Fantasy Flight Game’s living card game Android: Netrunner was recently discontinued, here is my tribute video I created to honor this great game and the friends I made during my time playing it:

Fans of the Netrunner franchise shared some of their personal experiences with Android: Netrunner in light of recent news of support for the game ending in the game’s public slack channel created and moderated by Dodgepong of Peachhack.

theladywhowasmeantome [10:52 AM]

So when I knew this was going down, I talked it out with [a friend]

And he said some things that I’ll never really forget and that helped me come to terms with this.

He told me that even if the game isn’t being made anymore, the person I’ve become and the friends I’ve made aren’t going to just disappear

Because when I think of who i used to be before netrunner, I felt like it was just going to go back to that and I couldn’t handle it – But I know that isn’t true.

I know that everyone here has changed my life and that even when the game isn’t being printed anymore, you’re still going to be some of the best friends I’ve ever had

And just because netrunner pulled me out of a dark place doesn’t mean I’m going to go back to it, I think it’s fair to say that netrunner has changed all of our lives for the better

terrificy [11:10 AM]

I first picked up Netrunner when my first girlfriend and I broke up. I sat with a good friend and I remember trying to “make a run on R&D using Corroder” and not figuring out how Icebreakers quite worked. I remember picking up Gabe immediatedly, and I remember the glee of hitting with that first goddamn Core Only Account Siphon. I started working my first job just afterwards and my first ever paycheck was a Core Set and everything. That means everything up to an including C&C because that’s what we had back then. Then they announced the 2013 Season 3 GNK with Datasuckers and suddenly we were playing at our LGS every monday, a very dedicated group. It didn’t take long before once a week wasn’t enough and for 2 years, rain or shine, if I wasn’t out of the country I was playing Netrunner twice a week. On fridays or saturdays we’d get beers an hang out at my buddys place and, and I got introduced to so many boardgames that helped define me as a person during that time. Netrunner definitely filled a void, especially as we started travelling to so many countries and met so many peoples. Damn it’s been a blast.

I could tell many Netrunner stories of turn 1 runners losing by installing Desperado and facechecking a Cortex Lock. Of teaching Tugtetgut how to play the IG / Whizz MU at my kitchen table over a few beers before he dominated the Nordic ANRPC tournament. Of weird-ass discussions on drunk trainrides in unfamiliar cities at 4AM. Of laughing so hard I couldn’t breathe. Of playing Accelerated Diagnostics and feeling greater than I had in weeks. Of the joy of winning that first tournament. Of the backbreaking letdown of getting 2nd. Of learning to enjoy getting second and the great feeling that comes with it. Of untying a drunk friends shoes before putting him to bed so we could hit up that SC he travelled across a couple countries to get to. Ffs.

My 100% greatest Netrunner memory was when somebody I really really liked went travelling for half a year through Scandinavia and it was rough and I thought fuck it and rented out an apartment in Helsinki because I was going to Finland Nationals _and totally not doing this for any other reason cough cough_ and I could go “hey yo wanna meet up I’m in Helsinki anyway” so I could tell her I loved her after some midnight falaffel and then play some goddamn Netrunner the next day.

dr00 [11:12 AM]

i moved to new zealand in 2014 with my partner, and we didn’t really know anyone. i had always wanted to start a board game collection. i went to r/boardgames and saw netrunner suggested by a lot of people. by the end of the year, i finally got into it. lunar was maybe mid cycle, and i by the time it finished, i had everything. i was so hyped for sansan. i met so many people in this new country through netrunner. some of them really good friends, some of them… not so good. but this has literally changed my life.

cowboyhatvalor [11:17 AM]

When I think about it Netrunner got me a bundle of net and meatspace friends, I video game regularly with some of them and when I moved to another state Netrunner was my introduction into a lot of boardgame and general friendships. Goddamned I love games.

kevintame [11:29 AM]

I was just telling my wife that I’m sad about the game dying and as I’ve gotten older it’s hard to make friends. So Netrunner was a good thing for me with helping me build friendships and a good reason to get together. She then turned to me and said “you can still be friends and start a home improvement club.” ie That’s a passive aggressive way of her saying you’ve been wasting a lot of time playing Netrunner and I’ve been asking you to paint that wall for a few years no. Hahaha. #nosympathy

robotmascot [11:35 AM]

I *made* #emojispam :triumph:

whiteblade111 [11:39 AM]

Real talk for a moment: I picked up Netrunner when I was in grade 9. At the time I had little to no control over my Hemophilia, I was bleeding into both my knee joints, had trouble paying attention in class because of the pain, and often didn’t attend class because of my bleeding. At the time it felt like nothing I really did matter, because it was all out of my control, and maybe I was never gonna be good at anything. I picked up Netrunner, and it was really encouraging because it was the first time I had something that I saw positive results in. I put time in, and got good results out. It was also the first time I ever earned respect at something. Being around adults, who respected my effort, and my results, was also really encouraging (compared to HS where it’s every person for themseves). I’ve been playing for 6ish years now and haven’t regretted a moment of it. It’s helped me grow as a person, learn that if I put time in, I can get results out, and earn the respect of ppl all across my country, and the world. I just want to thank yall for being you, it was truly great playing Netrunner with all of you, all these years

How has Android: Netrunner affected your life?

I don’t really remember who I was before Android: Netrunner. I was stuck in the midwest, and I used to spend every weekend forging 24 hour friendships at bars and local music shows, drinking and smoking my lungs out; nothing lasted longer than the weekend. But in ANR, I found friendships. I found a voice I never knew that I had. I’ve been critical of the game, and outspoken in the community for as long as I’ve been part of it – but even my harshest criticisms and rudest remarks came from a place of love. Instead of being a loser, a deadbeat, a loner I could be someone better… ANR gave me that second chance, and I will always be grateful to all of you, for being a part of the community that made that possible. Thank you all.

praising the game,

Chill84