Something funny happened in 2015.....Fantasy Wargaming on Twitter died!.
Now I'm sure that there will be those who say "Pete, that's not true....it just as alive and well as it always was". But it's not. You are deluding yourselves.
The death of Fantasy Wargaming on Twitter began in late 2014. I'm pretty sure that you can tie the date to the release of "Nagash", the first of the End Times' books. Prior to this there had been a vibrant and international FW Twitter community. After this date the arguments started.
Was it "Official" or a "Campaign Supplement"? Did you have to ask your opponent's "permission" to bring 50% Lords to a pick up game or tournament? "TOs, what are you going to do?"
From there things just got worse. A brief lull while "Glottkin" got released and then along came "Khaine". Remember the Magic system and the variant lists. I went to Adepticon last year and all Elves had evolved into the Host of the Eternity King.
And Twitter raged.
The last two ET books were largely ignored though Archaon did introduce totally unbound armies. People by this stage were raged out....or so they thought.
It was early in 2015 that the first round bases were sighted. And then the Gates of Hell started to open....
The first half of 2015 was categorised by guess and counter guess as to what 9th would bring. Little did we all know, there was no 9th Ed. As 4 July 2015 drew closer, more and more information leaked (and/or was made up). I remember the first Twitter links to the Age of Sigmar PDF, quickly followed by the Warscrolls.
Four pages! No points! Twitter raged.
And then the Twitter schisms formed. Trolls trolled, then trolled some more. People bit and then feasted on the bait.
"Unfollow" was suddenly the new black. And a lot of us walked away.
I go back every now and then and have a look around but the Fantasy Wargaming community that was is no more. It's been replaced by splintered groups each following their respective interests be it AoS, Oldhammer, 8th, 9th Age or KoW. All are smaller than what there was.
Personally I started to leave at the start of 2015. I generally just used it to push blog content. Why? Well it is a horrible time trap and like wider world Twitter it was increasing becoming bitchy and populated by trolls (not me of course).
Still for awhile at least, if you were a Fantasy wargamer, Twitter was the place to be.
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Ah come on Pete - bit of a bitchy moan. Depending on what you're into, there is heaps out there. Just more smaller communities. Which is nice, because those groups are trying to see their game 'rise to the top' so are only full of positive love. A nice change to what most nerds are like - bitchy internet warriors.
ReplyDeleteSo although I follow less of the old crowd, my feed is full of more hobby than ever before (I only look at the pictures) along with some new names.
Remember: 'What is dead may never die. But rises harder and stronger.'
Henry.
You think it was a bitchy moan? I didn't really see it as that. I certainly didn't want it to come across that way.
Deletemy point was that late 2014 there was a vibrant international community for Fantasy gaming on Twitter....and I think that was lost to some extent by the GW actions in late 2014/15.
Twitter as a medium seems to be imploding these days. It seems to be a vehicle for outrage - normally on someone else's behalf - both real and faux.
There is just as much as their was, loads of new players for Age of Sigmar on Twitter for me to follow. My feed is still full all day.
ReplyDeleteThat's good to hear Brad. I wasn't aware AoS had found much traction in the USA so I'm glad for you there is an online community. Are Adepticon offering much for AoS gamers this year? Unfortunately I'm missing it this year - coming to the US in Summer instead :-) Hopefully be back next year for it.
DeleteAoS in NZ seems largely stillborn. That is because of the critical size of the gaming community - both tournament and garage - being small in world terms.
DeleteAussie and Europe also seem to lack traction.
Rhellion, I have seen the same on my feed. Full and lively and I have not unfollowed those who switched games. In fact I have picked up more followers playing AoS and I have not seen a decrease in my followers due to my love for AoS.
ReplyDeleteThat's excellent Steve. I always thought the vitriol was a waste of effort but Twitter is an easy outlet. Hobby is hobby and good hobby is excellent.
DeleteMy beef with GW was not about the change - they are a business and can make the decisions they want. Rather it was the manner of leaving scorched earth behind by blowing up a world some people had a 30 year attachment to.
My preference would have been for a 8.5/9 edition but it's let me discover KoW which I enjoy. My real excitement though is for Alessio's historical expansion later in 2016. So pumped for that.
That's an awesome piece of artwork above, poor impaled birdy:(
ReplyDeleteFirst image when Googling 'Death of Twitter".
DeleteI like it. Like to think of it as a Frost Phoenix
I hadn't really thought about it, but I think you're right, at least partially. Twitter for fantasy gamers might not be dead, but it seems badly wounded and fragmented. I unfollowed Bad Dice and Heelanhammer (very prolific posters of good stuff) because they were posting about something that didn't interest me, in the same way I wouldn't follow a Malifaux or Warmahordes feed. I wish them joy in their gaming, but don't want to read about it.
DeleteThe sad thing is the ructions of 2015 have severely reduced the volume of NZ Twitter posts, which I could relate to and follow. The volume of KOW content still seems pretty small, and while I enjoy it, it's not like Warhammer was in 2014.
Well, I love a dead Frostheart Phoenix even more:)
ReplyDelete