And I also disagree that G5 is lame (nobody said this exactly, but the vibe is there).

Oh, I think very very similar words have been used before, lol, it's not just a vibe

But we need to make a distinction between the quality of the toyline and the entertainment side of it. As a toyline, MLP has become a real joke. It doesn't even have its own section anymore in a lot of stores; the few mlp products they have are thrown together with a lot of other small brand creatures. Space filler, if you will.

And while G1 - G3 weren't geared towards adults, they were of such a high level that they transcended the core market (kids). The primary focus was on the collectibility of it, which continues to have a loyal fanbase even to this day.

For a company with a new philosophy of "Fewer brands but Bigger and Better", they botched MLP completely.

I also refuse to accept the general excuse that kids don't play with toys anymore and are opting for gaming, online experiences, etc., so companies are inclined to put less effort in their products.
If that was the case, all toy companies would be suffering like Hasbro is. But there are plenty of brands who are doing extremely well, primarily because they keep their focus on the collectibility aspect.

Hasbro simply lost touch with the market, first and foremost.

Edit: I knew I forgot something. This is a headline from CNBC, not so long ago: Adults are buying toys for themselves, and it’s the biggest source of growth for the industry

Hasbro's financial statements have been released. Needless to say it's bad: Q4 operating loss of $1.2 billion (in comparison: Mattel reported net sales of $1.6 billion for Q4).

While they go over some brands that performed well - like Transformers, Monopoly, Magic, Furby - there isn't a single word about MLP.

Overall, they're coming off a year of losses and seem to remain focused on "monetizing Hasbro IP in an asset-light structure", meaning less product creation by Hasbro itself and more focused on monetizing their brands through third parties (merch, I assume?).

"We're exiting 2023 with our retail inventory down around 20%. While we think Hasbro's retail inventory is in a healthy position, across the industry a lot of older discounted inventory still remains in the market." Basically this means their stuff is collecting dust on the shelves and stores' warehouses.

Whatever money MLP brings in, it must be peanuts.

Well, there were the Yarn Ponies...
https://mlparena.com/index.php?topic=380943.msg1566772#msg1566772

Just imagine, somewhere out there that flutter hideaway prototype could still be collecting dust in some dark corner of an attic...

Quote from: Barnacle_lady on February 08, 2024, 05:56:38 AM

Back in the days Paradise Estate was also very pricy new in box.

wasn't paradise estate only 50$-60$?

Factoring in inflation, it would be about 100 - 125 $ today. It'd *still* be worth it, compared to Dissectible Sunny...

Maybe there was no need for it ?

The toys didn't sell at all in the US because the design style wasn't liked, so a tv series wouldn't have changed that. It would have been a futile investment. Europe embraced the new look and made the toyline successful enough to continue for years, all without having a show to promote the toys. If it stands well enough on its own then there's no need to sink money into an expensive promotional tv series I guess?

I wonder whether all those decorations and furniture pieces actually fit inside the playset when closed. If not, maybe they can be stored in Stabby Moonbow's head.

But at least it's an attempt at something more original...?

I always thought G1 earthlings stood out because of their physical strength; developed because they don't have magic or flight to rely on? In the 80s movie, Magic Star was able to jump the big chasm in the field of sunflowers, and Fizzy couldn't - saying she has her unicorn power to help her across (something like that).

Unicorns - magic
Pegasi - flight
Earthlings - strength

Seemed fair to me

I also liked how the unicorns' magic talent was pony-specific, instead of what G4 gave us.