Now I am concerned about G5’s future

[Steve Piranha 29,424]

Maybe most of you found out Hasbro is cutting about 20% of their workforce. That’s never a good sign. And also, has anyone seen pony toys as of late? Makes the lack of any 3D horse news this upcoming year sound more grim than we hoped for 

[Octavian 5,421]

I don't know what the new kiddie media/toy meta is, but in the UK G5 has practically no penetration as far as I can see. One part of this is the world and the characters - it's not just me, my sister's kids who are girls and loved FiM do not like Sunny and co even after trying pretty hard to get them to like them (they can't even remember their names). While branding and media presence is part of that, I can't help but think the characters don't pop quite as well as the FiM 6 do, and I think that was Faust's gift which just isn't there for Gen 5.

The other part is that there's so many kiddie streaming platforms, and while Netflix's offering is pretty good, it's not like being on Sky, so the media saturation that FiM managed to get isn't there. The fragmentation is kinda worrying... my own TV consumption has become 90% youtube and BBC iPlayer despite having netflix and owning a sky box and a freeview box. I don't even know how you create a kid animated series like FiM in this environment

anyhoof, G5 is being created in a completely different environment to G4. I'm pleased at what it's achieved overall, but it can't be a G4

[Iforgotmybrain 5,666]

I think the majority of the cuts occurred to the DnD team and Wizards of the Coast team. Definitely feels like Hasbro isn't exactly in a great place right now.

50 minutes ago, Props Valroa said:

I am concerned about G5 not having a 3D show like MYM or some large long running show like FiM did. I'm sorry, but you can't run a successful generation on TYT only.

Yeah without MYM or a show of similar length I feel like G5 is just going to end up completely dying out. You can't do proper overarching stories or even proper character development with just 5 minute long shorts. TYT was already the weakest link with G5 imo. I guess they could try doing full length episodes of TYT but idk, even that wouldn't solve some of the other issues TYT has like the art style just... not being very unique or inspiring. It looks like every other CalArts style, bean mouth show.

[Misty Shadow 7,867]

Definitely some awful news, though this isn't happening because of a pony problem. This is happening because the toy market's in a bad place right now with people just not buying toys anymore as a result of the economy being absolute trash. I still always see pony toys on shelves too and I don't think Hasbro is going to stop making toy-promotion content, something that has lately been proven to be capable of being extremely successful, over this.

[Fluttershutter 2,455]

Yeah, everything's always super iffy and minute to minute with tv shows these days. 

[SharpWit 2,647]

It's a shame for those who've been hard at work, and the road going forward. Hopefully they can successfully move on to other companies and projects, and we don't see too much of a discontinuation or loss in quality for Hasbro's current roster.

I've been wondering about the state of G5 because I've seen fewer toys and a return of some products like children's books, merch, and diapers.

Shirt recently seen at local Target.

With the news of Spike returning I decided to watch a few clips. As someone who hadn't seen any G5 content as of yet, I was not impressed by MYM or TYT.

From what little I saw, both series need smoother animation, better character design, especially for the dragons, less disjointed voice acting, and better writers. The feeling I took away was that these series are halfway between something belonging on Nick Jr. and Planet Sheen.

[heavens-champion 1,905]

Does this mean we won't be getting more of G5?

[Steve Piranha 29,424]

1 hour ago, heavens-champion said:

Does this mean we won't be getting more of G5?

That’s the thing, we only know of Tell Your Tale upwards 2025 at most, but nothing about more 3D horses, and the lack of toys doesn’t help 

[Steve Piranha 29,424]

Well, after further reflection… I’m still not to positive about G5’s future, but the toy industry in general has been struggling, not just ponies. I understand Hasbro is aware of it, and among their plans, they are trying to turn it around, by investing among them: Transformers and ponies. That shows they at least have enough faith for ponies. Still, that doesn’t take away the fact hardly any pony toys can be seen lately 

[Moonlight 7,286]

i just think g5 has been extremely underwhelming to me and lots of others. i rarely see pony merchandise for it and most of my friends that liked FiM think g5 (mainly make your mark) is hideous to look at and feels like a baby show. i know some kids in my family also do not care about sunny or the rest of the group at all, they'd much rather rewatch FiM instead. idk.

