It's not the economy, stupid
January 9th 2009 23:48
This blog is not about the economy. Having said that, let’s talk about the economy. Though it’s set in a different world (or, in the case of Shards of Alara, five different worlds), Magic exists in this world, and since pretty much everyone’s having a harder time of things, you might expect that some of said things might have something to do with Magic.
The dedicated card stores in my area are stumbling along in spite of declining turnout at Standard tournaments and their often-questionable business practices (like when one of them moved from an area with a lot of young people, many of whom were already interested in comic books and classic fantasy, and re-opened at the wrong end of a 45-minute train ride from anyone with disposable income – a block away from another card store).
In other parts of the world, though, economic competition still follows the laws of Adam Smith, and many players have reported stores closing. The latest one was also a famous name: New York’s Neutral Ground, where some of the regulars on the early Pro Tour used to hang out. It can be tough to lose a place you know well, and Magic players tend to be creatures of habit when it comes to their tournament centers. Some people whose local stores have closed claimed that those closures foreshadowed the death of the game in their town, or even across the globe.
But I think that we as a fan base have become a little too hung up on sanctioned play. So much of our time and energy (especially online) is devoted to formulating and dissecting tournament strategy that we often lose sight of some of the basic features of the game. A Magic deck fits in your coat pocket, and a game only requires two players and some relatively empty space. Richard Garfield did this on purpose so that we wouldn’t be dependent on a specific person or place to enjoy the game (much like he demanded top-class fantasy artwork so that we could appreciate the cards on a level beyond gameplay). We should take advantage of his decision.
Magic doesn’t rise or fall with the profit margins of stores. It’s bigger than Neutral Ground and Meta Games. It’s more than the keyword mechanics and more than the artwork. As long as someone somewhere remembers what to do with their cards, it will outlive Wizards of the Coast – and it will outlive you and me.
Some people seem oddly eager for our hobby to be affected by the recession. I can’t help but wonder if they just want the price of singles to come down…
The dedicated card stores in my area are stumbling along in spite of declining turnout at Standard tournaments and their often-questionable business practices (like when one of them moved from an area with a lot of young people, many of whom were already interested in comic books and classic fantasy, and re-opened at the wrong end of a 45-minute train ride from anyone with disposable income – a block away from another card store).
Blame Canada! I mean… Bitterblossom.
In other parts of the world, though, economic competition still follows the laws of Adam Smith, and many players have reported stores closing. The latest one was also a famous name: New York’s Neutral Ground, where some of the regulars on the early Pro Tour used to hang out. It can be tough to lose a place you know well, and Magic players tend to be creatures of habit when it comes to their tournament centers. Some people whose local stores have closed claimed that those closures foreshadowed the death of the game in their town, or even across the globe.
But I think that we as a fan base have become a little too hung up on sanctioned play. So much of our time and energy (especially online) is devoted to formulating and dissecting tournament strategy that we often lose sight of some of the basic features of the game. A Magic deck fits in your coat pocket, and a game only requires two players and some relatively empty space. Richard Garfield did this on purpose so that we wouldn’t be dependent on a specific person or place to enjoy the game (much like he demanded top-class fantasy artwork so that we could appreciate the cards on a level beyond gameplay). We should take advantage of his decision.
Magic doesn’t rise or fall with the profit margins of stores. It’s bigger than Neutral Ground and Meta Games. It’s more than the keyword mechanics and more than the artwork. As long as someone somewhere remembers what to do with their cards, it will outlive Wizards of the Coast – and it will outlive you and me.
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