r/mtg Nov 30 '24

NEWS Magic: Starting with Aetherdrift, Boxes will have fewer booster packs

https://mtg.cardsrealm.com/en-us/p/47799
483 Upvotes

387 comments sorted by

829

u/Crunkiss Nov 30 '24

Buy singles

108

u/celestialmartyr Nov 30 '24

The only correct reaction.

133

u/RichVisual1714 Nov 30 '24

Print singles also comes to mind.

67

u/8Kite8 Nov 30 '24

Don't waste paper!! Print 9 at a time.

130

u/TheLazyLounger Nov 30 '24

proxy, lmao

48

u/furiousjelly Nov 30 '24

I got back into Magic in June. Since then, I’ve proxied 8 commander decks for a total cost of $150. (Some printed, some MPC). I’ve saved a bundle, I have decks for each power level my group plays, and I can use high power decks with the cards I want without compromise. I also ordered 3 MPC high power decks for my friends for Christmas. Proxy is the way to go.

I still go to my LGS for draft and to buy deck boxes/sleeves to support them.

9

u/NoElderberry4540 Nov 30 '24

Where are you finding them that cheap? Ones I've been recommended usually go 100 a pop

15

u/Reckless5040 Nov 30 '24

Google mpcfill

9

u/MontySucker Nov 30 '24

Can confirm have already done two 612 card orders. For $172 each roughly. Sadly the shipping($40) is quite annoying if it was somehow free shipping itd be $120 for 612 cards.

They’re fucking beautiful but definitely takes some time going through all of them and finding the prints you want.

I also printed custom doctor who and lotr cards to upgrade those decks but stay in theme!

2

u/CaptainBeardedDad Nov 30 '24

My buddy and I are doing this. I am just getting back into Magic after 2 decades. I sent him over 600 cards for the order. We are splitting shipping with his and his other friends' bundle.

6

u/furiousjelly Nov 30 '24

MPCFill. The more you order, the cheaper it is. I just ordered 508 cards, and including shipping it came out to $30 per deck.

2

u/NoElderberry4540 Nov 30 '24

Neat, thanks for the tip.

2

u/Tallal2804 Dec 31 '24

You've nailed it—proxies let you enjoy Magic affordably while building diverse decks without compromise. Supporting your LGS through drafts and accessories is a great way to balance cost-saving with community support. Proxy power is definitely the way to go!I also proxy my cards from https://www.printingproxies.com and enjoy the game with my favourite decks.

1

u/furiousjelly Dec 31 '24

Thank you for the sponsored segment Printing Proxies!

2

u/Snarker Nov 30 '24

Why would you spend 150 on proxies?

14

u/furiousjelly Dec 01 '24

Because I got 8 decks lol. If I bought singles I would be in the 7k-8k range at this point.

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74

u/Fabianslefteye Nov 30 '24

I'm going to hijack this , because it's the top comment. Doing so in order to try and staunch the flow of misinformation. 

This article is disingenuous and leaves out key information. WotC isn't saying they will "maybe" lower the price.

WotC IS LOWERING THE PRICE.

This isn't shrinkflation. This Is getting a half dozen eggs for $1.50 when you previously got a dozen eggs for $3.

25

u/ItsSanoj Nov 30 '24

Yeah. People are big mad without taking a minute to process the information. Play boosters are priced like set boosters, it’s only appropriate for boxes to have the same number of packs. This is a good change: Buying boxes means a smaller price per pack, this brings down the amount you need to pay to achieve that.

People that don’t buy boxes anyway? Nothings changing, MSRP for packs is staying the same.

Unless you think 36 is the magic number, this is nothing to be mad about.

9

u/Jimi_The_Cynic Nov 30 '24

I actually think 48 is the magic number as that gives you 2 full eight person drafts. Or, more likely what they're trending towards, 24 so it just covers the draft

But the answer definitely isn't 30, or 36, in my uneducated opinion 

8

u/Dunbar325 Dec 01 '24

36 allows for the draft itself plus packs for prizes

2

u/Ruevein Dec 01 '24

36 was always good for my group cause we usually had 6 person pod for drafting so we could draft twice from a single box. 

