| Clefairy New Zealand. July 23 2012 10:41. Posts 1232 | Profile # |
![[image loading]](http://i.imgur.com/jvS0Z.jpg)
The world's first military progaming team Air Force Ace is disbanding. The reason is said to be because Star League is coming to an end after 13 years.
On the 23rd according to the Air Force, Ace is no longer accepting new players and once the current team members are discharged from the military the team will naturally be disbanded.
Air Force Ace was founded on April 2007. At the time, 4.5 million copies of Starcraft had been sold in Korea alone accounting for around half of it's worldwide sales. This popular reception allowed the Air Force to prepare to form Air Force Ace at the end of 2006 timed with SlayerSBoxer's enlistment and by April 2007 the team was officially established with 5 players.
21 progamers including players such as Yellow, Reach, and Anytime have spent time in Air Force Ace. Progamers in Ace were drafted as Air Force computer specialists and served as war game testers at their central computer center. The activities of the progamers also made it into the Guinness World Records in 2009. They were introduced as the world's first military progaming team in the Guinness World Records Gamer's Edition.
However the rise of smartphones and social network services has caused progaming to decline. This caused the Air Force to come to the decision of disbanding their progaming team. There are currently 11 players left in the team and once the last officer who was drafted on March 5th is discharged in March 2014, the team will disband.
Air Force representatives stated "Ace had a role in improving the image of the military to youths however due to shifts in the gaming industry we had no choice but to disband the team".
Source: AsiaE
They are not disbanding immediately, but when their last player finishes their military service
Edit: Smartphones killing esports. A possible look into the minds of the Air Force.
On July 23 2012 11:11 JunkkaGom wrote:
Let me explain the matter with smartphones and SNS. There has been numerous articles about this recently in Korea.
Back in 90's and 2000's the trend was to enjoy gaming together. Together I mean as going to PC bang and play with friends side by side. My generation is the generation that went to arcade and played console together with friends.
The trend now is much more individual. Now every person has their own PC and smartphones. Because of internet and various appliances, one can be connected with others without actually physically being together.
The trend is also clear in PCbangs, which originally started out as a place to play game 'together' with others. In my days we went to Pcbang after school and played team game of BW or Counter Strike, etc. Now the game is more diverse. You see more and more people who come alone and play game of their own taste. Because of better technology more people play game at their home. It is no longer a neccesity to play and enjoy same game as others as you can still be part of the 'gang' and feel you belong somewhere through SNS and smartphone. Gaming is no longer considered group activity but rather an individual hobby.
Will people still go to PC bang and play games with friends? Sure, but they can also stay home and meet them on internet. Will people still go to gaming event to watch pro gamers play? Sure, but they can also stay home and watch on internet, while chatting with friends. Enjoying game as being part of physical group is no longer the big thing.
This is the reason why people(or so these articles claim) that while eSports will definitely grow it will be difficult to see a single game dominating entire population and creating the phenomenon BW did. The scene needs to evolve to meet the demand of viewers that are becoming more and more diverse. One can no longer make huge investment in single game and expect great success as easily as before.
Last edit: 2012-07-23 21:25:29 |
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| Demonhunter04 July 23 2012 10:43. Posts 1466 | Profile # |
Oh my....they're just not transitioning?
And because of smartphones and social networking? o_oLast edit: 2012-07-23 10:46:08 |
| | "If you don't drop sweat today, you will drop tears tomorrow" - SlayerSMMA |  |
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| Condor Hero United States. July 23 2012 10:45. Posts 2672 | Profile Blog # |
| wtfffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffff so sad |
| | RIP KT_Violet |  |
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| rift United States. July 23 2012 10:46. Posts 1506 | Profile Blog # |
| the glory days of esports are over |
| | “My mind is full of thoughts about Starcraft. When I shower, when I eat, I would always be playing ‘imaginary games’ in my head. I think it’s because no one’s forcing me to play Starcraft, but rather I want to do it, is why I’ve done so well." | |
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| Sawamura Malaysia. July 23 2012 10:46. Posts 7220 | Profile Blog # |
| Everything that is bw related is crumbling down ... I wonder what's next ?. Than again I have already seen the worst to come nothing is surprising any more. |
| | BW/KT Forever R.I.P KT.Violet dearly missed .. |  |
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| Sadistx Zimbabwe. July 23 2012 10:46. Posts 5471 | Profile Blog # |
Noooooooooo
We'll forever remember you ace. Every single player. You were the amazing underdogs. The old guard.
