LOL at all the people talking about the "foreign BW community" that re-registered or logged in for the first time in 5 years just to post here.
This really sucks, but the sad reality is it makes perfect financial sense. Maybe AfreecaTV could have done better to leverage the foreign audience here, but let's not pretend they were really raking it in from those 50-100k youtube views.
On March 04 2021 06:35 [sc1f]eonzerg wrote: I think they are coming from the point of view that they are watching ASL mostly cuz Tastosis is in.And it makes sense cuz they are product well followed.For example when i casted ASTL on afreeca the max viewers i got was like 300. im 100% sure those were hardcore fans of the game.Tastosis is able to bring way more.And i think is good to bring outside viewers. (from SC2) to Broodwar. But i also agree that i watched my whole life games in Korean.Even if i dont understand a thing it is just the perfect OST to the games
I don't necessarily agree with that. It's basically impossible to feel any sort of connection to a group of distinct players drawn together to form a "team" who'll just go their separate ways straight after. Seems to be making content between ASL seasons just for the sake of it to fill time. It's more or less the complete opposite of Proleague, where there is an actual connection between the players within the teams that can span across multiple seasons, each of which was much, much longer. I'd watch it pretty much every morning, and would never miss a Stars game even if I needed to catch up on VODs. On the other hand, I don't think I've watched a single set of ASTL. Nothing to do with the casters and I find it pretty much impossible to believe that people are only watching ASL because of Tastosis (unless they are using Tastosis as a proxy for "some sort of English commentator")
How about A BIG FUCKING NO!!! I'm so angry and I don't even know how to express my feelings right now. Everything that happens lately feels like we're downgrading, going backwards. Ok whatever, then let Tastosis to cast games from their homes, give them clear audio channel with only game sounds on, we will support them!
Some of y'all are acting like Afreeca's official message was "we hate people outside of Korea. Fuck you." when this is clearly a business decision. Quit taking things so personally. If Afreeca can't financially justify the English ASL stream anymore, then they can't justify the English ASL stream anymore. As much as we'd all love for them to support all forms of starcraft out of the kindness of their hearts, they are a business and they have people to pay, targets to hit, and investors to please. It's just business. Passion only gets you so far.
On March 04 2021 07:54 Jealous wrote: Honestly really surprised by the amount of people who seem really affected by this. Of course, it could be selection bias because only the most vocal will go through the trouble of logging in and making a post, but still. I was firmly convinced that I was in the majority of viewers in that I preferred the Korean casting and at worst could watch with no casting at all and not feel much deprived (such as during player streams). I guess I underestimated how many casual viewers there are, which is the demographic I feel must be most attached to English commentary.
On March 04 2021 07:54 Jealous wrote: Honestly really surprised by the amount of people who seem really affected by this. Of course, it could be selection bias because only the most vocal will go through the trouble of logging in and making a post, but still. I was firmly convinced that I was in the majority of viewers in that I preferred the Korean casting and at worst could watch with no casting at all and not feel much deprived (such as during player streams). I guess I underestimated how many casual viewers there are, which is the demographic I feel must be most attached to English commentary.
This surprised you? The ASL views for their English VoDs are pretty gigantic compared to numbers for much else I’ve seen from foreign land, ofc it’s a big showy tournament so that of course is a huge boost too.
I’m not alone in folks I know in playing BW as a kid, not knowing TL even existed and discovering this whole scene with a rich history after SC2 launched. Read many a TL feature, watched many a VoD and stream since and bemoaning this whole world I would have loved if I’d have found it.
Maybe if I’d started grinding BW in my early 20s I’d be up to a certain level to understand the games in more than simplistic terms.
As it is I’m 31 and my various responsibilities both human and otherwise would be quite pissed off at me if I started grinding BW, although it would be nice. I kind of rely on casters pointing out subtleties, LR threads on here too if they’re active enough.
On the plus side I do know who the players are, their rough styles and histories, their personalities now more so thanks to some great translations from jinjin.
Tasteless and Artosis are the bridge from SC2 players who either through burnout in that game or just fondness for BW that they may have played casually to know vaguely what is going on in games, and also (which is I feel understated), framing who the players are, what they’re like, what the stakes are. Those things any decent English caster can provide but Tastosis were the soundtrack to many of the great moments in our game of choice and having two old friends easing you in to another game was great.
I mean I’m 1/2, lacking the sufficient game knowledge to really get a good nuanced flavour of what’s going on, but at least I know the players etc. For people who are 0/2 I mean, why would you watch a game you can’t follow what the players are doing and you don’t know who the players are?
I could envisage me checking out the odd game still without English coms, be it a particularly hyped matchup or pure Bisu fanboyism.
It just thoroughly sucks all round really, I hope some English option is possible, Ive enjoyed guys like Nyoken in the recent past so it doesn’t have to be Tastosis or anything!
I think there’s far too much anger being thrown at Afreeca here at times, much as it sucks.
The foreign viewership for BW is not that big and doesn't justify the additional cost of english casting. It's completely immature to hate on them for that.
Anyway I'm used to watching Proleague/OSL/MSL in korean, so time for some nostalgia
Could be wrong but I feel there are enough brood war fans willing to pay for a Tastosis cast that some kind of Patreon should be possible. ASL is like 20+ hours of content. Don't really know if some kind of live cast would be possible through patreon using the afreecatv feed but even casted youtube VODs would be great.
On March 04 2021 09:59 jakarti wrote: Could be wrong but I feel there are enough brood war fans willing to pay for a Tastosis cast that some kind of Patreon should be possible. ASL is like 20+ hours of content. Don't really know if some kind of live cast would be possible through patreon using the afreecatv feed but even casted youtube VODs would be great.
i have never subscribed for a single Patreon, but i'd pay 100 bucks to watch an ASL season english casted live in studio as usual. for real, Afreeca, you're paying the best SC commentators and waste them on fucking Valorant. did I just say fuck you?
This sucks. I always wondered how it worked for ASL so it makes sense but it really sucks. Hope Artosis is Ok.
Bleh. I really, really enjoyed the Tastosis casts. Caught all of them on youtube.
Thanks for what you did ASL. Thanks for allowing restreams. Glad you're hosting a great event again. Wish there was some way for foreign BW casts to continue for tastosis.
Worst news ever it was a good run though, was really fun while it lasted. I was worried this might happen tbh so it isn’t a huge surprise.
If there is any possibility of at least pursuing the option of crowdfunding I would happily contribute to it. Give us a direct way to support ASL English casts and I’m certain it will happen.
Reviving my account also since maybe 10 years ago.
I watched every ASL and SC2 tournaments when it was still GOMTV and became very attached to the English cast. We see players come and go due to different reasons but our cast is always there with us.
I don't know what to say but sure am disappointed.
I am Very Sad to hear this news. I thought a lot more positively of Afreeca than I do at this moment. Afreeca, please undo this. Put them back into the casters chairs and start charging money. Tasteless and Artosis have created a community from nothing. They are smart, they know what they're doing. I have laughed so hard at so many of their random rants and jokes over the years. I would wake up early during an ASL Season just to lay in bed and listen to the casts. I'd happily pay to see them cast broodwar. I really hope they can work as a team and create their own broodwar tournament or something. They have something so special together. Thank you to Artosis and Tasteless for all the years of epic Starcraft.
On March 04 2021 10:30 ruhtraeel wrote: I'm also holding out hope that once COVID is over, Afreeca will have enough of a revenue bump again to be able to hire Tastosis for casting.
If anything shouldn't Afreeca have higher revenues during Covid because people are home more and hence watch streams more?