Why Don't We Play Other Games?!

[@slackeratlarge575]

I spent years learning 40K and fumbling around the rules, never quite getting game but loving the hobby and lore. Then I found killteam, I adore kill team

[@briancripps496]

I had a fairly long rant written out 'cause the topic is one I've had some history in. But I accidentally hit refresh and lost it all, so you're getting the tl;dr: I'd say one of the biggest reason people don't play other games is because no one else does. Everyone plays 40k. Saying "just buy a couple models and you can play X" doesn't help when you go down to the shop and get zero interest for a month before shoving them in a box at the top of your shelf to be forgotten about forevermore. Also, it'd be really nice if we could not have basically everyone try to create their own niche game and let what currently exists have a chance to breath. Otherwise it'll be like all those board games that might come out once every 3 years as a novelty party thing.

[@JPGotrokkits]

I agree. I think the problem is also that people get siloed in their interests. Our game club has one day a month that you bring what you want and its a chance to try something other than the usual 40k, BA, FoW, BT that most play.

[@SamBalducci]

The local shops push 40K, KZbin pushes 40K, GW's marketing muscle pushes it -- many people don't know anything other than 40K. I don't play 40K, I have group of 6 friends that includes me and my brother, and we play in each other's garage or basements. We play Frostgrave, Warcry, Infinity and other small model agnostic skirmish games. We do not spend a ton on models or worry that rules change every three months. It is easier for us to buy online and have our own tournaments and then we may go to NOVA or Adepticon to play with others.

[@infinitedm5396]

"...Local shops push 40k.... It's easier for us to buy online.." Ah. Yeah I see what happened there

[@SamBalducci]

@@infinitedm5396 we can't get local shops to stock the items we want that are not 40K, what is the alternative to not buy online? Even with paints, it it is citadel or citadel. One of the shops brought in some Army Painter starter sets and all 6 of us went in to purchase in hopes of them carrying more, they basically didn't bother stocking more once they had stocked ran out. How do you support a shop that doesn't support you? Yes, it's easier to go online to get what I want versus to go to the shops and be told no each time. They make money with 40K and LCG and have no incentive to branch out and we have no incentive to keep trying nor do we wish to play 40K. While 40K has some really nice figures, IMHO, the rules suck in comparison to other games.

[@billybirdy9507]

I need a video ‘Stop trying new games and just get good at one of them’.

[@TomMurrath]

Seems a new wargame butterfly has been born, long live miniature agnostic games. A good tip for solo exploration or for games with friends, Wargames Vault is full with free / pay what you want small rulesets for those small occasional games. These allow to taste the era by just buying some genre specific models to see if you like painting or even converting them, and still get them on the table once or twice before investing in a full ruleset.

[@SamLenzArtwork]

Heck yeah, Phil! It's a nerdy joy to take in different design languages. Can't wait to play Warcry with ya :)

[@TheGlacialGeek]

Me neither! It'll be rad to throw down on the cardboard battlefield with our plastic soldiers! 😀

[@Br33z-y]

The struggle of a young Justin trying to get the people of Savannah to try Infinity 7 years ago. Haha but yea, 40k is forever. 40k contributes 95 percent of ALL miniature sales. All of the other games that exist make up the other 5 percent which is pretty wild. And with the prices of things these days is hard to get folks to try new things. Unless a community is established its hard for folks to invest in something with the risk it may not get played. I do wish others did take the risk to try new games and things that would bring them joy. A lot of great stuff out there.

[@TheGlacialGeek]

You made a good go of it! 😀

[@davetaylor9966]

So glad you've arrived at this place :)

[@Bishoptay]

I feel that comment about not getting to play when you’re twelve and your friends aren’t interested. I tried to get in to WFB back in middle school and bought a few boxes of Skaven and Dwarves and never got to actually play the game when my friends found out what the price of the boxes were. Glad I came back to it in my mid 20s with AoS.

[@Winterydee]

One of the largest issues with the miniature war gaming is the 800-pound gorilla in the market called GW. Tabletop gaming stores were, back in the day, the only way we could be exposed to this hobby and game type. However, when most of those stores have at least 25% or more of their shelf space dedicated to GW products, it makes it very hard to get exposure for other miniature war game companies, systems and miniatures. One would think with the rise of social media platforms like KZbin that finally, other games would get greater exposure with reviews and battle reports. Helping to showcase these other games, systems and companies, but let's face it, most of the painting channels 90% plus of the time are using GW miniatures to do their painting on. The channels that do battle reports also almost only show games of GW. The ones that do, most of the time, less than 25% of the battle reports they make that are none GW based. Please understand, I have at least 2000 points worth of Death Guard, Necrons, Space Marines and Tyarnids. So, I'm not against GW products. It would be nice if more in our hobby/gaming circles who are on platforms like KZbin would showcase games more often, which are not GW. I understand that most are doing this to make money and GW products are the best known, hence most likely to get the largest view count, but until the other companies and games become better known they will not get the similar view numbers.

