Subject: [Issue] Frequent Expansions
Date: Thu, 18 Jun 1998 22:27:32 -0400
From: Rochelle Webster <rochelle@op.net>
To: fkusumot@ix.netcom.com
CC: custserv@wizards.com

Dear Dojo Readers,

Every once in a while the issue of the frequency
of set printings comes up among Magic players and
the consensus seems to be:  too frequent!  I keep
expecting this to become a hot topic here at The
Dojo (thanks, Frank!), but I guess I need to bring
it up.

I would like to see new stand-alone & expansion
sets issued much less frequently for the good of
the players, WotC, and the game.

It would be good for the players for obvious
reasons.  Our pocketbooks are strapped if we try
to keep up with the new sets because we play type
2.  Can you believe that the Mirage block will be
t2 illegal by the end of the year? I'm still
trying to get Hammers of Bogardan so I can play
CounterHammer.  Have we really explored
Pursuit/Maro decks to our satisfaction?  Less
frequent releases give us more time to collect the
sets and develop decks before new demands are
placed on us by the tournament scene.

I'm afraid Wizards of the Coast is focusing on
short-term goals.  Rapid releases mean that
profits are high now, but where will Magic be in
ten years? I'm afraid that many players will be
gone because they are tired of buying cards that
are useful in tournament play for a short time.
They might also be bored by the cards in new
sets.  I asked Peter Adkison in an online public
forum hosted by the DoD (Thanks, D. of Dominion!)
if he was concerned that players will be bored by
Fog version #207 in future years, and his response
was (I paraphrase) that he shared my concern and
thought that the Pro-tour has kept interest in
Magic as high as it is now for this long.  He had
a good point; for some players, dreams of the
Pro-tour keep them buying new cards to be
competitive in qualifiers.  I have concerns that
some players, perhaps many more, are leaving Magic
altogether because of the new "Pro-wannabe" seen
at even the most casual tournaments.  See the Mad
Hatter's article about the Texas Magic scene at
http://thedojo.com/b982/bo.980514dwa.txt for an
argument.

WotC has been quite receptive to feedback from
players on many issues.  Perhaps if we agree on
this issue and let them know, it will make a
difference.  The appropriate e-mail address for
this seems to be custserv@wizards.com.  I really
want to play Magic someday with my son, so I hope
that we all manage to keep the game alive.  (I
know it'll be a long wait since he peed on the
floor while I was writing this).

Rochelle Webster
Level II judge
on a Dojo-writing spree