Magic: The Gathering (MTG) is a strategy card game created by Richard Garfield in 1993. It was the first trading card game and has around fifty million players as of February 2023. The game has released numerous sets since its first publication by Wizards of the Coast. The first set, Alpha Limited Edition, was released in 1993, followed by a larger print run of 2.6 million cards. The game’s storyline takes place five years after Tezzeret’s burning, and the game has since evolved into a trading card game with over twenty billion cards.
Magic: The Gathering Online was released in 2002, allowing players to experience the game digitally, trading, and battling with opponents from around the world. Inducted in 2019, Magic: The Gathering was a unique and innovative card game that was first published in the Magic Pocket Players’ Guide in 1994. The game’s origins can be traced back to its release in 1993, with the first set, Limited Edition Alpha, being released on August 5th, 1993, just two months from its 26th anniversary.
📹 The History of Magic: The Gathering – 1993
Why is Magic: The Gathering 13+?
Magic: The Gathering is a game that can be intimidating for players of 13+ years old due to its complexity and the large age gap between young and seasoned players. The game is simple, with creatures pounding creatures until enough damage is done to knock a player out. However, the complexity of control decks, aggressive decks, sideboards, and playing against unfamiliar players can make it scary for young players. The art on the cards, such as Born of the Gods and Searing Blood, can be realistic and make the game seem too realistic for young players.
Additionally, the game’s mutations into Eldrazi Horrors can cause nightmares for adults, as seen in the trailer for Lone Rider’s transformation into It Rides as One. Overall, the game’s complexity and the art on the cards can be overwhelming for young players.
What is the oldest MTG card?
The Limited Edition Alpha, also known as Alpha, is the first print run of Magic: The Gathering’s core set, featuring 295 black-bordered cards. Released on August 5, 1993, it was designed by Richard Garfield and the Limited Edition design and development team, including Charlie Cateeno, Skaff Elias, Don Felice, Tom Fontaine, Jim Lin, Joel Mick, Chris Page, Dave Pettey, Barry Reich, Bill Rose, and Elliott Segal.
Is MTG the oldest TCG?
Magic: The Gathering (MTG) is a popular tabletop and digital collectible card game created by Richard Garfield. Released in 1993, it was the first trading card game and has around fifty million players as of February 2023. Over twenty billion Magic cards were produced between 2008 and 2016, generating over $1 billion in revenue annually. Players play as powerful dueling wizards called Planeswalkers, who draw cards from their deck representing magical spells to use in battle.
Instant and Sorcery cards represent one-time effects, while Creature, Artifact, Enchantment, and Battle cards provide long-term advantages. Players must also include resource or land cards to cast their spells. To defeat opponents, players must reduce their life totals to zero through combat damage or attacking creatures. The game has a unique gameplay that combines elements of traditional fantasy role-playing games with more complex rules and cards.
When did the Magic: The Gathering series come out?
Netflix has not announced an official release date for the MTG series, but production is currently underway. The development timeline remains unclear. Some hints suggest a focus on Chandra, a Planeswalker with fire-conjuring abilities, as a central character. A teaser image shows a woman holding an open flame, fueling speculation. Joe Russo hinted in 2019 that Jace and Chandra might be major characters, but this idea remains uncertain after Russos left the project. Heartstopper Season 3 is also in development.
What was the first MTG set?
In 1993, Magic: The Gathering released its first expansion set, Arabian Nights, which consisted of new cards and a scimitar symbol. The set was inspired by the Thousand and One Arabian Nights, with some characters and places directly from these tales. The Arabian Nights also provided the flavor text for most of the cards in the set. It is one of the only two card sets primarily based on public domain real-world fiction, unlike other sets created exclusively for Magic.
Magic creator Richard Garfield designed the set in parallel with other teams working on Ice Age and Mirage. The Ice Age design team, consisting of Jim Lin, Chris Page, Dave Pettey, and Skaff Elias, was called upon to develop Arabian Nights, but only submitted some comments due to their tight schedule. Garfield intended for Arabian Nights cards to bear a purple and gold back, allowing players to exclude it from their games. This inspired Garfield to be more adventurous in creating mechanics and themes.
How old is Magic: The Gathering game?
MAGIC: THE GATHERING, created in 1993, is the world’s first trading card game with highly strategic gameplay customizable to individual playstyles. Played by over 50 million players globally, it has 13 million registered digital players through MAGIC ARENA. Originally sold mainly through hobby stores, MAGIC has developed a vibrant global community through The Wizards Play Network (WPN). The average tabletop player is around 30 years old, with a majority aged 13-45. The game generated $1 billion in annual revenue in 2022.
When did Magic 2013 come out?
Magic: The Gathering, a trading card game, has released numerous sets since its first publication by Wizards of the Coast in 1993. Since then, around 3-4 major sets have been released annually, along with various spin-off products. Magic has created three types of sets: base/core sets, expansion sets, and compilation sets. Expansion sets are the most prevalent type, consisting of new cards with few or no reprints, exploring new settings or advancing the plot in existing ones.
Base sets, later renamed core sets, provide a baseline Magic experience and often consist of reprints. Compilation sets are entirely of reprints and are often made as special themed products or to increase the supply of cards with small printings. Examples of compilation sets with randomized boosters include Chronicles and Modern Masters.
All expansion sets and base sets from Sixth Edition onward are identified by an expansion symbol printed on the right side of cards. From Exodus onward, the expansion symbols are color-coded to denote rarity: black for common and basic land cards, silver for uncommon cards, and gold for rare cards. Starting with the Shards of Alara set, a red-orange expansion symbol denotes a new rarity: “Mythic Rare”.
For early expansion sets, the rarities of cards were often more complicated than the breakdown into common, uncommon, and rare suggests. Compilation cards are partially arbitrary, with some cards assigned rare status and some assigned mythic rare in a given set.
Why is MTG 13+?
Magic: The Gathering is a game that can be intimidating for players of 13+ years old due to its complexity and the large age gap between young and seasoned players. The game is simple, with creatures pounding creatures until enough damage is done to knock a player out. However, the complexity of control decks, aggressive decks, sideboards, and playing against unfamiliar players can make it scary for young players. The art on the cards, such as Born of the Gods and Searing Blood, can be realistic and make the game seem too realistic for young players.
Additionally, the game’s mutations into Eldrazi Horrors can cause nightmares for adults, as seen in the trailer for Lone Rider’s transformation into It Rides as One. Overall, the game’s complexity and the art on the cards can be overwhelming for young players.