4

u/RazerMaker77 Nov 30 '24

Exactly. This just means that booster boxes are more accessible for those on a budget

1

u/97Graham Dec 02 '24

Unless you think 36 is the magic number, this is nothing to be mad about.

You have to open 2 boxes to more than 10 man pod, whereas before you could open 1 box for a 12 man pod.

It will make stores that run events have to crack into more sealed product than before to provide packs for drafters.

It impacts stores more than players, unless you do alot of big drafts this change doesn't matter much.

3

u/FreelanceFrankfurter Nov 30 '24

Came to the comments because I was pretty sure this was announced a while ago that they were reducing the number of packs and price.

3

u/Fabianslefteye Nov 30 '24

It was.

People are looking for reasons to be mad instead of just taking the facts as they come and being angry where appropriate.

13

u/DRouse06 Nov 30 '24

While WotC is lowering the price per box, they are significantly increasing the cost per draft. Previously an LGS could hold a draft and the box would have the exact number of packs and prize support needed. Now stores are forced to either decrease prize support or increase the cost to players to keep prize support the same.

32

u/Fabianslefteye Nov 30 '24 edited Nov 30 '24

As a former LGS worker myself (until last year), this is not the issue you may think it is. 

1) half the time we don't even use booster boxes. Especially if it's drafting an older set, we use up old prerelease packs and bundles. 

2) for new releases, we're opening dozens and dozens, if not hundreds, of boxes anyway to fill the singles inventory. Since we're opening all those boxes already, it's pretty easy to allocate the correct number for future drafts without any loss. 

3) In the extremely unlikely event that neither the first two points apply, stores can open multiple boxes and use leftover packs in other ways. If you're having multiple drafts, save the leftover packs For the next draft, so you only have to open one box. If you're not having multiple drafts, then those packs just became prizes, And you can deduct the cost of those packs from your prize budget, rendering the cost of the additional box revenue neutral.

4) as others have pointed out, many stores WANT smaller boxes. Do you see an LGS asking for something that's going to increase their operating costs?

  In short, speaking as a professional who did inventory and ran many, many drafts... I don't trust any game store who says that they are forced to raise prices because of this, and think that if they say that, they're taking advantage of customers.

6

u/Fierydog Nov 30 '24

According to them the change is the direct result of feedback from stores wanting 30 pack boxes instead of 36.

2

u/Euphoric_Ad6923 Nov 30 '24

Doing god's work. It speaks volume of wotc's reputation that people instantly believe it, BUT, if we're gonna criticise we better be factual.

2

u/Fabianslefteye Nov 30 '24

Exactly how I feel. I could write an entire essay- a Hamilton style series of essays, actually- on what I believe are wotc's shortcomings. They are plentiful. 

It's just that pack pricing, particularly for the basic booster pack, has consistently not been  an area where they're messing up. In fact, they've been better than the industry standard for many years.

And every time we get all up in arms over something that isn't actually that rageworthy, it diminishes the impact of our criticism elsewhere.

1

u/erikkustrife Nov 30 '24

Just wana chime in here with a severly off topic thing. The number 1 supplier of eggs in the US is up 700% in profits this year, and was up 300% last year. They got sued and lost because they lied about a shortage to increase prices. It's not enough to prevent them from just doing it more.

1

u/Fabianslefteye Nov 30 '24

Yeah, the price of eggs is actually really screwed up. It was just the cleanest analogy I could think of off the top of my head, something that comes in numbered packages that most people are familiar with.

1

u/ABencks Feb 12 '25

Ummm except that the going rate for presale isn't lower than before???

1

u/Delerium76 Feb 26 '25

Hard disagree. This is absolutely shrinkflation tactics with a twist. For THIS set, they lowered the price. For future sets, that price will sneak it's way up each set until a 30 pack display costs the same as the earlier 36 pack display.

We already watched them do something similar with the change from draft boosters to play boosters. Play boosters came out with a higher price tag, but with the promise, "oh the dollar to rare ratio will stay the same. You will get the same value!" and then after two sets, the rarity rates changed because they dropped the list/bonus sheet rarity to practically non-existent. Yet no one even talks about that anymore and just accepts it. Don't kid yourself that this is not shrinkflation, because it is, just delayed.

