Soooo… I logged on to Twitter last night and saw a flurry of well wishes from folks in the Hunter community. I then went to the Warcraft Hunters Union and saw this post from Arth, and realized the cat was out of the bag. Sadly, it’s all true and not a hoax. Arth is leaving the WHU, and the Hunting Party Podcast is coming to a close with episode 200.
The decision to end the podcast was not an easy one, and even now as I write, I have second thoughts about it, but alas it’s time. The podcast was the single most enjoyable thing I’ve done in a long time. I looked forward to every Saturday and the opportunity to “talk shop” with some of the greatest Hunters to play the game, and interact with the greatest listeners in all of Azeroth.
Four years is a long time to do a podcast, and it’s just become harder and harder to carve out the time necessary to do the show. Plus as great as Arth is, the show just isn’t the same without Frost and Euri. We plan to get everybody back for episode 200 and go out with a bang.
We’ve got a great guest planned for Saturday, and we’re looking to make episode 200 our best ever, as we bring back Frost, Euri and a host of other familiar voices to say farewell.
Generation Next?
I tend to look at the Hunter bloggers in terms of generations. Generation one started during Burning Crusade and lasted through most of Wrath of the Lich King. It included prominent figures such as BigRedKitty, Brigwyn from Hunting Lodge, Pikestaff from Aspect of the Hare, The Hunter’s Mark, and many, many more.
The second generation began during Wrath of the Lich King and continued on into Mists of Pandaria. This generation included Frostheim, Euripides, myself, Garwulf from the Huntsman’s Lodge, Marks-365, Of Marks and Beast, Kheldul, and a whole host of others, all inspired by that first group.
This second generation is now winding down, and it’s time for the next generation to come about. Just because a few of us have come and gone, doesn’t mean the community needs to collapse. In the same way that BigRedKitty and others inspired us, I hope that Frostheim, myself, and others from this generation of Hunters have inspired you to carry on become voices and leaders in the community.
Whether its a blog, a youtube channel a twitch stream, or even a podcast I look forward to see what you guys come up with, and I have no doubt it will be better than anything we ever did.
That said, I’m not quitting WoW or ending my blog. I’ll still be around, but just not as the host of a podcast. I’d be more than happy to be a guest on yours though!
Stay thirsty my friends and remember to drink your Darkbrew lager.
There’s a feeling in the water for a bit. The HPP will be greatly missed. It’s hard to imagine wow with it.
Darkbrew you always felt like the linch pin of the show for me, the every man speaking for us. Helping us to interpret the raw information from the t-crafters, you refereed the arguments errr um I meant discussions between Frost and Euri. You made the points we needed to know with wit and charm. I’m extremely grateful. Thank you.
I was certainly inspired by BRK, Pike, and the whole first gen crew.
That second wave of bloggers had been a very big pack. Only some of us kept at it. Others burned fast and bright ending their run three years ago. I wish I could remember all their names, but there were some strong emotions there.
Your podcast will always be something special.