Lots to respond to in this thread, but I think this quote and response sums up most of it:
Amalgam wrote: ↑4 years ago
I dont understand how anyone can with a straight face tell me pioneer is a good or even fun format. It's an extremely linear format that will continue to be broken set after set as it has zero answers. The fact that even mana leak is considered too good for standard should tell you enough. People care at the moment as wizards are pushing the format and are trying out all their new brews at fnm. If I had to say one thing about the format which will stick to it is that it's a terrible tournament format.
If you think modern is bad now please look at pioneer again in 12 months when it's another 20 bans deep and has simillar moaning to this thread about modern now
I 100% agree that Modern has the potential to be a better format than Modern. It has a better card pool, better access to answers, the potential (and, in some cases, reality) of more diversity, and the stronger player foundation. But none of this actually matters because Wizards is CHOOSING to support Pioneer on Arena and simultaneously increase paper support to push the format. That corporate choice is what will kill Modern. It has nothing to do with Pioneer or Modern as a format. It is simply Wizards' decision to promote Pioneer, Arena, esports, digital MTG, and link Pioneer with all that growth. As long as Wizards continues to push Historic as the bridge to a pushed Pioneer, Modern is a goner. If Wizards changes its position or somehow states/suggests Modern will come to Arena in the semi-near future, then Modern will almost immediately be saved. Until that happens, however, Modern will rapidly decline in favor of the bright new promised future of Pioneer, even if the Pioneer reality does not match that promised future.
We need to remember that neither Modern nor Pioneer have clear or distinct format identities right now. They are both nonrotating formats where you can play strategies too powerful/old for Standard. Both have access to powerful, older cards. Both are opportunities for enfranchised players to have cards retain value. Both will have long banlists and numerous bans arising out of broken new sets. Both will generate significant player complaints about what is fair/fun/broken/acceptable/etc. in their respective formats. Neither will have a distinct identity unless Wizards prints some kind of vision statement for both formats; given that they haven't done this for Modern since 2016, I'm not currently optimistic this will happen.
All of this is to underscore that there is nothing special about Modern or Pioneer
EXCEPT that Wizards is choosing to support Pioneer as their Arena/digital/esport format of the future. That choice alone is all that matters right now. All the other format health questions and debates are irrelevant compared to that decisive point.