"Wargaming Dying Out?" Topic

"The folks over at Little Wars TV posed the question, "Is Historical Wargaming Dying Out?" I know this is something that has been often discussed in the wargames press, in forums, at shows and when just sitting around and chatting at the club. The greying of the hobby is apparent from the results over a number of years from the Great Wargames Survey.

If you haven't seen it already, have a look at the YouTube video below, produced by Little Wars TV…"
See here
link

Amicalement
Armand

Oh, .
We just had a fun Boxer Rebellion game an hour ago.

I've been hearing and seeing that since 1977.

Who won…? (smile)

Amicalement
Armand

Agree with OFM, I have seen this since the 1970s as well. First it was RPG, then computer gaming, console electronic gaming, and etc. all developed their own niches in the community including collector card gaming.

Yes, I will not be wargaming when I'm dead.

Yep. Since the 70s. Old hat. No one will be playing this stuff any more. No one will have time. Painting skills are too hard to develop. Barriers to entry. Blah blah blah.

Wargaming has always had its 'chattering classes' … and they seldom discover any new topics to chatter about.

One day they will be right about something (but don'y hold your breath)

Phil

Yes. Less talk, more do!

Remember that healthy living is just dying slowly.

There's something about the way we engage in different games over the course of our lives that makes it look like wargaming is always dying out. I'm not worried. It's been around for thousands of years, it's probably not going to go out during my lifetime.

During the 1980s the computer newspapers and magazines were always explaining why Apple was going out of business. They didn't make a PC clone, they didn't make a portable, they didn't do this or that. They were so, so doomed. These were frequently the big headline or cover story. And yet, Apple became the biggest company ever.

So, trust half of what you see and none of what you hear. And believe the opposite of what people predict.

I know this is something that has been often discussed in the wargames press, in forums

Oh yes…. interminably. It's been dying for at least 40 years, maybe longer.

They experts have typically been wrong since they decided that the Sun and stars revolved around the Earth.

(smile)

Amicalement
Armand

Have to agree – pursuant to Mr. Twain, "the report of the death of gaming was greatly exaggerated"

I'm not sure how many US figure manufacturers there are now, but it must be over a dozen. In 1985, there were two – Scruby and Alnavco. Doesn't sound like a dying business to me.

In 1985 no internet. Advert in magazines? Way too much for cottage industry…

The 1980s saw strong growth in miniature companies. My store opened in 1983 and I had no problem finding miniatures to sell.
Ral Partha had the 25mm wide historical range and a smattering of 15mm. It had Battletech and many Fantasy single miniatures.
West wall out of Texas produced 1/285 models with many being sold to the Army in 1978. They 15mm historical and renamed them for use with the Lord of the Rings.
Heritage in the late 1970s had the 15mm Napoleonic which became Empire. They also had ACW and WW2.
Hinchliffe with 25mm and a small 12mm range.
Stone Mountain expanded their 22mm range to include 15mm and produced several companies under license from England.
Pass of the North had the Frontier range with some being produced in Florida.
Old Glory burst onto the scene and forced competitors to lower their prices with $15.00 USD and $12.50 USD bags of 100 castings.

They'll have to pry my dice from my cold died hand.
With the way technology is going, it will be easier and easier to get into the hobby.

I may be wrong but my guess is that "1985" was a typo and in his comment above, rmaker meant to say "In 1965, there were two – Scruby and Alnavco."

1965, not 1985.