...G5...

[Sunset]

Meh. Almost all gens lasted about 10 years so i don' t see this ending just yet.
Neither do i see the toyline end because the show ends. The toyline has existed without a show just fine and i imagine the show being on rerun for some time. It's far too early to talk about G5.
There is also no way to predict how G5 will look.

You have a point but your timing for each generation is off.

Edit:
G1 lasted 12y
G2: 7y
G3: 6y
G3.5: 1y

This is more accurate, but I would add that G2 only lasted in the US for 2 years.  That means that (in the US) only two of the previous generations lasted for longer than 5 years.


It's also interesting to note that G1 (which lasted the longest) also had the widest ranges of design.  Besides just the regular ponies, there was also flutters, wingers, seaponies, and sweet heart sisters, and a few others besides.


However, each successive generation has had less and less variety which I suspect is what is making the need to redesign generations more frequently.

[Malicieuse]

Meh. Almost all gens lasted about 10 years so i don' t see this ending just yet.
Neither do i see the toyline end because the show ends. The toyline has existed without a show just fine and i imagine the show being on rerun for some time. It's far too early to talk about G5.
There is also no way to predict how G5 will look.

You have a point but your timing for each generation is off.

Erm...that's why i said about 10 years. Not "every gen lasted 10 years". O_o
Ah well, maybe my English is slightly off. Also i think gen 2 would have lasted longer in the USA if it did not have gotten the complaints it did. At least i always i heard one of the reasons G2 ended earlier is because people complained they were too "anorexic". I also consider G3.5 to be kind of connected to G3 still, rather than a full separate generation. Like a wierd failed experiment to revive G3...
Though i agree that G4 is likely not to last as long as G1.

[Sunset]

Meh. Almost all gens lasted about 10 years so i don' t see this ending just yet.
Neither do i see the toyline end because the show ends. The toyline has existed without a show just fine and i imagine the show being on rerun for some time. It's far too early to talk about G5.
There is also no way to predict how G5 will look.

You have a point but your timing for each generation is off.

Erm...that's why i said about 10 years. Not "every gen lasted 10 years". O_o
Ah well, maybe my English is slightly off. Also i think gen 2 would have lasted longer in the USA if it did not have gotten the complaints it did. At least i always i heard one of the reasons G2 ended earlier is because people complained they were too "anorexic". I also consider G3.5 to be kind of connected to G3 still, rather than a full separate generation. Like a wierd failed experiment to revive G3...
Though i agree that G4 is likely not to last as long as G1.

I'm sorry, maybe it's a misunderstanding.  When I think "about 10 years", I think between 9 and 11 years.  To me 6-7 years isn't about 10 years.

[scarletjul]

I imagine that g4 still has a bit of time left.  My guess is at least another 3-4 years.

While it doesn't have nearly as much diversity as g1s did, it does have some: playful ponies, fashion style, blind bags, play Setswana well as store and international exclusives.  We have all 3 species, as well as glimmer wings and babies and a thriving tv show.  We are even getting boys!  Keep in mind that a lot of the diversity in the g1 line came later (flutters in year 4, wingers even later, as well as sparkle, dance and prance, etcetera.). We are still only in year 2.

I do think Hasbro needs to fix their distribution and quality control issues but if they do, I don't see the line ending any time soon.  Maybe in awhile but not in the next few years. 

[Shenanigans]

I'm hoping some millionaire obsessed with G1 buys the franchise and brings back everything more like G1. I often wish I could be that millionaire.

I second that! G1 is my favorite line by far. More detailed and better quality. And nice size ponies for your money too :p

[hyenacub]

I dunno, a lot of the G4 variety is different versions of the SAME characters.  I liked G1 because darn near every single new pony was a DIFFERENT pony.  Each year brought several new characters, in different colors and types and designs and poses.  G4 to me, toy wise, seems stagnant.

If we do ever get a G5, I hope that the incarnation is more like the first one.

Someone should hold a "design G5s" contest lol

[Sunset]

I dunno, a lot of the G4 variety is different versions of the SAME characters.  I liked G1 because darn near every single new pony was a DIFFERENT pony.  Each year brought several new characters, in different colors and types and designs and poses.  G4 to me, toy wise, seems stagnant.

If we do ever get a G5, I hope that the incarnation is more like the first one.

Someone should hold a "design G5s" contest lol

Exactly.  I also don't know that I count playful ponies, blind bags, and fashion styles as variety in design.  They are all the exact same design only in different sizes.  Even glimmer wings are almost identical molds to the playful ponies.

