Ponyarchive just Received a Cease and Desist Message...

[TheColtofPersonality]

I guess I can understand them taking down the archives, because that was a way for people to download, keep, share episodes for free. Eventually Hasbro might have a loss that way. Youtube, on the other hand, doesn't involve any downloading, so viewers aren't getting anything 'to keep', and makes much more sense as a marketing device. Therefore, although the Ponyarchive thing doesn't worry me too much, the fact that some Youtube channels have been taken down worries me more. Before we said it was trolls, but with this message being sent, who's to say?

Also, keeping the archive up was a stupid idea in my opinion, and that idiotic response they sent only made it worse. We definitely don't want to start a war here.

This whole thing seems ominous. It makes me anxious for the future of ponies, and more specifically for people like me, outside of the US, who would happily buy episodes from iTunes if only they were able...

Well as mentioned there are ways around to downloading things from youtube.

Personally I dont abuse it that much.

[Astalakio]

Well as mentioned there are ways around to downloading things from youtube.

Personally I dont abuse it that much.

Well, yes... I was trying to skirt around that

[TheColtofPersonality]

Well, yes... I was trying to skirt around that

I know, but if anyone wants to know how look it up.

Downloading stuff from youtube is easy if you know how

[Astalakio]

I know, but if anyone wants to know how look it up.

Downloading stuff from youtube is easy if you know how

Be cool, dude, be cool.

You never know who's reading >.>

[FrankT]

Now I've heard everything... they really ARE cracking down! But I've got nowhere else to watch them! This truly is the end of my days as a Brony!

[Astalakio]

Now I've heard everything... they really ARE cracking down! But I've got nowhere else to watch them! This truly is the end of my days as a Brony!

There will always be places you can find episodes. Just Google it. And there are still multiple channels on Youtube putting episodes out at this point. Let's not lose our heads so soon.

[FrankT]

When are those DVDs even going to be announced?!

[Seaspray]

Hi Everypony,

I think if this C&D is real then Hasbro management have said enough-is-enough. With their upcoming DVDs (and hopefully Blu-Ray) releases, they are doing the ground work now to stamp down on the biggest source of pirated content. Less competition == potentially better sales of products.

EqD posted this today about a new Marketing Manager position at Hasbro. it's interesting to see:

As a key member of our team, you will ensure the brand essence and all expressions of "anything My Little Pony" is consistent across platforms…and become a part of making the My Little Pony brand a pop culture phenomenon!

A pop cultural phenomenon? These people think big. I'm hoping perhaps better toys that reflect the actual TV show characters.

[Ashton]

You can rest assured that a Hasbro will happily accept any money so long as its green. Why would hasbro kill a profitable franchise? Because adults are buying their stuff? It makes no sense. There's no risk of MLP ever becoming a franchise solely for adults. Even if we outnumbered the child audience, the show got us watching to begin with doing what it's doing right now.

There's zero evidence at all that Faust was removed from anything. She says she quit of her own volition, and moreover, insists that her relationship with Hasbro was very good.

"No profit is better than somone else making profit"

A more common saying: "Profit is profit." The people running Hasbro just want to get rich, like most everybody else. They're not going to harm their own profit just to spite us. It's not in their best interests.

Hasbro doesn't have it in for us, they just feel that they can make more money selling episodes than giving them away.

Honestly, my comment was only partially about them taking down the archive... It's about the fact that Hasbro is well aware of how a specific series can reach many audeinces and be a cash cow (i.e. Star Wars - which they have numerous lisences to produce "adult toys" (NOT THAT KIND!!!) such as the ForceFX light sabers @ $100+ each and are selling well) However they dont offer us ANYTHING merch-wise... Think for a moment about the series and can you honestly say there is NO chacter/place/etc you'd like a high-quality model of? (in my case Dash performing her Sonic Rainboom and also Twilight+Spike in the baloon) No video games outside kiddy games (possibly a couple shovelware wii style game, cant find the info anymore) But I can see lots of options for a serious game from racing (3-D Pegasus racing) to a platformer, to an RPG (just look around at all the Final Fantasy image mods) I honestly can think of other 'non-kiddy' merchandise but at the moment I'm too distracted...

