Shattered-Point

So, Star Wars: Shatterpoint received some bad news.

Just like X-Wing and Armada before it (and Imperial Assault before that), Star Wars: Shatterpoint is going the way of the Dodo.

The TLDR for those who need it; AMG is moving focus away from Shatterpoint to focus on Star Wars: Legion and Marvel Crisis Protocol. It’s very similar in tone and nature to the announcements made when both X-Wing and Armada were slowed down, and then eventually discontinued.

Losing a friend is never easy.

It’s no secret that I absolutely adore Shatterpoint. It was my most played game for the last two years, and it’s also the system that we’ve run the most events for in Mini Myths history thanks to our regular monthly gaming days.

Those who know me will know that I’m notorious for switching game systems regularly. Before Shatterpoint, I don’t think I’d stuck with a game for more than a few months. Funnily enough, shortly after the message, fellow Mini Myths hoodie owner Mike M shot this message in the group chat:

Mike’s right, by the way - it is my fault. There are still at least four or five products from Shatterpoint that I’ve yet to buy. Do I even support this game? Do I even care?

In truth, though, this has been coming for some time. There hasn’t been a Shatterpoint release in over 5 months (excepting a single objective pack that just hit this month), a clear sign that AMG was slowing down on the game.

Additionally, we’ve struggled to really build numbers for Shatterpoint events. Duel of the Fates 2025, our Melbourne GT, barely cracked 25 players - and even Cancon didn’t manage to break past the 40 player mark.

The game is genuinely good, but failed to find an audience - a story as old as time in miniature wargaming.

What went wrong?

There’s going to be plenty of armchair-designer theories as to what Shatterpoint did wrong - so why not add mine?

A lot of folks will point to the fact that the initial release and the Core Set focus on the Clone Wars TV Show. I think there’s actually some truth there, to be fair. Darth Vader is inexorably more popular than, uh, Gar Saxon. Maybe an initial release focusing on the Original Trilogy, or a fast-follow second starter set or MCP-like affiliation box would have helped.

The other popular theory that will go around plenty is the fact that players simply don’t need to buy a lot of models to play Shatterpoint. In theory, any two squad boxes forms a full list for general gameplay. While this is technically true, I’m not sure I’ve seen too many players who had the discipline and financial wherewithal to simply purchase what they need. This argument is also somewhat loose because it applies to Marvel Crisis Protocol in equal measure (a game which AMG is continuing to support) - however, MCP allows you to mix and match almost any figures, and therefore there’s less friction to simply picking up cool models and throwing them into your lists.

In the end, we just don’t know. For my part, I’d guess that the answer is in fact purely financial. Asmodee (the parent company of AMG) is famously under significant financial stress, and perhaps cutting smaller, less-popular game lines is an easy answer to slow the bleeding.

True or not, I’d like to believe that Shatterpoint is paying for Asmodee’s sins, rather than it’s own.

It’s not over ‘til it’s over.

To paraphrase my favorite Mandalorian (well, top two, for sure) - nobody can take away the experiences you’ve had, the miniatures you’ve lovingly painted, or the ability to continue playing this game.

Obviously the shine of a new box set or new set of objectives is something that we’ve all come to obessively love about the game, but it was never the core of the experience. Plus, there’s always 3D printing - and I know a guy who makes custom cards. Mini Myths unofficial Shatterpoint expansion, when?

I’m not kidding, by the way - did you know that approximately one hundred years ago, we converted MCP into Dragonball Z?

If we can do that, then surely, we can create a Yoda and Emperor Palpatine. I know a 10 year old with some excellent concepts.

Why I really, really care.

Shatterpoint has simply been a really big deal for me, and for our club. It’s been our most popular non-GW system ever. It’s been the game I’ve played more than any other since before the club began (the previous king being, ironically, Star Wars: X-Wing).

More than that, though, the community here in Melbourne and across Australia is one of the friendliest, most welcoming communities I’ve come across. It’s a great mix of wonderful folks who love the game, but more importantly, genuinely care about the game experience of their opponent. In running and attending Shatterpoint events, I’ve had so many memorable games, and watched countless unforgettable gaming moments.

Personally, as a TO, the AMG GT last year was my first time running an officially sanctioned tournament. I was so grateful to be invited (shout to Nick G!), and despite losing my voice the day before the tournament, had an absolutely wonderful time with both our local players, and visitors from across the country.

So for me, losing Shatterpoint has nothing to do with the game - it’s a great game, and I’ll miss it - but more importantly, it marks the end of a really wonderful community.

My life is better for having spent time with these wonderful folks, and I can only hope that we’ll all continue to find each other in whatever plastic-based obsession we pickup next.

After all, rebellions are built on hope.