Number of VtES players

Timo wrote:

So I attended a major tournament. I played about 10 min in that tournament because combat happenned. And you know what ? I had fun.

You are fine, there are several people like you (me included ).

Unfortunately for 99,9% of potential VtES players it's not fine, so they will not continue playing after such experience. Which is actually nor fine for us two, because we need 5 people to have a game and at least 12 to have meaningful tournament.

Number of tournaments (I've made long post about this some time ago, do not want to bother searching for it, but here is sample from the SL):
2019 - 67
2018 - 108
2017 - 89
2016 - 118
2015 - 164
2014 - 204
2013 - 254
2012 - 239
...

We got some growth with return of the game to print, but it's very small and no way helping in returning to the "former glory" of the days even after the death of WW. There are a new players, but they are very few in numbers. And for me it's obvious what are the reasons for it (not just combat, but whole bunch of uncool staff we have in the game).

Again, I disagree about combat being a problem for new players.

In Paris we have a dozen of new players since the game is back in print.

And they seems to like combat as it is. Actually, some of them play combat a lot.

One of them won a tournament with his own version of Ghede rush combat. Another made his way to several finals with his Tzim wall combat (including during the WoN).

And the other new players ? They seems to like the game as it is. And if during one game they are crushed by a combat deck (and believe me, it happens !), they learn and they add anti combat techs (being nocturn or mental maze). Or they decide that they like their deck as it is.

Actually, I don't recall a single new player complaining about combat and/or quitting the game so far (for any reason).

elotar wrote:

Unfortunately for 99,9% of potential VtES players it's not fine, so they will not continue playing after such experience.

It seems pretty obvious that vtes has trouble attracting and keeping players. What is the active global population? 500?

Timo wrote:

In Paris we have a dozen of new players since the game is back in print.

Bewitching Oration Paris, France March 16th 2019 17 players
Lost Kindred Paris, France June 24th 2018 13 players
King of the Mountain Paris, France January 28th 2018 15 players
Threading The Path Of Orpheus Paris, France March 11th 2017 14 players
French ECQ: Paris, France October 23rd 2016 3R+F 15 players
Coupe de Paris Paris, France March 20th 2016 10 players
New Hope Paris, France January 24th 2016 10 players
Outside the Hourglass Paris, France December 13th 2015 15 players
Vanish from the mind's eye Paris, France July 26th 2015 15 players
Coupe de Paris - French NCQ Paris, France March 14th 2015 19 players
Teh Brujah Archon Paris, France December 7th 2014 13 players
Fall of a Champion Paris, France November 2nd 2014 20 players
...

There are 132 players at EC day 1, which is just a little bit bigger then 125 at 2018 EC in Poland, and much lower than 156 at EC 2017.

So maybe there are new players in Paris, but as I said - too few to beet numbers of old ones leaving.

Mewcat wrote:

It seems pretty obvious that vtes has trouble attracting and keeping players.

I think attracting is actually quite fine (vampires! multiplayer! no rotation and money rares!), but keeping is reeeeally hard.