[Hippo]

Soo.. If one can't get the Hub, or the iTunes episodes because of geographical or media restrictions (or just will not accept Apple's crazy rules), they should not attempt to watch any episodes on Youtube and instead are out of luck and have to wait until the show will be franchise to a network in their location (hopefully) in Fall of 2013 (or if we are lucky, DVD of season one next year)?

Its a two way street. It is why Hasbro show allow the Youttube videos to at least stand so people can become or stay interested, I get the shutting down of Ponyarchives, but maybe Hasbro shouldn't bite the hand that will feed them by going after everyone.

There is a difference between YouTube bronies and PA's doing. I'm not saying people need to starve themselves of pony to avoid legal action. The people that are upset about PA's situation are the people that 'must' download itunes rips and torrent seasons at a time. Staying up to date with all of the episodes on youtube is certainly not abusing the internet nearly as much. PA is practically replacing any video releases of ponies that Hasbro issues. They've now come out with a couple single disc DVDs. Some people think they are cracking on the bigger download sites now that videos are being sold.

I really kind of wish that there would be a Hasbro rep that would just come out to the brony community and tell us what they want and then we can tell them what we want. A lot of this crap seems like it could be solved with a simple phone call.

Also, I was given this link by a PA's mod in reponse to 'what we should do'.

http://www.hasbro.co...rvice/contacts/

He suggested that we contact them and tell them what we want. I guess it's a start.

[flutterscotch]

Honestly, my comment was only partially about them taking down the archive... It's about the fact that Hasbro is well aware of how a specific series can reach many audeinces and be a cash cow (i.e. Star Wars - which they have numerous lisences to produce "adult toys" (NOT THAT KIND!!!) such as the ForceFX light sabers @ $100+ each and are selling well) However they dont offer us ANYTHING merch-wise... Think for a moment about the series and can you honestly say there is NO chacter/place/etc you'd like a high-quality model of? (in my case Dash performing her Sonic Rainboom and also Twilight+Spike in the baloon) No video games outside kiddy games (possibly a couple shovelware wii style game, cant find the info anymore) But I can see lots of options for a serious game from racing (3-D Pegasus racing) to a platformer, to an RPG (just look around at all the Final Fantasy image mods) I honestly can think of other 'non-kiddy' merchandise but at the moment I'm too distracted...

Hasbro doesn't really consider adults, no matter how numerous, as more than a fringe audience. I know this because I was at MLP fair both times when it was at Hasbro headquarters, and things to that effect were said. Internet fads come and go. The phenomenon of little girls being brought up to be interested in the confluence of things pink, brushable, and horses is a much more reliable bet. The fact that designer ponies and the pony blanks were released by Hasbro itself a few years ago was a HUGE deal, and people still thought it wasn't enough.

It'll be a third party that gets licenses that would be making those higher-end toys aimed at adults. Not Hasbro (Hasbro, in fact is the primary holder of the rights to the Star Wars toys, since they bought Kenner a long time ago, but Star wars has a much longer history of being more of a broad appeal than My Little Pony has. Especially since it was made to be a family movie and wasn't specifically aimed at children within a certain age range in its inception. Most of the truly kickass and clever Star Wars stuff isn't made with any kind of Hasbro/Kenner involvement). So maybe you should all talk to those companies like Funko and convince THEM that on-model ponies would be a big selling point. After all, those 3rd party companies approach the rightsholder to ASK for the license to make things for the most part, because they think they can make money selling a product outside of the scope of the official line.

[brianblackberry]

Scotchie is right about the toys or any marketable items; it will be done third party as licensed by Hasbro. Their Marketing department is going to continue to focus on the traditional audience; this is painfully obvious through the FiM merchandise they do release. Outside of that it is whatever fans create (that is how I received anything FiM related I own; through fans modding the original figures to look like the show).

I do hope they release the full seasons on DVD/Blu-Ray; which is pretty likely as most cartoon series are fully released on these platforms over time if seen as popular.

