When? I’m having trouble finding the thread where they announced the winners.
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I was actually trying to find it it link to my reply haha, I’m haveibg trouble finding the winners for any contest. I’ll get back to you if I find it!
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Okay no I’m stressing lol I thought they were announced cause usually I get excited for a new contest only after the winners are announced. But tge winners don’t even show in the app 
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They announced the winners on their Instagram now 
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OK I FOUND IT, in a post above in this thread Announcing the Talent or Curse Contest! - #211 by rogueangelwrites
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@shiv.episode @kaiden_doestuff
And that post was made way back in January this year. So where on earth is the next contest announcement? 
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Ikrrrrrrrr I am patiently waiting for a new contest they are so much fun!
This was the latest update from this previous post
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Righttt I wonder what’s going on because eveb the new release was disappointing…that seems to be all it is now…disappointing.
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Thanks for sharing the link!
I wonder what they are “thinking […] over” 
Like, are we talking about a complete overhaul of future contests? Is that the reason why it takes so long?
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Maybe they realized the dwindling number of entrants and realized that they needed to make some changes to inspire us to make free money for them.
It would be nice if they did something other than require romance for everything.
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My brain reading the end of your post: Rah rah-ah-ah-ah, roma, ro ma ma, gaga, ooh la la, want your bad romance
But yeah, we really need another contest. I just hope that the deliberation and time that they are taking to release the next contest is relative to the quality of the prompt and that (maybe) they’re taking a long time because they are working on new features (such as a shelf on the homepage for contest winners).
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I refuse to give any money to mobile apps, but the money I would pay to be in that board room (or wherever they do their “thinking”) … I want to know what goes down behind this company’s decisions so badly. There are so many contradictions and this platform has evolved so much… I can’t help being curious.
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Lol I was referring to their required number of gem choices in contests. But I would pay good money to be a fly on the wall at some of their team meetings 
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Like I said before, it really feels like they’re reducing the amount of community things intentionally. I know most people in the actual community prefer reading community stories to Official stories, but the vast majority of Episode players are casual and just play Officials. That is where they’re making money.
They have obviously tried to make community more profitable - incentivizing authors to include gem choices, hiring community authors to write commission/Official stories so hopefully their fanbase will follow them and buy gems. My guess? None of these ideas have netted them the amount of money they want/need to keep pouring resources into the community. They need people to run and review these contests, and outside of that on a larger community basis they need people approving overlays, backgrounds, reviewing stories, responding to tickets, doing regular shelves, etc. If community stories aren’t making them money, why would they keep investing money into them? If it’s more profitable to just focus on Officials, that’s what they will do because they are, unfortunately, a business.
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As much as it sucks you make a good poin.
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I agree with your statement. Unfortunately, the lack of diverse prompts has only resulted in more of the issue, which has led to a decline in community participation and engagement. Also running contests requires resources, and if the company is not benefiting after inputting those resources, it makes sense to prioritize more profitable ventures. While it’s difficult for those who enjoy the community-driven aspect of Episode, the company needs to make decisions that ensure financial sustainability.
Although I’m afraid I have to disagree with how Episode handled other situations (related and non-related to this issue), on the contrary, I don’t know enough about the internal workings to suggest a better solution from them. However, I wish Episode could grant some clarity about the future of contests and the future of community-driven content as a whole. Instead, all I can say is that as a community I would love to hold workshops or contests that would be a good way to highlight diverse content, increase community engagement, and professional development. This would be good for aspiring writers on and off the app. I would love to hear your opinions, and I plan to create a post to explore this subject in more detail. 
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I’m sorry to say that it seems unlikely that there will be any new contests for Episode anytime soon. This is just my opinion and may not be correct, but it appears that Episode is currently focusing on other priorities that may take precedence (such as monetization strategies, user acquisition and retention, and etc.). Additionally, they may be working on improving the overall efficiency of their app. There are shelves that have not been updated for some time and there are problems with features, like the gumball machine and the book club. After observing many bug fixes, I have come to this conclusion. Also, Episode XOXO could play a part since it is another priority that requires attention. I can see how this could’ve led the team to deliberate.
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Yeah that’s what it seems. It would just be nice to have some communication from them for oncez we’re all very confused.
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I think some people in these replies are underestimating how valuable community engagement is. The authors on this app are also readers who are often more interested in community stories. Yes, they have other priorities and other types of audiences to cater to, but that doesn’t mean the other percentage of people who do love community stories, making their own stories, and entering in contests aren’t here and willing to engage when given the opportunity. All people need is an opportunity. Sure, episode isn’t what it used to be, many things are that way. Episode can grow and change based on the wants of frequent readers, writers, and casual players - They have potential, they have a community, and it is important to not undervalue how much that matters.
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I decided to put that to the test: Let’s decide once and for all, shall we?
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