[Misty Shadow 7,867]

13 hours ago, Steve Piranha said:

Well, after further reflection… I’m still not to positive about G5’s future, but the toy industry in general has been struggling, not just ponies. I understand Hasbro is aware of it, and among their plans, they are trying to turn it around, by investing among them: Transformers and ponies. That shows they at least have enough faith for ponies. Still, that doesn’t take away the fact hardly any pony toys can be seen lately 

Only concern for me is not much new stuff, probably because Make Your Mark "ending" is going to make things very different for marketing. My nearest super Wal-Mart was completely sold out of pony stuff when I went there the weekend before Christmas and my Target only put one pony toy on clearance after Christmas, the Opaline Wing Surprise toy. 

[WickedGames 240]

Apparently Hasbro has been caught using A.I for foreign dubs of Tell Your Tale 

[Misty Shadow 7,867]

56 minutes ago, WickedGames said:

Apparently Hasbro has been caught using A.I for foreign dubs of Tell Your Tale 

There's no proof of this right now whatsoever, only speculation. I've even heard that the Brazilian VA for Pipp was replaced with another VA. 

[Steve Piranha 29,424]

42 minutes ago, Misty Shadow said:

There's no proof of this right now whatsoever, only speculation. I've even heard that the Brazilian VA for Pipp was replaced with another VA. 

Regardless, it’s a clear sign things ain’t so hot right now . Still, problems are pretty broad, and I understand Hasbro is seeing ponies as one of their main pillars in these trying times. I mean, there are 900$ gold horse necklaces for crying out loud 

Edited January 13 by Steve Piranha

[Evil Pink One 13,506]

What if all the VAs are actually AI andbwe just dont know about it

[AlbaTross 1,586]

My predictions for G5 going forward:

Zipp will retake my number 1 spot from Misty, as character development will cease even for the latter, and Zipp is inherently more interesting when all ponies are equal on the character development front.

G5 will finally be able to be G5, and not be held back by any of that forced G4 stuff that makes zero sense, and has no benefit for either series!

Being a purely 2D series will mean that instances of things cut or happening off screen due to concerns with having to animate them in 3D will no longer be an issue.

The Mane Six will become a Mane Seven.

A lot of things will be rushed due to having to fit into a series of five minute shorts, with a refusal on the show's producers to do multi-part episodes.

The four alleged longer episodes will allow for a few key plot moments to be carried out in a somewhat less rushed capacity.  However, they will still be insufficient.

The viewer base will diminish due to fans losing interest.  

Season 2 will be the last season of G5.  

[Evil Pink One 13,506]

What future? Badump tsss!

[TransitPony 238]

I too am concerned for G5. I recall seeing one of the G5 characters at a supermarket, and that's it. G5 is getting little to no recognition when it comes to the wider media space. I've been looking at MLP stuff online latley, and there's still G4 stuff selling out like crazy (ex. a Discord pin). Also (since it's been 4 and a half years since G4 ending), FiM has noticiablly had a bigger impact on pop culture when it comes to MLP. Everyone and everything still remember the names of the Mane Six, but it's like if you ask someone about G5, the answer would be "Izzy Moon-what?" At a meetup I attended, I had a talk with a social worker and she told me all the autistic kids she's worked with like Rainbow Dash when I told her I had autism. 

[Rafa Stary 2,991]

On 2024-01-12 at 9:19 PM, Misty Shadow said:

There's no proof of this right now whatsoever, only speculation. I've even heard that the Brazilian VA for Pipp was replaced with another VA. 

They changed the VAs for everyone in that dub (at least for all the characters that have appeared in this season so far) in the first one all the voice actors from ANG returned to their roles (the same in MYM), here they all changed and are new, i'm definitely no expert in dubs, but for me, the general quality of the dub in this season sounds to be inferior compared to the first season, it sounded even a bit amateurish to me, not saying that the voice actors were incompetent or anything like that, but to me it's really weird.

