I'll be the first to admit that it does seem as though they have let their brushables fall by the wayside.
Perhaps giving into the "Main Six" hype and pumping out slight variations of the same characters over and over because "Everyone loves them!" might not have been the best idea. Parents (and fans) stopped buying them because of the lack of variety. I'm sure this has happened more times than can be counted in the last year or so:

Child:  Mommy, can I have a new My Little Pony?
Mom: Okay, Sweetie. Let's see what they have.
Child: I want this one!
Mom: You already have 6 Rainbow Dash toys just like this one. I'm not buying the exact same toy for you anymore. Maybe when we find that "Lightning Dust" pony want want so much I'll buy it for you.

Like any brushable fan I'm a bit bummed there isn't a huge variety anymore but it's not like they've abandoned them entirely. Things even seem to be getting a bit better, too. Also, it's not like EQG is ever going to become MLP as a whole. Brushable ponies will always be the core of the brand because that what MLP IS; colorful plastic horses with hair you can style, and silly images branded butts. Hasbro is just experimenting with the brand in a way that's a bit different than they have in the past because they have more revenue to do so thanks to its popularity. In the past the experimental ponies consisted of Drinkn'Wet , Beddy Bye eyes, Surprise Twins Mommy, and those baby-doll typed "Newborns" all of which I think are equally as weird (and perhaps more terrifying) than EQG or Pop! ponies. I feel that simply stating "it's not MLP anymore" is no different than saying "This ruined my childhood".

I also think you're looking at it the wrong way, the weird experimental stuff is raking in cash. It's doing well which means it's making money and that's a good thing. It's all going to the same place at the end of the day regardless of whether it's coming from brushables or spin-offs. It's still money being made by the brand as a whole. Ultimately how well it's doing financially is the only thing that's going to keep brand alive and worth Hasbro's time. MLP is alive and kicking for the foreseeable future. Also, when Hasbro decides to reinvent their assets MLP's current success will most definitely have an influence on which brands they will choose. MLP has to keep making money for us to keep getting new toys for us all to collect. The fact that it's thirty years old has little to do with it. G.I. Joe has been around for a LOT longer but it's got one foot in the coffin. If it's going to be a financial misadventure every time Hasbro tries to pull it out of the grave it sadly won't be worth their time to try anymore. If G4 wasn't the least bit successful who knows what would have happened. Didn't 3.5 tank? The latter half of G3 was pretty slim, too, right? G2 didn't last very long in the U.S, either. Although I'm not sure if that was due to poor sales. Basically if the brand was dead and buried then we'd never get a chance to see more ponies that look more like horses or a "return to G1".

Pinkie Pie & Scootaloo exclusive set at Walgreens.  Found in central Indiana

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I ran across these at a walgreens a few days ago, too! In Southern Illinois.

I apologize if this topic is redundant and this isn't anything new but I found the water wings Water Cuties in Kohls for $12.99 today.

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Quote from: Shimmer Mist on August 31, 2015, 04:47:15 PM

A second (third in some countries) release of a Fashion Style Applejack. You'd think this would be a no-brainer but Hasbro seems to hate Applejack. I don't even care if I'd have to purchase some playset or weird little RC car with it like some of the other Pinkie Pies have had. Honestly that'd feel like it'd be at least worth the 40+ dollars to get the doll.

Try Target.

Target only has the Power Ponies if that's what you're referring to. Technically yeah, that one in the set is Fashion Style sized but that's not the kind of release I'm talking about. >: Another plain, old Applejack. Widely available at retail chains, not super rare and/or exclusive.

I'll third this. Hairdryers are indeed magical things. I had a beheaded pony sit around for a month or two once because I was terrified of putting it back on without damaging her. Then it dawned on me to just heat up the plastic a little and steadily pushed it back in with the gentle aid of a butter knife.

Mine was Masquerade. My grandmother loved to buy little knick-knacks and toys and found her and a thrift store. She invited my mom and I over one afternoon and gave me the pony. I still remember being so excited and awe-struck by how pretty she was since I'd never seen a pony like her before.

Once upon a time I didn't pay much attention to pony release news online. On two different occasions I passed up a FS Applejack in stores in favor of a Transformer figure thinking "She will show up again." It was  only later that I found out that Applejack was the rare one.  x-x

Just about every character that's not the main 6 or a princess.

Edit: All jokes aside all of the unique character brushables do seem pretty pricey since they're all so sought after. I think it's  the lack of variety that's mostly driving the prices up.