Is magic the oldest card game?
In 1993, a new kind of card game emerged, with players not buying all the cards at once. Players would first buy starter decks and then be encouraged to buy booster packs to expand their selection of cards. The first collectible card game created was Magic: The Gathering, invented by Richard Garfield and patented by Wizards of the Coast in 1993. The game has remained popular, with Wizards of the Coast claiming it to be the most widely played CCG as of 2009.
Originally, Mana Clash was designed with Wizards in mind, but the suit between Palladium Books and Wizards was still not settled. Investment money was eventually secured from Wizards and the name Mana Clash was changed to Magic: The Gathering. The game premiered at the Origins Game Fair in Fort Worth, Texas, on July 4th, 1993. The game’s Limited core set was released in August, selling out its initial print run of 2. 6 million cards, creating more demand.
Wizards quickly released a second print run called Beta (7. 3 million card print run) and a second core set called Unlimited (35 million card print run) in an attempt to satisfy orders and fix small errors in the game.
The CCG craze continued, with other game makers realizing they had to capitalize on this new fad. TSR rushed their own game Spellfire into production in June 1994, releasing it in June 1994. Store owners placed large inflated orders to circumvent allocations placed by distributors. This practice eventually caught up with the release of 9 other CCGs, including Galactic Empires, Decipher’s Star Trek, On the Edge, and Super Deck! Steve Jackson Games, heavily involved in the alternative game market, adapted their existing Illuminati game into Illuminati: New World Order, which followed with two expansions in 1995 and 1998.
In early 1995, the GAMA Trade Show previewed upcoming games for the year, with one out of every three games announced being a CCG. Publishers other than game makers were entering the CCG market, such as Donruss, Upper Deck, Fleer, Topps, Comic Images, and others. The CCG bubble appeared to be on everyone’s mind, with too many CCGs being released and not enough players to meet the demand. In 1995 alone, 38 CCGs entered the market, with Jyhad being renamed Vampire: The Eternal Struggle to distance itself from the Islamic term jihad and get closer to the source material.
Is MTG the oldest card game?
In 1993, a new kind of card game emerged, with players not buying all the cards at once. Players would first buy starter decks and then be encouraged to buy booster packs to expand their selection of cards. The first collectible card game created was Magic: The Gathering, invented by Richard Garfield and patented by Wizards of the Coast in 1993. The game has remained popular, with Wizards of the Coast claiming it to be the most widely played CCG as of 2009.
Originally, Mana Clash was designed with Wizards in mind, but the suit between Palladium Books and Wizards was still not settled. Investment money was eventually secured from Wizards and the name Mana Clash was changed to Magic: The Gathering. The game premiered at the Origins Game Fair in Fort Worth, Texas, on July 4th, 1993. The game’s Limited core set was released in August, selling out its initial print run of 2. 6 million cards, creating more demand.
Wizards quickly released a second print run called Beta (7. 3 million card print run) and a second core set called Unlimited (35 million card print run) in an attempt to satisfy orders and fix small errors in the game.
The CCG craze continued, with other game makers realizing they had to capitalize on this new fad. TSR rushed their own game Spellfire into production in June 1994, releasing it in June 1994. Store owners placed large inflated orders to circumvent allocations placed by distributors. This practice eventually caught up with the release of 9 other CCGs, including Galactic Empires, Decipher’s Star Trek, On the Edge, and Super Deck! Steve Jackson Games, heavily involved in the alternative game market, adapted their existing Illuminati game into Illuminati: New World Order, which followed with two expansions in 1995 and 1998.
In early 1995, the GAMA Trade Show previewed upcoming games for the year, with one out of every three games announced being a CCG. Publishers other than game makers were entering the CCG market, such as Donruss, Upper Deck, Fleer, Topps, Comic Images, and others. The CCG bubble appeared to be on everyone’s mind, with too many CCGs being released and not enough players to meet the demand. In 1995 alone, 38 CCGs entered the market, with Jyhad being renamed Vampire: The Eternal Struggle to distance itself from the Islamic term jihad and get closer to the source material.
When did Magic 2011 come out?
Magic 2011 was the twelfth core set for Magic: The Gathering, featuring 110 new cards and 139 reprints. It introduced the concept of “planeswalker signature cards”, cards of lesser rarities tied to central planeswalker characters, making their identity more accessible to players. The keywords scry were introduced in this set, marking the first time a mechanic from an expert level set was printed in a core set without making it permanent. The set also introduced the “Titan cycle” of Sun Titan, Frost Titan, Grave Titan, Inferno Titan, and Primeval Titan.
📹 Magic The Gathering’s 30th Anniversary Edition Is Not For You
#notforyou #magicthegathering #cashgrab The Commander Social Contract | Learn These Unwritten Rules For Better Games: …
What would you rather spend $1,000 on instead? Let me know! … … And remember! My Discord has a 100% free “Looking For Game” section, with games of everything from Commander to Modern (and even Pauper) firing off. So if you want to get some webcam Magic, just check out discord.gg/tolariancommunitycollege
Reminder that Pokemon TCG printed “Evolutions”, which was essentially a reprint of their Alpha – Base Set. It was priced like any other set and booster. It wasn’t just printed “to demand”, it was overprinted and included in every bundle, pack and other product. Despite that, the moment it was out of print, it skyrocketed in price, because it was so beloved and fun to open.
“just how big did we go?” “so, so big, that’s how big” I can never get over how fake and soulless that line is. It is an incredible achievement. It’s like they were trying to capture the very essence of being dead inside and forcing yourself to try and sell something you know perfectly well to be a steaming pile of trash. They nailed it in the most spectacular fashion imaginable. She might as well be screaming into a megaphone “ignore absolutely everything we are going to say and stay the F away from this absolute garbage”.
Yugioh player checking in, I know nothing about Magic the Gathering but wanted to know what all the buzz is with the new 30th Anniversary packs. A thousand dollars for four random packs of non tournament legal cards?! And they only give ONE to local game stores?! That sounds absolutely insane. Complete robbery. I thank you for making such a comprehensive, well spoken breakdown of this product. Even I could understand it and I don’t know the first thing about the game.
