Why, Hasbro!?

[Pop!Star]

Ok, so I've been a collector for nearly 30 years now, I've seen the rise and fall of every generation, and there's just something that's irking me!

Why Hasbro do you insist on churning out the same repeat characters..over..and over again!?

I understand they want to create a "brand" with recognizable characters which is great but can they seriously not release a whole line of new characters?

We get maybe 5 new characters a year, but yet we get tons of re-releases of the Mane 6 over and over again! Which is great, continue doing that Hasbro but could we maybe JUST maybe get one or two releases a year of new characters?

I'm sorry but it breaks my heart going into the stores and just seeing ponies SIT on the shelves.

It's the reason why I don't purchase ponies anymore, and it's aggravating. Ponies literally sit on the shelves all year long because no one wants the same repeated ponies time and time again.

Atleast from a collector stand point I don't. This is why I've begun collecting Monster High/Ever After High and other toy brands such as The Zelfs.

Which both sets of toys do rerelease characters but they also release new characters each season.

Why isn't Hasbro catching on and understanding the fact that if they would release a set of new characters that they would sell, and not sit in the shelf.

Parents don't want to buy multiples of the same character just because it has rainbow hair, or a new accessory.

Hasbro really needs to pull it together.

The least they could do is release a new set of characters and keep the Mane6 for things such as Funko figures, or other various things.

Why won't Hasbro listen to the people that have been supporting their brand for nearly 30 years but they'll completely pander to the newest generations of fans?

It boggles my mind!

Anyone else feel this way?

[Goanna]

Yes, absolutely I agree with you. It sure is frustrating. I understand why they rerelease the main characters all the time. People getting into the show at any stage will want to buy their favourite character, so it's nice that they are always available. However, what happens once people have already bought the main 6? There's nothing to keep them interested really...
It's such a shame, considering at the start of the toyline they DID have a bunch of different characters! And now they will release only 1-2 additional characters alongside the main 6. And even those are repeated over and over (seen Skywishes, Daisy Dreams, and that other pink one with green hair a bunch of times now).

[otocolobus_manul]

Well, apparently little kids enjoy owning 500 Pinkie Pies, or the line would have long died out by now.

But yeah, I definitely agree on how frustrating it is. Cutie Mark Magic was doing so well for diversity, and with the previews of Explore Equestria, it looks like we're going right back to monotony. Even this year's SDCC exclusive was just ANOTHER Pinkie Pie with a new outfit!

[Flitter]

It's not that kids want 30 Pinkie Pies. They want Pinkie Pie, and 6 months later they've "grown out" of MLP and are onto something else, and Hasbro knows this. I often get the feeling that collectors see themselves as a larger group than they actually are. Lifelong supporters of the brand don't have that much influence because they are a small part of the market and the brand is meant to cater to little girls so hasbro produce what their market research suggests little girls would like. All the gimmick-y ponies I'm sure are based on this. Adult/teen fim collectors have gotten more attention in recent years, yes, and there has been licensed merch. geared towards them but I think that has more to do with pop culture trends.
More often than not it seems kids are only into something for a few years at best before moving onto another thing they like. I was the same way when I was a kid. This is why we see so much repeat. I think the stagnancy on store shelves is more of a mix of economy and other things competing for kid's attention than the lack of new characters. I do think hasbro has made some dumb decisions and missed opportunities as far as mlp goes but the model they are following seems to work for them or else the would change. They have made several strives to stretch the appeal of MLP to older and younger kids (playskool, EqG, expanded licence merch. etc.) but I think while maybe I, as an adult G4 collector like more, different characters, that may not be what would keep most of the current generation of kids interested.
It does seem to be becoming more "socially acceptable" for adults to like cartoons and collect figures and merchandise but MLP focus is more to be relevant to kids of a certain age group than to attract a group and foster lifelong collecting of the same thing. I hope I somewhat make sense I'm tired
 

[Pop!Star]

You do!

Hehe the thing I don't get those is yes adult collectors are a small percentage but adult collectors or parents are the ones mostly buying these ponies. If they k ow their kid already has a Pinkie Pie they're not going to buy another one just because it's slightly different.

MLP is very cheap compared to things like MH/EAH and yet those are always sold, so I'm not sure I agree with the whole
Economy point.

I'd rather buy a $5 pony, but not if its a boring version of one I already have, but is gladly spend $20 on a new doll.

[Wardah]

The age range for MLP is younger than the age range for MH/EAH. The age range for MLP is really into Shopkins right now.

[Aquatic Neon]

I feel your pain all I want is single brushable boys but that probably won't happen..

I think Hasbro thinks they are covered on making tons of characters with the mini/ blind bag line, so they don't feel the need to make tons of characters in brushables, its probably cheaper to make lots of different characters in mini size, verses the larger brushable or fashion style ponies.

[pickwick_pirate]

I do agree it is frustrating, I miss the days when you could go into a store and find a new set with new ponies and the circulated a few times a year. I really stopped buying new ponies when the core seven came out with G3 because I didn't want another toola roola just with a different hat.

