mega thread The state of the Brony fandom (Numbers, Popularly, Future)

[silvadel 1,393]

A lot of the drama is past. 

 

There are fewer conventions with smaller numbers than there was at its height.

 

However there is a wide range of fics and arts and vids that people have made to choose from, and while they aren't being produced as rapidly as they once were, they still add to their numbers.

[They call me Loyalty 1,948]

It depends on the show's quality, at least on my personal perspective.

[backpon 320]

The fandom aint dying. It's just outta that crazy honeymoon phase of new shiny paint. As the seasons go on we become more comf with stuff. Chill. I was INSANE during my first year in the fandom. Now I've chilled out a ton

[trademark2 485]

   I can not speak for the fandom, but for me, my interest in ponies and bronies has dissipated, instead my fan activity has been with my original fandoms: furries and MSTies. After Zootopia was released, the furry fandom sprung to life, bring new art and imagination, I experienced with bronies in 2013, I also got my first fursona, I commissioned an artist and finally got it in November, my character connected me to other furries, on Google and Facebook, now we are in the process of becoming friends. Zootopia took up most of my attention in 2016, I forgot about season six of MLP, I missed the premiere and finale, as my interest in Friendship is Magic has lost much of its lustre. I was a furry before I was a brony, and I nearly left the brony fandom many times, because of creative differences and preferences I wanted from the show, ultimately I may actually leave the fandom, Zootopia came at just the right time, when MLP seemed to me getting stale, as the mane six have been developed over and over again, and much of Equestria was unexplored, so Zootopia became my new obsession, it has variety like settings and characters, it's creative and inspirational, and I was not the only one who recognised that, it has been fun to chat with furries on Google, this year I hope to meet them in real life, and go to a furry convention, this euphoria is exciting, sadly MLP does not excite me anymore, only time will tell if I can remain a brony, but to me it's no loss, I still have a good time as a brony, I am just moving on, finding new things and rediscovering my old roots.   

I am the opposite, I have been into the furry fandom and recently became interested in MLP lol! I hope you enjoy the furry fandom, fur cons are a lot of fun! But the thing with furcons is if you don't have a suit (and they cost over 1k) you don't really get to do anything interesting...

Edited January 10, 2017 by trademark2

[BlueStreak98 828]

I am the opposite, I have been into the furry fandom and recently became interested in MLP lol! I hope you enjoy the furry fandom, fur cons are a lot of fun! But the thing with furcons is if you don't have a suit (and they cost over 1k) you don't really get to do anything interesting...

I'm much the same as you, a furry turned brony. I'd disagree with the assertion that you can't have fun at a furcon without a suit, though I'm sure it depends on the size of the con, too.

[LunarShadow 397]

I don't think the fandom is really dying but it has slowed down considerably since the end of 2013 and sadly we have lost a lot of great artists. Many have moved on to other things either due  

to just lack of interest in the show anymore or not being inspired by MLP like they used to be. However not only that but you also have to consider the fact that MLP has been a thing for over 6 years and 6 years is a long time especially for the original Bronies. Alot of the original Bronies that made stuff for the fandom where still kids in school and had free time on their hands but as they graduate and move on to start their careers and families that can take a toll on their free time and ultimately there productivity within the fandom. We also have to acknowledge that Bronies are nothing new anymore. The hype and novelty of the fandom peaked in 2012 - 2013 and since then we have fallen from the spotlight as that "interesting new fandom that has been sweeping the internet". Due to that fact a lot of the hipsters and trend followers have moved on. The kids following MLP because they wanted to be different and didn't genuinely enjoy the show or its creative works have since left as well and honestly i don't think that is a bad thing. So overall we have declined but nowhere near enough to be considered dying. New members join everyday and new content is steadily made by the fandom. Will we reach 2012 levels again? Maybe not but this fandom is not going anywhere and you can bet we will all be around even after Hasbro officially ends MLP:FIM whenever that fateful day may be.

[Le Trotteur Sauvage 13,052]

is the brony fandom dying if it is that will make me sad since i just recently got fully into the community i have liked the show since 2011 but i just got into the fandom recently pls make me feel better by saying something positive i just feel like i missed so much and it really hurts inside my heart pls i need guidance thanks 

Every where I look I just see post like "uuuh mlp is dying" or "the fandom is loosing member" etc etc... Don't worry, the end of the show doesn't mean the end of the fandom and even if some people go, we'll be even more united than before ! We'll may be less but we'll be more close to each other.

