MTG, the Corona-Virus Pandemic, and future events.

[Card Slinger J]

So I heard a rumor recently from DesolatorMagic on YouTube that All Pro Play involving Paper Magic as of right now is cancelled forever including MagicFest events by ChannelFireball though I don't know what this entails for Star City Games. Even though small Organized Play events are expected to open back up again on June 1st at LGSs across the globe these large Organized Play events will either have to be condensed to smaller player turnouts with a lower prize pool or event organizers will have to install plexiglas on tables with hand sanitizer at the ready which might not be such a bad idea unless players are required to wear masks and/or gloves (they'll probably have to let's face it). I don't think Paper Magic at LGSs are going to go away though it might look a bit different.

It seems as though ChannelFireball probably realized at this point given the current environment we're in right now, that the risk to operate these kind of big Paper Magic tournaments simply isn't worth the reward they're getting as Rudy from Alpha Investments mentioned several times. Having to go through these various safety procedures in order to keep people safe from spreading COVID-19 doesn't seem like something that these event organizers really want to do and who could blame them honestly. With too many people to keep track of with a tally counter, having to wipe down tables constantly in-between game matches, making sure that no profanity has been written on the plexiglas installed on tables, it's more work for them to do aside from announcing game matches, putting up pairings to see who plays who, as well as handing out prizes which is usually the main attraction.

While the idea of turning Magic: the Gathering or any other social activity into an online / virtual only format is possible in the short term, as a sustained model it ends up failing miserably. There's a reason why fitness gyms are popular - the competitive aspect, the gloating, and encouragement that one gets from human interaction doesn't produce the same results when taken out of a social environment. When Paper Magic dies, Magic: the Gathering will die. It's as simple as that really. Digital sales for Arena and MTGO are lackluster compared to how much Wizards of the Coast makes from offline sales when it comes to Paper Magic. I think Mark Rosewater (MaRo) learned this the hard way when he created an online poll awhile back and was surprised by the amount of offline MTG players compared to online MTG players.

[motleyslayer]

CFB Events (the part of CFB that ran the Magic Fests) will be dissolved as per end of year, so I don't exactly know what will happen with Magic Fests after this year. I don't know what this means for comp Magic in paper but this probably isn't good. I found the picture through a facebook page

[Card Slinger J]

Elaine Chase already posted more confirmation surrounding the cancellation of future Paper Magic Events:

https://magic.gg/news/magicfest-cancellation

To the Magic community,

Without any doubt, our top priority is the health and safety of players, casters, artists, event staff, and everyone else who makes Magic competitive play both possible and wonderful. Given the unpredictability of COVID-19, we have made changes to how the highest levels of competitive Magic work to ensure that we can keep playing during the pandemic.

This year's remaining Players Tour, Players Tour Final, and Mythic Invitational events are shifting to be run online with remote play. Starting this (northern hemisphere) fall, we will be shifting to set-based competitive seasons for the first time ever around Zendikar Rising.

Over the summer, you will see us continue to roll out new virtual approaches to competitive play like the Arena Open happening on May 30, with players who make Day 2 able to earn up to $2,000 based on their win record in this first iteration, and the MagicFest Online and Friday Night Magic events we have been hosting with our partners and your favorite WPN stores.

This means we've made the heartbreaking decision to cancel all outstanding 2020 in-person high-level Magic events including MagicFests. (For details on what this means for related programs, click here.)

We realize this isn't what anyone wants. Most of us have forged friendships through the camaraderie of competition in far-flung places around the globe. Late nights in hotel lobbies, when players who had worked so hard for so long earned hard-won success, and tears and comforting when the bad beats hit. Hugs and high fives and debates over the best way to roll to see who got to choose to play or draw. The nervous excitement before opening that first draft pack. And countless other small moments that we all share and treasure.

