Editor's note : This article is based on an interview that took place on August 29, 2024, long before both the recent Commander bans and changes to control of the format were announced. As such, the quotes within are not in direct reference or response to those events. Magic: The Gathering is currently riding high, consistently breaking its own records as it continues to grow into the most popular version of itself in its entire 31-year history.
But ask some longtime players about its “Universes Beyond” crossovers or the increased pace of new products in recent years and you’ll hear a common fear being voiced: developer Wizards of the Coast, pushed by aggressive goals set by parent company Hasbro, is only prioritizing short-term gains at the cost of the long-term sustainability of this game. It’s not an unreasonable concern, especially since it’s a sentiment WOTC seems acutely aware of . But it’s also a complaint that has now persisted for many years – at least since a 2020 collaboration with The Walking Dead angered many players while WOTC simultaneously declared it one of its most successful products ever.
So if these decisions were providing a shortsighted burst of revenue but causing deeper harm to the health of this game, wouldn’t they be able to see some signs of that in the years that followed? At a roundtable interview a month ago, I got the opportunity to put that question directly to the people who make Magic. I asked if WOTC’s internal data, both .