Will MLP survive the next few years in it's current form?

[Empress Celestia]

Hasbro are losing money hand over fist. In fact, about the only things Hasbro are making money on is MLP and its video game business. I think that Hasbro will stop making toys and turn MLP into an internet based franchise like Moshi Monsters. Do you agree?

[Dreamer]

No if they want to cater to kids.
I mean, Moshi Monsters, Club Penguin, Neopets and other sites like this are webpages for little kids, right? But they still ask for money to get virtual upgrades. I think most parents will prefer to spend money on real toys rather than a 'silly bunch of pixels'

[ponycake]

Do you have, like, something to back up that claim? I would have thought they were doing well.

[Vulpy]

I thought sites like Neopets and Moshi Monsters had physical toys that you could buy, then "transfer" into the game. Like those Furby Boom eggs with the scanny code thing. (<<< Totally the real name)

I can see Hasbro going that route with the blindbags, but I'm not sure about the brushables.

[Dreamer]

I thought sites like Neopets and Moshi Monsters had physical toys that you could buy, then "transfer" into the game. Like those Furby Boom eggs with the scanny code thing. (<<< Totally the real name)

I can see Hasbro going that route with the blindbags, but I'm not sure about the brushables.

Yes, they have, but (at least in Neopets, I don't know anything about Moshi) some of them also take virtual money with no physical toy, like the Neo Cash and the clothes you can buy with it. And most plushies don't arrive to other countries, like here. I've never seen one, and I'd really like to get one (not for the 'transfer' thing, but because they are so cute)

[LittleSpiffy]

Hasbro are losing money hand over fist. In fact, about the only things Hasbro are making money on is MLP and its video game business. I think that Hasbro will stop making toys and turn MLP into an internet based franchise like Moshi Monsters. Do you agree?

Where did you read that they're losing money?

[Empress Celestia]

Hasbro are losing money hand over fist. In fact, about the only things Hasbro are making money on is MLP and its video game business. I think that Hasbro will stop making toys and turn MLP into an internet based franchise like Moshi Monsters. Do you agree?

Where did you read that they're losing money?

It's in Hasbro's own profit reports! As I said before, the only Franchise that is making Hasbro money is MLP. But a toy company can't rely on just one franchise!

[Dreamer]

What about Transformers?

[Empress Celestia]

What about Transformers?

No, Transformers (and Hasbro's boy toys in general) are the poorest performers! If Hasbro ditched the boys lines of toys they would stand a much better chance.

[LittleSpiffy]

Hasbro are losing money hand over fist. In fact, about the only things Hasbro are making money on is MLP and its video game business. I think that Hasbro will stop making toys and turn MLP into an internet based franchise like Moshi Monsters. Do you agree?

Where did you read that they're losing money?

It's in Hasbro's own profit reports! As I said before, the only Franchise that is making Hasbro money is MLP. But a toy company can't rely on just one franchise!

http://investor.hasbro.com/results.cfm

I'm not seeing where they're losing money hand over fist...

[hathorcat]

Nah...

Hasbro are not loosing money - I think a lot of people read the top lines issued by analysts [or people who dont know what they are talking about] and make assumptions from those without actually reading the details. There are plenty of business websites and publications and blogs which you can get accurate information on Because something goes down [negative growth] does not mean it makes a loss, it usually just means it makes less profit.

Every company goes through ups and downs; especially product heavy companies like toy mass market toy manufacturers. The girls toy line has done better than ever in the last couple of years, the boys toy line has dropped a little [but actually recovered towards the end the of the year] and its its games brands remained consistently the strongest and most popular in the market. A company can not always grow in every market, it has to except contractions on occasion and then grow again [hopefully each time growing a little bit more]. Doing that is something Hasbro are very good at - its the reason their lines go through generations and so many have been about for decades - the line does well, it grows, then it starts to contract, the line is retired, redesigned and then released again with a forward push and so on. Right now Hasbro makes money on all of its lines - if it didnt, it would retract, redesign and then relaunch them.

However its still a 4 billion $ gross company and last year profits were around $30 million mark - maybe not Apple or Google but still pretty impressive in a very competitive market. Sure, last year Lego, finally over took Hasbro as the worlds 2nd biggest and most profitable toy brand but many would say its inevitable that Lego will go on to pull in Mattel as well [in fact last year it made more profit than Mattel just not more gross turnover]. Thats Legos phenomenal world take over than anything Hasbro have done.

I am sure as styles and trends change over the years, Hasbro will have more and more online or direct customer engagement channels, however good old fashioned "hold them, touch them" toys? They are not going any where soon - sure kids have ipads and kindles now, but its human nature to "play" with something other than a screen.

Now, will there always be MLP? Hmmm...thats hard to say. I would say for certain G4 is not its last incarnation - its too popular just to shelve it and I am sure G5 will turn up at some point in the next decade or so. But whether in 30 years we will be celebrating 50 years and G8, who knows. There has been a desire by children to play with toy animals and horses forever - dolls representing animals have been found at prehistoric archaeology digs - and I dont see that innate desire disappearing for no reason. Therefore, be it MLP or something a little different I am sure animal toys are around to stay. We can all just hope those animals are colourful little plastic ponies.

[Empress Celestia]

Hasbro are losing money hand over fist. In fact, about the only things Hasbro are making money on is MLP and its video game business. I think that Hasbro will stop making toys and turn MLP into an internet based franchise like Moshi Monsters. Do you agree?

Where did you read that they're losing money?

It's in Hasbro's own profit reports! As I said before, the only Franchise that is making Hasbro money is MLP. But a toy company can't rely on just one franchise!

http://investor.hasbro.com/results.cfm

I'm not seeing where they're losing money hand over fist...

Well, Hasbro certainly aren't in good shape, are they? I have a friend who works at Hasbro's European headquarters in Stockley Park, West London ( I myself only live about 15 minutes away) and she's been told to expect heavy job losses either late this year or early next year!

[LittleSpiffy]

Hasbro are losing money hand over fist. In fact, about the only things Hasbro are making money on is MLP and its video game business. I think that Hasbro will stop making toys and turn MLP into an internet based franchise like Moshi Monsters. Do you agree?

Where did you read that they're losing money?

It's in Hasbro's own profit reports! As I said before, the only Franchise that is making Hasbro money is MLP. But a toy company can't rely on just one franchise!

http://investor.hasbro.com/results.cfm

I'm not seeing where they're losing money hand over fist...

Well, Hasbro certainly aren't in good shape, are they? I have a friend who works at Hasbro's European headquarters in Stockley Park, West London ( I myself only live about 15 minutes away) and she's been told to expect heavy job losses either late this year or early next year!

I am not seeing anything in their quarterly reports that show that they are in any type of financial trouble.

[hathorcat]

I detailed everything in my previous post but why would you think they are in a bad way? There has been no profit warnings on them and no other signs of any problems. I would suggest you read the investor report and a few other business blogs first.

Also as a note you mention MLP are the only franchise they are making money from. Not the case. There is more to the girls line that just MLP - in fact one of their major sellers last year and their biggest growth was into the doll market. And thats not just EQG a massive push for them has been their One Direction dolls.

[CrazyCatPony]

I see a small drop in sales but the economy that buys all their toys is still trying to recover and all they toy companies reported less sales during the holidays than previous years. I see no trouble. Just the normal up and down.