And real fan never die. Remember that.

But I understand your fear I also hot in the fandom recently (January 2016) and when I saw that the fandom was loosing member I too was "anxious"

 

Anyway, don't worry, we are here !

[SBaby 660]

Given how much people still argue about the show on and off this site and post youtube videos and Facebook pages about it, I'd say no.

[Sovereign Leader Rarity 12,008]

Is this fandom dying? Ummmmmmmmmmmm,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,NO IT IS NOT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

I appreciate the concern, but the fandom is still going strong. Hell, the fact that all of these grown men and women are still here, discussing the thing that they are passionate about, shows that. I think that the fandom is going to be fine.

Edited January 15, 2017 by Rarity the Supreme

[Scrubbed user 3,416]

People were saying this in 2016.

 

And then 2015...

 

And then 2014...

 

And then 2013...

 

And then 2012...

 

This fandom has been around for over 6 years now. It ain't going anywhere any time soon.

[Seiya-Meteorite 22]

I don't think this fandom's going anywhere at all despite what I've seen some people claim (one person thought that because supposedly there were no new games and such, despite this new update for Rise of the Clockwork Stallions), I've still seen some great MLP artists upload stuff also online, more ones staying in than leaving. I'd also say if the movie is very successful, the fandom might rise again.

 

I think I've heard the whole rating thing only applies on TV, and the reason they've dropped is because people were more watching it online instead of TV, something that's been happening with recent Super Sentai seasons.

 

But I don't think the fandom's dying. I do want the show to have more adventure stories though instead of just being slice of life, and the only news from 2017 I didn't really like were with the toys, most of them don't look that good minus this:

Edited March 16, 2017 by Seiya-Meteorite

[Ziltoid the Omniscient 286]

I don't think it's dying. But it sure hasnt been as prevalent as it was 4-5 years ago. But back then was when I was heavily into it. So, I mean, I guess it could still be very active and I just dont know cause im not actively seeking out brony/pony related things as much anymore.

[Malcontent 196]

As long as we have one strong fan..we endure. Mlp is not just a fandom..it's an idea. 

 

An idea that cannot be destroyed through apathy ot the strongest hate. 

 

We aren't going anywhere.  

[FizzyGreen 909]

(This is maybe a little too theoretical now but!)

Consider this:

You exist in a moment. You sit on a chair. Once you move and stand up the you that sat on the chair is now dead and now only the you that stands exists.

But all this time you were alive.

 

I see it the same way with the brony fandom.

It's not how it was. The big hype, the people from back then, the early fandom ect. is long dead. Technically since 2013. Many people left. But also many joined the fandom and things have changed.

But it's still the Brony fandom in which all that activity is happening. So it's in no way dead.

 

It's in no way dying. No, still as active. You can still have a great time. But you also gotta do something to have a great time.

Engage in the fandom, interact with people, see stuff that is being created.
When you're active you're going to feel like it's alive as buck.

 

I'm talking from expierience and still struggle with taking action because that is one of my weaknesses. To say "Okay, imma do something." which is why, up until recently, never interacted with the fandom and felt like it's dead.

 

I mean, if you are dead, everything else sure seems dead aswell. 

Edited March 16, 2017 by FizzyGreen

[Tao 7,946]

Yes the fandom has gotten smaller a bit and slowed down in growth and we have lost some key pillars.  Yet also FIM has been around now for 7 years and that tends to happen in fandoms that have been here for a while.    Back in the days of old,  being a Brony  seemed to hit a note of being "different"  and got  a LOT of news feed and negative and positive  in both ways as it seemed to reach this high point in the media.   Also given many "hipsters" did also join for a while but pulled away to the next thing.   Also many might blame Faust for leaving MLP and it did drive away some fans in saying "OMG THE SHOW IS RUINED!"

 

But some of us did stay,  watch and wait and found something to still love in the fandom for ppl being who they are,  the creativeness and sharing and well ponies.     Also things slow down between seasons like in any fandom and once more we get a new season,  people come back and new and old once more join in the herd! 

[Violet_S 785]

naaaah! Dont worry your pretty little head about it I've been in this fandom for a long time and a LOT of people kept asking the same question, my answer has always been that even if the show ends the fandom will go on, same has happened with other fandoms as well. I know that I wont be going anywhere so at least you can count on me staying here XD But dont worry the fandom is not dying anytime soon  

[FizzyGreen 909]

But some of us did stay,  watch and wait and found something to still love in the fandom for ppl being who they are,  the creativeness and sharing and well ponies.     Also things slow down between seasons like in any fandom and once more we get a new season,  people come back and new and old once more join in the herd! 