I’m 41 years old and I’m by no means an expert of magic. What I am is a fan remembering when I was 14-15 years (1995-1996) old and being introduced to this new world of game play. Such a fun time remembering how everyone gathered to play this game, either played in the back of an old comic store or on the floor (where ever) to play. The point that I’m trying to make is that the innocence of a youth being able to afford a pack and share it with friends is long gone. I grew up poor but for my father to be able to purchase a single pack was huge for me let alone two. Just scrolling YT and to see that this product is being sold at these prices is ridiculous, especially for cards that can’t be used is silly. And in that pack I opened an “Icy Manipulator”, not a rare card but something I was happy for. Sad to see these companies try to squeeze the pockets of potential future players and leave the core fans out (exclusivity). Side note, surprisingly I was able to find my original decks from the 90’s in my garage. What great memories and that is something you can’t put a price on.
As someone who is a contemporary of thr Prof, I started playing around the time Arabian nights came out… I really started getting serious playing/collecting when revised came out… when I saw that they were going to be releasing proxy cards for thr 30th anniversary I was so pumped I was almost shaking… who cares if they had different backs!? My playgroup (2 out of 3 other players ive known since those days) could draft our hearts out and have a nostalgia high… but as I read on I saw thr price and literally thought it was a typo until I texted my buddy and he confirmed… honestly one of the biggest let downs/missed opportunities I’ve ever seen…. what a joke. Literally would have been better to not release anything
I attended Magic Celebration for the 20th anniversary at my lgs. Wizards gave everyone 30 card decks of the core set in the color they wanted to play. There were at least 30 of us there. WotC provided boosters to give out in between rounds, three rounds of play. Then we got promos at the end, albeit old promos from the LGS. It was all free to the Magic community, and one of the most enjoyable events I’ve ever attended. This offering for the 30th anniversary is anti player.
It hurts listening to this. You can hear the heartbreak of someone who truly loves and cares about this game watch as it crumbles apart. I also never realized what I was missing until he talked about how amazing this should have been. Going to my game store to hear someone yell across the room they got the black lotus, to feel that excitement about this game again would have been amazing.
Konami: Celebrates Yu-Gi-Oh’s anniversary with a $1000 Blue Eyes White Dragon Card made of 99.9% silver in a display case and official certificate, technically tournament legal. Also re-releases the first 5 booster packs ever released and an exclusive anniversary card in a collector’s box for $30 which are also tournament legal. WOTC: 60 cards you can’t play for $1000
There aren’t many of us who’ve been playing since 93 (I’m one of them). But I was so disappointed in this product announcement. I thought for sure there were people at Wizards that understood the community. Clearly, if there are, they have no voice in the decision making process. Next year could have been an amazing celebratory year for us as a community. This is the first time in my 30 years of magic fandom that I am seriously considering not giving another dime to them. My logical mind says this is the trial balloon. If it sells out, it’s the first, and least disgusting product we’ll see in the coming years, and I don’t know if I want to be a part of it anymore.
This article about the 30th Anniversary is probably the best I’ve seen on this topic. This game is dangerous teetering on the brink. And this comes from someone who loves Commander and is constantly wither buying sleeves or singles for a new brew. Even in these tough times. That may have to change however….I hear Flesh and Blood boxes are pretty easy to come by.
This 1K product made me actually go out and buy a ton of proxy (actual fake mtg) cards. In addition, our play group voted to use proxies whether you own the card or not…previously you had to own one copy to proxy it. My day of buying expensive cards has come to an end. Its just been too much lately.
Thank you Prof. for expressing my (and not only my) thoughts on this with the clearest and most polite words that only you are capable of. I am an Italian veteran collector, started at the very beginning, and I feel insulted by this product, and by WotC in general. I have always loved Magic since I was a kid, it has always been my n.1 passion. I have a very bitter taste in my mouth now that I see how they plan to “celebrate” this very important result. THIRTY YEARS! How many games have lasted so long? Do they even realize what they have? Of all the good there is in Magic, the only thing they can see is the money-making potential. Which of course, is fundamental part of Magic and its health and prosperity. But they have forgotten that this is the result of all the rest that is amazing in Magic. The game, the art, the lore, the characters… And most of all, the PLAYERS AND COLLECTORS BASE, and the STORES that make all of this possible! They are nothing without us, and still they treat us like we are nothing without them. How shabby! I don’t want to write too much, but I want to conclude with this. I remember when during Lorwyn block one of the “commercial tip cards” you could find in boosters was one that simply said “15 years. Thank you.” Maybe I am oversentitive, but that warmed my heart when I saw one. We didn’t ask for that, but it was a simple message. It was for US, the players, the collectors, the store owners. It was free. It was sent for everyone out there. Maybe a commercial card with “30 years.
I was introduced to MTG shortly after the release of Homelands, Ice Age, and 4th edition. I really got into it during Mirage and Alliances. I still own thousands of cards and have 75 decks ready to play, but I haven’t purchased any new cards since, well, I can’t even remember since when. Today’s MTG makes me sick to my stomach is such a sad downward spiral for what was once a truly innovative idea and an incredibly fun and addictive game.
as a 29 year player, I’ve been through so many iterations of “they are ruining magic”. some of it was reactionary (Homelands). But they’ve kept me coming back. However, my old fogeys playgroup and I ( who, incidentally COULD decide to purchase some of this product ) will not be doing so. Hasbro’s constant need to increase sales quarter over quarter and year over year have moved Wizards into territory that just isn’t sustainable in regards to maintaining it’s long term player base. Like many others, I’ll be purchasing more proxies. The only way to voice our displeasure that will register is to STOP HANDING HASBRO YOUR MONEY.
I played Magic for 20 years of those 30. It was such a beauty of a thing. You saw someone play at school, the next week there’s an entire playgroup, the next week after that we all find an LGS and hang out there. So many afternoons just having fun, making memories. Then it’s the sad reality sinking in. You see the LGS (plural) in your area struggling, eventually close or change into a snack bar to pay the bills. You see the company pumping out product after product, you can’t keep up anymore. You see all these shiny cool things, being limited, complicated to get and at abusive prices. You see no more PTs, no more GPs, no more exciting moments to talk about the next day with your homies. Entire formats being abandoned. Some being exploited for money like EDH. You see no flavour, no captivating stories, every set is just a bland “A to B” adventure. You even see out of place IPs being advertised within your once favorite card game. Steady increase in prices, even for older products. And now this…technically selling you 60 fake cards for 1000 dollars. A slam dunk of a product completely butchered by availability and price. And they even have the audacity to call this a celebration. I would call it murder. I discuss all of these events as they happen with my homies from way back then. We all laugh our asses off and keep saying “What he fuck happened to Magic, dude?? It USED to be so cool”. But inside It literally pains my heart to see what the “game” became. It’s not “Magic” anymore.
