It is late 2002 when rumors begin circulating about the return of MLP. Then in mid-January '03, License magazine publishes an article containing Hasbro’s perspective on the new line and some of the new pony names and playsets. Prototypes for the toys begin showing at several worldwide toy shows. In February, www.mylittlepony.com goes live and prototype pictures are posted in press releases and on Hasbro’s sites. By March, more prototype images are being found and there are rumors circulating about a possible movie. A special, super rare version of Pinkie Pie (with modified symbol) is given away at the 2003 Licensing show. April proves to be a tense month as collectors scramble for news about the new ponies. A new book line is already being listed on book sale sites. This would be the third time MLP has been introduced to the toy market; collectors would refer to the new line as G3 or the third generation.  In early May, a handful of lucky collectors receive new ponies as gifts from Hasbro. This would be the first glimpse of new ponies in the flesh, so to speak. Collectors would learn that the new ponies have symbols only on one side of their body. Hasbro indicates that there is a points program of some kind in the works. Collectors share their thoughts with Hasbro on making special runs of collector edition ponies using old characters and old molds (nothing came of this, but it was discussed). By the end of May, ponies begin to show up at independent US retailers. June brings with it a flood of ponies to local US toy stores. Special Numbered Ponies (50 of each) are auctioned on eBay to promote the new line. Part of the proceeds goes to help build playgrounds for kids. Ponies would arrive next in Australia. Special 2-Packs with brand new, never before seen bonus ponies would surprise collectors before the end of June. Some would even speculate that they were fake (though they turned out to be legit!). The often-talked about Season Ponies are found in Spain for the first time and confirm that ponies have now hit parts of Europe. Ponies arrive in the UK by July. The A Charming Birthday video is discovered as a special in-store promotion. The Pony Points Program scheduled to start on August 1st is delayed until August 12th and is available only to US residents. Collectors rush to get their points in first so that they can receive the exclusive Dazzle Surprise pony. It takes 13 weeks for the first shipment to be sent out. New commercials begin airing in late August and feature a short computer-animated segment. Exclusive plush ponies are found in Australia. Heated debate begins when a strange prototype appears on several Euro Hasbro sites. The image shows a pony with a Celtic Triskel symbol in Kimono's box; yet no pony like this exists in the 2003 lineup (she shows up in 2004 as Toola-Roola). In September, Canadians are allowed to participate in the points program. Licensing Show Pinkie Pies begin popping up at random Toys R Us stores and Hasbro confirms this is an error (only a handful of people were able to find her on the shelf). Several characters are reissued in brand new poses when the second wave of ponies is released. Sales are more than expected and the brand has been well-received. Hasbro is pleased with its success (as are a lot of happy collectors). The first G3 unicorn is spotted in a French comic, though she is not an official character of the line. Rumors of unicorns and pegasi coming out in 2004 persist. The wait for the movie goes unrewarded as its release is pushed back to sometime in 2004 (even then, it did not come out in 2004). The new products for 2004 started coming out in December, some which included baby ponies!