One of those big collections for sale right now is by a player from our store.

He has a baby on the way in November. Our store shifted the night to Friday nights and he can't make Fridays. Plus he play a lot of Marvel Dicemasters. So he made the decision to focus on Dicemasters.

Lost another player about 3 months ago who said X-wing was his 2nd game and he was quitting because the new waves were actually coming out too fast and he was annoyed that before a wave was out people were already working on the meta for how to beat it with the next wave.

I would assume that any game system has a certain percentage of players that just leave due to life circumstances, and it has nothing to do with their opinion of the actual game. Or maybe it does, for example, 5% of any games system leaves it each year because they don't like it anymore, and that number goes for all game systems. So there isn't really a problem. And that is what I believe is happening here.

We don't have any actual statistical data on any game systems player retention rates. So this is all conjecture.

Not interested in conjecture or assumptions. I'm looking for reasons from the folks selling as to why they are selling. Or conversely if you are staying for life, then why are you doing that?

One of those big collections for sale right now is by a player from our store.

He has a baby on the way in November. Our store shifted the night to Friday nights and he can't make Fridays. Plus he play a lot of Marvel Dicemasters. So he made the decision to focus on Dicemasters.

Lost another player about 3 months ago who said X-wing was his 2nd game and he was quitting because the new waves were actually coming out too fast and he was annoyed that before a wave was out people were already working on the meta for how to beat it with the next wave.

So it's a combination of the three most likely reasons cited in the OP. Thank you kind sir for your input.

Some data points:

I once gave away my entire (Wave I, at the time) collection to my nephew because I couldn't find a gaming group. I have since repurchased all of those ships (and much more) and have joined a large X-Wing group.

I'm a member of the Portland (Oregon) X-Wing Facebook group. I've seen maybe four or five collections for sale there since summertime. One guy said he didn't have time to play any more because he was a new father. One guy liked the game but couldn't find a gaming group in his area. The others didn't give an explanation.

I know a guy who is also getting out of the game because he's a new father.

Two guys in our group sold their stuff because of financial hardships -- they needed money right now, and they knew people would buy X-wing. Unfortunately, I don't have info on what other games they play. Surely they didn't just stop gaming cold turkey. But it makes sense that if X-wing is still growing it would probably be the most lucrative to sell that one.

Id say, with this Season of X Wing coming to a close with World's, some players might feel that they have hit a high point in their X Wing career. With the 2014 year full of exciting Store Championships, Regionals, and Nationals, having to start all over next year might not sound as fun, especially if you didnt do as well as you had hoped/expected. Not being as good at the game as you wanted to be might be enough motivation to move onto another game, especially if you won't have many more chances to test your skill. Not everyone can make it to the remote location of Minnesota, after all. At least, those are some reactions I have seen from people who have sold or are considering selling the game.

So babies tend to be the most popular reason atm. Which I completely get. But I thought it was interesting that a player was put off by the speed of releases enough that it influenced him to not keep his collection. That's kind of a common sentiment here in Denver as well. I've spoken with folks that just don't want to keep up and feel like they can't be competitive because of it. So they quit. I'm not one of those folks but hey, nobody is wrong here.

I am only tossing out guesses here, as I am NOT quitting X-Wing! Quite the contrary, I am ALL IN!

Some reasons people quit the game is simply the lack of a good gaming group and people to play with. I picked up some models from a guy who was THE only player with X-Wing stuff in his area and everyone was borrowing his stuff to play. When the next game of the month came along and no one had interest in X-Wing anymore (fools), he had a lot of X-Wing models he wasn't using. So someone not having a strong community, and no drive to help to build on, end up getting out of the game. I can not tell you the number of CCGs I have sitting around that I have never played because no one else was interested. I should dump those some day...

Then there are the rage quitters I am sorry to say. My Wave 2 list doesn't wreck face any more, I don't want to play anymore. This is sad, but I am sorry to say it is true. I have not really seen that here in the forums, though. Most folks here seem to all on board and love the game, but there simply are those people who do not like change and with each new wave and expansion, the game changes.

Some folks quit a game because they have no more passion for the game and something else has captured their attention. I had something similar coming from 40K to X-Wing. I was 8 years into 40K when the game took a direction that made me start looking for a new game to love and enjoy. I could see someone in post Wave 4 deciding this game was going in a direction they don't like and bailing. I wouldn't, but I could see someone doing it.

Id say, with this Season of X Wing coming to a close with World's, some players might feel that they have hit a high point in their X Wing career. With the 2014 year full of exciting Store Championships, Regionals, and Nationals, having to start all over next year might not sound as fun, especially if you didnt do as well as you had hoped/expected. Not being as good at the game as you wanted to be might be enough motivation to move onto another game, especially if you won't have many more chances to test your skill. Not everyone can make it to the remote location of Minnesota, after all. At least, those are some reactions I have seen from people who have sold or are considering selling the game.

