Magic: The Gathering head designer Mark Rosewater has weighed in on fears Wizards of the Coast is axing Limited formats after a comment on Play Booster merge left fans panicking today.
In a response to concerned MTG players who felt disappointed at the shock Oct. 17 decision to do away with Set and Draft Boosters for an all-in-one product, Rosewater said, “If we didn’t do anything, draft boosters were going away.” He also added the change as a whole was to “save drafting” among other Limited formats.
Rosewater later confirmed the so-called death of Limited MTG formats was never on the cards, clarifying that as time went on and Wizards’ future forecasting was analyzed, Draft Boosters were in danger of going away due to “market forces.”
“No one in Wizards or Hasbro was trying to get rid of Limited play,” Rosewater concluded. If his claims hold true, it’s a sigh of relief for fans who feared the worst following Rosewater’s earlier comments, but this fear has since given way to growing anger for those who aren’t seeing the benefits of the new Play Booster merge.
Early reaction to the MTG announcement was mixed, with the Limited fanbase most vocal over changes to pack contents in Play Boosters as well as a sharp price increase—by as much as $10 USD per kit or Draft event, reportedly.
Rosewater confirmed Set Boosters had far eclipsed Draft Boosters in sales via an Oct. 17 Wizards blog post. He noted the long-term future of MTG’s success was under threat if the two had remained split, with local gaming stores often struggling to fully sell their Draft Boosters inventory. With some stores needing the money from a previous set to pay for a new one, the loop was often cut and stores were forced out of the system.
This, among a multitude of other problems and issues Rosewater outlined, meant a sacrifice had to be made—Draft Boosters simply weren’t viable, according to Wizards. Thus, the axe was swung.
Another factor affecting the margin between Set and Draft Boosters is the growth of online digital versions. It’s a lot cheaper to draft a successful deck on MTG: Online or MTG: Arena, with rewards for a deep run paying for subsequent drafts, some players suggest. “I can barely get enough people to draft once per set in paper. 10 years ago we would draft weekly,” one wrote.
“I can’t find a draft in my area and we have about five LGS],” said another player before suggesting drafting—particularly on paper—was the only way they played MTG.
It will undoubtedly take some time for players to adapt, especially those who draft on a regular occasion. The price changes for Limited players are an added blow after the cost to play rose in 2022 despite record-breaking profits a year prior. While Hasbro recorded a slight drop at the end of last year, MTG brought in over $400 million in profit over 2022.
The Play Booster change will be introduced with the upcoming Murders at Karlov Manor expansion which is expected to release in February 2024.