This one actually made me want to cry. I experienced Magic well before Pokémon by perusal classmates have duels on the concrete during recess with cards like Chaos Orb and Juzam Djinn. My parents wouldn’t allow me to have Magic cards due to the early art and criticism of the game so I grew up playing and collecting Pokémon. Once an adult with a job I was able to go back to Magic’s art and multiple formats. The game of Magic is continually becoming more big business with Hasbro now making a product to directly sell to the secondary market with the biggest payouts they have had, not only blocking out the average/budget consumer, but limiting quantity to even block out whales. This isn’t a player/fan celebration whatsoever, which really irks me the most. I’ve accepted not partaking of premium products or having the time to get to appreciate a set before the next release is upon us, but it really makes me want to wash my hands of Magic since the ‘Gathering’, casual gaming and collecting doesn’t seem like it will be affordable much longer. Magic the Gathering is becoming the product not for me. 😟
I quit MTG in 2020 because I felt it was heading down a road I didn’t want to follow. I came back in 2022 because it is a hard hobby to give up. It’s my only real connection to getting out of the house, and being part of a local community. But I can see that the signs I saw back in 2020 were just the beginning.
When I discovered magic, it was during the Tempest block- and I was in love. I had a science teacher who kept his class open for kids to play during lunch break, and he even organized a trip to play the release tournament for stronghold. Back then, the thought of trading your cards to make the best possible deck wasn’t even a consideration. You just did it. The game was what mattered; not collecting- not financials. The community, the fun- all of it was possible because of an amazing game and a company that seemed to listen and care about the people that played with their products. I’m not sure they look at us as anything more than investors now.
I saw something about this on twitter and assumed it was an absurd joke /’what if’ It blows my mind that it’s real, but the context that they’ve literally sold complete sets of beta before now for 50 is stunning. Thank you for commenting on the product itself, and especially for talking on the context it’s happening within too.
This was a really emotional article and I think you’ve put it in better words than most could muster. It’s weird perusal something you love in the hands of a company that you hate. So many amazing games and IPs created by those who loved them dearly now in the hands of companies run by people who carry no love and care for the game or IP. Just profit. Squeezing every penny out possible. I will always love Magic, but it does hurt
Reminder that for Yugioh’s 25th anniversary in 2021, their 1000 dollar collector piece was a pure silver metal Blue Eyes White Dragon card with a platinum finish in an acrylic frame that they made 1000 of, each stamped with a collector number. In comparison, this is just a joke. If you’re going to make something this expensive marketed towards the top of all players, you need to go actually big, not this dreck.
I have been playing Magic for 26 years now. It has been there through the good times and the bad times. I’ve been a god awful player the entire time, but winning and losing never mattered to me. I just enjoyed playing, brewing, reading articles and books, and especially making realistically balanced custom cards. I got into EDH around Torment when I pulled a foil Chainer and it easily became one of my favorite formats. I’ve made friends I never would have made because of my shyness. I’ve gone to prereleases and tournaments my anxiety would have kept me from. It helped get me out of my shell in a way nothing else ever did. I could go on and on about how much Magic means to me as a person and how much it has helped to shape my life, but I am starting to get choked up writing this. About eight years ago, I started to notice a shift in Magic. It was like I could see the writing on the walls, but I was still having fun so I stuck with it. I started playing less and less as the years went by, and as time went on I was slowing down my purchases. Until eventually I wasn’t buying anything at all. I still played with my friends in person or online using Cockatrice or Untap.in, but no new paper cards were going into my paper decks. That is to say, no new OFFICIAL cards were. I started proxying, because I played casually anyway so why not? My play group quickly followed suit. We would even make proxies for custom cards, so long as the group agreed upon their balance to the official game. Proxies made Cube and EDH so much more fun; I felt like a kid again standing in my old LGS cracking open my first pack.
Played Magic off an on since middle school for over 15 years. I’ve never dropped money on it, my decks were given to me by friends. Never played Commander or EDH or any of that, just your basic Magic with an ooooollllld Bushido deck. It saddens me to hear what Wizards is doing to the game, but ill still be playing with my old decks. You sir are very well spoken and impeccably well dressed, thank you for the information, you have earned my sub.
I’ve been playing Magic since 98, taught my (now) wife to play when we were in college, and we play casually with friends. Heard about this and thought it would be an awesome opportunity to get some cards we’d otherwise never be able to afford. Had no idea it was going to be that limited, or THAT expensive. Really too bad.
Never watched one of your articles. But I must say well done sir. 100% correct. Now I have not played magic since probably when Ice Age came out. I started playing Magic in 1995 and fell in love with it. I am still a collector of many things. Some are high end comic statues. But I’m wanted to get back some of my magic cards I had when I was a kid. I had 3 power nines when I played. Time twister time walk and ancestral recall. But I went online and found a amazing proxy company and bought all power 9 cards for around $30 and they look amazing! It is a shame what this company did to celebrate 30 years. Thanks for your time.
This could have been the coolest product. Mass print it all year for the 30th anniversary, sell the packs for 3 or 4 bucks. Let people draft it, crack packs, have fun. Instead we got something for the finance and speculation crowd. I’m taking my money and investing in a nice printer and I’m just printing my cards out.
My small local game store is getting one of these in. The owner and the whole commander community laughed at the idea. Nobody in the store has $999 to drop on it. NOT ONE OF US. Not even the War Hammer players who drop a hundred + a clip for new models. None of us. So, the idea is that it’ll be a giant box that will gather dust.
As a guy whose primary TCG happens to be WotC’s ex(Pokemon), I’m sorry you lot had to go through this. For the sake of comparison, last year we got the Celebrations set, which was an ETB that had 10 boosters which had 25 unique cards based on various legendary Pokemon + Pikachu variants and a special full art version of the original Pikachu card, and 25 reprinted cards throughout the history of the Pokemon TCG, be it collector faves lile Base Set Charizard or Umbreon Gold Star, to tournament staples like Neo Genesis Cleffa or Luxray GL Lv. X. …and it was only 50 bucks.
Thank you for linking my Simulator! The code repository is public. Everything is straightforward – 117 rares, minus the 4 they removed, 1 of each additional Dual land added = 123 possible rares to be selected. The odds of the Old Frame slot being rare is 2.9746 out of 10 which was theory crafted with Tavis King who is extremely knowledgeable in regards to sheet/rarity distributions and printings and in line with wotc saying the odds were approximately 3 out of 10.. I ran a test with over 1 million simulations and it looks good.