Are you saying that the lack of competitive tournaments is making some people consider quitting? Please elaborate.

People selling off their rebels so they can dive into scum at 0 personal cost.

Funny you say that when two Rebel ships can easily be adapted into Scum with the Most Wanted Pack. That doesn't really seem to hold much of a candle considering it's still at least 2-3 months away.

I am only tossing out guesses here, as I am NOT quitting X-Wing! Quite the contrary, I am ALL IN!

Some reasons people quit the game is simply the lack of a good gaming group and people to play with. I picked up some models from a guy who was THE only player with X-Wing stuff in his area and everyone was borrowing his stuff to play. When the next game of the month came along and no one had interest in X-Wing anymore (fools), he had a lot of X-Wing models he wasn't using. So someone not having a strong community, and no drive to help to build on, end up getting out of the game. I can not tell you the number of CCGs I have sitting around that I have never played because no one else was interested. I should dump those some day...

Then there are the rage quitters I am sorry to say. My Wave 2 list doesn't wreck face any more, I don't want to play anymore. This is sad, but I am sorry to say it is true. I have not really seen that here in the forums, though. Most folks here seem to all on board and love the game, but there simply are those people who do not like change and with each new wave and expansion, the game changes.

Some folks quit a game because they have no more passion for the game and something else has captured their attention. I had something similar coming from 40K to X-Wing. I was 8 years into 40K when the game took a direction that made me start looking for a new game to love and enjoy. I could see someone in post Wave 4 deciding this game was going in a direction they don't like and bailing. I wouldn't, but I could see someone doing it.

So I played WH40K for 20 years. I hated the direction the game was taking. Then x-wing, and the rest is history as they say. I would say that while the design space in x-wing is shifting as the game grows it hasn't shifted the way WH40K has. Maybe it will in time, but can we say that it's direction has drastically changed since it's release? I agree with everything you said, I just don't know if I'm playing the same game that some of these folks are. To me it's still the same game just with more moving parts. When I left WH40K it wasn't even the same game I started playing in the 90's. Have you had anyone tell you that they quit/are quitting because of the direction the game is taking?

Id say, with this Season of X Wing coming to a close with World's, some players might feel that they have hit a high point in their X Wing career. With the 2014 year full of exciting Store Championships, Regionals, and Nationals, having to start all over next year might not sound as fun, especially if you didnt do as well as you had hoped/expected. Not being as good at the game as you wanted to be might be enough motivation to move onto another game, especially if you won't have many more chances to test your skill. Not everyone can make it to the remote location of Minnesota, after all. At least, those are some reactions I have seen from people who have sold or are considering selling the game.

Are you saying that the lack of competitive tournaments is making some people consider quitting? Please elaborate.

Too much time, effort, and money just to get smacked around again in Minnesota in November.

See: Aging professional athletes on crappy teams.

I'd reply but I'm afraid of getting yelled at from the OP.

Id say, with this Season of X Wing coming to a close with World's, some players might feel that they have hit a high point in their X Wing career. With the 2014 year full of exciting Store Championships, Regionals, and Nationals, having to start all over next year might not sound as fun, especially if you didnt do as well as you had hoped/expected. Not being as good at the game as you wanted to be might be enough motivation to move onto another game, especially if you won't have many more chances to test your skill. Not everyone can make it to the remote location of Minnesota, after all. At least, those are some reactions I have seen from people who have sold or are considering selling the game.

Are you saying that the lack of competitive tournaments is making some people consider quitting? Please elaborate.

Too much time, effort, and money just to get smacked around again in Minnesota in November.

See: Aging professional athletes on crappy teams.

I think you are talking about attending worlds, not quitting the game? I'd make the trip if I could but not being able to make it doesn't make me want to quit the game. Or are you saying the people who don't win are like aging athletes and should quit playing? I'm a bit confused by your response...

I'd reply but I'm afraid of getting yelled at from the OP.

I know, right? Asking folks to read is so oppressive!

You think you're in sometimes. I was really into magic. This game sucked me away from that. I'll probably get back to it though. Looks fun again.

Id say, with this Season of X Wing coming to a close with World's, some players might feel that they have hit a high point in their X Wing career. With the 2014 year full of exciting Store Championships, Regionals, and Nationals, having to start all over next year might not sound as fun, especially if you didnt do as well as you had hoped/expected. Not being as good at the game as you wanted to be might be enough motivation to move onto another game, especially if you won't have many more chances to test your skill. Not everyone can make it to the remote location of Minnesota, after all. At least, those are some reactions I have seen from people who have sold or are considering selling the game.

Are you saying that the lack of competitive tournaments is making some people consider quitting? Please elaborate.

More that, the 2014 season is coming to a close. I might expect to see people leave the game around this time every year. The reasons being:

A) Starting the whole Store Champ, Regional, Nationals process all over seems daunting.

