Since the release of Brawl, we've been heralding the end of competitive Melee as we know it. Like the Y2K freaks of ten years ago, we got all jazzed up about the end of the world. And like the Y2K freaks, all of the doom and gloom turned out to be an overreaction. Melee has survived. Perhaps not at it's 2007 level, but it survives.
We're not going to convert the Brawlers. One just needs to look at attendance at recent regional/national Brawl tournaments to get a clear picture that despite (or even worse, because of) it's non-competitive design, Brawl is here to stay. That's fine, because we need to devise a new strategy anyway. Instead of trying to bring those who have left Melee back, I suggest that we as a community focus on a vastly untapped resource: those who never got into Melee in the first place.
Now I don't mean trying to convince people to pick up Melee for the first time; it's too late for that. What I mean is bringing those people who played Melee, but not competitively, into the fold. There are hundreds, perhaps thousands, of people who to this day still throw on their Gamecube, turn Pokeballs on high and have at it with a group of friends. What's most interesting about this group though is that they haven't moved on to Brawl yet, and there lies our opportunity.
Talk about Smash. Play it in public areas. Wear Isai's "Don't Get Hit" shirt, and when people ask you what it means, tell them exactly what it means. You'll be surprised how many people will approach you and say, "Man, I love Smash!" Next thing they'll do is tell you about their favorite character (which for some reason is invariably mid-tier or lower), and how they play with their pals all the time.
Believe it or not, there is a very large group of Smashers who don't know this site even exists. I've talked to a few of them, and they're amazed that there are actually tournaments for this game. We've built something massive here, to be sure, but there is much more growth to be found in the least likely places.
To that end, I suggest adapting Nintendo's "Blue Ocean" strategy. Reach out to people who you would never suspect as being gamers, much less Smashers. They'll listen to you, and they'll want to learn more. I spent 20 minutes telling a guy today why Mr. Game and Watch, his favorite character, doesn't perform well in tournaments. And he listened! People want to know more, they just don't know where to find it. Think of it as poetic justice that the same strategy that led to Brawl will now be used to try and bring back the Renaissance of Melee.
So go forth and spread the word! Preach the good works of Melee! Become a Smash Disciple! In my first week in my new college, one of my professors asked us to share a unique fact about ourselves. I told the class that I was a ranked Smasher in my state. After class, two people approached me to talk about Smash. Next week, I'm bringing my Wii and Melee to my new college for the first time, and I'm going to put it in a public area for anyone who wants to play. These people are out there, we just have to find them.
What will you do to spread the word? Post ideas and discuss!
We're not going to convert the Brawlers. One just needs to look at attendance at recent regional/national Brawl tournaments to get a clear picture that despite (or even worse, because of) it's non-competitive design, Brawl is here to stay. That's fine, because we need to devise a new strategy anyway. Instead of trying to bring those who have left Melee back, I suggest that we as a community focus on a vastly untapped resource: those who never got into Melee in the first place.
Now I don't mean trying to convince people to pick up Melee for the first time; it's too late for that. What I mean is bringing those people who played Melee, but not competitively, into the fold. There are hundreds, perhaps thousands, of people who to this day still throw on their Gamecube, turn Pokeballs on high and have at it with a group of friends. What's most interesting about this group though is that they haven't moved on to Brawl yet, and there lies our opportunity.
Talk about Smash. Play it in public areas. Wear Isai's "Don't Get Hit" shirt, and when people ask you what it means, tell them exactly what it means. You'll be surprised how many people will approach you and say, "Man, I love Smash!" Next thing they'll do is tell you about their favorite character (which for some reason is invariably mid-tier or lower), and how they play with their pals all the time.
Believe it or not, there is a very large group of Smashers who don't know this site even exists. I've talked to a few of them, and they're amazed that there are actually tournaments for this game. We've built something massive here, to be sure, but there is much more growth to be found in the least likely places.
To that end, I suggest adapting Nintendo's "Blue Ocean" strategy. Reach out to people who you would never suspect as being gamers, much less Smashers. They'll listen to you, and they'll want to learn more. I spent 20 minutes telling a guy today why Mr. Game and Watch, his favorite character, doesn't perform well in tournaments. And he listened! People want to know more, they just don't know where to find it. Think of it as poetic justice that the same strategy that led to Brawl will now be used to try and bring back the Renaissance of Melee.
So go forth and spread the word! Preach the good works of Melee! Become a Smash Disciple! In my first week in my new college, one of my professors asked us to share a unique fact about ourselves. I told the class that I was a ranked Smasher in my state. After class, two people approached me to talk about Smash. Next week, I'm bringing my Wii and Melee to my new college for the first time, and I'm going to put it in a public area for anyone who wants to play. These people are out there, we just have to find them.
What will you do to spread the word? Post ideas and discuss!