The only positive that’s come from this is that Wizards is officially endorsing proxies to a wider audience. I finally had the courage to bring it up in our playgroup and everyone was excited to try it out. So I hope this gives more people the motivation to switch to the affordable way to play Magic.
This is so tragic! I’ve been checked out of Magic since 2019 and had this show up in my recommendations. The intro was just gut wrenching! I was genuinely surprised at the fact that I would’ve been able to buy a box of beta to keep around for fun even if they were proxies, but my jaw dropped once you told the reality of what this product was. Makes me happy I’m not a fan of Magic anymore and most likely never will be.
Same, I’m actually in a financial position to play mtg again as a 42 year old. I started playing when revised came out and had a beautiful time playing with my 12-14 year old friend group. I played up until homelands came out. I moved on to other hobbies and never imagined my beloved game of Mtg would become what it is today. I have kids of my own now that are graduating from school. Many times I’ve wanted to introduce the game to them. But where to start? Do I go back and rebuild my old decks? Do I go back to Unlimited, Arabian nights, Antiquities and spend 10-15k on nostalgia? Do I jump back into Mtg with the current sets? They only come out every 2-3 months with a new set. Which one is going to be the one? Are there starter decks? Do I buy a starter deck and and booster packs from the last 3 sets and the next 3 sets? It’s all a bit overwhelming at this point. I have kept collecting over the years, but only the cards I really like from ABU. It’s sad that this game has been reduced to a bi-monthly cash grab. It still holds a special place in my heart and it always will. If only Mtg 30th anniversary was the opportunity it should have been. A true celebration of magic the gathering that everyone could afford.
My deepest Sympathise to the MTG community from a Yu-Gi-Oh player, I found this website through Team APS and have been enjoying your articles thoroughly. I could never imagine Konami doing such a thing (which is an odd thing say actually), with how heavy of a reprint policy Konami seems to have even when it comes to the older stuff we may not get exact reprints all the time but certainly retrains of an older card. I would love to see a article comparing the 2 games when it comes to the reprint cycling of cards (perhaps another crossover?)
Not gonna lie, listening to this episode made me cry, just because of how despondent its made me. Then it reminded me the even did this stuff a decade+ ago. Not as egregiously, but 100+ dollar kits with limited distributions whose cards are now upwards of several hundred, and over time the quality of the product reduced for stretching…
I wasn’t going to comment since this is so old but… Yugioh just had their 25th anniversary and not only have we gotten a wonderful reprint pack (has allowed me to buy some cards I thought I’d never own due to price for 1-2 dollars each! Usually less) but also some of the most iconic original sets reprinted with updated errata and are tournament legal (everything they release is always tournament legal till a card is banned) at regular price while also providing some expensive options for the collectors that I can’t afford that are still cheaper than the Wilds of Eldraine booster box. It’s so crazy to me. Blows my mind.
60 cards for $999 is just absolutely insane. Imagine all the proxies you could buy for that amount of money and since the cards WotC are printing aren’t legal they’d be as valuable as the proxies you’d get off of AliExpress or Wish. There are infinite ways of better spending that amount of money I feel and WotC are just showing their greed here.
This is the final bit that broke my heart. The universes beyond and secret lairs saddened me due to Magic losing its identity. But the 30th nonsense has definitely wounded me. It’s been a long struggle turning my back on Magic these last few months but I guess now I can walk away and never look back.
I am a pokemon collector and haven’t cracked any magic packs in probably 10+ years but man I can feel your devastation that you’ve endured from having to sit back and watch this company completely destroy the game you loved for so many years. I can’t imagine how much pain you guys feel not being able to do anything to stop them from turning this card game into something that’s completely unrecognizable. I clicked the article just curious bc I heard something was going down with the magic anniversary and next thing I know I find myself almost tearing up trying to fathom how I would feel if the pokemon company did this to our community. I am very sorry for you guys, you all deserved so much better. ❤️
Honestly i completely embraced the pauper format years ago, dropping everything else, commander, pioneer, modern… Pauper has everything i need, fun decks, tons of brews, wide metagame, great player base, and what’s best is that it not only it’s an eternal format (yes you can play with those 30 years old cards as long as they’re common) but it’s also super super cheap! I hoarded about a dozen of decks so far and i love the format. So when i see this kinds of product i wonder “Why? Why are they doing this?” They could get money from everyone by selling a product that could appeal to everyone rather than sell someone extremely expensive and that only a niche of the playerbase (if they play the game at all) can afford? It ‘s stunning really. Oh well, i’ll hold onto my precious and loved common cards. See you at the paupergeddon 2022 in Rome!
Prof, you’re absolutely right about this. You’ve hit the nail on the head, and as someone that’s been playing since Alpha, and seriously playing since Tempest with breaks in between due to life circumstances, I am saddened by what I’ve seen over the last few years, this game and many others that WoTC and Hasbro are the owners of are quickly becoming “not for me or anyone else that I know.” and that is quite frankly, a tragedy.
I came into the game around Shadows Over Innistrad around 6 years ago. It was my first time in a TCG and I was greatly enjoying it. The amount of product didn’t seem overwhelming and it felt like I didn’t have to look at every new set for the next power creep cards. Now it just feels like I’m stuck in a looter shooter game where if I don’t want to stay up to day with all the newest sets my commander decks lag behind for it. Plus there being so many new commander decks every year now. It’s just overwhelming.
Discovered this website through Team APS collab and enjoy the content a lot, sparking my interest in Magic. If this box was priced at a tenth of the cost, I’d at least think about it even being a complete newbie, because in theory, it seems very neat. In practice, it’s the weirdest attempt to cash in on nostalgia I’ve ever seen. Even if they did a limited run at the $50-$100, you’d think they’d stand to gain way more money no?
What they could have done: Silver boarder Alpha and Beta packs (as in the original wrapper with 30th plastered on the back) with Power 9, 2 classic lands, and 4 random but saught after cards from those sets. What I personally would have been interested in: 1 special booster that contained fan selected silver boarder cards from every set. Fans vote on their favorite cards from each set and in the end 15 winners end up in the booster with one card per set. If you opened the booster it would have a card explaining the history of magic, maybe something nostalgic for the old timers printed on the back with a 30th logo, and the cards themselves would be full art silver boarder foils of the 20 most popular cards (NOT RANDOM) voted on by us.
