Is anyone else really bored with G4?

[hathorcat]

They will remember it - that's my point. And more importantly they will associate the concept of a plastic toy pony with MLP. The brand relies, pretty heavily, on an established identity and a brand association with the product.

There are plenty of people out there right now buying ponies - not because of their childhood memories of MLP - but because "little girls like ponies". Because the product is priced cheaply enough, because its a cartoon on their kids favourite tv channel, because its what their child points to on the toy shop shelf and because its marketed very very well. Saying its more important to bond with a child now - who may or may not in the future have any need to buy ponies - rather than churn product, is not something a company is going to consider. Its important to capture the audience of course, to get that child to want Pinkie Pie or Rainbow Dash and thats what Hasbro are doing - while also making sure that no matter where you are you can get those characters.

Unfortunately in this day and age [and with this kind of brand] it is not cheaper to invest in keeping customers attention - especially when your customers attention is short in duration. Who knows where the toy line is going to be in 20 years when those children are adults - maybe MLP will have been cast into history due to style and fashion and trends having moved on. Why invest in a future which may never happen?

I hate the way the brand is going - I am on board with everyone else in thinking that we need new characters and just something more exciting happening in the line. But as a business, I can see the reasoning behind why they are doing it.

[Dusky]

^ Well, I agree with Hathorcat.


Basically I'm bored of the G4 line and I'm dismayed that they're not trying to keep an audience, in favour of churning out for the quick passers-by. It's depressing that the FAKES are getting better than the main line, and the visible plastic quality (lack thereof) and other flaws make me now actively recommend eBaying G3s rather than buying new G4s as toys.

[Al-1701]

I thought the point to plan to be around in 20 years and adapt to the changing styles.  Hasbro has built itself on brand longevity.  Just look at Mr. Potato Head.

I will say this: Having a core cast is a good thing.  It provides an anchor for the brand and something that will entice new customers into the brand.  However, if all you have is a core, then they won't stick around for long.  Having diversity a. lengthens the time you have a customer's attention b. attracts more customers and c. costs almost nothing with a brand like MLP.  Transformers, a brand that requires each character have a unique and complex model, has more diversity than My Little Pony which use the same modes and materials over and over again.  Hasbro is walking away from practically free money.

[prancingstag]

I wish Hasbro could shift their focus just a teeny weeny bit. Like, the reason season 3 was so short was because they said "Well, we already have 50 episodes. We don't need to order too many more, we can just play repeats out of the pool we've already created. Fans will like seeing their favourite episodes all the time, and 12 new episodes a year is more than enough to pad it out. We save money, and put in the minimal effort to keep interest up."

If they're making a living on repeating old episodes, then minor characters, one-time characters and enemies will hang around and quickly become more well known. So I don't know why they're not making more money off Zecora, Big Mac, the Wonderbolts, the Cakes, the Mayor, the griffons, the dragons, Daring Doo, etc. Sure, you can keep it core centric, and you can keep it to just the TV show characters. But why not expand the core just a little bit past the 6+3+4 formula? (Mane six, three princesses, CMC, Cheerilee.) There are dozens of characters in Equestria which could easily make it to the shelves and off into little kids toy boxes. Some of the names above are this season being included in the MAIN CREDITS, and still don't have a brushable to themself. Things like the favourites set and the CMC&Friends set gave me hope last year (despite being US-only ), but the Rainbow Power/Rocks line is now COMPLETELY Core 7 (mane six and Cadence, not even a Celestia!), save for the one Trixie EQG doll.

I get that they are doing most of the new molds and characters in blind bag form, but I refuse to buy those based on the large price point for a tiny molded figure. $4 for a blind bag and between $17-20 for the mini figure sets is far too rich. All I want is a little more variety in the brushables, and if Hasbro can keep churning out 13 main characters of diverse colours, surely it wouldn't hurt them to put three or four more in there? Like the episodes. Core base, and a few new surprises each line to keep interest up. I'm almost at the point of not getting ANY of the RP/RR line. Flutter wings and zoomy wheels aren't quite attractive enough of a gimmick to make me jump for another Twilight, another Dash, another Pinkie.