_______________________

Also, my general thoughts on the topic's subject is something I've repeated here multiple times in different topics, I think this became too repetitive so I hope this is the last time I talk about it.

The success of G4 was an anomaly that shouldn't have happened, a lot of things in the first half of 2010 allowed this to happen, G5 will not repeat that.

I don't know much about what's going on behind the scenes, but I can feel that G5's dubious reputation has a lot to do with poor administration by the Hasbro teams + the changes in the industry in general.

1-G4 ran through an entire decade (I guess Pony Life counts???) 10 years is a lot and enough to make fans and the general public stick with the characters of that specific generation in their heads, get rid of these characters and part of the hype vanishing is guaranteed. The MCU left aside the Avengers after 10 years, they want their children to take the lead (sorta), the results haven't been good.

2-G5, on its 2D side, opted for a less authorial artistic style that displeased many, and even those who got used to it like me, think it's not very interesting, on its 3D side, it's not bad, but it's also nothing surprising, 3D kids cartoons exist for years, Paw Patrol is going on for a decade and it's still a sucess amongst its target audience. Lauren Faust's designs for G4 were fundamental for the series sucessand was a watershed for a series that has always followed the same artistic pattern, fans and people in general still associate that style to MLP overall, G5 is inspired by it but the lack of creativity made it be very lackluster and old news. The 3D doesn't help as it limits the range of working with varied world elements.

3-As the years go by, children lose more and more interest in toys. The episodes of the show are officially uploaded to Youtube because that's the easiest well to make kids have acess to these characters, they watch it, want the toys. But TV and Youtube aren't the same, and the viewing numbers aren't bad but they could be better, and don't forget the livestreams, compare the numbers of viewers watching the official Paw Patrol lives treams with the numbers watching the MLP ones.

4-The multi-media spread: streamings are taking over cable tv. We are introduced to G5 in a movie on Netflix, then we have it's continuation in 2D silly shorts on Youtube, then we have a 3D show with storytelling more similar to that of the movie, only on Netflix. That's really confusing and doesn't help the audience, because all of the three are supposed to be canon. FiM/G4 started with a TV show and the TV Show remained as the main content to the end. Equestria Girls was a spin off with its own separate story and we only got to see a movie 7 years later, a movie that also isn't very necessary to be watched for you to understand the general story (the Hippogriffs are later explained in the series if I recall), so FiM and G4 was very linear and easy to follow up to, G5 started in a movie and from it derives 2 series with completely different formats and styles.

5-I don't see anyone talking about the games .

In short, the G5's problems are not entirely Hasbro's fault, without a doubt this company and the series itself fell victims of the changes made to the industry, but Hasbro, when creating this generation, threw banana peels on which themselves slipped, resulting in this, a generation that even if I and other people like it, from what it has shown it will just be another installment in this franchise that over time will lose more and more of its relevance, mlp cannot impress anymore and maybe Hasbro acknowledges that.

Many franchises are going through bad times this decade, MLP seems to be part of that group. G4 took years to lose its popularity, G5 in just 2.5/3 years already seems to show signs of wear and tear. I can only see MLP being a hit again if they reboot G4 and do a lot of fanservice, but maybe not even that would work, some franchises failed recently even by delivering strong fanservices. For me, the franchise is destined to return to the niche popularity it was before G4, G4 will continue to be the only source of discussion for fans for many years, decades, maybe for eternity. I think we should be glad G4 happened and at the right time.

Edited January 19 by Rafa Stary
Correct wrong information about dub

[BritishBrony2012 809]

In Equestria Daily, heard MLP Make your Mark in Netflix on it last chapters, but hope it just not true. Guess it not popluar as G4, G4 lasted cos of bronies and some dislike G5, but Tell Your Tale wll be main focus, is it hard to make 3D up to 9, not into Tell your Tale. Not happy what what going on.

