The CTF scene is dead
In a blog post on Lobsters, Kabir argues that the CTF scene is dead, citing oversaturation of competitions, repetitive challenge formats, and a shift toward commercialized events. The author notes that many CTFs now rely on similar web exploitation or reverse engineering tasks, lacking the creativity that once defined the scene. This has resulted in decreased participation and community engagement, as experienced players find fewer novel challenges. The post suggests that the rise of bug bounty programs and capture-the-flag-as-a-service platforms has further diluted the educational value, turning CTFs into resume padding rather than genuine skill-building. The author concludes that while CTFs still exist, the vibrant, innovative community that drove them has largely dissipated.
Declining CTF quality may reduce hands-on security learning opportunities for developers.