The player base has shrunk significantly. When a game is popular, the opposite happens.
What can FFG do to rebuild the player base?
The player base has shrunk significantly. When a game is popular, the opposite happens.
No need to speak to me like I'm a moron. Maybe we can discuss this like gentlemen, yes?
Well my argument was that, given more events and some interesting expansion releases, a bit more life could be given to the game's community. Since you're debating me on that point, you must disagree with me. Now I hear you saying that it has hit its wall and can grow no more. I really don't buy that. First off, I don't think ANY of us know any actual numbers as to the player-base for this game. We have a couple of lads leave from our group and we think "OH NO! This game is dead!" when that's not the case at all. Of course there will be less people now then when it started (keeping in mind that was only a year and a half ago) but that happens in I would say 95% of games ever released. As for me and my home town, it's done nothing but grow. Of course it's no Magic, but VERY VERY few games are. Just because it doesn't pull in Magic numbers doesn't mean it's in trouble or no one plays. It means it's "normal". All of that said, all we can really do is continue buying the expansions and spreading the word, because ultimately that's what it comes down to: how passionate the player-base is. If it is, then the players will be out promoting the game, setting up non-sanctioned/sanctioned tournaments, and just generally getting more and more people to play. If the players aren't passionate they'll just sit there, buy the packs, and watch as the players start dropping like flies while they go to the forums and start complaining about declining player-base. (And I promise that last statement was not directed at you "INtheSHadowplay". You may be the biggest go-out-there-and-promote-the-game supporter that has ever existed, for all I know)
Wasn't trying to debate you or insult you, bro. Sorry if it came off that way. I buy every expansion set and love the game. When I first got into it, I was blown away that there were so few people playing it. I live in a large city too, so I figured that wouldn't be the case. Me and my girlfriend play almost every day, it's definitely a top-notch game. I come from the Star Wars CCG days, where Decipher was the king of being involved with their players and the game itself. It's quite a contrast with how FFG handles it. I would love for the game to catch on and become worth driving hours and hours to play at a regional or fly across the country to play at Worlds. Unfortunately, I just don't see the advantage of taking work off, driving for hours, playing against (hopefully) 15 or 20 people, driving back, etc.I just look at it from a realistic point of view. There are pockets where there are 20-30 players weekly, but the pockets are few and far between. I totally want to see FFG pick up the slack and help their own game grow (I really don't know why they can't wrap their heads around this... more players=more money=more Star Wars LCG and repeat). They seem to have fixed their delayed release of product problem, so that's a step in the right direction. Again, didn't mean to come off short with you or anything.
Hey, no problem. I just can't stand when internet forums turn to...well internet forums. Yes, it does have to be a mutual relationship. The players AND manufacturer. And I agree that It seems like in this case that the players are doing all we can. That goes back to my original post though, FFG needs to get some more tourneys, playstyles, and whatever else they can to energize the players to get more and more people to come out to the events. While they do have top-notch production quality, I also agree with you that they could get a little more involved like Decipher was.
Decipher days, where I lost every game and still felt like a winner after every tournament. Ah, to be 13 and chubby again.
There was an article over a year ago about the topic of LCG success. Much of the analysis was anecdotal, but I do recall reading that an LCG has the most players upon release. That is not to say the game doesn't attract new players over the course of its life, but that the number of new players is little more than a replacement of players who have quit the game, on a national (perhaps international) scale.
So a whole venue may abandon the game and another venue going strong picks up an equal number of players. But overall, the number is shrinking just because of the nature of the LCG beast.
It doesn't help that FFG refuses outright to create a real Organized Play department. Say what you will about WizKids or WIzards of Coast - and trust me, I can say plenty about both of them - but their cream-of-the-crop games continue to draw crowds to the tournament scene, which is what in turn keeps the casual player base stocked with product.
The player base has shrunk significantly. When a game is popular, the opposite happens
The player base was never big, but I see zero evidence that it's shrunk.
This has some interesting points. I've basically stopped playing, myself, since I have no one to play with IRL, and I just don't feel motivated to use OCTGN for some reason. It's a shame. I do enjoy the game, but...I don't know.
Back on the OT.
I think like others have said a player base database would go a long way. Just let stores register and list their game nights somewhere on the official website.
I know our meta has grown from lows around 3-4 (highs 7-8) to lows around 7-8 (highs 10-11) in the past 6 months. So that's great to see. Hopefully it keeps rolling.
The player base has shrunk significantly. When a game is popular, the opposite happens
The player base was never big, but I see zero evidence that it's shrunk.
It has here, no one plays it anymore.
It is all Netrunner or AGoT.
The player base has shrunk significantly. When a game is popular, the opposite happens
The player base was never big, but I see zero evidence that it's shrunk.
It has here, no one plays it anymore.
It is all Netrunner or AGoT.
Netrunner is king everywhere, of course. As for AGoT, I hear that people play it around here although I've rarely actually seen that happen.