Sep. 02, 2014 9:35 PM
Beyblade has always followed a weird trend. It gains mass popularity upon release, eventually gets a powered up version and then immediately goes into hiding for a few years. It has always been like this, and I believe it will stay this way unless it becomes an evergreen brand.
Towards the end of the plastics generation, we got the Heavy Metal System, which was essentially just an upgraded version of plastics. It added more weight to the overall bey itself, and provided a better system for customization. However, HMS wasn't around too long before Beyblade went into hibernation for the next three years.
In 2008 we saw the release of Metal Fight Beyblade. Sure, we consider this as an entirely separate system, but it's easy to see that it is just an evolved version of the Heavy Metal System. The Bit Protector was changed to the Face, the Attack Ring became the Wheel, and the Running Core was split into two parts, Track and Base. The Weight
Disk was no longer needed as the Metal Wheel was, of course, made of metal. One year later it was upgraded even further and became the Hybrid Wheel System, which split the Wheel into two parts, the Clear Wheel and Metal Wheel. Metal Fight Beyblade eventually became 4D, splitting the wheel into more parts.
Towards the end of the MFB generation, we got Zero G, which promoted mode changes, something that was formerly restricted to specific beys. Zero G lasted for about another year, and then Beyblade went into hybernation again.
The reason why Beyblade goes into hibernation every few years is clear, and is a very effective strategy. It gives people time to forget about it, and it allows the designers time to take a break and come up with more creative designs. By the time Beyblade makes it's return, it has a system which is much better than the last, and is treated like a hero coming back from war in terms of sales.
If Beyblade follows the same strategy as it did during the last hiatus, it should return in Japan in either 2016 or 2017. Just as the Heavy Metal System was a sort of "preview" of Metal Fight Beyblade, the same could be said about Zero G; It is also likely a "preview" of the next generation.
Going by this information, I ask you this: What do you think we will see in the next generation of Beyblade?
Towards the end of the plastics generation, we got the Heavy Metal System, which was essentially just an upgraded version of plastics. It added more weight to the overall bey itself, and provided a better system for customization. However, HMS wasn't around too long before Beyblade went into hibernation for the next three years.
In 2008 we saw the release of Metal Fight Beyblade. Sure, we consider this as an entirely separate system, but it's easy to see that it is just an evolved version of the Heavy Metal System. The Bit Protector was changed to the Face, the Attack Ring became the Wheel, and the Running Core was split into two parts, Track and Base. The Weight
Disk was no longer needed as the Metal Wheel was, of course, made of metal. One year later it was upgraded even further and became the Hybrid Wheel System, which split the Wheel into two parts, the Clear Wheel and Metal Wheel. Metal Fight Beyblade eventually became 4D, splitting the wheel into more parts.
Towards the end of the MFB generation, we got Zero G, which promoted mode changes, something that was formerly restricted to specific beys. Zero G lasted for about another year, and then Beyblade went into hybernation again.
The reason why Beyblade goes into hibernation every few years is clear, and is a very effective strategy. It gives people time to forget about it, and it allows the designers time to take a break and come up with more creative designs. By the time Beyblade makes it's return, it has a system which is much better than the last, and is treated like a hero coming back from war in terms of sales.
If Beyblade follows the same strategy as it did during the last hiatus, it should return in Japan in either 2016 or 2017. Just as the Heavy Metal System was a sort of "preview" of Metal Fight Beyblade, the same could be said about Zero G; It is also likely a "preview" of the next generation.
Going by this information, I ask you this: What do you think we will see in the next generation of Beyblade?