(We are sorry for the huge delay!)
The Sound Horizon Forum turned 2 last December. It is obvious to all that the fandom has made drastic changes during this period of time, and doing the State of the Kingdom debate clearly showed that these changes have led us to a point of slight instability.
Fandoms grow and face challenges. The Sound Horizon fandom, and subsequently the Sound Horizon Forum, is now facing the challenge of expansion. Things were slightly different before reaching 1000 members, and now the forum is not exactly what it used to be. But, how terrible is that? The thing that made us gather almost as if by magic in this forum 2 years ago was this desire to share our thoughts about Sound Horizon with other people, as we had rarely had the chance to do it before. We became comfortable in our cozy fandom, small as it was. Will the mere fact of having grown bigger spoil what we’ve been building all this time? I heartily hope it won’t. We would be doing ourselves a disservice.
Fansites often collapse due to overgrowth. However, newcomers are not the entirety of the problem; seasoned members unwilling to cope with change are also at fault. I am confident enough to assert that the feeling that bonded all of us when we first met will prevent us from just forsaking this fansite at the first sign of difficulties.
Here is my personal petition to newcomers and old members:
To new members: I’d like you to know that there is a place for everyone in this fandom. However, you must be aware that some people have been here for a long time, and some things may have been thoroughly discussed before you arrived. A generation gap can breed conflict no matter the context; by keeping this in mind, we can help things go smoothly. To all the people who have been long-time Laurants: please help the newer members get into the the workings of this fanbase. The best way to grow as a fandom is by accepting new methods of enjoying it and guiding the new people to where the old ones are, so that we can remain a whole.
I hope the message is well understood by all. Hopefully, the creation of the Sound Horizon Wiki and the implementation of a better communication board for mods will make things better. We all expect this great fanbase to last for years, so let’s take care for it.
A second message addressing the main issues that came up during the debate will come soon. Please be patient.
Admins and Mods of the Sound Horizon Forum.
Kurobara, Ailia, Haikara.
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Please refer to the SOK thread of the Sound Horizon Forum to share your views or impressions on the comment.