Exactly.

 

When it comes to staying, all you mentioned is basically my life now.

Once my hype was 100% drained i thought about leaving. But i refused 'cause i saw the fandom was well alive and isn't going to end anytime soon just because i'm not active in it. And from then on MLP has bascially become the base of my life. Any hype i get just builds upon that.

 

And i'm never gonna leave. 'Cause why?

Why not have friends in a community about ponies?

Why not be part of a great community?

[Le Trotteur Sauvage 13,052]

The way some people get angry when it come to the "dying fandom" question always make me laugh ^^ Screaming and shit, writting comment in big red capital letters ^^
C'mon, they wory about the fandom don't scream at them

[LunarShadow 397]

Exactly.

 

When it comes to staying, all you mentioned is basically my life now.

Once my hype was 100% drained i thought about leaving. But i refused 'cause i saw the fandom was well alive and isn't going to end anytime soon just because i'm not active in it. And from then on MLP has bascially become the base of my life. Any hype i get just builds upon that.

 

And i'm never gonna leave. 'Cause why?

Why not have friends in a community about ponies?

Why not be part of a great community?

After the hype wore off i almost left aswell. That was way back in September of 2014. I eventually came back in December of 2015 after i watched saber sparks documentary and it reminded me of why i loved the fandom and show so much. Following that i binged watched all of MLP and was back in the game. I don't think i will ever be able to leave. Once the pone has your heart escaping the pone is futile. 

[Them's Seeing Ponies 282]

Not really, although as a fan since 2011 I can see a somewhat marked decline in a few areas (although nothing major). Sure, the brony fandom has​ lost the memetic status it enjoyed in its early days (mainly due to the somewhat divisive nature of the more recent seasons), but with sites such as this still consistently active, I see no major decline in fandom numbers, or liking for the show either.

 

On a side note, don't we have discussions en lieu of this almost every year since 2013?

Edited March 16, 2017 by Them's Seeing Ponies

[FizzyGreen 909]

After the hype wore off i almost left aswell. That was way back in September of 2014. I eventually came back in December of 2015 after i watched saber sparks documentary and it reminded me of why i loved the fandom and show so much. Following that i binged watched all of MLP and was back in the game. I don't think i will ever be able to leave. Once the pone has your heart escaping the pone is futile. 

True that 

It happend to me around the time i had my catholic conformation, and that should've been around 2014 

We might have had our crysises at almost the same time 

[Kaneki 1,073]

If it dies down, I'll be fine, but I'm still a fan of the show and will be for a while - made a lot of good friends here!

[Leave a Whisper 703]

If it exists, there is a fandom for it. This was just as true before the advent of the internet. There are fans of shows, books, movies, comics and various collectibles, many of which have been going on for decades. Will it have periods where it gets shoved quietly in the background? Most definitely.

 

Look, the MLP fandom has been going strong for 30 years. It's also one of Hasbro's most profitable franchises.

 

Compare that to GI Joe fans who haven't gotten anything new since the last movie, or Hasbro properties who fell by the wayside like Jem, which got a boxset, IDW comics, high priced dolls, rerun air time and a movie that universally pissed off fans.

 

But those fandoms are still chugging along.

Edited March 16, 2017 by Leave a Whisper

[Them's Seeing Ponies 282]

If it exists, there is a fandom for it. This was just as true before the advent of the internet. There are fans of shows, books, movies, comics and various collectibles, many of which have been going on for decades. Will it have periods where it gets shoved quietly in the background? Most definitely. But the MLP fandom will stick around for a long time because it's stuck around for 30 years and is one of hasbro's most profitable franchises. Compare that to GI Joe who hasn't gotten anything new since the last movie, or Hasbro properties who fell by the wayside Jem, which got a boxset, IDW comics, high priced dolls, rerun air time and a movie that universally pissed off fans. But the fandoms are still chugging along.

 

I guess you are correct in this assumption.

By the way, you the same Leave a Whisper from the MLP Arena? Being Deep Purple Crystal over there, it is interesting to see a fellow Arena member around here.

[Leave a Whisper 703]

I guess you are correct in this assumption.

By the way, you the same Leave a Whisper from the MLP Arena? Being Deep Purple Crystal over there, it is interesting to see a fellow Arena member around here.

Aloha and yes. *waves* I go by the same name on the MLPTP.