[@davidwinters5582]

Great video! The first 12 or so years of my hobby journey was pretty much exclusively 40k. Once I gave myself permission to leave Games Workshop behind my hobby has soared. My current obsession is The Silver Bayonet, (HIGHLY Recommended) and I find myself sticking with smaller skirmish based games. Go ahead and broaden your horizons. I haven’t looked back

[@TheGlacialGeek]

I really wanna check out Silver Bayonet!

[@davidwinters5582]

@@TheGlacialGeek do it, you won’t be sorry. I’ve pretty much made a unit for each nation now, and if you’re not a historian it’s not a big deal. My figs range from super historically accurate, to my Spanish unit which is based off of the Spanish Inquisition from Monty Python. There is a lot of room for creativity and fun

[@benjaminargus9563]

Where i live we have a gaming group where we have moved back to playing 4th ed 40k with our old models and have moved to playing Dystopian Wars, Mantic Deadzone and Mantic Firefight. Horus Heresy is still being played also but Deadzone has allowed some people to join in at a low entry cost or proxy with models they already have. So far its been great playing other games and seeing how their rules run

[@crashingatom6755]

I’m revving up my engine and getting ready to play Infinity. Seems amazing and the lore is right up my alley.

[@heathsanders7579]

played 40k for 20 ish years. switched to one page rules and havnt looked back. so amazing.-

[@6PotatoesGaming]

I've been grinding out a lot of Warhammer minis over the past year and a half or so. Doing decent quick paint jobs on armies/models to play in tournaments/leagues. But my dice luck is atrocious, and it's definitely been playing on my mental health. So now, when I'm not playing Helldivers 2, I've started painting my Infinity models again! Taking my time, putting more detail into the models and trying to learn new skills. (Mainly glazing for highlights) It's helped a bit, but it's only been happening for a week or so. I'm all for different games or different model ranges. At the end of the day, my minis are going to spend more time on the shelves than they are on the tabletop. Nobody even plays Infinity (or has an interest) in my local scene, so I'm just doing it for myself and to be proud of having models that look *good* instead of "it'll do." Thanks for being a positive icon. Miss you, man! 😊

[@Monstein]

I can say the reason I rarely play others is because I have memory issues and struggle to play more then two armies. Worse with all the editions that feel like they are coming faster and all the balance datasheet changes.

[@leeedward2574]

I have similar problem, too. After tried all the game I can got, GW games are the worst kind IMO. They never stop mess around.

[@EricTheMedic]

Warcry is a phenomenal system and I wish more people would give it a try. I have been toying with idea of trying a “demo” day at my local store since I have like 6 warbands ready to go lol

[@phaedrosx]

I cannot even name all of the games I've tried and collected over the past 20 years of my life, but they all caught my attention, and they all had something I wanted to experience, so I did. I invite others to do the same. Last year I dove into Age of Sigmar after becoming jaded with 40k, and honestly, it's become my new favorite, though 40k will always be my first love.

[@oneeyedwonderer6781]

I played only gw games for years, then i tried infinity and realised how poor the rules for gw games are .

[@alexandermichels6022]

I recently used Deth Wizards as an excuse to pick up some Nighthaunt models so I guess im getting into 2 more games lol

[@garypeyman932]

I remember exactly when i discovered other games . It was when 7th ed 40k dropped and geedub shit the bed by closing all of the bunkers at their stores . Me and a gaming buddy , thoroughly disillusioned, decided to give dropzone commander a try . Many years later i play a whole bunch of different games , most recently bolt action , and week after week i see the same handful of 40k guys turn up sniffing at other games while moaning and complaining about the game . A guy i knew who moved over here to the UK from Pennsylvania once told me he played 40k becau it was the only game in town and at the time that was true but nowadays there such a huge variety of games its almost criminal not to try others . I can think of several reasons why people stick to 40knand AoS , everything from the gatekeeping elite who view anything non gw as inferior all the way to people who just feel too invested that they cant stray away from it but i definitely think its healthy to look outside of our little bubbles from time to time

[@robtibbetts890]

40K is such a firehose. I think GW tries to keep the flow of models, specialty games, armies, and editions coming fast enough that you can have “a 40K hobby” rather than “a miniature wargaming hobby” and take up all your hobby time. It’s the physical version of a live service video game.

