MTG Tie-ins: Good or Evil?
What do Captain America, SpongeBob, the shirtless Jeff Goldblum meme, and Optimus Prime all have in common? Give up? They’ve all been the subject of Magic: the Gathering cards in the last few years. The IP-driven cards make fun collectibles, and I’ve found myself drawn to them recently.
Long-time readers of the SCN Newsletter may recall that I attempted to get into MTG a couple of years ago. I dabbled for a bit, built a fun dragon-themed deck to play Commander with, and … promptly lost interest over about six months. I stopped playing and sold my cards efficiently via Card Conduit, which I can highly recommend. So, why am I buying new MTG cards?
Final Fantasy. That’s why. Well, that and LOTR, Transformers, Jurassic Park, Street Fighter, Princess Bride, Monty Python, well, you get the idea.
I haven’t gotten sucked into collecting the Marvel MTG cards yet, and I expect it is due to the fact that I’ve got a ton of choices to collect cardboard versions of Captain America. As far as I know, there’s only one place I can get a licensed card of the Dread Pirate Roberts, and that’s MTG.
That cardboard exclusivity is a large part of what draws me to the MTG cards. I’d imagine a lot of collectors are like me and also view MTG in a favorable nostalgic light. Between being the only way to get cards of certain characters and the nostalgia factor, it’s little wonder I’ve been drawn to these.
It’s also worth mentioning how good the cards look. MTG is getting some top-notch art that pairs well with either the more classic MTG designs or the more modern extended art versions. No one would care about these cards if they were ugly. They look amazing and that matters.
A House Divided
As much as I like my Final Fantasy and Princess Bride MTG cards, others hate their existence with an even greater passion. At the heart of the disdain is the perceived struggle for the soul of the MTG world. Should MTG be a bastion of creative gameplay, or should it be a mass-market collectible that borrows some of the FOMO-inducing aspects of the sports card world?
MTG currently remains popular due to gameplay, while Pokémon relies largely on collectability. That’s shifted with the infusion of popular IPs into the MTG landscape. Throw in the inclusion of serial-numbered chase cards, collector's packs, and a variety of parallels, and it is clear that MTG has shifted its strategy to rely more on collectability to drive sales.
Many long-time players detest the influx of gimmicks from the sports card world. Still, they can safely ignore all the bells and whistles used to cause buying frenzies. No one is forcing players to use foil, extended art, or serial-numbered cards after all. What can’t be ignored is when someone summons Captain America or Optimus Prime when playing a game. I think this is why the inclusion of various IPs has become such a heated point for MTG fans, especially with the IP-inclusion stretching outside of the Universes Beyond label.
Wrap Up
I understand the dislike of the Secret Lair and tie-in cards from the MTG diehards. It doesn’t mean I’ll let that stop me from enjoying putting together a roster of my FFIX favorites in MTG form. Hopefully, MTG will be able to find a healthy balance that allows them to cater to the long-time gamers as well as the collectors. Judging by the growing agitation I’ve seen every time a new MTG tie-in is announced, I’m dubious they’ve figured it out yet.