When I was an early teen (~14) my friend got really into Magic and tried to introduce me to it to. It didn’t really stick for me at the time but I loved the artwork and playing with my friend. In the past couple years I really got into yugioh and have been trying to find a way to explore magic in paper in a way that isn’t too daunting… The way that you described what this set could have been was exactly what I was looking for. A low bar of entry into a simple version of the game. Man it is disappointing that this product isn’t for me… I wish it could have been
For reference, in the best card game ever in YuGiOh, they offered a special collector’s set last year with every single Number card (141 total), in a special collector’s box with three special non-legal cards, a model of the Emperor’s Key and three cards previously anime only cards for ~$200 USD. It sells on eBay now for about $600 AUD. That’s about half the price I’d pay for 4 BOOSTER PACKS OF WIZARDS PROXIES.
Professor, thank you for this. I have been a MTG player since 1993 and this would have been an awesome product to spend a little of the extra money I have these days on. However, there is no way I can shell out $1,000 for a chance at cards that are only proxies. I will continue to purchase product that are priced to where everyone can enjoy. This is crazy to see this game I have loved for 30 years become such a money pit. Thanks for all the articles and content, and remember to Tap strong!
The good thing is that they can’t put a price tag on the gathering at your own kitchen table. You can keep having friends over, keep playing the old cards, keep having those moments. Yeah, some cards are getting more expensive and harder to find and new products are overwhelming us in both quantity and price tag but there are plenty of cards and plenty of decks that already exist right now and some nice little print shops in China to help us get our own proxies for “slightly less” than a thousand bucks.
Never played magic, just a casual yugioh player and I have to say two things. One thank you for this beautiful and candid article. Two, even as a casual player of a different TCG under a different company, I am disgusted. All of my friends and other members of my Yugioh community have a profound respect for MTG and what it has stood for for all TCGs. The level of greed and disregard for the community that is the life blood of their company is an insult to all TCGs. I can only hope that Konami sees the vast amount of outrage and is reminded to always respect the players.
“This product is not for you.” Im increasingly convinced at this point that the more accurate sentiment is flatout “This game is not for you.” Im frankly pretty disgusted with how WotC has overtly turned this game into just a predatory cash cow over the last few years. The entire game is severely tarnished at this point.
You echo my thoughts beautifully here. I miss the days when i could look at magic, and the only products out of my reach were out of print old cards. but now, half the stuff printed by wotc is shouting at me that magic, the game they’re making isn’t for me anymore. I love the game, and I love drafting, and playing a game or two.
My TCG journey went Pokemon->yugioh before finally trading everything (turns out giving up those pokemon was a huge mistake) to start playing magic right before mirrodin came out. Although my actual play time was more of a “here and there”, the fascination for magic survived, even as adulthood and all of it’s responsibilities hit me. Over the past couple of months, I have been thoroughly enjoying jump in events, quick drafts, and playing my budget red deck wins (same deck I made the first time actually) on MTGA. I suppose my renewed love blinded me from the fact that wizards is still a company, owned by a company, and owned by share holders. This article (as most of yours are) does a beautiful job of illustrating how little the majority of consumers matter to those making the decisions. There are two games that have a special place in my heart: MTG and Diablo 2. Both are arguably heading downhill… but I have yet to see a content creator for D2 that is willing to voice their opinion as strongly as you voice yours for Magic. Thank you for keeping my fascination for this game going, thank you for all of the information you share, and thank you for calling WotC on their BS time and time again. You set the standard for a game content creator in my book.
My favorite thing about these packs is that they are so expensive, if you are opening packs to chase after a specific card, it’s probably just as pricey (or in the case of non power 9, significantly cheaper) to actually buy a real version of that card than it is buying packs of fake cards to hope to open a non-tournament legal one. What a grift of a product.
– I have introduced so many players to the game since 1998 and I finally run out of time and people to play with after War of the Spark (but my heart has been really torn out of it when Mythic rares were introduced.) – I am proud to have been a part of one of the most dedicated and fucking hardcore fanbases in the history of anything. I have played any card game you can imagine, everywhere around the world and in every single store I’ve been the most serious and dedicated people have always been the MTG players. – One of the most enlightening experiences in my life has to be when the guy who taught me and my friends how to play purposefully drafted a pauper deck in a normal draft to teach us the value of synergies over rarity (something that makes me very mad to this day when WotC prints some broken shit). – I’m venting just to make you all know that I KNOW every Old School Mtg player is the same as me and that I am proud of what you have done! – To the crazy, diehard lunatics that still support this abominable cash-grab, perversion of what I had once loved and cherished, I have some words of comfort (because I love you too and you need it), IT’S NOT YOUR FAULT, net-decking ruined the game before you could, don’t beat yourself too much. Peace!
It seems to me that every year we step towards a future where it is only up to the players to keep the game Magic, Magic. Hell, the most popular format and several others weren’t even developed by the makers. I’ll be at a friends house celebrating the 30 years, because the tickets at Vegas were sold out, but I think I’ll have more fun playing kitchen table Magic.
Part of me feels extra bad for people like Mark Rosewater and Gavin Verhey. It’s obvious that they love MTG and their contributions to the game are well known, but it’s almost ghoulish how they are forced to toe the company line of “profit profit profit” while they realize that the soul of their game is slowly being destroyed piece by piece by insatiable Wall Street greed.
I knew you weren’t going to disappoint prof. You always keep it real no matter how uncomfortable a truth might be and you be sure cover all the bases. That’s how I knew this article would be the best take out here. I’m fairly new to magic. I’ve been playing edh for 3 years and now modern but wow how incredible it would have been to sit down with a proxy legacy deck or just any old school decks and actually have events with these cards so that people like me who has always wanted to know what alpha and beta was like. Also to enjoy that experience with people who were actually there all sharing their original experiences and first experiences with a newfound love that would go on to be a passion but no. The money is more important. I don’t know who this is even for. People say commander and of course ya proxies are awesome for at home play I guess but why would you spend any substantial amount of money for that? Idk… I would prefer spend my 1000$ on revised dual lands…. Or a legit mox diamond…. No matter how much money I have wether a little or a lot, I don’t see myself buying any of these cards …
I went to the opening celebration for the office off of Lind Avenue. Whole day of drafts for free. Played in a VtES tournament where they gave away Jhyad boosters as prizes. Went to the University District store opening and it was amazing. A cafe and gaming and free things to do there. It was where we played RPGs and met up before events. Now it’s this. It’s genuinely jarring when you think about it and it’s even worse when you were a 7th grader taking the tour of the little office on Thomas St and would run into guys like Anson Maddocks or even Richard Garfield. It’s not even similar and that’s the real shame.
