Presenting.... AIRSOFTXTREME ISSUE #12...OUT SOON!
“Ceasefire”
It’s been more than 2-months since the imposition of the Gun Ban. Vegetation seems to be regenerating itself in game sites all over the country. Shops are feeling the pinch for lack of revenue despite the on-going “SALE” offers. No one is playing and no business has been generated, forcing some airsoft businesses to close for the duration—and some for GOOD!
The last couple of months have been hard on businesses and the hobby itself, still reeling from the effects of another tragic event, Typhoon “Ondoy”, which inundated entire villages and drowned a lot of airsoft armories aside from damage to real property and the loss of lives. It has been difficult enough that some players, having lost their precious toys to the floods, have just recently gotten the urge to play again only to have their liberties curtailed by the upcoming Philippine Presidential Elections.
What if airsoft was not part of the Gun Ban? Surely, the games would still continue, business would flourish and players will keep coming back to the field. Maybe…or maybe not.
Hard core players we know of have since pursued hobbies remotely related to guns and tactical maneuvers—photography, running, mixed martial arts stamp collecting, painting and whatever craft one can think of. What’s alarming is the fact that some, if not most of these guys will never go back to the playing field again for reasons other than finding a “new love”
Lobbying for the recognition of airsoft as a “legitimate” hobby and its subsequent “legalization” has caused more harm that it was purported to have avoided. Maybe the blame rests on the shoulders of those who sought to popularize airsoft which includes this publication. Putting airsoft under the spotlight and the scrutinizing eyes of the government has boiled down to what’s happening now.
While there are those who eagerly await the lifting of the Gun Ban, surely the numbers have dwindled. We do not see it as a bad thing. This could be a chance to rejuvenate the hobby and make it as pure as it was intended to be by those who started it so many decades back. Certainly, only those who believe in honesty and fair play coupled with their sense of adventure will remain true to airsoft. Maybe, the lifting of the ban will usher in a better scene with better players as airsoft manufacturers strive to bring us the best possible products.
In this issue, we delve into the same subject matter as our writers and contributors share their sentiments on what airsoft should be. We also feature the latest products from Tactical Options and an interesting Rescue Vest from Tactics plus letters and articles from our fans all over the world—proof that airsoft is alive and well no matter how bleak we may see things.
Christian " Ayokis" Uybengkee
Publisher
Airsoftxtreme International Magazine / Airsoft Buyers Guide / Hop-Up DIY magazine
www.airsoftxtreme.net
March 23rd, 2010, 10:48
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