On Dec. 16, 2014, the U.S. Persona 4 Arena Ultimax scene will die. It will join the likes of Under Night In-Birth Exe:Late and BlazBlue Chronophantasma as another game tossed aside to make room for the new game of the moment, Guilty Gear Xrd -Sign-. Or at least that is what a lot of people would have readers believe.

The airdash, or anime, scene in the United States seems caught in a cycle since the release of BlazBlue Calamity Trigger in 2008: players enjoy a certain game, then a new game is either announced or released and players quit the old and flock to the new. This apparent flavor-of-the-week favoritism has lead many inside and outside the airdash scene to publicly doubt the possibility that any game could ever have lasting success; people will simply move on to the next big thing. But that's really not the case. What has instead happened is that some players have turned an emerging wealth of game choices into a fight for support.

When BBCT released in the U.S. in 2008, the airdash scene split for the first time. Previously, those in the scene had played one of two games: Guilty Gear or Melty Blood. The two games had both been updated several times by 2008, and each held different importance and player count depending on the area of the country, but the two coexisted with few problems and some player crossover. There were certainly other games that managed to hold player interest for a time, but those two titles had proven longevity. BlazBlue, however, posed a possible problem. With its release, Arc System Works claimed to be halting production on Guilty Gear games for a time, and many players became ready to greet what was assumed to be Guilty Gear's successor with open arms.

But some GG players—this author included—were not willing to give up the game they enjoyed and, seeing BlazBlue as a direct threat to their scene instead of as the possible asset it could be in growing the entire airdash community, engaged in the time-honored tradition of bashing the title they did not like. They looked down on the new players, and a small war ensued between old-school Guilty Gear players and the burgeoning BlazBlue scene that continued for several years. While there were more players in the airdash scene than ever before, the split made it hard to notice a difference.

BlazBlue did make a difference, however, and from that change a larger and more varied airdash scene has emerged. While some players continue to believe that one game's popularity can end another's tournament viability, competitors finally have real choices on what game they want to play. Currently, there are four main releases—GGAC+R, BBCP, UNIEL and P4AU—that airdash players in the U.S. can enjoy competitively, and that is a welcome change from the days of only one or two. These new choices have spread what was once a small, compact scene across several titles that all run at majors. Certainly there are players who always flock to the new game—leaving behind whatever they played before—and others who only support one title, but neither is a death sentence today. The original Persona 4 Arena received strong numbers at tournaments like NEC 2013 and Evolution 2014 well after the release of the new BlazBlue and Persona 4 Arena games in Japan. That alone should be viewed positively, but some cannot be convinced.

The problem affecting the airdash scene, then, becomes perception. When players are told the game they enjoy is finished competitively, it discourages them from coming out to tournaments. When players are told everyone is flocking to the new game, it dissuades people from spreading the message of the old game. And when players are told one “anime” game is just as good as another, they complacently latch onto whatever is new. In short, games fail or falter because people believe the hype. Guilty Gear's popularity waned for a time in some parts of the country because GG players lamented their game's replacement instead of working to strengthen their scene; in other places GG's numbers never really diminished.

With multiple serious contenders for spots at big tournaments, the airdash scene is certain to seem more “divided” than ever, but really having that option is a great thing for players. Now they can choose to play the one game they really enjoy, or even two to three games if they want. The only thing that needs to change is the defeatist attitudes espoused by many in the scene who walk away whenever their game doesn't get more than 30 entrants at every event. By now, every airdash player should realize that none of the games currently offered will ever be as big as Street Fighter IV or Marvel vs. Capcom 3, so why should they worry? Games like Super Turbo have survived 20 years and multiple sequels with a proven, albeit small, playerbase on the strength of interest and dedication alone. Maybe an airdash game or two can do the same.

Cognitive Dissonance is an editorial feature series by SuperFX. Views do not represent IPLAYWINNER as a whole.