[WickedGames 240]

On 2/4/2024 at 7:18 PM, BritishBrony2012 said:

In Equestria Daily, heard MLP Make your Mark in Netflix on it last chapters, but hope it just not true. Guess it not popluar as G4, G4 lasted cos of bronies and some dislike G5, but Tell Your Tale wll be main focus, is it hard to make 3D up to 9, not into Tell your Tale. Not happy what what going on.

I think 2025 will be the end of G5

[Rafa Stary 2,991]

If it was confirmed that TyT will continue into 2025 but not after it, and the contract expires also in the 2025, then I think it's super safe to assume that G5 will indeed end next year, now what comes after it...I believe a G4 reboot is the most obvious to expect, if G5 couldn't be a success like G4 then it's very easy to believe that they want to go back to what worked, they love money.

Edited February 16 by Rafa Stary
Extra info

[WickedGames 240]

46 minutes ago, Rafa Stary said:

If it was confirmed that TyT will continue into 2025 but not after it, and the contract expires also in the 2025, then I think it's super safe to assume that G5 will indeed end next year, now what comes after it...I believe a G4 reboot is the most obvious to expect, if G5 couldn't be a success like G4 then it's very easy to believe that they want to go back to what worked, they love money.

I’m sure most of Tell Your Tale for 2025 is being worked on now right?

[Rafa Stary 2,991]

14 minutes ago, WickedGames said:

I’m sure most of Tell Your Tale for 2025 is being worked on now right?

Depends on what you specifically refer to as what they might be working on, animation-wise I highly doubt they started anything, but now script-wise or planning, maybe there's a chance, I don't know how long Season 2 is goign to be, but using Season 1's length as reference, I believe Season 2 might end around Fall 2025, specifically in September or October.

We're still in Early 2024 so there might still be a lot for them to do, remember that there are the 22-minute length Specials planned, and they don't have a 3D show anymore, that means they'll need to use TyT to tell the big stories, they can't skip stuff anymore, so due to that this Season could be much longer than the first one.

It's hard to estimate it actually, if they really want to finish Season 2 before 2026 then I believe they'll need to always keep a weekly schedule for the episodes, there were multiple one/two weeks hiatus during Season 1's run. But maybe the lack of a 3D show will help them, the late Season 1 episodes spoiling MYM chapter 6 pretty much proves that they had the TyT episodes completely done at least a month prior to the MyM ones.

I think they have the animation and recording for at least 10-14 episodes in pre-production per-week, that said, I think they already finished the pre-production for the first 10 episodes of this Season and they're now working on the next 10 eps (11-20) and this pattern will continue til the end of the Season, but that's just speculation.

[WickedGames 240]

14 minutes ago, Rafa Stary said:

Depends on what you specifically refer to as what they might be working on, animation-wise I highly doubt they started anything, but now script-wise or planning, maybe there's a chance, I don't know how long Season 2 is goign to be, but using Season 1's length as reference, I believe Season 2 might end around Fall 2025, specifically in September or October.

We're still in Early 2024 so there might still be a lot for them to do, remember that there are the 22-minute length Specials planned, and they don't have a 3D show anymore, that means they'll need to use TyT to tell the big stories, they can't skip stuff anymore, so due to that this Season could be much longer than the first one.

It's hard to estimate it actually, if they really want to finish Season 2 before 2026 then I believe they'll need to always keep a weekly schedule for the episodes, there were multiple one/two weeks hiatus during Season 1's run. But maybe the lack of a 3D show will help them, the late Season 1 episodes spoiling MYM chapter 6 pretty much proves that they had the TyT episodes completely done at least a month prior to the MyM ones.

I think they have the animation and recording for at least 10-14 episodes in pre-production per-week, that said, I think they already finished the pre-production for the first 10 episodes of this Season and they're now working on the next 10 eps (11-20) and this pattern will continue til the end of the Season, but that's just speculation.

I’m sure the script and voice acting is starting to be worked on for the 2025 episodes

They were working on the A New Generation film script and voice acting wise I believe 2 years it was suppose to be released