should Hasbro be capitalizing on nostalgia?

[Broken Irishwoman]

Haha, well it was the 80's.

[Gator]

Well, here in the states the have a multi-state lottery called Powerball.  It's well over $300 million.  I'm going to win this Wednesday evening, and even though there's those people here who don't want G1 back, I'm going to Hasbro and pay to back and produce a G1 movie  in the animation style of Midnight Castle/Katrina.  Even if they don't want to release it because of competition with the G4 movie, at least I'll have it for me! 

Ok, I can dream, right?

[Leave a Whisper]

Well, here in the states the have a multi-state lottery called Powerball.  It's well over $300 million.  I'm going to win this Wednesday evening, and even though there's those people here who don't want G1 back, I'm going to Hasbro and pay to back and produce a G1 movie  in the animation style of Midnight Castle/Katrina.  Even if they don't want to release it because of competition with the G4 movie, at least I'll have it for me! 

Ok, I can dream, right?

If your gonna dream, dream big.

[Al-1701]

I think children would go right for G1 ponies done in the G4 mold.  They would be new ponies to them.  And I think even people who had forgotten specific ponies would recognize them if they saw them.  It would make Hasbro money to do it, and help expand the variety of toys.  However, they don't see the need.

Really, I would like a Wind Whistler with hair that will stay pink.

[Sunset]

Gator, I love the artwork in your sig!  Did you do it?

[Gator]

Sunset, yes, it's my favorite of my own pony art.  It's the B'Loon Family Christmas.

[Wardah]

I would rather G1 molds because they can get used for customs.

[Sunset]

I would rather G1 molds because they can get used for customs.

That is an excellent point.  Wouldn't it be nice if they offered a blank g1 on their site the way they do G3?

[Carrehz]

I would rather G1 molds because they can get used for customs.

That is an excellent point.  Wouldn't it be nice if they offered a blank g1 on their site the way they do G3?

ohhh, that would be awesome! I'd love that.

[Leave a Whisper]

I think children would go right for G1 ponies done in the G4 mold.  They would be new ponies to them.  And I think even people who had forgotten specific ponies would recognize them if they saw them.  It would make Hasbro money to do it, and help expand the variety of toys.  However, they don't see the need.

Really, I would like a Wind Whistler with hair that will stay pink.

Uck no!

Post Merge: June 05, 2017, 06:10:48 PM

I would rather G1 molds because they can get used for customs.

Yes this. What's the point of having G1
/2/3 if it's not done in its own style.

[princessluna11706]

I'd be happy with any G1 release really, whether it's in the G1 or G4 mold.  I'd just be happy to get something.

[scarletjul]

I would love some of the old toys to come back.  Honestly, the retro Strawberry Shortcakes are awesome even when sold with the new dolls.  Something like that for ponies would be incredible.

Funny thing is the retro Strawberry Shortcake dolls actually did better than the new style dolls. At this year's toy fair there was no sign of any new dolls in the new style (and sadly it seems the Sweet and Sour Grape Sisters were dropped) but there were a few new retro style characters.

I was actually going to bring this up.  The original Strawberry Shortcake dolls sold on the toys and less on the characters, IMHO.  Adults who had them as children are roughly the same age as those who had G1 ponies (my older sister had both an original SSC doll and Glory.)  They'd remember having the dolls now, just like they'd recall having ponies.

The retro SSC dolls seem to sell well, at about $10 a piece.  They are well made and beautifully packaged.  They don't seem to suffer at all for the fact that you can easily get the originals on eBay for about the same price.

I think Hasbro could benefit from doing something similar.  A small subset of G1-esque ponies, maybe a playset or two (like the Showstable) and see how it goes.  I honestly think people would pay for it, and not just the G1 collectors out there.

[glitterball]

I agree - an official G1 blank or blanks (unicorn, pegasus, earth in their prettiest poses), ready for customisation would be an absolute treat! Oh, I guess it's just a pipe-dream, though *sigh* 

Thank goodness for the Genie range! (Not that I would want to customise these new pretties!) 

[Motion-Paradox]

Maybe?

I think part of the issue is that really there are two pony fanbases with more overlap than you'd first think and with the older generation one it's difficult to make something that would be well received since opinions on what would be best are so varied. Some people want G1 Ponies in G4 molds, while some would only want G1 Ponies if they were exact replicas of the original down to the plastic's texture, while others wouldn't want replicas to avoid new collectors being confused (or in a couple of cases because they're worried it would devalue the older ones), and some want new Ponies in the old style. Not to mention the prices on toys tend to be a bit sticky and even with the discounts of mass production, a G1 Pony as they are would cost much more to make now than it did back then and creating a premium product is a bit of a gamble so they'd have to find the right place to sell it. Even though there's the fact that Hasbro is doing quite well with the current generation, I'm not sure the G4 fandom being bothered by having G1 Ponies slipped in would create that big a problem (Some of the comics already have very clear ones, especially the issues Amy Mebberson worked on) and it seems more that the people who notice it would be alright with it and the ones who wouldn't typically don't know the older characters that well (either way, G4 fans automatically disliking the older series isn't quite as big as it used to be)

In a way I think it's a bit like what happened with Rainbow Brite where they've done a few rebooted series and they've tried doing a re-release of the original a few times, some times it was unsuccessful and this time it's done well, but it can be difficult to predict when re-releasing the old version will pay off. I think that's why they're releasing the miniature ones attached to books and things like that; they know there's some interest, but it's difficult to find the best way capitalise on it without ending up boxes of large ponies going unsold.

[Carrehz]

I think that's why they're releasing the miniature ones attached to books and things like that; they know there's some interest, but it's difficult to find the best way capitalise on it without ending up boxes of large ponies going unsold.

Those weren't made by Hasbro, though; they were licensed and made by Running Press. (The Dollymixes were also licensed, fwiw) So I don't know if that much thought was put into them, heh.