As for watching current episodes, Youtube is still around and there are channels who show them (a 30 second search will reveal any episode, in high definition). Even there Youtube is not the only video sharing site (Dailymotion, Veoh, etc), just by far the largest. As for people who feel they have to download episodes directly, that will always be an option as long as someone is willing to record the episodes on TV and upload them somewhere on the 'net. Yes I know that is illegal; I am just pointing out the obvious: This being the Internet, it is there for anyone to find with little relative effort. In short, your pony is still available whatever means you choose to watch.

In short:

[Astalakio]

Scotchie is right about the toys or any marketable items; it will be done third party as licensed by Hasbro. Their Marketing department is going to continue to focus on the traditional audience; this is painfully obvious through the FiM merchandise they do release. Outside of that it is whatever fans create (that is how I received anything FiM related I own; through fans modding the original figures to look like the show).

I do hope they release the full seasons on DVD/Blu-Ray; which is pretty likely as most cartoon series are fully released on these platforms over time if seen as popular.

As for watching current episodes, Youtube is still around and there are channels who show them (a 30 second search will reveal any episode, in high definition). Even there Youtube is not the only video sharing site (Dailymotion, Veoh, etc), just by far the largest. As for people who feel they have to download episodes directly, that will always be an option as long as someone is willing to record the episodes on TV and upload them somewhere on the 'net. Yes I know that is illegal; I am just pointing out the obvious: This being the Internet, it is there for anyone to find with little relative effort. In short, your pony is still available whatever means you choose to watch.

In short:

Now, how to get this message to every single brony who'll be put off by the idea of Hasbro clamping down... I'm thinking some sort of broad range telecommunication device.

[Kirby Krackle]

This is all fine and dandy for watching, but I use Ponyarchive for footage! Where the hay am I going to get 1280 X 720 Raws! No watermarks, or advertizements or anything.

[Dessa]

This is all fine and dandy for watching, but I use Ponyarchive for footage! Where the hay am I going to get 1280 X 720 Raws! No watermarks, or advertizements or anything.

iTunes? Or you could just pirate them, you monster.

[Ashton]

Hasbro doesn't really consider adults, no matter how numerous, as more than a fringe audience. I know this because I was at MLP fair both times when it was at Hasbro headquarters, and things to that effect were said. Internet fads come and go. The phenomenon of little girls being brought up to be interested in the confluence of things pink, brushable, and horses is a much more reliable bet. The fact that designer ponies and the pony blanks were released by Hasbro itself a few years ago was a HUGE deal, and people still thought it wasn't enough.

It'll be a third party that gets licenses that would be making those higher-end toys aimed at adults. Not Hasbro (Hasbro, in fact is the primary holder of the rights to the Star Wars toys, since they bought Kenner a long time ago, but Star wars has a much longer history of being more of a broad appeal than My Little Pony has. Especially since it was made to be a family movie and wasn't specifically aimed at children within a certain age range in its inception. Most of the truly kickass and clever Star Wars stuff isn't made with any kind of Hasbro/Kenner involvement). So maybe you should all talk to those companies like Funko and convince THEM that on-model ponies would be a big selling point. After all, those 3rd party companies approach the rightsholder to ASK for the license to make things for the most part, because they think they can make money selling a product outside of the scope of the official line.

Oh don't get me wrong - I'm not suggesting hasbro go whole-hog on this right now! But to release something that gives a clear message "we know about the bronies and see them as a potential market" and then, should they continue FiM past S3 and the bronies don't suddenly vanish (though at this point I think we've passed that point unless hasbro does something insanely stupid like killing off several mane characters) then I would expect to see more options. Some of us feel like hasbro is either ignoring or actively thumbing it's nose at us saying "we dont want adult viewers" (I do apologize for my poorly researched comment about Lauren Faust, I thought she was 'demoted' from exec producer to consulting producer by Hasbro, not by her own choice)

Though I do point out that it would not be a major 'risk' to change their current toy like to better coincide with the series (i.e. make the designs match) which would both show their acknowledgement of us and enlarge their market (I don't know about anyone else but one reason I've not bought a couple of the toys I saw is that it would take quite a bit of work to make it show-accurate)

On a related note, most of the greatest inventions were accidents, not planned. Hasbro should look at this properly: it is a risky venture, but if they win they will have a rather beefy cash-cow, and if they play it conservatively and lose, they will still likely be able to recoup all losses.

