enigmaFireim pretty sure that the 6s scene wouldnt be bigger if it wasnt for hl
i don't agree in the slightest
having two widely accepted competitive formats is absurd and a direct impediment to the development of any serious competition. the fact that the overall scene is probably larger because of highlander is irrelevant; the majority of highlander players wouldn't even classified as competitive players in any other scene except tf2's, where glorified pubbing is hailed as something more than what it is.
This would be true if only the game was actually going to be a recognised eSport.
Because it's a community based game where the majority of top players will leave after a few years and move on, the survival of the scene depends solely on the influx of new players into competitive TF2.
When I cherry picked some data a few months ago to try and persuade Kkaltuu to do something or other (I usually try and persuade him to do a lot of things he doesn't want to do, like play Engi for me at LAN), in Season 23 of ETF2L 6v6, 1 in 4 players who started in Prem had their first competitive team in Highlander, when you went to Season 23 High, this number was 1 in 3, I can only imagine the trend continues.
Highlander Open will only boost numbers for the competitive scene. The existence of the scene is part of the lasting legacy of the game, choosing not to cover it is your organisations prerogative, all I can say is I am disappointed because before you made that decision I had people like Brooky willing to work with me to produce an "On the Point", version for Highlander. Now I can't even find him on my friends list anymore. I used to be able to approach people like Admirable or yourself and say "I want to put on a Highlander event can TFTV help", now I know it's impossible. There was a point we weren't as divided as we are today and it's because of you making a decision and getting your staff fully behind it.
You've made a big decision not to cover Highlander events for your gaming organisation, you have come out and said Highlander can't be considered competitive TF2, even though I have massive respect for you and what you have done for the game, at the end of the day what your opinion boils down to is your version of competitive TF2. It isn't shared by everyone. The only difference is you're head of a gaming organisation that provides the best quality coverage with the best talent and the biggest viewership base.
We're not an eSport, don't pretend we are - We are the billiard game of the eSport world - Everyone knows about Cue sports, but not everyone knows that it has several variations - 8-ball Pool, 9-ball Pool, Chinese 8-Ball and Billiards as well as the most successful cue sport of them all - Snooker, which takes more skill and ability to play than any of these games, but will always be confined to a minor part to play in the sporting calendar.
Every argument ever made to why TF2 hasn't worked has been made but blaming Highlander for existing despite the fact it's the only competitive gamemode that plays all the classes, the only competitive gamemode that plays the most popular gamemode in payload, the competitive gamemode that started it's life from 1 tournament that was actually designed to boost 6v6 player numbers - this is the worst argument I have heard.
My opinion on this won't be popular here, I am in 6v6 territory (By the way I still love 6v6 and play it) but go to other places I know I will be supported.