And while true that flutters, etc. came later in G1, at least they came.  G2, G3, and G3.5 never got beyond the basic earth/unicorn/pegasus/babies.  When these generations became less popular, Hasbro simply redesigned again. This is what I predict for G4.  They will try every gimic they can think of for re-releasing the same characters (with a handful of unique characters every release.)  And when the steam starts running out, Hasbro will reboot again.  The question is simply when.

[mlpfan]

I think FIM will have a long strong run,

[Al-1701]

What will the cause for revamping be?  New kids to sell ponies to and need to have new ponies to sell to them.  Isn't that always the case?

When will it come?  Probably in the next few years.  As others have said, the G4 toyline is rather limited.  Ironically, what makes the show so good, concentrated on a group of six ponies, leads to all the other ponies not being advertized as much.  Notice how many of the new ponies are background ponies bronies have latched onto?  They're going to need new material.

Hopefully it will be even more of an embrace of G1 ideas than G4.  Connecting the previous question, they need more lines to increase the diversity.  Bring back the flutters and the sea ponies.  Maybe release some more males too.  Liven things up some.

[StarDragon]

My dream would be a more adventure-based series like G1 with a lot of diversity.  Pokemon (as an example) was really successful because it was full of adventure and more gender-neutral, but since MLP started as a girls' line, I do not mind so much if it remains that way (it would be a big leap).

I can't really see G4 running out soon. I could imagine it with at least five seasons. Each generation of ponies usually lasts around 8-10 years, except G3.5.

[Flitter]

It hasn't even been 2 years since the show premiered and it's really popular. There is so much they could still do in terms of the toy line and show. I think g4 has quite a few years left. I can't even think of g5 yet.

[TokiBear]

It hasn't even been 2 years since the show premiered and it's really popular. There is so much they could still do in terms of the toy line and show. I think g4 has quite a few years left. I can't even think of g5 yet.

^this... I don't see G4 running out any time soon.  And we really have no idea what they are going to give us as far as the toy line in the next few years.  I do hope that when there is a new line that it is more along the lines of G1.  I much prefer G1 to anything we've had... although I am loving G4.

[JuniperJade]

It hasn't even been 2 years since the show premiered and it's really popular. There is so much they could still do in terms of the toy line and show. I think g4 has quite a few years left. I can't even think of g5 yet.

I've heard the show isn't actually bringing in a lot of ratings for when it airs on TV, and it costs a lot of money to animate a 20+ episode season. Which is why season 3 is going to be around 12 or so episodes. I honestly think the show probably has around 2-4 years left and the toy probably 1-2 years after it ends.

As for G5, I am really curious to see what they would come up with! I agree with other people who have said they want the toys closer to horses, and can we please get them BIGGER? Even G3 size would be great! I fill like I'm wasting $5 on a dinky little pony when I buy the brushables.

[Rainbow-Starlight]

Wow, I disagree with a lot of what's been said in this topic. Maybe it's because I'm a brony and I spend most of my MLP related internet time on FiM focused sites rather than general MLP ones. I don't think G4 is going anywhere anytime soon. In fact, I think it will last far longer than past gens, maybe to the point that they will either never revamp it again or have a G5 alongside G4. Or maybe revamp the toys, but leave the show (new looking pony toys based off the show characters. The toys look a lot different from the show anyway, so maybe G5 would be a show accurate revamp?).


Friendship is Magic has accomplished something amazing, something that I have never seen ANY fandom accomplish, ever. The community is HUGE and absolutely amazing, and for the first time, mostly adult men! Adult men with money. Money they can spend on merch. If FiM goes, they will take their money elsewhere. If it stays, especially if it updates to a show accurate G5... loads and loads of cash for Hasbro, from kids, bronies, toy collectors, general MLP fans, etc. It's a win-win: Hasbro gets money, fans get show and better merch.


The show is amazingly popular, as far as I know much more popular than any previous MLP cartoon. It's created an amazing and diverse fanbase that is, while unlikely, very loyal to the show. The creators of the show and Hasbro both love them. The Hub loves them. Why would they want to be rid of them?


They do amazing things. Not just fan art and such, but they're even making a COMMERCIAL that The Hub supports! I've yet to see another fan base do something like that.


All this is only scratching the surface. There is so much more to FiM/bronies, and I find it silly when people say stuff like "Oh, it's aimed at kids, so it won't last long." I also think the brony community will survive even after the show ends. The episodes will still exist, even if no new ones are made. Besides, knowing how much the community accomplishes, I wouldn't be too surprised if they held a successful fundraiser to keep the show going!

[hyenacub]

There are only going to be 12 eps in Season 3?  D:  I want 20 something like this season!  :C