Those thoughts will be at the forefront of our minds as we think about the future of tabletop play. But while the world rebuilds face-to-face gatherings, Magic competitive play isn't going to wait; it's going to continue online and from home. We change, we adapt, and we play on.

Magic is strong, and the Magic community is even stronger. Together we'll forge a new way of gathering to share our passion for Magic. And someday, we'll be able to sling spells at a table with friends we've made from around the world. I plan to be there with you when we do.

Elaine Chase

VP Esports

[motleyslayer]

I think that this was kind of an expected outcome, especially with the decline of CFB events which ran Magic Fests.
I don't even know that they could make them work when they don't have anyone to run them.

There's also the fact that having so many people in one place for a hobby event isn't necessary right now or at least until everything is sorted out in terms of reducing the spread of covid to much lower levels

[Card Slinger J]

There's a real sense of freedom that comes from a permanent death of Paper Magic in general where you're no longer obliged to keep spending into the gaming hobby any longer that's already gotten in the way of more important things in life whether it's becoming more financially stable or how you want to pursue your next chapter in life whatever that may be. As someone whose been really blessed to experience Paper Magic for 18 years since Scourge / Onslaught, I've already come to terms with the reality of the situation we're in right now and I think a lot of players should to. We REALLY need to stop thinking in a material mindset and more on an eternal mindset because nothing lasts forever.

While every new beginning comes from some other beginnings end when it comes to MTG it's probably best to just let bygones be bygones. Life's too short to invest in something that's probably not going to be around for much longer anyway. Anyone whose been paying attention to how Wizards of the Coast and Hasbro have been managing MTG as of late knew the writing was already on the wall and it was only a matter of time. Anyone who operates an LGS should get out while they still can cause I only see this situation continue to get worse as time moves on and no amount of e-commerce support is going to save them from bankruptcy when they're only really delaying the inevitable.

Thanks Richard Garfield for all the wonderful memories you created with MTG, it's been a real blast!

Here's a recap of one of the very first Paper Magic tournaments held in New York 1994
to think about the good old days:



Of course who could forget about THE Topdeck of the Century at 2006's Pro Tour Honolulu?

[The Fluff]

There's also the fact that having so many people in one place for a hobby event isn't necessary right now or at least until everything is sorted out in terms of reducing the spread of covid to much lower levels

yeah, the risk is too high to do that right now.

anyway, still proceeding with my order of some cards at scg. I like playing with paper cards than online.

[motleyslayer]

Please avoid any posts about the death of paper Magic. Right now is uncertain in regards to the future of paper Magic, so wait until Wizards announces what is going to happen in regards to competitive level events in paper before needlessly jumping to conclusions on the state of paper Magic-Motleyslayer.

as has been said in multiple similar threads on similar topics, please keep posts on topics related to MtG

[Card Slinger J]

I will say that by moving Standard and Brawl to Arena exclusively it ends up creating a power vacuum for Local Game Stores (LGSs) that want to host small Organized Play events but are unable to unless it's for 60 card eternal formats like Modern and Pioneer. This is going to make it more difficult for new players to get into Paper Magic since most of the time they're usually introduced into the game through Standard or at least they used to be anyway. Now it's like, "Here's an EDH / Commander deck knock yourself out!", when they need to understand the basics of how MTG is originally played before getting their toes wet in a community based format like EDH / Commander. 60 card Kitchen Table Casual is normally a good place to start however that tends to vary based on local communities.

The biggest problem I see with Standard is that there's simply not enough answers for various problem cards that end up getting banned as well as not enough imaginative creativity when it comes to deck building so that you aren't forced to netdeck like everyone else. That's what's driving most of Wizards of the Coast's customer base away from Standard and more into EDH / Commander because R&D / Play Design refuses to put in the work to balance the metagame on a constant basis. EDH / Commander has sort of given them an excuse to be more lazy competitively which leads them to being more creative casually like we've been seeing with EDH / Commander Pre Cons. Best of One Matches in Arena Standard is also a problem when it should be Best 2 out of 3 like in Paper Standard.