[@shadeling6717]

I've been pretty actively been looking outside of GW for games. While my main game is probably still AOS, i have a few 40k armies, instead of old world i decided to play Conquest Last argument of kings from Para bellum for my rank and flank, I also recently picked up the 2.0 Starter for Dropfleet Commander from TT combat. I've also looked at warmachine, Team yankee, bolt action, Star Wars armada, Dystopian wars, battletech and a few others. The big problem for other games to me is the question "is there a community that plays this game?". Sure i can buy a bunch of models or boxes of other games, but if no one is out there that plays regularly for me it kills any motivation to work on that game. If i was more of a painter sure you just paint whatever catches your fancy. I also can't see myself being the first in an area with a game doing demos and other events to try to spread the game.

[@TheGlacialGeek]

Most games these days have a two person starter set which is great to get games in with people and see if they like it as well ... There is still the possibility of them not wanting to play it more than that, but you'd then have that two player set of other people show interest!

[@MrBanditoRazor]

I finally got into Alpha Strike and will never look back lol

[@adamcondon5120]

I have enjoyed many different games for many years.

[@BenjaminHolbrook-tz6pw]

Just picked up AoS/spearhead after playing nothing but 40k. Not gonna lie it's refreshing. It's like 40k without arguing about rules lol.

[@Velgar_Grim]

To be fair, that's more on the players than the game. Though AoS is more beer&pretzels than 40k... Still haven't stopped us from debating the rules in it too. 😂

[@JPGotrokkits]

To be honest, gamers tend to be narrow-viewed and myopic mouth breathers. They assume they know all there is to know about a producer and fail to look past their assumptions. I work with an independent game studio, and they attend the larger HMGS conventions as well as the biggies (Adepticon, Origins, Historicon, Gen Con) however, due to the depth of products people make wild assumptions about their product lines. We've heard con-goers say "oh they just make terrain," even though the models and rulebooks are clearly on display. We've heard, "Oh, they only make their stuff in 15mm," which is patently untrue, as all our production is in-house 3d printing, which allows for custom orders. Their flagship game was originally developed in 15mm with hand-cast resin ships, but they pivoted to 6mm as the product line needed to be cheaper, easier to transport, and be gamer friendly as most people don't have a full 4'x6' (or larger) play surface, but they do have coffee tables, card tables, and dining room tables (which very few of the latter ever measure 4'x6'); but I digress- the assumption is based upon unfamiliarity, lack of knowledge, and not asking questions. They also make a mecha game, which again, people assume they "know" about, many are dismissive, literally looking at the display models and saying "Oh, this is Battletech"...😐 the mecha designs are nothing like Battletech, nor does the gameplay or lore mirror BT in any way, shape, or form. Independent games are swimming uphill in an industry that is dominated by a couple of large players that appeal to the lowest common denominator, and if your product isn't adjacent to them, as accessory or proxy, no one notices. Indeed it is late stage capitalism and a race to the bottom. My friends have been in operation since 2005 and even with the uptick in tabletop gaming, it's nearly impossible to get traction. The only way would be to have a robust relationship with social media influncers, and unless you meet that sweet spot of being "popular game adjacent" they won't hardly notice you, for obvious reasons - they gotta eat too, and covering plucky Independent game studios with unique products that aren't 40k, BT, or some iteration of generic fantasy doesn't get eyeballs. A lot of content creators give lip service to the Independent games, but they mistake Corvus Belli , Catalyst, and Wyrd as "indie" which they most demonstrably are not. If you want to cover indies, find the guys that are one-man garage operations with a grassroots team of family and friends that have been plugging away with very little recognition but have a solid product, they need the exposure more than anyone with international distribution and injection molding. TLDR: Because gamers don't pay attention, and there isn't enough exposure of things that are outside of the Games Workshop/other internationally distributed products bubble.

[@Grimmlocked]

warhammer gets alot of immedite points because it's easier to get opponents for and is the most ever green. I tried to play other game but realized my firends weren't wargamers, and now i'm back into 40k making more friends and will try again later.