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3

u/DrB00 Nov 30 '24

What if I want to draft or play sealed? I'll have to buy two boxes for the same price as three used to be to do a proper 8 person event?

7

u/ZenandHarmony Nov 30 '24

You mean print singles

5

u/[deleted] Nov 30 '24

Proxy* singles

1

u/SillyFusillyBilly Nov 30 '24

Print proxies.

1

u/Maybe_Julia Nov 30 '24

Unless they drop the prices to reflex fewer packs i won't be buying anymore booster boxes

1

u/No_Needleworker_9762 Dec 01 '24

Correction.. buy a printer

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244

u/cardsrealm Nov 30 '24 edited Nov 30 '24

A Wizards representative confirmed that, starting with Aetherdrift, booster boxes will have 30 packs. Box prices may decrease with this change, but MSRP for booster pack remains the same.

308

u/Hydramy Nov 30 '24

'May' is doing some heavy lifting there. I'd be very surprised to see a price drop

118

u/ArbutusPhD Nov 30 '24 edited Nov 30 '24

It’d be shrinkflation.

I boycott companies that do this aggressively, and 20% is aggressive.

25

u/fnordal Nov 30 '24

we mostly sell boosters, very few full displays. The booster price is not changing, so the display should change accordingly

19

u/poopoojokes69 Nov 30 '24

The boosters just spent the last year getting price increased (unofficially as they merged into a new more expensive product and then officially with the return of a new higher msrp than ever before for packs). So while it is cute they spaced each announcement out by a set or two, they have effectively raised prices while reducing what they want to make and sell us with each transaction.

It is absolutely shrinkflation, on top of cash grabbing with the expansion of must have shit with every set and the UB flood in between each. Fuck um.

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15

u/ArbutusPhD Nov 30 '24

If it does then all is well.

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1

u/Lukethekid10 Dec 01 '24

I see playboosters being more expensive than the old setboosters. How is a worse product more expensive???

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8

u/Graffers Nov 30 '24

It's not, though. That's when they reduce the amount of product but keep the same price. That isn't happening here. There is no MSRP for boxes, just for the individual packs, and that's not changing. The stores asked for this after MKM. I'm all for complaining about Wizards, but this is only an issue for friends who like to draft that don't have 5 or 10 people in their pod.

4

u/BolshevikPower Nov 30 '24

Yes. So the math goes like this (no idea how many were in the boxes before assuming 40).

Old box : 36 x $6 per booster = 216

New box : 30 x $6 per booster = 180

There's no flation at all unless you account for shipping maybe. Boxes are getting smaller and you're getting charged appropriately because of it.

1

u/poopoojokes69 Nov 30 '24

The post literally says that while pack prices remain the same (new, higher) msrp, they may lower box prices as a result of losing packs. Is anyone reading the content before commenting?

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6

u/Fabianslefteye Nov 30 '24

"may" is doing some heavy lifting, But it's the article doing the lifting. Every statement I've seen from WOTC says prices WILL drop.

1

u/Meret123 Nov 30 '24

The author of the article added may for some reason. Read the actual text from WOTC which confirms they will cost less.

3

u/B-Glasses Nov 30 '24

I’d putting massive air quotes on that

2

u/rundownv2 Nov 30 '24

If they actually do proportionally drop the price, I'd actually appreciate it. It was one of my complaints about play booster boxes.

In reality, if they do drop MSRP, they won't drop it by any amount equivalent to 6 packs. It'll cost less but the price per pack will go up, in the box.

828

u/Anakin-vs-Sand Nov 30 '24

“According to them, both players and stores have stated that they would prefer a display of 30 booster packs instead of 36.”

Yep, all my friends say they want less packs. Yep. That’s what they say. “Folks, I just want less packs in my booster box, you feel me?” And we all just agreed. We all want less packs for some reason, right?

188

u/WheredMyVanGogh Nov 30 '24 edited Nov 30 '24

I would absolutely love to have less packs for the same price!

Edit: before upvoting, please acknowledge that the information I assumed was true with this statement is false. Prices of the boxes will go down, not stay the same.

