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May 04, 2007
Wargaming in the Mainstream Press
Tabletop Warriors Rage on Without Youth. That is the title of this Cleveland.com article that surveys the dearth of wargamers in the face of computer and video games.
11:25 AM in Industry News | Permalink | Notify Friend
Comments
So kids these days are more interested in video games than in buying and painting miniature armies. What else is new?
Posted by: Aaron Silverman at May 4, 2007 12:13 PM
First I will say I don't play miniatures.But when was mintures really popular ? In wargaming hasn't paper/cardboard war-games generally beaten wargaming mintures in sales ? It's the most expensive form of gaming in the Wargaming/RPG/Sci Fi world. It does cost thousands, so the most expensive form is declining, so what ? What about paper/cardboard war-games ,how are they doing ? This article doesn't really cover this area.
Salim
Posted by: Salim Mohammed at May 4, 2007 05:58 PM
Personally, I believe the problem stems from a certain laziness on the greybeards' side as well. I just don't see the recruiting effort being made when the greybeards can just as easily go sit at their own cpu and surf the net. When a game like DBA gets played on-line instead of setup in the local school/library/hobbyshop can you blame the kid who never has even seen the alternative?
Posted by: Mick Hayman at May 5, 2007 10:04 PM
We all know wargaming in general is on a downswing. Though I think minis guys outnumber boardgamers, there are a number of reasons. No combat shows on TV, less history taught in schools, an anti-military agenda in schools, mini guys & boardgamers being adversarial and I think the biggest thing, the old farts don't do JACK as a rule to attract young blood. Until us old guys go out & MARKET wargames to the public (minis & cardboard)we have no one to blame but ourselves for a dying hobby.
Posted by: mark nies at May 7, 2007 05:43 PM
>> No combat shows on TV
What?!?!?! Have you ever heard of the History Channel? We didn't have that 20 years ago.
Not that there aren't other issues.
If there'd been lifelike, online first-person shooter video games 20 years ago, board and mini gaming would be even smaller niches today. There's a lot more stuff competing for kids' attention.
Posted by: Aaron Silverman at May 7, 2007 11:09 PM
Wargaming is NOT downsizing! That is not the way to think. Teenagers are flocking, no running, to purchase and play wargames! Yes, yes they are.
I've seen them. They're at your schools, clubs, parks; damn near everywhere to catch up on this thing called, "wargaming."
They're chucking their Nintendo's, Xboxes, and other systems, in favor of wargame boards, chits, cards, and counters! Why just the other day I had some of the little buggers try to break into my house and steal my wargames!!
It was wonderful, beautiful; it made me cry.
So you see gentlemen, the hobby isn't dying by a longshot, no sir! It's alive and well through the kids, and they're in your neighborhood as we speak!
Posted by: Alfredo at May 8, 2007 02:45 AM
Salim - When were miniatures really popular? You are kidding right? Minitaures have always enjoyed significant support among hobbyists. You need look no farther than the annual Historicon convention in Pennsylvania that regularly attracts 3000 + attendees, and that's only one of the many regional minis cons that continue to draw good numbers. Look across the pond to the UK and the regular calendar of minis shows throughout the year. There are also growing cons on the continent (Belgium, the Netherlands, France & Italy for starters). Granted minis are a more cash intensive branch of the hobby but popularity? I submit that miniatures gaming has always been and will continue to be popular in the gaming community. Like boardgaming though the demographics are skewed to the adult age groups.
Posted by: Pat Osika at May 8, 2007 05:13 AM
> So you see gentlemen, the hobby isn't dying by a longshot, no sir! It's alive and well through the kids, and they're in your neighborhood as we speak!
Well, I'd better lock up my wargame room now!!! :^)
Posted by: Carl Paradis at May 9, 2007 08:48 AM
It's okay if the kids want to play video games instead of the board wargames (AH/SPI,etc) that us old guys like to play. And it's okay if computer wargames (HPS, etc) take some of our time away from traditional board wargames. Computers have still provided AH/SPI style board wargaming with a tremendous shot in the arm. It gives us a community that we would not otherwise have.
If AH/SPI gaming dies with my generation,it will only be sad in an existential sort of way. We still have a long trip in front of us. Let's have a good time!
Posted by: Bob Goddard at May 10, 2007 04:13 PM
Miniatures, love em! Board games, love em! But the scene has all moved to the web. That's why my friend Chris and I set up Tower Games, so that we can play good and proper wargames on-line with other people.
Posted by: Danny Stevens at May 14, 2007 06:06 PM
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