[Star Spark]

I kind of doubt that My Little Pony will still be around in 20 years, or Hasbro, or even physical toys- everything is going electronic. And who knows, that might actually benefit My Little Pony and similar brands in the long run, as kids want to collect as many characters as possible for their video games (think Skylanders and Pixar Disney Infinity.)

In any case, current market forces don't excuse the absolute laziness of the G4 toyline- tiny ponies, identical poses, paper accessories, awful QC, and expensive sets that force you to buy identical ponies just to get newer ones (okay, that last one isn't lazy so much as greedy, but they could have been less blatant about it.) The early non-Mane 6 ponies didn't even have their own box-art- just obvious recolors of the distinctive Mane 6. If not for the fact that it's backed up by a good show with a staff that actually puts effort in its work (even if it isn't everyone's cup of tea) the line would have probably just faded out on its own after a couple of years. As it is, the pony sections in the stores near me are shrinking- it's like there isn't even enough truly "new" product to keep the short attention spans of contemporary kids whose parents might only be able to afford the basic brushable line, not all the gimmicks and overpriced sets. There's a difference between a need to turn a good profit and just not putting any effort into something, relying on brand name and an outside creative team to move just enough product to meet a short term goal- that's the vibe I get from the G4 line, and it's why I'm even turning to G3 now just to get a "new" (for me) pony fix.

[Al-1701]

Actually, making brushable ponies that connect to a video game would be a brilliant idea.  Disney is doing it with Disney Infinity.  That way kids have a toy that can use to play a video game and still with when they unplug (and actually be able to do something with the toy).  They could do the same thing with Transformers and G.I. Joe.

While things are moving towards electronics, I think there will always be a demand for physical toys.  People, especially kids, need that tactile sensation.  That's probably one of the reasons Skylanders has taken off.  You can play the game, but you can take the toys and imagine your own adventures.

[Star Spark]

That's pretty much where I see physical toys going- I think there actually is something for Transformers that connects certain toys with a cell phone app. It might also be the only thing that can save G.I. Joe at this point, since the toyline can't find its footing (and given how popular "military" games are.)

[rtattles]

I kind of doubt that My Little Pony will still be around in 20 years, or Hasbro, or even physical toys- everything is going electronic. And who knows, that might actually benefit My Little Pony and similar brands in the long run, as kids want to collect as many characters as possible for their video games (think Skylanders and Pixar Disney Infinity.)

In any case, current market forces don't excuse the absolute laziness of the G4 toyline- tiny ponies, identical poses, paper accessories, awful QC, and expensive sets that force you to buy identical ponies just to get newer ones (okay, that last one isn't lazy so much as greedy, but they could have been less blatant about it.) The early non-Mane 6 ponies didn't even have their own box-art- just obvious recolors of the distinctive Mane 6. If not for the fact that it's backed up by a good show with a staff that actually puts effort in its work (even if it isn't everyone's cup of tea) the line would have probably just faded out on its own after a couple of years. As it is, the pony sections in the stores near me are shrinking- it's like there isn't even enough truly "new" product to keep the short attention spans of contemporary kids whose parents might only be able to afford the basic brushable line, not all the gimmicks and overpriced sets. There's a difference between a need to turn a good profit and just not putting any effort into something, relying on brand name and an outside creative team to move just enough product to meet a short term goal- that's the vibe I get from the G4 line, and it's why I'm even turning to G3 now just to get a "new" (for me) pony fix.

Wow Star Spark you hit the nail on the head!!! That's exactly the point. Despite current market forces, the MLP products are coming off as lazy and sloppy. A bit more effort wouldn't kill Hasbro, considering now that they have the backing of Bronies and the general collecting community. More revenue should translate to better products, not the feeling that Hasbro couldn't care less.  I haven't seen single packaged ponies around in a lot of stores. I don't want to shell out crazy prices for playsets and either do I collect the larger fashion styles that are costing between $26-34. The whole line is boring me toy wise, even the blind bags because even those are starting to have more and more repeats.

