What happened to the fanbase for turn-based tactics games? (not FFT)

[Brawndo]

I'm not referring to Final Fantasy Tactics or similar games. I'm talking about predominantly PC titles like Jagged Alliance, X-COM, and Silent Storm. This style of game has virtually disappeared in recent years. The closest I've been able to find to scratch my turn-based tactics itch was Valkyrie Chronicles, but it's technically more of a JRPG and the "high school anime" characters and storyline frustrated me enough to prevent me from finishing the game.

Jagged Alliance 3 has been in production hell for nearly 10 years now, and the new "X-COM" game has absolutely nothing to do with X-COM.

Where are the legions of fans clamoring for more of these games?

 

[The Madman]

We're still here, and we're clamouring. Just almost no one is listening... one of the reasons I'm so sad about the new 'X-Com' game.

As for what happened to the genre? I don't know, it just seemed to fade away. Every here or there you'll get a new release, but not often and it's usually low-budget stuff. Still, I'm kept fairly happy by the plethora of fan projects which have stepped forward to fill this gaping hole in the PC gaming market!

 

[Brawndo]

We're still here, and we're clamouring. Just almost no one is listening... one of the reasons I'm so sad about the new 'X-Com' game.

As for what happened to the genre? I don't know, it just seemed to fade away. Every here or there you'll get a new release, but not often and it's usually low-budget stuff. Still, I'm kept fairly happy by the plethora of fan projects which have stepped forward to fill this gaping hole in the PC gaming market!

Please do tell. I'm always looking for something similar to these games

 

[Vern5]

They're still planning their next turn.

 

[thirion1850]

The Heroes of Might and Magic series is still going. But it really lost it's shine, and I doubt will ever regain what Heroes III was.

 

[Ryan Quirt]

Love those games.

I would love a new silent storm with multi player

 

[s0m3th1ng]

There is Atlantica... a squad-based MMO. It has it's issues but if you want a squad-based RPG it'll quench your thirst.

 

[Vampire cat]

I always liked the thinking time these games allowed, as I love strategy and planning, but am no where near fast enough to keep up with the pace of modern RTSs. And besides, those seem to be more about how quick you can build your base and force than how you utilize it.

I've mainly moved on to tabletop for my fill of this, and if you have a community near you I'd recommend it. It's a lot more fun too, especially if your interested in the lore of whichever game you chose to play, as the personal interaction with your opponents tend to set the scene for a much more intimate and enjoyable gaming session. I KNOW that's not why you created this thread, but it's the best I could do. Sorry =(.

They're still planning their next turn.

>
Burn?

 

[The Madman]

Please do tell. I'm always looking for something similar to these games

Well there's around 4 or 5 different fan remakes of X-Com in the works. UFO: Alien Invasion andUFO: The Two Sides are easily my favourites of the lot. And here's a website with links to some others as well.

There's also a few more high-budget X-Com revisits in the works including a neat browser one that was announced just recently. LINKY
And a fairly professional retail spiritual successor to X-Com named Xenonauts which looks quite promising. MORE LINKY

A Jagged Alliance 3 has supposedly been in the works for ages now as well, which would be cool.

And if you want something more gritty and in-depth, Frozen Synapse is supposed to be extremely solid.

If you want to delve into more Heroes of Might & Magic style gameplay, the King's Bounty games are bloody brilliant as well.

So the genre is still around, it's just, well... gone underground. Again why I'm disappointed with the 'official' X-Com game in the works. I really feel there's a market being neglected here, and the first developer to jump in and fill that niche is going to be in for some serious love. Doubt it would ever become a multi-million hit, but it could certainly do well for itself! But I guess anything short of AAA Halo/CoD/WOW levels of success just isn't enough for most developers anymore. There's no room for niche products, better to instead risk it all but throwing everything into yet another meatgrinder product designed to appeal to as broad a market as possible.

*sigh*