KessWylie

Though I don’t love 4 color in general existing, the cat is out of the bag. Since they exist, and there isn’t a real world scenario where they wouldn’t have, diversity mitigates negatives over limiting options to partner combos.

I do know that there are limitations to design and flavor but I think you can creatively build those identities. Start with what what the creature isn’t.

Say white.

Opposite of white is Rakdos

So what if a rakdos character was smart and really liked plants

Or make them duos.

A bw character falls in love with a UR character. They get a singular card.

Ral and Tomik bwru.

Legendary creature-Wizard advisor human

Whenever you cast an instant or sorcery you may pay UR to copy it.

Whenever you copy a spell pay BW to drain 2.

4/4

And then when they print product using said format. But with a different purpose then the original brand it causes “unhappyness”

With commander legends Baldur’s gate it was “this is a commander legends draft experience. But it is not a Commander legends product in that it is not a reprint set focused on commander. “

W/ jumpstart it’s “format is great for new players here’s new player versions per set”

But the people are mad the “new player intro product” isn’t the “well liked experienced player original product”

And to make it more confusing with the later. They are now releasing the sequal to the original product and people don’t know there are 3 types of jumpstart on shelves

TL:DR I think wizards need to be better at differentiating these formats and the products. Like “commander Legends limited variants” need a name that doesn’t sound like modern masters/modern horizons for commander.

Jumpstart is harder I don’t have a clean answer

For the record I think jumpstart is an amazing product for new player to…jumpstart the learning process….

And people complaining about the set by set by set jumpstart product are missing the point

But I also think it’s confusing. Which is maybe why they are missing the point

By offering “new cards” they create a new value without having to worry about secondary market pricing any more then they already were with commander decks, alternative sets(conspiracy/battlebond), or standard sets.

But with each product now being filled with new cards. Players are now forced to not just pay attention to the commander deck release and the maybe 5 draft-able sets released each year. But every intro pack(now jumpstart), every intro deck(now commander*) Every draft format

A significant chunk of the Players that reveled in “Knowing every card printed” is now exhausted with every product release now being something needed to be on their radar.

“Black Lotus this year has plunged 42%, to $26,500. Timetwister has fallen 26%, to $9,500. Mox Jet is down only 9%, to $7,770—must be a defensive holding.” This barons article

Like. Walmart and target announce massive declines in sales this year quarter over quarter that is applicable to all retailers. And Magic had 2 massive releases delayed by quarters. “oh it’s probably the magic 30 packs that are hurting the wizards bottom line…….

You could argue that commander legends and Unfinity were both mediocre product launches leading to retailers being over indexed on product. And this fall, due to product delays, did have too many releases. But also. Inflation, gas prices, war, crashing economy, all super relevant

Like I could argue 80 different reasons for hasbro stock to go down but “printed mediocre proxy set with some reserve list cards ” is like really close to the 80th on the list.

Tbh(Tin foil hat on)this article and the Bofa one reek of mtg finance bros who have significant holdings in reserve list cards reaching out to their regular finance bros to shout about how printing these reserve list cards is this big mistake to scare WOTC from doing it again.

Why play paper standard when arena is basically entirely built to have a player build a standard deck and often for free.

Not to mention. The path to being a standard player was deleted by covid.

You start buying a precon and maybe some packs.

You then start playing limited draft or sealed, building a collection.

You do that for a year till rotation and now your collection spans all of standard. Bam standard player.

Mosh havent hit that first full year since covid.

I also wonder how basically unless you are a pro incentivized by tournaments. Or streamer on arena. You have 0 motivation to make standard content.

Good:

-Best creator inclusion/support event of all time?

-Premium badge was just unlimited events (and creators also could do this)

-GP vibe is nice

Bad:

-No mask nor vaccine mandate.

-Event organization hiccups.

-Who and what you were suppose to do/talk to was confusing

The creator affiliate program was a good thing with hiccups:

There was a level of “free advertising for a thing you still have to pay to do” which is weird vibes? But the perks once there were 100% worth it? And it allowed a tier of creators to be included that wouldn’t be? Which is for sure one of the big successes of this event. The way this event felt like a real confirmation of “The Gathering” part of magic was both astounding and in stark contrast to Magic 30. And I have to imagine there is a combination of both that’s possible.

The Charity Playmatt with everyone’s face on it was a very very cool thing that gave players an almost scavenger hunt activity trying to collect every possible signature they could at the event.(the creators on the matt that had to cancel expect to be signing these in the future)

The vip buy in badge and the invited creator badge both getting “unlimited events” is one of the coolest perks I’ve seen. Someone mentioned that these events functioning like Disneyland (not charging for rides once you are in) is a possible future and It’s a phenomenal idea.

Finally this was in many ways “A return of Magic Fest” like events. Similar to CFBs “MagicTheGathering:Las Vegas” last year.