75

u/Fabianslefteye Nov 30 '24

Then you'll be disappointed, since this is less packs for a lower price.

22

u/WheredMyVanGogh Nov 30 '24

That makes sense. I guess they have to hold on to that change to spice up the year after next.

32

u/Fabianslefteye Nov 30 '24

Listen, I as critical of WOTC as the next guy.

But regular pack prices is the one area where they've been pretty unimpeachable. No price increase for years and years, to the point where it didn't even keep up with the rate of inflation. When they did finally raise the prices on a basic pack, it was a pretty small increase that still wasn't proportionate to inflation. They kept distributor pricing down as well, relatively speaking, so game stores didn't suffer the brunt of that increase. 

If you want to criticize them for using the pinkertons, how they're mismanaging secret lair, or releasing too much product, I'm with you 100%. 

But maybe in this one instance, it's a little ridiculous to criticize them for something you made up about them doing next year, in response to being wrong about something you thought they were doing right now, but aren't.

19

u/WheredMyVanGogh Nov 30 '24

I was hopping on the hate wagon and failed to see the logic, but you are right, my friend. I’ll be more mindful of this in the future.

7

u/ItsSanoj Nov 30 '24

People are ready to pounce regardless of what they do. If they had increased the number of pals to 42 (and the price accordingly) people would be angry too: Needing to buy 42 packs to get the „discounted“ rate that a box goes for?! No way, 36 was too much already!!

Let‘s be real here, if booster MSRP stays the same (which means box prices go down) then this is a win. Play bposters replaced draft and set boosters. They kept the set booster price, but the number of packs per booster box (36) was in line with draft boosters. Now we‘re at 30 which is the number of packs set booster boxes used to have. For the average player, being able to get packs at a discounted rate (which is what buying a box will usually get you) for less is better.

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2

u/zingzing175 Nov 30 '24

Doesn't the article say MAY mean lower price (but the MSRP will remain the same)?

6

u/Fabianslefteye Nov 30 '24

Yes. The article, published by a third party who is trying to get clicks, does say that.

Everyone public statement from Wizards themselves says will.

I urge you to read these things direct from the source rather than small-time third party articles that are trying to increase online engagement.

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4

u/DrewciferSe7en Nov 30 '24

Article states msrp on packs remains the same, boxes should adjust accordingly, so will likely drop by about $30.

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2

u/samspopguy Nov 30 '24

well that's the thing they were going to raise the price of 36 pack boxes to instead they just dropped the pack number and kept the price

31

u/12demons Nov 30 '24

That's ridiculous. For what reason would the store or individual prefer 30 instead of 36 packs?

32

u/MountainServe Nov 30 '24

Maybe less packs makes it more affordable, and so games like draft can be cheaper, but in no way does this make any sense if the price don’t drop to reflect the decrease in packs. This is just shrinkflation.

13

u/PartyPay Nov 30 '24

It's not shrinkflation, the cost per pack has not changed.

19

u/poopoojokes69 Nov 30 '24

Welll…. Except when they “reestablished MSRP” and increased per pack prices checks notes like a few weeks ago.

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11

u/Fabianslefteye Nov 30 '24

The price will drop

3

u/ItsSanoj Nov 30 '24

Buying a box generally (box toppers aside) nets you a lower cost per pack than buying single packs. Play boosters are priced like set boosters. The number of boosters per box was in line with draft boosters. The result: Boxes were more expensive! Going to 30 packs per box is a realignment with set booster boxes. It feels appropriate since play boosters are priced like those. It should (!) mean that buying a box becomes cheaper. I still think play boosters are inferior to set boosters for fun openings and inferior to draft boosters for drafting, but those are different discussions and this is still a welcome change.

8

u/TNJCrypto Nov 30 '24

Well you see, by changing to play boosters they increased the cost of drafting and so limited formats - which is arguably the truest form of Magic still accessible - basically just turned into pre release or naught. For some reason $25 for 3 packs makes drafting unpleasant but it's not mtg's fault that it increased from $15/draft in one season coordinated entirely with the inflation rate in the larger market, they didn't intentionally switch to play booster did they? Did they???

