MLP:FiM Megathread: Does anyone even watch this show anymore edition

[Cloudane]

Bronies ?
Yay! Thank you mods

I'm trying to avoid this big spoiler but have a feeling it's going to be difficult to.
Something becoming official that involves the pony mentioned... hmmm..... I think I have a fair idea, but will see for the time being. My idea is something that would make for a special in the toy range, so yeah.

Edit: So yeah, it's all over the internet and literally impossible to avoid. Alright then. I'll still use spoiler tags for those who wish to continue with the futile exercise

(SPOILER)I have no huge problems with the idea of Twilight becoming a princess and alicorn, if done well. The show is about friendship, and I'm sure the question of whether she'll continue hanging out with her friends will be well addressed. Unless Tara Strong is looking to move on or only do guest appearances of course, but this seems to happen a lot less with VAs than actors on camera.

What does worry me though is this
http://i.imgur.com/x61o52Z.jpg

It's not that Twi's becoming a princess as a thinly veiled way to sell more toys (which happened with her suddenly gaining a brother out of nowhere so they could do the wedding sets) which I don't mind so much because they need to make money and can seem to weave things into the story reasonably.

It's not even that they're completely canning Derpy (oh well.)

It's that Hasbro are apparently meddling more and more heavily, against the wishes of those who make the show. That is a bit concerning. What makes this show appealing to bronies is a wonderfully magic but extremely delicate formula (so delicate we struggle to define exactly what makes it so good), and it'd be very easy for a bunch of out-of-touch suits and bean counters to mess it up.

The biggest concern I have is the rumours flying around that season 4 will feature humans.
I know G1 did, but that's the point I think, G1 didn't bring us bronies :P
I think part of the appeal IS the lack of humans, be it an escape from the ugliness of humanity that really hits people of a "brony age", or the fact that the ponies' ages are quite ambiguous and therefore easier for people of all ages to relate to. Put in a little girl like Megan again and it has a danger of being about a specific age group again.
Which may be what Hasbro wants, I don't know. Maybe they want to shake the "creepy bronies" thing. Just got to hope this is all just pessimism and cynicism talking.

Edit 2: But on this final point I'm now overreacting and jumping to conclusions plain and simple, based on a rumour that it turns out was created from some extremely tenuous links between one of the anonymous employee's sentences and some trademark stuff. Ignore me. Surely they wouldn't put humans in. If they do though that's not to say it's all game over.
I just happened to wake up from a bad dream this morning and I think it put me on a negativity track :P