New G4 pony toy designs

[Artemesia's Garden]

I like the bodies but not the heads. I agree the heads make them look feline. They have gone from Bambi to Puss in Boots.

[caseysealia]

While we're dunking on Hasbro can I just chime in with how upset I am that Hasbro Pulse doesn't sell ponies aside from the one SDCC exclusive? It makes no sense to me and just makes it very obvious that Hasbro only cares about their boy brands at the moment.
Looking at the higher-ups I'm not surprise.

Of course they are because ponies ain't selling because Hasbro won't listen to their fans 

[Zapper]

Also, TF never had more story than MLP.

It was my impression that the backstory was integral to the TF brand in its inception, since robots transforming to vehicles on its own wouldn't make much sense to western consumers at the time. Meanwhile MLP could exist on its own as a pretty colorful horse you could style and take care of, without any need for a backstory. G1 MLP books and cartoons seemed more like bonus advertising. Most iterations of TF have had its story told in cartoons, comics or movies, while many iterations of MLP have been without it, and maybe not really needing it in order to sell toys.

Ah, I guess I misunderstood at first. Agree that TF had a different approach to worldbuilding (and brand building).

My point is, now that MLP has gone into a more story/lore driven direction, it appears to be a regressive step to fit them into a trendhopper mold instead of exploring new channels.

Buuuut that is all based on these designs only. I don't know what the future holds. It just all appears kind of sarcastic to me. Like "crap, what shall we do to bridge the demand for pony between gens... how is it possible for us to sell the same characters we've been selling for 9 years but make them look new again? Ah, toy designer over there! Come up with something that kids have bought last-last season, no1curr".

[Wardah]

The fact that MLP are more simple to produce and design makes Hasbro look even worse

MTE
Also, TF never had more story than MLP. That's something they added later on in the 80s comics to make the basic premise of "robot faction A is fighting robot faction B over resources" more intresting. They realized they needed to offer more so boys won't outgrow the franchise.

I think it's perfectly fine to compare Hasbro lines to eachother because it's all made by the same company. If that company can pour resources into one line it begs the question why another line doesn't get that treatment. Especially when that line is - according to Hasbro's in-house reports - a valuable cashcow pony.
It just reminds me so much of Mattel, who downgraded their own Monster High because at a point it cannibalized the Barbie sales. They realized that MH was doing better than the Golden Child so instead of taking advantage of that and building MH up, they decided to cancel the planned movie, decided to reboot the line for pre- and elementary school kids and toss the 14+ demographic to the wolves because "teen girls buy phones and make-up and no dolls".

Teen girls these days have embraced geekiness much more than the previous generation. They have more disposable income than ever before. Why not build MLP up as a line that engages older kids, too? I don't need it to be for me. Just think Hasbro is sleeping on its potential in favor of their other franchises.

MH had a dip in sales even before they decided to reboot it.

The problem is the biggest stereotype about women is they are more likely to spend money on their families than themselves until the kids leave the nest. That's why women skewing collectibles tend to lean towards things older ladies want like ceramic plates and ceramic cherubs.

[Zapper]

So I am reading that the ponies are Lauren Faust's design ? If that is true it is kinda funny because I'm positive the bronies will notice that these look a lot more like G3.5s than their beloved FIM ponies, and don't they still kinda worhip Faust?  So their goddess is giving them G 3.5.2s  haha

No, Lauren Faust hasn't worked for Hasbro in a long while. These designs don't look like her stuff, she also isn't much involved in toy design, afaik. She did soft dolls a while ago but those flopped/weren't picked up.

The Lauren Faust discussion ensued because LAW said she blames her for these caticorns

[Carrehz]

I have a theory that G3.5 was a transition meant to get everyone used to less snout on the ponies because at that point, they would have already had FiM in production and knew the direction the line was going.
That's my horse theory.

? I thought G3.5 was in full swing before FiM started production. I could've sworn I saw some G3.5-style concepts for what eventually became FiM (from before Faust became involved)...

I don’t know anything about those concepts you mentioned, but FiM was in development in 2008. I believe G3.5 started in 2009.

I'm probably misremembering/getting things mixed up. I recall seeing some G3.5-styled concept art/storyboards/somesuch on a Blogspot somewhere, years ago... anyone know what I'm talking about? I did some searching but I can't for the life of me find them :s

The impression I was under is that they wanted to redesign MLP and then hit upon Faust when she came to Hasbro to pitch a Milky Way and the Galaxy Girls show; I can buy G3.5 being a filler line but I'm not sure if I believe it being a transition into G4 like some people were describing. I'll concede that y'all probably know way more about the ins and outs of how FiM came to be than I do, though

[Leave a Whisper]

So I am reading that the ponies are Lauren Faust's design ? If that is true it is kinda funny because I'm positive the bronies will notice that these look a lot more like G3.5s than their beloved FIM ponies, and don't they still kinda worhip Faust?  So their goddess is giving them G 3.5.2s  haha

No, Lauren Faust hasn't worked for Hasbro in a long while. These designs don't look like her stuff, she also isn't much involved in toy design, afaik. She did soft dolls a while ago but those flopped/weren't picked up.

The Lauren Faust discussion ensued because LAW said she blames her for these caticorns

Caticorns no. Deformed ambiguous quadrupeds with giant eyes and swollen heads? Absolutely.


I predict gen 5 will be horrifying monstrosities that are floating, swollen, talking heads with kitty-faced mouths, no bodies and drawn on manes. Oh and they poop. 

The intro screen will show our heroines lying limp and lifeless in the grass as their heads  inflate like balloons until they pop off and ascend into the heavens.

(Hasbro if your reading  this, DO NOT MAKE THESE!)

[Lilja]

I don’t know anything about those concepts you mentioned, but FiM was in development in 2008. I believe G3.5 started in 2009.

