Spoiler: 2017
Spoiler: 2023
So did it fire games more quickly in the past? Yes, in 2017 newbie games typically fired within a week. In 2023 most games fired within two weeks. Does this justify removing the queue? If the alternative was sending newbies into games more quickly and consistently, maybe. What's actually happened? They were directed to play a Normal or Open game; or technically Approved Open, which fires much less frequently than the Open queue at large, they are the underlined games in my lists below.
Spoiler: Normal
Spoiler: Open
Is this really better?
Normals have a comparable rate of fire, typically being about two weeks until another one fills, just the like Newbie Queue was. Opens in general do somewhat better, but Approved Opens specifically are far more irregular- often that slot is just empty and it takes a month for the next one. This has not done anything to address the issue of 'newbies waiting too long' for games (which has always been an issue, some people will still flake even if their game starts the next day).
The Newbie Queue was a valued and important part of this site, and I feel its removal has diminished its vitality. I understand that the hope was to funnel players into other queues and cause those to churn games out more quickly but I feel there are simply
fewer
games being played now. You cannot just force people who want to play a newbie game to sign up for something different- all games are not the same. Choice is a vital part of enjoying being here playing. There's been many times I've felt like I wanted to sign up for something, but looking at my options in signups left me uninspired. You know what happens then? People likely just don't sign up to play anything
. The Newbie Queue wasn't even just a benefit for newbies. Many more experienced players also enjoy playing in a (hopefully) slightly more casual environment with a solid setup like NewD3. It was a needed source of consistency, where you know what you're getting, as opposed to the other queues where everything else is dependent on what the moderator feels like doing with it. The lack of the newbie queue is doing an injustice both to newbies, by throwing them into the fire with games full of experienced players right off the bat which can easily lead to needlessly discouraging them; and to more experienced players who enjoy that experience.