Also,
However the rise of smartphones and social network services has caused progaming to decline.
.
What the fuck? Smartphones caused progaming to decline? |
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| dartoo India. July 23 2012 10:46. Posts 2203 | Profile # |
..........
Then why did they invest in sc2 hardware if they were going to disband o.0? I thought they would either not play starting this season or continue to transition.Last edit: 2012-07-23 10:48:33 |
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| Clefairy New Zealand. July 23 2012 10:48. Posts 1232 | Profile # |
On July 23 2012 10:46 Sadistx wrote:Noooooooooo We'll forever remember you ace. Every single player. You were the amazing underdogs. The old guard. Also,
Show nested quote +However the rise of smartphones and social network services has caused progaming to decline.
. What the fuck? Smartphones caused progaming to decline?
According to game "journalists" the Apple utopia will kill consoles, handhelds and PC gaming. |
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| TheShimmy United States. July 23 2012 10:49. Posts 1723 | Profile # |
| Fucking over. Fuck. Dammit proleague. |
| | Hyvaa #1 Fan. Gogo STX, Dear, Bogus, Classic, and Mini! Always a BW fan! |  |
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| GGzerG United States. July 23 2012 10:49. Posts 3513 | Profile Blog # |
| Oh WOW! this is unbelievable, I'm really upset that they aren't going to atleast go into SC2, this is really sad day!! ...I hope they change they're mind and come into SC2, even though I am sad to see them go from BW. Air force fighting~ |
| | http://cafe.daum.net/everguild @ Fish... ~Fish SPECIAL LEAGUE CHAMPIONS! :) *RIP Violet, RIP n.Die_aSam* |  |
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| OptimusYale Korea (South). July 23 2012 10:49. Posts 978 | Profile Blog # |
Well....its a loss all round and its a sign that progaming is declining in its heart land.
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| Gamegene United States. July 23 2012 10:50. Posts 6609 | Profile Blog # |
| don't blame the military, it's not their fault that star2 isn't popular. |
| | "My love for Jaedong is like this: when I think of him practicing for 14 hours a day, my heart hurts and I want to massage his shoulders and make hot soups for him." | |
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 GTR July 23 2012 10:51. Posts 39083 | Profile Blog # |
| Can anyone elaborate on 'smartphones and SNS services causing the decline of progaming'? |
| | Twitter: @TL_GTR | Stream: http://www.twitch.tv/notyuna |  |
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 Kiett United States. July 23 2012 10:52. Posts 3581 | Profile Blog # |
| The only military progaming team in the world... such a tragedy that such an establishment is disappearing. There'll never be anything quite like Airforce ACE again :[ |
| | 택뱅 ♥ | When you play the game of thrones, you either win... or you don't win. ☆彡| SKT SUPREMACY | ㅇㅅㅌㅅ | |
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| L3gendary Canada. July 23 2012 10:53. Posts 1201 | Profile # |
| I kind of expected seeing as sc2 has little appeal in korea. What would be the point of an airforce team with a mainly international audience? |
| | Watching Jaedong play purifies my eyes. -Coach Ju Hoon | |
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| Jumbled July 23 2012 10:54. Posts 1463 | Profile # |
| I must admit this surprises me. After all, there are a bunch of SC2 pros who could do military service in the next few years, and once through this transition period I would assume Ace could recruit them. Imagine Airforce ACE Nada. Last edit: 2012-07-23 10:54:59 |
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| GARO United States. July 23 2012 10:54. Posts 1572 | Profile Blog # |
Did ACE only add two players this year?
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| DwD Sweden. July 23 2012 10:54. Posts 3366 | Profile # | |
| | ♥ T-ara Soyeon - Fin.K.L Lee Jin - After School Jooyeon - miss A Jia - Younha - T-ara #1 Jaedong & HerO fanboy! | |
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| CosmicSpiral United States. July 23 2012 10:55. Posts 7564 | Profile Blog # |
| Where will they go? |
| | ONE MILLION YEARS DUNGEON! |  |
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