I'm probably misremembering/getting things mixed up. I recall seeing some G3.5-styled concept art/storyboards/somesuch on a Blogspot somewhere, years ago... anyone know what I'm talking about? I did some searching but I can't for the life of me find them :s

The impression I was under is that they wanted to redesign MLP and then hit upon Faust when she came to Hasbro to pitch a Milky Way and the Galaxy Girls show; I can buy G3.5 being a filler line but I'm not sure if I believe it being a transition into G4 like some people were describing. I'll concede that y'all probably know way more about the ins and outs of how FiM came to be than I do, though

Hasbro also came out with the Ponyville series in 2007 which had similar proportions to G3.5. In 2008 we had Newborn Cuties, and one year later all new pony toys had this cutesy cartoony look. It seems like the line was moving in this direction well before FIM. But of course we can't know what Hasbro's plans were back then, they're probably always way ahead of us.

I don't remember seeing any concept art like that, but I'd sure like to see it if it exists.

[shabbychicdee]

So I am reading that the ponies are Lauren Faust's design ? If that is true it is kinda funny because I'm positive the bronies will notice that these look a lot more like G3.5s than their beloved FIM ponies, and don't they still kinda worhip Faust?  So their goddess is giving them G 3.5.2s  haha

No, Lauren Faust hasn't worked for Hasbro in a long while. These designs don't look like her stuff, she also isn't much involved in toy design, afaik. She did soft dolls a while ago but those flopped/weren't picked up.

The Lauren Faust discussion ensued because LAW said she blames her for these caticorns

Caticorns no. Deformed ambiguous quadrupeds with giant eyes and swollen heads? Absolutely.


I predict gen 5 will be horrifying monstrosities that are floating, swollen, talking heads with kitty-faced mouths, no bodies and drawn on manes. Oh and they poop. 

The intro screen will show our heroines lying limp and lifeless in the grass as their heads  inflate like balloons until they pop off and ascend into the heavens.

(Hasbro if your reading  this, DO NOT MAKE THESE!)

hehehehehe  yep i can see the tasteless poop thing happen sadly,
G5 will be a poopsies fakie 

[Loona]

Oh ok so these are... mischievous (or rather evil. Rarity is definitely more on the evil side) little dragonlings? I was searching my mind for a loooong time until I finally realised what's so familiar in their heads: they look like Plagg's head from Miraculous Ladybug. I like that show, but not this resemblance. These are just... not MLP. I think that is all I can say about them, which might be the reason why they leave me rather neutral and uninterested.
*silently sneaks out to take a shower instead of thinking more about these toys* 

[Lilja]

hehehehehe  yep i can see the tasteless poop thing happen sadly,
G5 will be a poopsies fakie 

Ironically G1 is the only generation that made bodily functions a play feature. I don't think Hasbro's ever gone there again, even with the many pony baby dolls they've made over the years? 

[Leave a Whisper]

hehehehehe  yep i can see the tasteless poop thing happen sadly,
G5 will be a poopsies fakie 

Ironically G1 is the only generation that made bodily functions a play feature. I don't think Hasbro's ever gone there again, even with the many pony baby dolls they've made over the years? 

True.   

[Wind~Whistler]

I have a theory that G3.5 was a transition meant to get everyone used to less snout on the ponies because at that point, they would have already had FiM in production and knew the direction the line was going.
That's my horse theory.

? I thought G3.5 was in full swing before FiM started production. I could've sworn I saw some G3.5-style concepts for what eventually became FiM (from before Faust became involved)...

I don’t know anything about those concepts you mentioned, but FiM was in development in 2008. I believe G3.5 started in 2009.

I'm probably misremembering/getting things mixed up. I recall seeing some G3.5-styled concept art/storyboards/somesuch on a Blogspot somewhere, years ago... anyone know what I'm talking about? I did some searching but I can't for the life of me find them :s

The impression I was under is that they wanted to redesign MLP and then hit upon Faust when she came to Hasbro to pitch a Milky Way and the Galaxy Girls show; I can buy G3.5 being a filler line but I'm not sure if I believe it being a transition into G4 like some people were describing. I'll concede that y'all probably know way more about the ins and outs of how FiM came to be than I do, though

This? http://kathycarrtoons.blogspot.com/2010/06/my-little-pony-character-drawings.html?m=1

[Galactica]

I have a theory that G3.5 was a transition meant to get everyone used to less snout on the ponies because at that point, they would have already had FiM in production and knew the direction the line was going.
That's my horse theory.

? I thought G3.5 was in full swing before FiM started production. I could've sworn I saw some G3.5-style concepts for what eventually became FiM (from before Faust became involved)...

I don’t know anything about those concepts you mentioned, but FiM was in development in 2008. I believe G3.5 started in 2009.

I'm probably misremembering/getting things mixed up. I recall seeing some G3.5-styled concept art/storyboards/somesuch on a Blogspot somewhere, years ago... anyone know what I'm talking about? I did some searching but I can't for the life of me find them :s

The impression I was under is that they wanted to redesign MLP and then hit upon Faust when she came to Hasbro to pitch a Milky Way and the Galaxy Girls show; I can buy G3.5 being a filler line but I'm not sure if I believe it being a transition into G4 like some people were describing. I'll concede that y'all probably know way more about the ins and outs of how FiM came to be than I do, though

This? http://kathycarrtoons.blogspot.com/2010/06/my-little-pony-character-drawings.html?m=1

Those drawings are actually quite cute. Too bad something was lost in translation.  Maybe the drawings for G5 also started out really cute - and it is only when translated to plastic they look like poopsie fakie caticorns.

[RainbowAlicorn999]

Cat like in an ugly way. I hope these aren't G5.