretty far in because IIRC it takes about a year to get a toy from design to production?   So with G4 winding down I would think they've already done most of the heavy lifting for G5, at least on the design side.

In the long term, it could make a difference.  Hasbro definitely is aware of / follows trends.  For example, Equestria Girls were inspired by Monster High dolls.  Transformers BotBots were inspired by Shopkins.  If "horsey" toys do well then it just makes sense to horse up your pony dolls.
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Re: Will the Current "Retro Hype" Affect G5, or MLP's Future?
« Reply #4 on: August 01, 2019, 05:40:40 PM »
(Maybe they'll reinvent the "original M6" instead, since they're on the website now, and we'll have hundreds of blossoms and snuzzles for the next ten years...)

How much do you want to bet they'll include Peachy? :lol:

I think we'll have to wait and see how much this affects the brand. To my understanding, 'retro' products are very popular right now - look at the re-releases of old video game consoles, for example. (My mom works in retail and has made some comments about other retro products on the market, but the names of whatever she was referring to has slipped my mind.) Hasbro's just cashing in on the market.

That being said - assuming the retro products have an unexpectedly positive reception, we very well may see an art style heavily influenced by G1.
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Re: Will the Current "Retro Hype" Affect G5, or MLP's Future?
« Reply #5 on: August 01, 2019, 08:59:44 PM »
Hopefully. Pity it won't knock the mane suxx out of Hasbro's heads though.
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Re: Will the Current "Retro Hype" Affect G5, or MLP's Future?
« Reply #6 on: August 02, 2019, 06:30:59 AM »
I think Hasbro are just out to make money out of whatever market seems the most profitable at the time.

FiM is hot with bronies? They're our main target now!
Monster High is making tons of cash? Let's make a line where the characters are teenage girls!
Bronies are jumping ship and retro stuff/80s nostalgia is "in"? Time to make some retros!

Not that I can necessarily blame them for this, I guess. I mean, they're a business, they need to keep the money train going. I just wish they could be a little less obvious with it :P and the cynic in me can't help but be irritated by now us G1 folks were ignored for so long and we're only getting thrown a bone now that it's profitable!

(Although I guess to be fair, come to think of it - didn't the 25th anniversary sets sell poorly? If that's the case, I could see Hasbro being hesitant to make more retro stuff - doesn't explain why they balked on making a special one for the Pony Fair or similar collector-based venues for so long, though.)
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Re: Will the Current "Retro Hype" Affect G5, or MLP's Future?
« Reply #7 on: August 02, 2019, 06:39:21 AM »
(Maybe they'll reinvent the "original M6" instead, since they're on the website now, and we'll have hundreds of blossoms and snuzzles for the next ten years...)

How much do you want to bet they'll include Peachy? :lol:

 :scared:
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Offline banditpony

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Re: Will the Current "Retro Hype" Affect G5, or MLP's Future?
« Reply #8 on: August 02, 2019, 06:49:02 AM »
Bronies are jumping ship and retro stuff/80s nostalgia is "in"? Time to make some retros!

But was it really bronies buying the toys? I don't think so.

IIRC a majority of them didn't even like the toys because they weren't show accurate. I think things like the we love fine figures, funko (the normal ones), and the kotobukiya stuff was geared toward them.
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Re: Will the Current "Retro Hype" Affect G5, or MLP's Future?
« Reply #9 on: August 02, 2019, 07:08:06 AM »
Bronies are jumping ship and retro stuff/80s nostalgia is "in"? Time to make some retros!

But was it really bronies buying the toys? I don't think so.

IIRC a majority of them didn't even like the toys because they weren't show accurate. I think things like the we love fine figures, funko (the normal ones), and the kotobukiya stuff was geared toward them.

I didn't say bronies were buying the toys... I meant Hasbro were making stuff marketed towards them, or licensing the brand out to companies that'd make stuff directed more towards bronies. Hasbro were trying to pander towards the brony market.
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Offline banditpony

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Re: Will the Current "Retro Hype" Affect G5, or MLP's Future?
« Reply #10 on: August 02, 2019, 07:17:54 AM »
Bronies are jumping ship and retro stuff/80s nostalgia is "in"? Time to make some retros!

But was it really bronies buying the toys? I don't think so.

IIRC a majority of them didn't even like the toys because they weren't show accurate. I think things like the we love fine figures, funko (the normal ones), and the kotobukiya stuff was geared toward them.

I didn't say bronies were buying the toys... I meant Hasbro were making stuff marketed towards them, or licensing the brand out to companies that'd make stuff directed more towards bronies. Hasbro were trying to pander towards the brony market.

Oh. Well in that case, we had retro stuff all along side all that brony junk. Not just the vectors, but also some of the old school art as well... but mostly the vectors.

(I saw this thread more about toys).

I mean in 2013-2014ish there was a whole slew of baby junk/home goods from multiple places with starshine and glory.
« Last Edit: August 02, 2019, 07:19:31 AM by banditpony »
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Re: Will the Current "Retro Hype" Affect G5, or MLP's Future?
« Reply #11 on: August 02, 2019, 07:30:36 AM »
When Primark were selling pony clothing over here (in that same kind of period, maybe up till about 2 years ago), they were generally tagged with a cardboard pony tag featuring G1 pony art.

...From the US pony line.

...Of ponies not sold here :P

But that aside, there was a lot of stuff around the Rainbow Ponies, and also Milky Way and Princess Amethyst. Also for a while before that Glory had a lot of attention, but I assume with her it was because she looked like Rarity. It's interesting that with the Dollymix Princess Amethyst (albeit named as Sparkle) and Mainsail (!?!!?!) appeared in the lineup. I never understood why Mainsail of all ponies...

But the use of the US name for Amethyst and the US artwork for the tags suggest a bigger US based intent here. This is stuff the UK would not have had on it's own - it must have come from the mothership somewhere along the line.
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Re: Will the Current "Retro Hype" Affect G5, or MLP's Future?
« Reply #12 on: August 02, 2019, 10:18:08 AM »
I don’t know whether it will effect G5 or not.  I suspect that this is just a place holder line in between G4 and what ever is coming down the pipeline.

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Re: Will the Current "Retro Hype" Affect G5, or MLP's Future?
« Reply #13 on: August 02, 2019, 04:07:04 PM »
I don’t know whether it will effect G5 or not.  I suspect that this is just a place holder line in between G4 and what ever is coming down the pipeline.

Something awful is coming down the line. Of this I have no doubt. Hasbro is making a complete mess, except this time, I'm not sure its phoenix will ever rise again as anything more then a shell of its former self
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Re: Will the Current "Retro Hype" Affect G5, or MLP's Future?
« Reply #14 on: August 02, 2019, 05:53:17 PM »
I don’t know whether it will effect G5 or not.  I suspect that this is just a place holder line in between G4 and what ever is coming down the pipeline.

Something awful is coming down the line. Of this I have no doubt. Hasbro is making a complete mess, except this time, I'm not sure its phoenix will ever rise again as anything more then a shell of its former self

I'm excited for G5 for the potential it could have, but I just can't imagine it being big. I think it will either do "okay" or under-perform.
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