I always get the impression that no matter how well MLP does, the staff in Hasbro will never show it the attention it deserves because it doesn't carry the "cool" factor, and they are actually ashamed of being associated with it, just like the time in 2008 when I attended the Pony Fair. The Hasbro employees treated collectors like we're freaks. I won't say ALL the employees, but most of them do. Either that, they're temp staff so they really don't know what was going on.

[Al-1701]

I always have this image of some jerk in Rhode Island gnashing their teeth and snarling, "Damn those little ponies.  Why won't they die?"  Some of their business decisions only make sense with that assumption.

The thing is, if they don't like the lack of the "cool" factor, why keep MLP a slice of life brand?  Why not take it all the way back to its high fantasy roots?

[Bellevi]

I haven't bought a G4 in months. The last one I purchased was Sunset Shimmer and the next one I plan on buying eventually is a loose G4 Minty from eBay. But other than that, I'm bored with them. I'm just not interested in buying any of the Core, "only this time, so-and-so has glitter hearts on her and tinsel in her hair!"

The Funko vinyls don't really interest me, either. I'm not very interested in buying ponies based off of ponies from this new show, y'know? I want a pony just for the sake of a pony, like Lily Lightly or Waterfire!

But, hey, it leaves me with more money.

[G4Sweeties]

Even as a big G4 fan, I still have lots of complaints about the line. To me a dream line would have the diversity of G3 and the awesomeness of the show, and overall make it more fun! Its always a nice dream for me because the G4 toys are so cute! And then the MLP line will dominate over all other inferior toylines and rule the world. All shall submit to our adorable pony overlords *queen bonnie and princess lauren faust are heard evilly cackling in the background*

[partypony566]

I kind of doubt that My Little Pony will still be around in 20 years, or Hasbro, or even physical toys- everything is going electronic. And who knows, that might actually benefit My Little Pony and similar brands in the long run, as kids want to collect as many characters as possible for their video games (think Skylanders and Pixar Disney Infinity.)

In any case, current market forces don't excuse the absolute laziness of the G4 toyline- tiny ponies, identical poses, paper accessories, awful QC, and expensive sets that force you to buy identical ponies just to get newer ones (okay, that last one isn't lazy so much as greedy, but they could have been less blatant about it.) The early non-Mane 6 ponies didn't even have their own box-art- just obvious recolors of the distinctive Mane 6. If not for the fact that it's backed up by a good show with a staff that actually puts effort in its work (even if it isn't everyone's cup of tea) the line would have probably just faded out on its own after a couple of years. As it is, the pony sections in the stores near me are shrinking- it's like there isn't even enough truly "new" product to keep the short attention spans of contemporary kids whose parents might only be able to afford the basic brushable line, not all the gimmicks and overpriced sets. There's a difference between a need to turn a good profit and just not putting any effort into something, relying on brand name and an outside creative team to move just enough product to meet a short term goal- that's the vibe I get from the G4 line, and it's why I'm even turning to G3 now just to get a "new" (for me) pony fix.

I totally agree.....and seriously the paper accessories?!?!? PAPER?!?! Hasbro has gone right down hill.....never had that in my day of G1s.... *grumble*

[Al-1701]

There was also the odd defect in the wedding set where the central column was too short.  My only assumption is they translated the measure from inches to centimeters by multiplying by 2.5 instead of 2.54.

[Violet CLM]

G3 Puzzlemint came packaged with a video game. I wonder how well she sold, compared to other ponies released around the same time.

[moonflower]

I too am bored with G4 and have not bought one for a good while, I think the last pony I bought was Wysteria. I like the ones that I have (mainly MOC singles) but nothing that has been released recently has interested me.
I like unique characters so the same 6 ponies released over and over again is boring. The boxed character sets take the fun out of collecting too, I'd rather the characters be released separately so I could collect them not buy them all at once.

G3 Puzzlemint came packaged with a video game. I wonder how well she sold, compared to other ponies released around the same time.

I don't have a definite answer but going by the fact that mine was heavily discounted I would say Puzzlemint didn't sell very well, at least in the UK.
visitors can't see pics , please register or login