This is kind of heart wrenching to see Prof who loves this games more most of us, watch his heart get ripped from his body. I guess since this might be the downfall I’ll tell my story. I got into MTG ~2011 when Dark Ascension came out, all the kids at school were into so i jumped on the band wagon with them. Shortly after that block came Return to Ravnica. I LOVED that set, that block. Think I had no history for this game I literally just bought the cards I didn’t even know what Ravnica was. But I loved it and while I was only a kid and could only buy so many cards, I knew this was the best. While after the RTR block I stopped playing and buying as I moved schools and no there was “nerd” enough to play it (fuck middle schoolers they try to act cool when they aren’t). So a few years later I randomly said screw it and walked into a LGS and saw they Guilds of Ravnica on the shelf, I was now older and had more money I bought a booster box. Cracking open all those packs and looking at those cards made me remember why I loved these cards. (Dimir for life btw) But again I had no friends that were into and I wasn’t the biggest collector I just kept them under my bed. Skip forward again, and my buddy saw one of those bad ass long winded ads on Youtube about Crimson Vow. He said he was interested and I said “I have crap ton of cards we can play if you want.” So begun again my love for MTG. But when I into to my LGS the sets were… weird. But month after month I slowly amassed booster box and booster box of the new sets I missed.
Our local stores have already decided to send back the packs when they arrive. There’s been threats already about them from people who haven’t even been to any of the local stores. Rather than deal with that, we’ve mutually decided for people’s safety that we want nothing to do with these. One per store when they’re already $250 each? I’m not sure what Wizard’s was thinking.
I haven’t played MTG since 2015. I returned to play in 2013 after years off, I tried to keep up with the competitive standard league but I couldn’t, besides being expensive I couldn’t keep a stable deck the way I wanted, outside of the meta. I even managed to win a local tournament, which guaranteed me a plane ticket to the World Championship in Buenos Aires, but I didn’t went very far with my deck out of meta. After that, I tried to go modern, I spent a lot on a deck that had been created a few weeks ago at the time, amulet bloom, only for the main card in the deck to be banned shortly afterwards. I went back to playing MTG Arena, but again, I couldn’t build a competitive deck with the cards I liked… unfortunately it’s an expensive game and you always need to be in the meta, or be out, which is what I prefer.
Thanks for mourning this with me. It really hurts deep in my heart to reconcile that the entity which enabled the existence of a community that pulled me out from some serious loneliness and provided life long friends who make me feel seen and loved no longer is including me and my friends. We all desperately need more uniting forces in what is becoming an increasingly bleak world. Spaces where we feel appreciated for just being there and can participate in the joy of doing something together. Recently every new move by Wizards has been a red flag that I desperately wanted to give the benefit of the doubt to. I couldn’t bear to lose my space. I am glad that I at least have the ability to take matters into my own hands in regards to being able to maintain that safe space. I can and do print proxies and host my own events in the venues I have available. The pain comes from that something I trusted to not have fall on my shoulders is now resting firmly upon them. While it is a shared burden with all the other MtG community members, it is still a heavy one. Especially in addition to all the other ways that late stage capitalism overwhelms people with tasks if they wish to not to be choked out entirely of money. It won’t be easy, but I have the luxury of being able to pick this battle and so I will. I can only hope others will do the same. I certainly don’t blame anyone who doesn’t. I only hope that those who don’t have the energy for this find joy wherever they go next.
Man this would have been awesome if it wasnt a whale product.. if it was like $10 a pack Id buy a buttload of them.. probably even $999 over time… So limited supply, outrageous price that keeps plenty of us out of it.. id imagine 99.9% are priced out who’d be interested. Such a shame, not a celebration at all…
I stopped playing Magic like some others in the chat. The local game shop closed, so when the itch strikes… its the same couple old friends getting together to play our old cards. I don’t have to relieve 30 years of magic because The Dark through Innistrad are sitting in a couple boxes in the closet. 🙂
Its kind of interesting. I think something snapped in my brain when I saw this product. Ordinarily I would have the FOMO urge but this time around I had actually none. But even more, I think its effected my desire for other magic product as well. I probably would have purchased a warhammer precon but I find I couldn’t care less. Im simply curious as to where that upper limit is for players other than me.
Here’s hoping that something changes in 2023…I just got into MTG again (Stopped in Odyssey) and I loved Kamigawa: Neon Dynasty. So much, that I started buying physical cards again. It was fun – it was exciting and brought back some sliver of youthful enthusiasm that is often hard to experience, as we get older. Then New Capenna was next, and although I missed Neon Dynasty, some of NC’s cards and themes grew on me. I still use Elspeth in a lot of decks of mine on Arena. But then as I took my journey to the card section at my local stores, I began to see over time, a drop in quality. To put it in a more appropriate term: I saw a decrease in the magical essence, that I always felt this TCG had and excelled at exuding. Then, as I find this Professor here, and watch his articles more, I learn why and how that essence we all knew was depleting. It’s yet again, the root of most evil – money and greed. This 30th anniversary is a joke and I agree: It’s not for me. When we turn MTG into a symbol of wealth and prestige, then it will lose the very essence and “magic” that made it one of the world’s most notorious and fun table top games of all time. And don’t get me wrong, I am not bashing the collecting aspect at all. I am building a playable, yet valuable collection. I just think that there needs to be a careful balance between the realms of collecting and the actual player-base of the game. You can’t tell me Hasbro doesn’t have the money to kick-in a bit more for the 30th anniversary of a timeless game such as this, insuring that Everyone has a chance to be a part of that moment.
Those final words “it’s not for you… I really wish it were”; that hit hard. There was so many ways to do this set that could’ve gone better. Had it been $999 for the whole beta set, I have assets I could’ve spent on it. Were it $25-50 per pack I would’ve bought a few (though I understand that’s out of many peoples range I have few obligations). $999 and you get only 4 RANDOMISED rares? The price on these will match or outweigh (slightly marginally at most) the collectors box cards within a year, IF and only if, you’re lucky enough to pull a money card. This product had potential to be something great… I wish it were…
This is bad, but there was warning signs…and we didn’t complain enough. On a side note, I only ever bought a couple secret lairs, but it was back when they were fun, rare, and a spectacle. Nobody knew about them, and they just randomly came…and went. Now I check the website every now and then and there’s always 2, 3 and in different combo packs. They advertise it everywhere. It really lost its charm, and what made them so special.
I love my friends faces when i tell them i have a complete power nine alt art set. They demand to see it and adore the idea of supporting those artists. Same with my duel lands. This is an absolute fail for a product. Absolute 0. My fiance and i just allowed the use of the power nine in our commander games cause she bought her own set. She got hers all from one artist that gave her a really nice thank you letter.