[user_938036]

The biggest problem I see with Standard is...not enough imaginative creativity when it comes to deck building so that you aren't forced to netdeck like everyone else.

I don't want to discuss the rest of your post but, this, I have significant problems with. It has never been a lack of imagination or creativity that leads to netdecking. It is always simply a desire to play a better/best deck. This is what drives the first person to copy someone's deck and its what drives everyone else to do the same when they start crushing them with this better deck. People don't like losing, and netdecks are, for lack of a better way of putting it, more evolved than none netdecks. There are a lot of potential possible decks but only so many good decks and good deck builders will build good decks making them look the same and then once people look at each other's similar decks a "best" version is distilled from that. As a fundamental rule, if you want to build a rogue deck the best thing you can do it start with Netdecks. If you don't know what is "in" you can't build rogue.

[Card Slinger J]

The biggest problem I see with Standard is...not enough imaginative creativity when it comes to deck building so that you aren't forced to netdeck like everyone else.

I don't want to discuss the rest of your post but, this, I have significant problems with. It has never been a lack of imagination or creativity that leads to netdecking. It is always simply a desire to play a better/best deck. This is what drives the first person to copy someone's deck and its what drives everyone else to do the same when they start crushing them with this better deck. People don't like losing, and netdecks are, for lack of a better way of putting it, more evolved than none netdecks. There are a lot of potential possible decks but only so many good decks and good deck builders will build good decks making them look the same and then once people look at each other's similar decks a "best" version is distilled from that. As a fundamental rule, if you want to build a rogue deck the best thing you can do it start with Netdecks. If you don't know what is "in" you can't build rogue.

True except I've also heard complaints about games in Standard being too uninteractive where players end up losing from their opponents playing Solitaire. Arena only having Best of One matches adds more luck than skill as opposed to Best 2 out of 3 matches in Paper Standard where skill is implied more. I get where you're coming from with how netdecking matters on a consistency standpoint while there still lies the problem of multiple games being played out almost exactly the same. There's even EDH / Commander decks that literally play themselves almost the exact same way every time.

It's even harder on Arena Standard since you're unable to read your opponent as you would in Paper Standard where body language is key in deciding what plays a player makes. It's different from using a webcam to play digitally when opponents have a strategical advantage using an online avatar instead. That's another thing that hurts the Gathering aspect of Magic where you no longer have the ability to haggle with other teammates and opponents. The Gathering aspect can also apply to competitive play as much as it does casual like with EDH / Commander.

[motleyslayer]

You do bring up a good point about standard being probably the easiest way for new players to get into Magic, especially paper. It's often easiest to acquire standard cards as the packs are very readily available.

My main LGS has had problems firing events because they've traditionally focused on modern, which had a hard time keeping newer people because how hard it is to get into the format

commander has gotten a lot bigger in my area though, because it can be cheaper than other formats

[Card Slinger J]

commander has gotten a lot bigger in my area though, because it can be cheaper than other formats

The future of competitive MTG possibly going paperless due to the pandemic has been a major factor as to why the MTG Secondary Market has continued to spike with no signs of slowing down. As a result a lot of people who are just beginning Paper Magic are being priced out of the format because they can no longer afford a lot of the staple cards to keep up with everyone else with fewer budget alternatives to choose from. I think that's really problematic for the future of Paper EDH / Commander going forward because If there's fewer people to play against due to how expensive the format has become then what's the point of keeping up?

[motleyslayer]

commander has gotten a lot bigger in my area though, because it can be cheaper than other formats

The future of competitive MTG possibly going paperless due to the pandemic has been a major factor as to why the MTG Secondary Market has continued to spike with no signs of slowing down. As a result a lot of people who are just beginning Paper Magic are being priced out of the format because they can no longer afford a lot of the staple cards to keep up with everyone else with fewer budget alternatives to choose from. I think that's really problematic for the future of Paper EDH / Commander going forward because If there's fewer people to play against due to how expensive the format has become then what's the point of keeping up?

