Getting the Word Out

Steven Paul Petrick Writes:

Star Fleet Battles has been in publication for nearly three decades now. Almost any gamer of a certain age is likely have to been a player, or to at least have been aware of, the game. Its very age, however, is often a problem. As most tactical boardgames only remain on the market a few years, most players assume that Star Fleet Battles must be out of print. Part of the problem is, of course, the general competition for "shelf space". While Star Fleet Battles (and its new companion Federation Commander) still has a market, store owners are looking for "the next big thing". In short, they are constantly putting new things on their shelves hopping for the next Magic: The Gathering craze. As shelf space is limited, older games that are still selling tend to get pushed to the back. The result is an "out of sight out of mind" effect reinforcing the idea that the game is "out of print".

An example of that occurred yet again this weekend.

SVC and Leanna went to visit a wolf preserve. While they were there, conversation with the keepers got around, somehow, to Star Trek, and then to Star Fleet Battles. And one of the keepers was a former player who thought the game was out of print. (We have, in fact, just received an order for Basic Set from him.)

There are doubtless numbers of people out there who would play Star Fleet Battles, if they only knew that it was still in publication, but getting the word out will always be a problem.