[Hippo]

I also considered the possibility that Hasbro is driven by a spirit of purpose in what the head CEOs even want. What is their goal? To make money? Yes, yes. But there's a reason why these guys decided to go into the toy industry other than to make money. Maybe Hasbro wants to reach out to girls with their MLP label and this 'crazy' demographic is of little interest to them, regardless of how much money they could be making. Not everything is dollars and cents to companies, and part of me hopes that they aren't selling to us because it's just not what they had in mind.

[brianblackberry]

I also considered the possibility that Hasbro is driven by a spirit of purpose in what the head CEOs even want. What is their goal? To make money? Yes, yes. But there's a reason why these guys decided to go into the toy industry other than to make money. Maybe Hasbro wants to reach out to girls with their MLP label and this 'crazy' demographic is of little interest to them, regardless of how much money they could be making. Not everything is dollars and cents to companies, and part of me hopes that they aren't selling to us because it's just not what they had in mind.

You make it sounds like there is something fundamentally wrong with us being fans. AS it would be somehow ethically or morally wrong to cater to the non-traditional audiences.

Really its about money. As big as the bronie community is (and it isn't that big), the target demographic is much bigger.

[Snowshoe]

I really, really hope that I don't have to turn to The Pirate Bay every Saturday to watch MLP. MLP is, in all seriousness, one of the few things keeping me from caving under the stress of Finals, and the thought of a new episode on the horizon is keeping me from getting depressed over how bad I'm doing in my classes. I would hate to have to torrent episodes because up here in Canada, at least here in Ottawa on basic cable, I don't get the Hub.

[brianblackberry]

I really, really hope that I don't have to turn to The Pirate Bay every Saturday to watch MLP. MLP is, in all seriousness, one of the few things keeping me from caving under the stress of Finals, and the thought of a new episode on the horizon is keeping me from getting depressed over how bad I'm doing in my classes. I would hate to have to torrent episodes because up here in Canada, at least here in Ottawa on basic cable, I don't get the Hub.

Just watch Equestria Daily or Derpyhooves on Saturday mornings, they always provide Youtube links.

[Snowshoe]

Just watch Equestria Daily or Derpyhooves on Saturday mornings, they always provide Youtube links.

Oh, I know. That's where I acquire them from. But if Hasbro CnDs Ponyarchive I can bet it'll be a matter of time before they CnD the YouTube episodes.

[DashieInTheDark]

This topic is still alive? As I see it, we've got two sides.

The: "I obey the law, so this does not affect me"

or

The: "I need Ponyarchive because I DO break the law but I don't know where else to go!"

If you're going to torrent them, just find another source. Otherwise, watch it on the HUB or iTunes. And if you say you NEED to torrent them, then liek I said. There are other options. So really, Ponyarchive's CnD really has no effect on us.

[Snowshoe]

The: "I need Ponyarchive because I DO break the law but I don't know where else to go!"

In an interesting twist, if we assume that this counts as downloading, this is totally legal for me here in Canada. I can download for free, just not upload.

[Xiee]

If you're going to torrent them, just find another source. Otherwise, watch it on the HUB or iTunes. And if you say you NEED to torrent them, then liek I said. There are other options. So really, Ponyarchive's CnD really has no effect on us.

Sure only problem is not all of us are in the US. So HUB and iTunes (which is locked per region)? I'm not a fan of torrenting either. So the most "legal" way for us who don't get the hub or the region locked iTunes content is to watch it of youtube, that is of course until Hasbro decides to shut those down as well. The live streams could be a solution but we're not exactly on the same timezones...

Now if they would release a complete season blu-ray/dvd-set I'd be all over that in an instant.

[brianblackberry]

This topic is still alive? As I see it, we've got two sides.

The: "I obey the law, so this does not affect me"

or

The: "I need Ponyarchive because I DO break the law but I don't know where else to go!"

If you're going to torrent them, just find another source. Otherwise, watch it on the HUB or iTunes. And if you say you NEED to torrent them, then liek I said. There are other options. So really, Ponyarchive's CnD really has no effect on us.

Watching pony episodes on Youtube doesn't break any laws actually.