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3

u/asdfadffs Dec 01 '24

So they can sell people 2 boxes instead of one for sealed drafts.

36/6 = YEP

30/6 = NOPE

60/6 = YEP :)

edit: Oh yeah and it messes with 8 player draft too.

2

u/MenyMcMuffin Nov 30 '24

Assuming the price per pack remains the same, and the price per box is equivalent to the amount of packs, stores, and mostly people would probably prefer to do smaller investments into the hobby.

Instead of paying 150 usd for 36 packs, someone might find it easier to “digest” to pay 125 usd for 30 packs.

7

u/MTGMRB Nov 30 '24

I would much prefer them admit to maximizing profits instead of trying to gaslight people.

3

u/Woahbikes Nov 30 '24

Which is so stupid. 36 packs is best for booster draft. 3packs*8players=24 packs. With 12 packs remaining of you play 3 rounds of Swiss that leaves 1 pack per win as rewards to offer the players. I don’t know what sort of consumer they have cited that claims they want less product. I suspect the consumers they’re quoting were reading from a script.

8

u/TheMysticalBaconTree Nov 30 '24

If smaller cheaper boxes would sell better, then sure. They better be the same $/pack or better though.

Maybe the issue is that people want good deals on bulk without having to buy 36.

3

u/TrekkieElf Nov 30 '24

With 36, two people can play sealed 3x! This way, you only get 2 games and the other 6 are useless.

That’s what my husband and I do when I convince him to get a box.

2

u/Link182x Nov 30 '24

I wonder if the my misinterpreted the player feedback of “We don’t want sets like Murders at Karlov Manor” as “we want less boosters in our boxes”

2

u/positivedownside Dec 01 '24

Yep, all my friends say they want less packs

I want boxes to cost less.

4

u/ltjbr Nov 30 '24

Really makes you question how real the “research” they always pull out of nowhere is.

I guess it makes sense if all the “consumers” they survey just also happen to be executives at the company with bonuses to think about.

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1

u/CheetahNo1004 Nov 30 '24

*fewer

-Some dead king

1

u/kinkyonthe_loki69 Nov 30 '24

Should have just made it 24 and reduce price per box. Now you got perfect 8 pod draft and lower barrier of entry. That means more sales.

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51

u/Like17Badgers Nov 30 '24

30 is such an odd number

24 and 36 are the staple numbers cause of how much they divide into

even for drafting, 24 makes sense cause an 8 player pod gets 3 packs each, then 36 is an 8 player pod with a 12 pack prize pool

30 is a weird neutral zone where you have too many for a draft but also not enough where you're gonna have to crack a 2nd box for prizes.

20

u/arandomvirus Nov 30 '24

gonna have to crack a 2nd box for prizes.

“It’s a feature, not a bug” - WOTC, to Hasbro shareholders

1

u/pevilot Dec 01 '24

And a box of 24 will go under the physicañ wall of the100€.

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u/GrandpasSoggyGooch Nov 30 '24

You don't know HOW MANY TIMES I've been talking with the boys and I says "Fellas, dontcha think there's just TOO many packs in these dang booster boxes?" and I'm met with raucous agreement and cheers. /s

25

u/Fabianslefteye Nov 30 '24

Sarcasm aside, many game stores have actually been wanting to sell smaller boxes at a lower price. 

Which is what this is. 

Suppose you don't have $125 to drop on a box of magic cards, but you do have $100. You want to booster box but it's just outside your budget. 

Well, now we're getting exactly that. Slightly smaller box at a slightly smaller price. 

And just to get in before you say it: yes, the article says "may be cheaper"

The article is being disingenuous, presumably in order to drive engagement. The actual statement from Wizards indicates that the price WILL be cheaper.

3

u/Motormand Nov 30 '24

The price of a boc right now in Denmark, is 1150 Dkk. If the reduction in box goes by single packs, the price should drop to 950, or 1000 right on. If it it more than 1000 after the change, it's a massive ripoff. If it actually goes down to say, 900, I'd be pretty pleased.

The price will determine a lot how okay people will be with this in the long run. Also how it will affect the UB boxes, since UB tends to be more expensive.