B) Tried their best this season, but didn't win anything significant or had a hard time competing with the Top players. At that point they would rather put time into something that might provide more satisfaction (another game, career, becoming a famous musician, starting a family, all sorts of things that can add satisfaction in life).

Not that I am quitting. But these sort of topics were discussed when I was talking with players who were considering quitting or already did, and I can certainly understand them.

Id say, with this Season of X Wing coming to a close with World's, some players might feel that they have hit a high point in their X Wing career. With the 2014 year full of exciting Store Championships, Regionals, and Nationals, having to start all over next year might not sound as fun, especially if you didnt do as well as you had hoped/expected. Not being as good at the game as you wanted to be might be enough motivation to move onto another game, especially if you won't have many more chances to test your skill. Not everyone can make it to the remote location of Minnesota, after all. At least, those are some reactions I have seen from people who have sold or are considering selling the game.

Are you saying that the lack of competitive tournaments is making some people consider quitting? Please elaborate.

More that, the 2014 season is coming to a close. I might expect to see people leave the game around this time every year. The reasons being:

A) Starting the whole Store Champ, Regional, Nationals process all over seems daunting.

B) Tried their best this season, but didn't win anything significant or had a hard time competing with the Top players. At that point they would rather put time into something that might provide more satisfaction (another game, career, becoming a famous musician, starting a family, all sorts of things that can add satisfaction in life).

Not that I am quitting. But these sort of topics were discussed when I was talking with players who were considering quitting or already did, and I can certainly understand them.

Thanks for clarifying

There's also a strange phenomenon that grabs some gamers that they can't seem to cope with more than one game in their life at a time. Personally, I fail to understand this, but it does exist. People buy all the gear they need and play for a while, and when something newer and shinier comes along, they feel they have to sell everything to enable them to dive into the new game. They would rather invest in something completely than build up slowly. I suppose it's impatience. They're so keen to get into a new game, that they'd sell their grandmother to buy enough gear for it.

I'm somewhat of a gaming "hoarder" - I've never sold anything in 35+ years of gaming and not likely to start either.

Veteran groups have a way of chasing players away. They are so serious and hardcore about the game. They don't realize that they are often and subconsciously chasing players away who don't want to take the game as "seriously" as they do. I am sad to report, yet in no way surprised, that this possibility hasn't even crossed the minds of people here. The vicious cycle basically goes: 1) Game grows 2) Hardcore players establish a good old boys club that ends up being purposefully or coincidentally exclusionary 3) People leave the caustic environment and 4) The good old boys club wonders why the game is dying.

Folks, if this game dies, the environment on this board will be partly to blame. Choose your paths carefully. This game is ripe for a self destruction. I've seen it before under very similar circumstances.

How can you help? Be NICE to new players. You may know oodles more than them. But if you aren't NICE to them, they walk, and then you have no castle to be king of.

I took a look at the lots and most of them are selling their ships at mid retail you could pick up the ships for cheaper at a few different websites. I am not saying that all the lots are that way but there are also some that are way above retail too. I think its just people trying to make some money personally or buying and selling ships so that in the end they end up with a free collection.

It's not really about the cost, so much as the fact that people are selling at all. If you were selling yours at a mark up to finance a 'free' fleet for yourself then I'd be more likely to consider this a viable reason for the glut of collections.

What I was getting at was that most of the lots being sold are selling for more than $12 a model. I can pick up a model for $10 at several sites and if my purchase is over $100 it has free shipping. I can purchase models for $12 locally. If I was selling a collection to get out of the game I wouldn't be selling it for retail which is what alot of the lots on ebay are doing. One of the "collections" being sold is all new in box. So my point is that not all the x-wing lots are collections being sold even if they are advertised that way. and that only one of the 5 I looked at appeared to be anything more then to make a buck.

One player I know said he is selling his x-wing to buy into Armada.

I don't see any of these large collections you say are flooding the market on ebay, there are none.

One guy sold all his stuff because of a moment of financial stress. Another guy (whom I bought a few ships from) was just getting into a different game.

It's hard to know what is going on without actually knowing some macro numbers, which we don't have, other than a glimpse of FFG's sales figures, which they presented at GenCon. Of course, that gives us the picture of X-Wing being a massive success, though that's exactly the message that FFG would want us to hear at that venue.

The thing is, like some other people have mentioned, more people selling off their stuff does not say anything about the net migration in/out of the X-Wing-playing community. How quickly those collections for sale get bought up, and at what price, would give us better indicators. Still, it would not say anything about the reason.

C'mon gents, read the OP. All of this was covered.

If someone is selling their collection....I doubt they would be hanging out in this forum. So they either needed the cash or moved on to another game/hobby.

very simple.

OP-

I am close to selling off all my x-wing. Not enough time to play, and its becoming an expensive game to collect SINCE (and only since) I rarely if ever play.

Same for Star Wars LCG, LOTR LCG, and a host of other games.