I think commander may be the least impacted by people being priced out of the format, The reason I say this is because commander allows people to match the level of your playgroup, so if the group can agree to limit the power of their decks then people won't always be priced out of the format as much. Playing commander pods at Magic Fests may price people out but I can't see kitchen table crowds being as affected by people being priced out

[Card Slinger J]

commander has gotten a lot bigger in my area though, because it can be cheaper than other formats

The future of competitive MTG possibly going paperless due to the pandemic has been a major factor as to why the MTG Secondary Market has continued to spike with no signs of slowing down. As a result a lot of people who are just beginning Paper Magic are being priced out of the format because they can no longer afford a lot of the staple cards to keep up with everyone else with fewer budget alternatives to choose from. I think that's really problematic for the future of Paper EDH / Commander going forward because If there's fewer people to play against due to how expensive the format has become then what's the point of keeping up?

I think commander may be the least impacted by people being priced out of the format, The reason I say this is because commander allows people to match the level of your playgroup, so if the group can agree to limit the power of their decks then people won't always be priced out of the format as much. Playing commander pods at Magic Fests may price people out but I can't see kitchen table crowds being as affected by people being priced out

It's not just that when it's also how much consistency a player wants to get out of EDH / Commander without the MTG Secondary Market being too much of a burden to them. If they're not willing to jump through those financial hurdles then having to settle for inconsistency might ruin their overall enjoyment of the format. There's a reason why players netdeck so that they can get the best deck results as much as possible. However when you take inconsistency into equation that does leave more room for better imaginative ideas when it comes to the deck building process instead of just getting consistent Solitaire wins. I think MTG has lost sight of that since the Internet became more prevalent.

[robertleva]

How can paper magic continue? How can LGS continue? These stores offer retail products that anyone can buy online for cheaper prices. The only thing LGS really offers people is a place to compete in person locally. Since we cannot compete in person anymore these stores will poof away like so many other non covid-proof businesses.

[Card Slinger J]

How can paper magic continue? How can LGS continue? These stores offer retail products that anyone can buy online for cheaper prices. The only thing LGS really offers people is a place to compete in person locally. Since we cannot compete in person anymore these stores will poof away like so many other non covid-proof businesses.

Thing is LGSs wouldn't be forced to price gouge their own customers with expensive products If Wizards of the Coast hadn't got rid of MSRP while bending the knee to Amazon. You don't see Konami, Pokémon Company International, Bushiroad, and other MTG competitors doing the same thing because they know better. Of course another problem are Big Box Retailers like Walmart and Target who sell cheaper than the LGS without actually providing In-Store Play to support these games because why would they?

They're a business first and community second. Trading Card Games / Collectible Card Games don't function the same way that traditional tabletop board games like Monopoly and Scrabble do where you can just take it home and play with your family when it's built on a different business model that promotes the importance of public community. It's now more important than ever to publicly congregate with people despite the ongoing challenges COVID-19 has imposed on us.

[Krishnath]

It's now more important than ever to publicly congregate with people despite the ongoing challenges COVID-19 has imposed on us.

That is fine and dandy for people who won't literally die if they get infected by Corona (like me). Despite what some world leaders claim, Corona is a very dangerous and lethal disease that is highly infectious. We do not currently have a working cure or vaccine, all the doctors and nurses really can do at the moment is to pump those who get the disease full of an experimental cocktail of existing anti-viral medications and hope for the best.

[The Fluff]

It's now more important than ever to publicly congregate with people despite the ongoing challenges COVID-19 has imposed on us.

