Has the electro seen its peak?

[RogueFactor]

I have spoken to MANY ballers over the last year that have either quit paintball altogether, have taken a lengthy and undetermined break, moved onto Scenario, or gone back to pump.

Whatever the reason really doenst matter, but the one thing that these players have in common is ditching the electro-ball mentality.

I have heard from a few separate sources that pump markers are seeing a resurggence, and mfr's are busy as ever.

Has the electro market seen its peak?

[WARPED1]

No, but has reached a plateau.

[Army]

Yup, I would agree with plateau. I haven't played with my Emag since I've been home, preferring the MiniMag or Golden Gun. Last time I played, it was all about the Sydarm....too fun!

I did not see a decrease in the number of players I shot out....nor an increase for that matter.

[Carbon]

i think the real question is: Is the marketing of tournament competition culture reached its peak/plateau?

Im willing to bet the folks who go back to the roots paintball is becuase they are sick of the tournament mentality/culture maybe? Or the pseudo tourney menatlity of popular rec. paintball. It is understandable, there is a darkside.

[Vex]

I would say that "plateau" is a very good analogy. There are still going to be the kids that mommy and daddy buy the shockers for, but then you'll have to poor bastards, like me, who can only afford mechanical. However, with all the money I've put into my mech, I could have a kick butt electro! Alas, it wouldn't have been the same experience, though. I've had many years of enjoyment whilst transitioning my Mag.

[Vex]

there is a darkside.

Cloud your judgement, the darkside does!

[Scott Hudnall]

Electros have certainly have reached a plateau.

One reason for more pump sales for manufactures is the simple fact that there are more players out there, and with more players staying in the game/sport longer, you'll find them wanting a different thrill from their game. Thus, exploring the "roots" of the game with stock and pump markers.

My first 10 man tournament (ahem...way back in the day) it was very common to see a mix of pump and semi's on the field......we had one automag on the team and thought that guy was invincible.

It's good news that every aspect of the game grows, from stock to pump to semi, tournament, scenario, etc.

Now, how about more affordable paint????

[WARPED1]

So you think it will go higher?

It can, just give R+D some time...........

[ShaftyMcGee]

Personally i have made the move down from elctro to pump or mech. If i do use my emag i have it in mech and i play hopper ball so the speed isn't important at all. My reasons for switching were to learn to play better rather then spray paint. I also wanted to save money and its just more fun.

oh and it doesn't help that quite a few tourny players are self righteous jerks

[WARPED1]

Anything can happen, but do you think it will go up?

Yes but I don't know how.

[master_alexander]

well if everone agrees its a plateau then its not going to go up that much at all... remember from history a plateau is like a table? yea. so then it will eventually have a downfall.

[Miscue]

I dislike paintball now very much... I'd still play if it were all mech. I only go to AO events now.

IMO... electronics + paintball = complete BS. It creates so many problems, does not make the game better (different maybe), etc.

The bastards on the field got WORSE with electros. Before it was one thing if you were a big jerk and could only pull the trigger at 5bps. Now rat bastards have an electronic device that shoots itself to be a super rat bastard. I am sick as hell of being ridiculously overshot by goddamn 13 year old POS cheating bastards who over-celebrate their wins that were won by cheating big time... thinking to ourselves that we shot that mofo 3 times that's rubbing the win in our faces telling us how much we suck... and if we had a clean game they'd get destroyed.

The incentive to move has been lost... the clean game is dead. Too many dirtbags play this game.

I can't get a clean game. WTF is the purpose of spending so much time, money, and effort on something when the game is played so dirty? Why don't I just buy a case of paint for my opponents, ask to be kicked in the nuts, and go home a "loser"?

[master_alexander]

miscue pretty much said it. ive only been playing a year and decided to go with a mag over a dm3. im glad too. so much better. im getting an emag to keep up with the other high end guns. if it were all semi i bet that annyone of the people on AO would be able to go kick some butt if the other guys had semi's too. its jus a differnet style of play now.

[afultz075]

I too am one of the people that has returned to roots after a stint of tourneyball. The culture got old very quickly for me, and the practices were becoming more of a chore that I had to spend my weekends on (which is the reason why I have quit every other competitive sport i've been involved in, baseball, soccer, etc.; the practices and win or die mentality got old). Then I realized that I simply had more fun in the sport playing rec-ball whenever I wanted like in my earlier days of paintball without spending the ludicrous amounts of cash on practices/tournies.

So I quit my team and sold every bit of gear I had, dug out my old camo gear, harness, etc. and got into pumps and Palmer markers. I play whenever I feel like it with a group of likeminded people and have a blast. I enjoy just about every facet of paintball now, rec-ball, sneario, etc. I even still ocassionally play walk-on speedball where my team used to practice, although this time with a pump most likely.

[WARPED1]

Instead of returning to my roots and going mech, I embraced the 21st century and enjoy the fast paced game of today, and I've played all forms of paintball. I been playing 16 years now. Adapt to survive, survival of the fittest. Deal.