[@Velgar_Grim]

Dang. I started writing here, lost what I had written, then forgot it. Daaang! Well, engagement for the engagement gods even if it is a little late. Long story short-ish. I have never had trouble with just going for games. If I can afford it, know someone else who plays it and have time for it, I try it. To me the thought of "I really want to, but shouldn't because this other game" or some sort of tribalism that "I can't try that because I'm 'this game'-people now"... I wonder if it's an American thing. You really have some very hardline bordered tribes, groups and communities there. Not uniquely, no, but there's a lot of "this is X town now" going on there. Granted, just today I doused some up and coming "our store vs your store" coming off our chats (one local store moved and had its gaming area limited, so the "this store's gaming area is now so much better" rouse up). But even with that it's one or two absolute diehards going on with it and everyone else is just "you got space for a game? cool, we'll be there" and not caring where that happens. And yes, there is the 40kvsAoS and AoSvsOW and Bolt Action vs everyone, but those are again very good natured jabs 95% of the time and if someone takes it further, pretty much the whole community goes "not cool, dude!" So... Do we play pretty much everything? No. Mostly. Some yes. I play around six different games pretty actively and been looking in to get to couple of more, but time, money and effort are all very finite resources. And for the most of the part the question ends up being "how much do people play this game?". If the answer is some... It's a lot of time way less worth the effort of getting into it, learning the rules, getting the minis, maybe even painting them, setting up the time... If it is just you and your mate playing by your lonesome. That can be great, not saying that! I played FaBa 8th for the longest time with just one friend. And we had fun, even though there was nothing new coming to it (my friend took a look at the 9th Age, but I never really got into it). Then I gave AoS couple of tries (mostly after bad mouthing it for a while and the store keep demanding me to play couple of games and THEN continue bad mouthing it if I felt it justified... my bad mouthing continued, but I have played it too enough for one person to think I actually liked the game XD [it's a decent game, not the best GW has made, but okay. NO GAME is perfect]). And the last point is well worth noting. Just because something is good, does not mean you couldn't try something else too. Might not be good, but could be even better. And NEVER, EVER let someone stop you from trying something just because they think it stinks. You. Might. Not. Agree. And that's okay. You can be friends with people who have dookie taste. That's on them. You can do differently and still hold them dear. Just go out there and try different games. It's fun.

[@davidairey3614]

D&D. but after/during school it switched to GW but the goth and chav stage interfered till i found myself. Then GW after school. Was a complicated process 😜

[@pietrogigliotti8365]

I still can't find someone to play anything different from gw games, but recently I've "freed" myself from the "only gw" mantra. All my latest armies are 3d printed or other manifacturers and having more fun than ever. Saved money good models and not overdetailed. Still think Gw is the best manufacturer, but the costs is going to be too much even for hobby standard.

[@phillipjmead]

I don’t even play 10th anymore. Not a tournament player so my model range has greatly expanded outside of GW.

[@phillipjmead]

I’m a fan of your spread the joy/love to all.

[@effeks2000]

Alright, since watching this video, I've started Legiones Imperialis, doubled my pile of shame, sold 5 kidneys, and am pretty sure the cops are onto me. What next?

[@po5425]

There's only one gecent GW game -Necromunda

[@garyjenson1326]

Dollies triumphant!

[@Thedagda801]

Words of wisdom!

[@samthompson2980]

Opportunity, access, opponents, play space, familiarity, fear of the new, lack of awareness.

[@AAhmou]

It's mostly opponents and play space.

[@garyjenson1326]

Tbf gw is very good at keeping us chasing...idk chasing some future perfection.

[@vlad78th]

They pretend to improve their games but honestly it's been decades since they really tried to improve things, now they just want to milk their customers. Worse even the fluff is sales driven like the primaris replacing the true space marines despite the fact a simple refresh of the range with upgraded sizes would have done the trick.

[@jeancouscous]

@@vlad78th That was like 10 years ago lol

[@bruced648]

by the time 40k was first published in 1987, I had already played a couple dozen war games. most of them still exist and are far better than 40k will ever become. once you walk away from GW, your eyes are opened and you realize the vastness of this hobby. go to ANY non-GW sponsored gaming convention and get educated on the greatness this hobby is - without GW.

[@RockyX123]

I don't play other games cause I don't want to.

[@thel1chking]

OPR >All

[@vlad78th]

I left 40k under 8th edition, it wasn't a wargame anymore. Now I play OPR and haven't looked back and never will. GW has become a scam. I still love the universe but its a scam nonetheless.