^ congregate with many people?? don't know what caused that suggestion, but even if I'm paid I won't do such a thing. Already started working at the office, but I wear mask, use hand sanitizer, and observe social distancing. It's sad if my lgs die, but I'm not going there at this time, not yet.

my aunt who lives a few blocks from my house is literally infected, and in home quarantine. This shows the virus is still around. I'm eating two oranges a day like mad to build up body resistance.

[Card Slinger J]

Yeah I should've been more specific earlier, I meant congregate with small groups of people not big groups.

Sorry for the confusion.

[The Fluff]

sorry too, I misunderstood.. thought you meant going to fully packed stores.

[robertleva]

RIP local game stores and FNM forever.
RIP large paper events for years at a minimum.
RIP paper cards value very soon, though I am pretty surprised this hasnt happened yet

Digital prices will rise as paper falls. If the game survives, it will be digital for the "pro scene" going forward. Esports are a thing now and this will be one of them,

[motleyslayer]

Larger events might not happen until probably next year at the earliest, but they're not going to be dead. They are probably still an important part of the game

FNM and casual paper Magic certainly aren't dead. There is still a non zero amount of people that prefer to play in paper rather than play online. This could be either they do not want/are not able to invest in an online collection or they prefer the social interaction of playing in paper. So paper Magic will allow people like that to fulfill those needs.

[robertleva]

Larger events might not happen until probably next year at the earliest, but they're not going to be dead. They are probably still an important part of the game

FNM and casual paper Magic certainly aren't dead. There is still a non zero amount of people that prefer to play in paper rather than play online. This could be either they do not want/are not able to invest in an online collection or they prefer the social interaction of playing in paper. So paper Magic will allow people like that to fulfill those needs.

I think a lot of people are HOPING this is true, but I just dont see it lasting. Consider the following 2 points:

1) Large tourneys: Even if covid disappeared completely tomorrow CFB is gone and it will take a long time for someone to fill this role, we are talking years not months. And that cant even begin until post covid whatever that means.

2) Small FNM events: Prior to covid these places were struggling. Can you realistically see these (or any other edge case small business) coming back with covid 2 on the horizon?

[Card Slinger J]

Larger events might not happen until probably next year at the earliest, but they're not going to be dead. They are probably still an important part of the game

FNM and casual paper Magic certainly aren't dead. There is still a non zero amount of people that prefer to play in paper rather than play online. This could be either they do not want/are not able to invest in an online collection or they prefer the social interaction of playing in paper. So paper Magic will allow people like that to fulfill those needs.

I think a lot of people are HOPING this is true, but I just dont see it lasting. Consider the following 2 points:

1) Large tourneys: Even if covid disappeared completely tomorrow CFB is gone and it will take a long time for someone to fill this role, we are talking years not months. And that cant even begin until post covid whatever that means.

2) Small FNM events: Prior to covid these places were struggling. Can you realistically see these (or any other edge case small business) coming back with covid 2 on the horizon?

If ChannelFireball hadn't taken over competitive Paper Magic then there's a good chance that the MPL wouldn't exist as we know it today which has made a complete mockery of what competitive Paper Magic once stood for. The way they treat their players, lack of good sportsmanship, social media wars, and how they get away with cheating and scamming with no accountability. With ChannelFireball gone maybe it will give Wizards of the Coast the push they need to get back to the old glory days of competitive Paper Magic that they've neglected for so long.

As for small FNM events the only way I see them and Local Game Stores (LGSs) potentially surviving this Fall from a second COVID-19 outbreak is If the U.S. Government passes an extension to the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) in the happenstance they're stuck only having to do curbside pickup and mail deliveries again. What's even worse is that a lot of LGSs have stopped accepting buylist orders for selling card singles out of fear that the cards may contain traces of the virus which means that they're stuck having to sell sealed product that they might not even be able to sell.

If an LGS is no longer able to purchase MTG collections to flip for money to support their business, that's really bad.

[robertleva]

WOTC wont be running any large scale events. We need an interested 3rd party like CFB to do all the leg work. Good luck with that.