With FOE closed that now leaves 4 pure clans; EoP, MM, EF & Hi. Only 2 of these could be considered "major" pure clans, and of those 2, only EoP is open for applicants.
So what will happen now?
Speaking for ourselves, we are in a solid position to continue existing. We can pull 25 people to an event, our forums and irc are still fairly active, and we have enough active ranks willing to give it a go, to keep the clan running. However if no-one else is going to attempt to provide competition, this will not last, we will not bother, and we will die. MM aren't getting any apps and from what I hear, none of their ranks are bothering anymore, while Hi & EF are both to small to keep the community alive without help.
The fact is now that if we give up, this community, this website, your individual clans forums if they are still up, your irc channels and teamspeak servers (unless someone is dumb enough to keep paying for an empty server) will die. I first started playing this game 8 years ago, i've been around pure clans for 5 years, i'm 20 years old now and i'm busy enough in my life that I don't need to fill my time with this anymore, but can all of you say the same?
This topic is just me saying that if you have any interest in keeping the pure community alive, then whatever action you want to take must be taken now, or it will be too late. I was disappointed and surprised with how quickly FOE, Fi, TLP, Z and CP gave up on this game after their extensive histories. I'm not asking or telling you to do anything, i'm just informing you all that if incentive and competition is not given to the remaining clans to continue, they will not.
The next step largely depends on MM. So long as MM are providing us with competition we will keep fighting. If MM see FOE close and decide they can't be bothered anymore, then thats pretty much that, and the last 8+ years of the history and legacy of the pure community will fade away into obscurity. Look back at your own memories in this community and decide for yourself whether you would rather it is all forgotten, or whether you want to attempt to revive it.
More clans, or more people in the remaining clans, are the only two forseeable ways to keep it worth playing. Honestly i enjoy the new combat system more than the old one, but to each his own. But if it dies now it will not come back, people will leave this game and not look back, and the pure community will never be revived.
On a side note, if competition is not raised and the pure community dies out, will karl continue paying for this site for the benefit of battlescape clans (who already have their own forum), or will it be shut down?
maybe its just the sentimental lilguy inside of my massive guy outter shell that wrote this topic, but anyone still browsing these forums still clearly cares just a lil bit.