As someone who’s spent years pushing miniatures around battlefields, I’ve recently felt a curious unease in the Age of Sigmar (AoS) community: is the game actually struggling to draw players to events?
Rumors swirl around quieter tables and dwindling player counts. So, to settle my nerves (and maybe yours too), I dove into data from Best Coast Pairings and community trackers across the U.S. and Europe to uncover what’s really happening.
Interestingly, the overall numbers paint a reassuring picture, at least at first glance. Between late 2023 and late 2024, tournament participation actually grew about 5% globally—26,381 participants up from 25,149 the previous year. Even January 2025 held steady with a slight uptick, rising from 5,010 participants to 5,292. So why does it sometimes feel like things are slowing down?
Digging deeper reveals some subtle cracks beneath this promising facade. For instance, July 2024 saw a noticeable dip in attendance. Why? Players were holding their breath, eagerly awaiting the release of AoS’s 4th Edition, and perhaps understandably, pausing their gaming momentum. But the bounce-back was swift post-release, signaling renewed enthusiasm.
Regionally, things get intriguing. In the U.S., AoS remains anchored by major events like the Las Vegas Open. Yet even this staple had slightly fewer attendees in 2025 than 2024. Is this just a small hiccup or something deeper? On the other side of the pond, Europe’s story feels different—rather vibrant, even. Germany, for example, reported a solid 10–20% increase in event numbers, driven largely by smaller, more local tournaments. Scandinavian countries have also boomed, highlighting an enthusiastic scene that belies any notion of waning interest.
So what’s behind these regional disparities? Europe’s embrace of grassroots tournaments and diverse event trackers beyond just BCP might explain part of this puzzle. Meanwhile, North America clings heavily to larger events that occasionally falter in attendance, perhaps magnifying feelings of decline even if overall numbers are steady.
But let’s not dismiss the underlying anxieties completely. Games Workshop’s own pullback on official U.S. Open events in early 2023, citing cost and low attendance, raised genuine concern. Veterans have expressed frustration, too—competitive play can feel repetitive, with recent battletomes funneling players into similar, predictable builds. Could this predictability slowly drain player enthusiasm?
Still, the evidence points to a community largely resilient, boosted by the engaging rule shifts of the 4th Edition and sustained by a thriving network of local clubs and events. Perhaps the true issue isn’t declining numbers but the shift toward smaller, community-driven experiences. As a long-time player, I find this shift both exciting and challenging. Will the future of AoS events be more intimate, community-driven gatherings rather than grand spectacles?
Ultimately, Age of Sigmar seems healthy overall, but the evolving nature of the community certainly invites reflection and curiosity. Maybe our worries aren’t completely unfounded—but neither are they cause for panic. Instead, let’s embrace the questions and consider how we, as players, can help shape AoS’s vibrant future.
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