But Flitter is right, collectors make a very tiny percentage of the market, and you also have to bare in mind some collectors love a certain pony much they will buy him/her over and over. But it is essentially aimed at little kids and sadly little kids have short attention spans now a days (lets face it if it isn't on a screen they aren't interested) and they are so desperate to grow up.
My mum is a child care and has two sisters she looks after age 4 and 7. A year ago the 7 year old told me she didn't like MLP any more because its for little girls and it wasn't grown up. Whilst I stod there like "pfffff! You're 6 you are a little girl!"  Because of that her sister isn't interested either. So I can see why from a marketing point of view they don't have to put time and effort into designing new characters and lines ... Because they have such a short life as an 'it' toy. Whilst I think EqG, MH , EaH style fashion dolls have a much broader range, little and older girls can like them so that where concentration isis put in.

But I agree I'm getting sad now, seeing the same ponies on the shelves as there was 10 months ago.

[banditpony]

Because is a strategy that is working right now?

But when you think about it, there is a TON of pony stuff out there. To like the brand you don't have to have a shelf full of ponies.

Eta:the reason mane 6 is warming the shelves is so any kid who gets into the series at any time can pick one up. The gimmicks... That strategy isn't new (rainbow hair, taf, so soft, etc). Its to have an updated product each year.

[pickwick_pirate]

Eta:the reason mane 6 is warming the shelves is so any kid who gets into the series at any time can pick one up.

Thank you, this is what I was trying to say, but you are much more eloquent ... And I got distracted. But to sum it up you've hit the strategy right in the head.

[Al-1701]

The problem with what Flitter said is their strategy is to make My Little Pony disposable to the buyer.  "Kids don't hold interest in things as much anymore."  "Then let's make our brand even less interesting!"  Anyone else see the problem here?  I think their market research people have a defeatist attitude and are willing to settle.  My Little Pony has grown in popularity, but are they really helping the brand's legacy.  It's supposed to be Hasbro's flagship brand for girls, but their attitude it suggests otherwise.  Kids come in and go out in a year.  It makes money, but leaves little of an impression.

How hard is it to create new characters to sell along side the Mane 6?

[Sparkle Pony]

ARE they selling?  I mean, sure the ponies slowly trickle off the shelves, but at a pitiful pace.  I think it's pretty apparent that this is hurting Hasbro in the long run.  (Or maybe they just sell really slowly around here, haha.)

[Chi]

This is a big reason why people start looking for prototypes and leaks/fakies. It just gets old seeing the same thing over and over.
I imagine kids also lose interest but just move into the next colourful thing and get sucked back in when there's a new pony related thing.
I don't think the current strategy is helping the MLP legacy at all. Third gen had a huuuuge list of characters... What's going on with this? The cartoon is so popular with tons of characters. Is it that much effort to make them when they have already been designed in the show? Are they truly keeping people engaged?

[Rainbowrific Renia]

But when you think about it, there is a TON of pony stuff out there. To like the brand you don't have to have a shelf full of ponies.

THANK YOU!

I say this every time a thread like this pops up (which is incredibly often...) and I think the issue is the mentality of collectors that have been doing this since the beginning: A pony is only a toy with brushable hair and everything else is invalid.

Nope nope nope.

And as someone who is part of this "newer generation of fans" (even though I also collect G1), I feel like this community looks down on me and others like myself because we collect ponies that aren't just brushable and we support other companies that have partnered with Hasbro.

And to say that they're pandering to us? We have the SAME complaints as you do when it comes to the lack of different characters for brushables.

It's fine and dandy to dislike Funko figures, or the various brands of pony plushies, or blind bags, etc. but don't pretend that these are something other than My Little Pony. They may not be your MLP, but they're still MLP. Brushables aren't the only toys that exist for this franchise anymore, sorry. Funko has done a wonderful job of giving us a variety in characters, say what you will about them. The blind bags, while I can see why collectors aren't fond of them, are also doing well in the variety department and we're even getting new poses and play sets with those!

If you pay attention to other toy lines, you'll notice that the smaller, molded, blind bag type toys are actually pretty popular (Shopkins...Shopkins EVERYWHERE) and most toys with brushable hair tend to be dolls (MH, EAH, EqG). It makes a lot of sense why Hasbro has gone the direction they have with ponies, even if we, as collectors, don't totally agree that it's the right direction.

Also, to piggyback off of a previous post, I don't believe collectors make up much of the fan base here. Hasbro isn't trying to appeal to us.

Brands like Funko (I know I keep bringing them up, but they always come to my mind first for stuff like this) are trying to appeal to the collectors for this generation, and even little kids like them! It's really not all about brushables anymore. Times change, you know?

I'm truly sorry, I'm not trying to come off as being mean or anything, but I was kinda right there with the OP until the "pandering to the newest generation of fans" statement and that kinda riled me up, but I'm good now.

[Chi]

Good point, Moonbeam. I'm personally not a fan of collecting the Funko ponies, but there are a lot of really beautiful ones. There's also the chibi ponies and other vinyl figures. Talk about cute!!!!!! I think those chibs are what I'm going to ask for as my Christmas gift since I'm already being bothered about it. 

Most people's issue seems to lie with the variation of official Hasbro brushables in comparison to previous generations. Yes, there are tons of other types of g4 products that are totally fabulous but the lack of ponies found in your average store shelves is what highlights this problem.