This breaks my heart. I got out of the game almost 20 years ago before I joined the military and gave my collection to my younger brother. Recently he has piqued my interest in Commander, so I went and bought my own commander deck to join in. Now this news makes me want to drop the product yet again. This is asinine.
WOTC has been damaging their reputation for years, but this feels like the point that it has been irreparably damaged. They could turn around and sell this product for $4.00 a pack, and it would not change the way most consumers now see them. The really sad thing, is wizards doesn’t even seem to care.
this made me almost cry. I knew intellectually how much I hated this, but hearing prof talk about it made me sad in a way I haven’t felt in a while. I recently got into magic, and in that short time this game has finally been the creative gaming hobby I’ve spent a decade of my life looking for, and to see this hurts so, so much. I wish that, for once, capitalist incentives could be set aside and people could just get to enjoy something
I’ve been waiting for this article for what seems like weeks, months even! Thank you for staying true to the course. The product must, first and foremost, cater to the game. A high price is OK, if that high price caters to a more profround game experience. Re-printing old cards and branding them as expensive is dishonest to the game, as they might not carry a cater to a profound game experience. I truly love this website.
The last big mtg purchase I made was back in 2015, when I bought the duel deck anthology. Even then, the duel deck anthology cost $250(AUD), lot of money. But… It came with 8 ready to play decks, the original 4 “Duel Decks” products. Every card in that set was on a standard back (ie. Legal in Historic games, if not in rotation). It was guaranteed to contain some amazing cards, including the original Jace Beleren and Chandra Nalar, not to mention Akroma, Angel of Wrath (a personal favourite). Duel Decks Anthology 480 cards. 8 decks. Legal. Great classics. $250(AU) 30th Anniversary Edition 60 cards, certainly not a functional deck. Not standard legal. Chance at a great classic. Chance at not… $1600(AU) 1/8 of the cards, more than 6x the cost, and less value for money. Just saying…
I just got back into MTG after a 10 year hiatus. I bought one of the 40k commander decks and have been having a blast playing it. But every time I drop it on the table people groan. I didn’t understand this sentiment until I watched this article. This makes me very sad that a game I grew up playing has morphed into an almost unrecognizable money grab.
I stopped playing Magic many years ago. I didn’t have the money to play it anymore. I restarted, when commander came out, playing casually with some friends again. And I stopped playing again, since it restarted to be about having more money, again. How will I ever start playing Magic again, after this happened? (OK, I still play it… fixed rotating decks… some proxy rounds, but not like in the old days…)
Seeing MaRo smiling on the announcement stream almost made me cry. perusal him wax lyrical about the un-sets in Spice8Rack’s article I was like “well at least there are some people at Wizard’s who still care about the game” but after this I’m not sure. Which MaRo is faking? 30th anniversary MaRo or Un-set loving MaRo? Cause they can’t both be real, and at this point I’m honestly not sure which one I believe any more… Is there anyone left at Wizard’s who actually cares about the game? I really want to believe there are but I’m not sure I can bring myself to.
Hi Mr. Tolarian, I am a new viewer to your website. I don’t know if you or any commenters that play Magic could answer, but I’ve recently been wanting to get into the game. With this article in mind, should I still look to go to my local comic book/card shop/gaming store to see if they play MTG and get into it?
I left magic right after Tempest. Came back just a little over a year ago to get into EDH. Wow. This game keeps breaking my heart. It isn’t due to the community. It’s due to Wizards of the coast. Deeply contemplated just selling my collection once again, a few times now. They are making it difficult for me to support this game.
The price is crazy for proxy cards. You can buy a few legit graded 9 bgs alpha cards for $1000 and they will actually increase in value more likely than these. Plus you actually have an alpha card or two. You can print proxies yourself at your house lol Wow @7:03 you took the words right out of my brain!
I started playing just before the 20th anniversary and I remember them releasing From The Vault: 20 as part of the celebration. $39.99 got you a set of 20 cards, each representing 1 year in Magic’s history, all being key cards of famous decks of that era or just infamous cards in general. Yes it was hard to find for MSRP but it was an amazing product overall and such a cool way to celebrate 20 years of the game. I couldn’t get it at that time but I told myself that I will try to collect whatever the next major anniversary product will be when I have the means to be able to at that time. It’s been 10 years then and I’m genuinely speechless how far this game has fallen.
Thanks prof I know this was prolly hard to make. I waited to see this article even tho we all kinda knew how bad it is. I watched it 3 times now because your words are powerful and they speak the truth even if people don’t wanna hear it. I’m ashamed this is what 30th Anniversary turned into but I will continue to support you anyway I can
I think this is the final straw for me to finally get away from Magic. The hobby has been financially detrimental to my adult life, contrary to the fond memories of my childhood. I think this is what’s going to finally help me move on to something else. I’ve got a kid coming now and don’t have the budget for such a predatory hobby. This and Rudy’s articles are a good wake up that magic as it is now truly doesn’t care for me. They only want my money and I need to kick my addiction for me, my wife, and my kid
This set feels tantamount to wizards openly recognizing the values of these cards on the secondary market. The deeper they go with this line of thought, the more open to legal trouble they’ll be in, in my opinion. They’ve only gotten away with it historically since they argued they were mere worthless play pieces and priced accordingly.
I stopped playing magic at that greek myth set. And the writing was really on the wall at that point. And hearing about this just makes me sad man. I played mtg all throughout high school. I started playing back when Invasion came out. And seeing the shell that this game has been reduced to. Investors literally ruin everything.
I’m still kinda new to this game, despite a very very brief intro to the game back in onslaught and my childhood, I only really started playing recently. And I’m glad. Because the 30th anniversary makes me feel sad; it feels like I’d feel even more sad if I had years and years of attachement to this game. This celebration is not for me, this celebration is for some uncaring people with dollars in place of the heart.
I started playing Magic The Gathering in 2014 at university. It was a great time. I quit with ‘Throne of Eldraine’. Until then I was able to buy all the product that came out without breaking the bank. But around that time there was so much coming out all the time that that wasn’t an option anymore. We had an elderly person who collected every art of every card; with the new lots of different versions he gave up on having them all AND that ended his drive to even collect what he still could. He quit as well. All my friends did too. With the retirement of our LGS owner and no successor, COVID, the blatend cash grab by MTG and the banning of most of my decks, there was no incentive to restart playing. This 30 year debacle is the perfect culmination of the sad state; it’s only for the money now.