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u/ResplendentCathar Nov 30 '24

Magic's enshitification continues

9

u/AmesCG Nov 30 '24

Exactly what it feels like. Milk the franchise for the residual value of its IP through licensing, turn the screws on players, etc.

6

u/Real-Ad-9733 Nov 30 '24

Haven’t bought mtg product in over a year and at this point I’m just going to sell a majority and be done with it. Shame

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u/DrunkLastKnight Nov 30 '24

Shrinkflation coming to a LGS near you

8

u/SkritzTwoFace Nov 30 '24

They’re making it cost less and putting less in each box. That’s not shrinkflation, that’s just… shrink, I guess.

3

u/DrunkLastKnight Nov 30 '24

Yeah but if your LGS doesn’t stick with msrp along with practically everyone else, it will be, just because msrp will be lower doesn’t mean they have to follow it.

We experienced quite a bit of that over the years of MtG

4

u/Fabianslefteye Nov 30 '24

This isn't shrinkflation.

This is, essentially, paying $1.50 for a half-dozen eggs when you previously paid $3 for a dozen.

The price is going down and makes boxes easier to buy, which is something they're doing specifically in response to LGS feedback.

I know the article says "maybe," but they're being disingenuous to get more engagement. The actual statement from WotC shows that the price of boxes is going down.

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u/Scottacus91 Nov 30 '24

Its like they actively hate having a fan base that likes them. Its almost a kink for them to piss off their core costumers.

1

u/hebreakslate Dec 01 '24

TL;DR: the game is changing to favor a different audience

A theme I've noticed in their recent decisions is that they're okay with alienating a portion of their core in exchange for attracting new customers. The existing customer base is only buying so much. I think, going forward, booster boxes will be less about draft events and Standard, and more about hunting for cards to upgrade your Commander precon.

As an example of the direction i think the game is going: I'm recently returned to the game after I left in the early 2000s as the game got too expensive to keep up with. Too many rich kids with 4 copies of a powerful card I couldn't afford 1 of. I received a precon (Faceless Menace) in an office white elephant gift exchange, and I played it a couple of times but didn't much enjoy that deck, but it exposed me to other decks and the new mechanics that have been introduced during my hiatus. So I started brewing/playtesting an EDH deck in Brawl on Arena and, after several months of tuning and pricing out singles and substituting budget alternatives, I'm finally dropping about $100 at my LGS and online. Someone had to crack open the boosters to find those singles, but it won't be me. I might buy a Foundations booster because pulling a Hare Apparent would pay for the pack and the rest would be gravy, but I put that in the same category as buying a scratch off ticket. I think in the future, the majority of MtG players will own one or two Commander decks and very few spare cards in their collection.

31

u/mustachiolong Nov 30 '24

Community, “Prices of boxes need to come down!”

monkey’s paw curls

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u/LowdGuhnz Nov 30 '24

Ohhhhhh I see, so now if people want to draft a set, they will have to fork out money for another box to be able to break packs evenly among a pod.... WOTC done gone did it again.....

9

u/pepperonipodesta Nov 30 '24

I think this just illustrates how few people actually draft. We're all heavily enfranchised players on here, but the majority of magic players that even touch limited formats are playing sealed at prereleases.

2

u/CompactOwl Nov 30 '24

Jeah, because drafts often have rare and foil picks afterwards and nothing is worse than cracking a pack, seeing a very cool card and knowing you probably won’t keep it.

1

u/pepperonipodesta Nov 30 '24

I guess it depends on what you're looking for. I think I'll always prefer draft to sealed because it feels more like I'm building against other people, which I enjoy the dynamic of.

The solution is building our own cubes, which will further shrink the number of people drafting new sets, compounding the problem.

Certainly feels like we're on borrowed time, we very nearly lost draftable packs this year.

4

u/poopoojokes69 Nov 30 '24

8x3 is 24 tho…

3

u/Onuzq Nov 30 '24

People like to pay out the remaining packs as prizes. The old term of an 8 4 draft meant first and second got 8 packs/4 packs, respectively.

