Arena play always only 2?

[helma254]

I have only ever seen arena play with two players, is it always like that or change?
Cause personally I enjoy the game with four players, but then I can never play arena…

[thoun]

Arena settings are voted by Gurus, and can change at each season based on their votes.

That being said, I personally think 2 player is the most competitive setting for this game, and Arena is to play competitively. So it probably won't change if Gurus agrees with me

[noogakl]

I think they should consider separate arena seasons for 2, 3 and 4 player Azul. Same for Splendor, Ark Nova, Earth, etc. The strategy can change significantly with the player count. But I think one of the considerations is that collusion and cheating are far easier with 3 and 4 player games than with 2 players.

[Suoivax]

I think they should consider separate arena seasons for 2, 3 and 4 player Azul. Same for Splendor, Ark Nova, Earth, etc. The strategy can change significantly with the player count. But I think one of the considerations is that collusion and cheating are far easier with 3 and 4 player games than with 2 players.

You would also divide the player base, making waits longer.

[Han Shot First]

The system for choosing arena settings is broken (for all games, not just Azul). Because those who play the most games choose the settings the games tend to be played by those who like the current settings, and everything stays the same.

In most games low player counts play faster. And so those playing the most games tend to play with low player counts. And so arena settings tend towards low player counts, even when that is a poor choice for the game.

As it happens, in Azul 2 player is the most competitive way to play it. But it Catan 4 player is the most competitive way to play (all face to face tournaments are four player including international tournaments) but the gurus keep it at 3 player.

BGA needs a much more open way of creating arena settings and abolish this guru nonsense.

[Jellby]

Because those who play the most games choose the settings the games tend to be played by those who like the current settings, and everything stays the same.

Not really, because the gurus are those who play most games, Arena or not. If you don't like the current settings, you can play a lot of games in casual mode (or tournaments, I guess), and you may be a guru too.

In most games low player counts play faster. And so those playing the most games tend to play with low player counts. And so arena settings tend towards low player counts, even when that is a poor choice for the game.

That is probably true. But also consider that lower player counts are easier to fill In many games getting more than 2 players in a table is quite a challenge.