Multiple Magic: The Gathering products won’t land at local game stores in time for the Lost Caverns of Ixalan prerelease, according to Wizards of the Coast on Nov. 1, hurting local game stores that rely upon having access to sell those products before major retailers.
Product delays have plagued the prerelease launch for Lost Caverns of Ixalan (LCI), per WotC, which is slated to drop into local game stores on Nov. 10. The wait has been caused by “production issues,” affecting collector booster boxes globally. Delays have also affected Commander Precon decks for North America as they will have “limited availability,” with both products expected to have full availability after the global release on Nov. 17.
No details surrounding the production issues have been revealed at the time of writing. The delay of both collector booster boxes and Commander Precon decks for North America will likely hurt many local game stores that rely upon that revenue, especially with the holidays quickly approaching.
Several local game stores in my area (Central Florida) offer players a discount on products like Commander Precon decks and collector boosters when they sign up to participate in prerelease events. It’s convenient and smart, providing a win-win for the LGS and its community.
With products not expected to have full availability until after the global launch, most local game stores will lose out on those sales as players are more likely to order from Amazon or another major retail outlet for the sake of convenience.
Many players are excited about the LCI Commander Precon decks, as there are a total of four, with each having a creature-type theme. Collector boosters are also looking good for the Standard-legal Set release, containing Neon Ink treatments and Jurrasic World Universes Beyond cards.
Players can still participate in prerelease events at local game stores for the launch of Lost Caverns of Ixalan on Nov. 10.
