I also recognise I've made my points very focussed on Clan League, which is largely because I think it is where this phenomenon is most obvious.

However, I would think that you could also see this pattern elsewhere in competitive Warzone, for instance if someone were to analyse the top players on the MTL, I think you'd find very few players in the top 20 who have been playing the game for less than 5 years.

Might not be any hard data to show it, but it seems to me like the current generation of elites is retiring, and the newer generation of top players aren't quite on the same level, nor are they coming up at the same rate as the old guard are dying.

People don't retire, they lose interest, get busy irl and would rather enjoy the game in its purest and simplest form, 3v3 auto dis ror.

As for new players not dethroning the boomers of the roaring 2010s, the game is extremely complicated for someone to just become a rock star in a day. Nevertheless, 3/4 last seasonal ladders were won by jache, aika and naviiso, who I dont think are from an old generation of elites. Furthermore, the new players in cl 17 div A evidently over-performed. So overall, the arguement new players worst than old players doesn't hold.

Now there's a plethora of reasons why the strat community isn't as active as it once was. From the mtl (being a good environment to train) being down for more than a year, to the modification of the ladders into an activity game, to the accumulation of players that want to improve in old clans which ofc goes to the limitation in clan size, to the detachment of the community, the lack of training and tips between players from different clans, the death or impeding desolation of training clans, the death of the real-time ladder as well as the rt WGL and streaming community and ofc the overall complete lack in promoting strategic games over sead and lotto games. Maybe there's more reasons. But it undoubtedly was more active in the past. The MTL and the AWP include ~50 templates out of which how many were designed in the last 5 years? 5? 6? Probably less.

Is the community now less active than in the past? Yes
Are new players worse by any means, on average or in any way or form? No. It just takes a lot of time and effort to get better at the game.

And that's why I advise you, the reader of my inconsequential text, to visit https://www.warzone.com/Forum/734956-join-multitemplate-ladder-mtl and join the MTL

^ well said

Who are those over performing new players in div A you speak of?

edit: wrong thread

Edited 6/16/2024 08:02:49

Those are some great points, 7ate9!

Aika is old player finding new success. Not only joining the strategic community but dominating in a years time


Who is the most improved player? Is it Aika? Is it Texx? What about some others like For Fun who dominate clan league in 3 slots

Personally, I'm very surprised that established clans poaching from one another is still a thing now that the teenagers of the old strategic community have grown up. This is certainly something I expected to vanish in the process. It makes it more difficult for old clans to proceed without doing the same thing back, and makes some players retire that would've otherwise stayed for their clans - in effect harming the whole strategic community.

In this example, I identify "old clans" as clans that mainly consist of players that have been playing the game for a long time. In that sense, Python, Optimum and USB are old clans, even though they have been playing under different names for the longest time.

i like viewing the game as a kitchen, the clans are unique recipes and the players as ingredients. clan A is cooking a wonderful goulash stew, clan B is making a wonderful pasta arrabiata. Clan A notices that somewhere in the condiment box of clan B there's paprika. You wouldn't put paprika in pasta arrabiata but it's the main spice in goulash

I wish the motivation for poaching would ever be a better match of the player as a person, as in your metaphor >.<

Alex, with all due respect, you are not one who should be preaching about poaching. Python/Lynx have a pretty well known history of poaching from other clans, and as far as I can tell, that behavior hasn't stopped considering your recent attempts to poach ex-FCC players from Blitz.

Now personally, I actually don't have a problem with poaching at all, Optimum themselves pretty consistently poach from other clans. In fact, I'd argue it's actually a good thing for the general strategic community, as it forces inactive clans to make more of an effort to retain their players, as often times the players most suseptible to being poached are ones who aren't happy in their current clan. Poaching can take players from inactive clans to active ones, and can lead to them retaining interest in the game and perhaps becoming strong players themselves.

I also don't think that just because a player is in your clan, it means that they are not allowed to be recruited, you don't own players. If they are happy to stay in your clan, then they won't be leaving anyway, so just make sure your clan is worth staying in.

I wish there was more new talent.

Maybe I’m not as exposed to the community as I use to be, but the game feels a lot more dead than it use to.

The game could really use a good source of RT 1v1s, as QM doesn’t cut it as you have no idea of the quality of your opponent. Someone should force Ps to come back and host RT tournaments again.

I think you are not exposed to many new clans with new players. Old clans don’t recruit often except for trading players around like card game. New clans are willing to take chance on newer player and even help them find success or unlock talent

"In this example, I identify "old clans" as clans that mainly consist of players that have been playing the game for a long time."

Generally speaking this is a pre-requisite for being good at the game. There may be some exceptions, but they are few and far between.

Jeff told me Blitz won't continue running, so I can invite them. What more is there I could have done?

This is an interesting thread, would be a shame if it got locked.

Alex, you sound like you really should join us here at Masters. We view you as wildlife on a safari. You can be our caged jungle cat and I'm sure that MoD will remember to keep you fed. Timinator has adjusted very well to his new landscape after being poached from the prestigious clan called Apex, he gets 2 meals a day and a full fenced in grassland area. He's very happy given the T-Rex screeches he lets out as he runs around. On occasion we let people in to view you during matches, but a member of your clan ended this tradition. We're constantly looking for new ways to make money off of our zoo animal collection, and you're a great candidate since you've already got Master underwear to wear on your head.