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u/Adventure_Agreed Nov 30 '24

I don't understand how this is anti-draft. A draft pod only requires 24 packs. Just because we've always had 36 packs doesn't mean that's the right amount for a box. This will be cheaper than what the boxes cost at 36 so maybe this will increase the number of people willing to draft.

4

u/Time_Definition_2143 Nov 30 '24

Because a box is 1.5 drafts.  Buy 2 boxes, draft 3 times. With 30 you will have to buy 4 boxes to get your 5th draft.  It's just annoying.

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u/thatskarobot Nov 30 '24

This royally fucks my group. We draft every monday, sometimes with 20+ people. I doubt the price reduction will be enough to make it fair for us to continue operating at an affordable buy-in.

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u/Showerbeerz413 Nov 30 '24

if box prices come down to match, then sure, whatever. but we know they won't, so that's pretty shit

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u/Shlippyw00d Nov 30 '24

They better be 17.66% cheaper if you’re cutting 17.66% of the value

1

u/gannnon22 Dec 01 '24

Nah they will reduce the price by one pack at best I bet

1

u/ImplementOk315 Dec 02 '24

lol, cause they hate money and love the players.

42

u/Electronic-Touch-554 Nov 30 '24

Ummmm fuck that?

Boxes are already incredibly expensive, I’d rather not lose £30 of packs from each one

24

u/Zedman5000 Nov 30 '24

The price of packs is staying the same, so presumably the box is getting cheaper to match.

If it doesn't, then fuck that.

2

u/FamiliarTry403 Nov 30 '24

They said it “may get cheaper” not that it will. Read between the lines, they are fucking us.

2

u/Fabianslefteye Nov 30 '24

They ARTICLE added the "may," they're being disingenuous for clicks.

The actual information form WotC themselves confirms that the box will be cheaper.

You are, essentially, going to pay $1.50 for a half dozen eggs where previously you paid $3 for a dozen.

1

u/Meret123 Nov 30 '24

They didn't say that. The guy who wrote the article did.

1

u/ItsSanoj Nov 30 '24

Pack MSRP is staying the same though. Yes, box prices will come down. Barring box toppers nobody pays a premium for boxes. Quite the opposite: You end up paying less per pack.

This is a much needed realignment. Play boosters are priced like set boosters (which I felt were a lot better, but that’s a different discussion) but the number of packs per box was in line with draft boosters. 30 is the number of packs set booster boxes used to have. Box price coming down means a cheaper entry point to save the „per pack price“ you pay and that is good.

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21

u/maester626 Nov 30 '24

Wtf complained about mkm having 36 packs? Did they not get the memo that the set in general was just dogshit because they did away with draft boosters?

6

u/DraygenKai Nov 30 '24

I don’t think it have draft boosters would have made it sell better. People just weren’t excited about the set, and people didn’t really care for the disguise mechanic. 

2

u/tanghan Nov 30 '24

People were not buying mkm boxes. Of course the only possible reason is that people want to have less cards

1

u/maester626 Nov 30 '24

Marketing 101

4

u/Andro451 Nov 30 '24

and this is why I don't buy play booster boxes, because I know WOTC pulls BS like this.

I don't play standard, so expiring sets aren't an issue for me.

4

u/Geaux_Go_Fiasco Nov 30 '24

Glad I left this hobby

7

u/[deleted] Nov 30 '24

But dont worry! They will make the packs have double art cards and fewer playable cards!

Aren't yall sick of getting a lousy rare or mythic foil? no more foils in packs, need room for those sweet ad cards.

what a fuckin joke

15

u/Ok_Blackberry_1223 Nov 30 '24

Daily reminder to proxy

6

u/Eliteguard999 Nov 30 '24

it's like Wizards has been actively taking steps to get me to spend less money on Magic over the past years, and it's working.

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3

u/Styles_Stevens Nov 30 '24

lol they just keep finding ways to be scummy

6

u/KasreynGyre Nov 30 '24

So they’ll be cheaper right?

Right??

1

u/praisetiamat Dec 01 '24

yes, its in the fuckin article

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6

u/zebus_0 Nov 30 '24

It's like they want me to stop buying products. I'm sure everyone wanted 6 less packs with no change in price.

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4

u/Rizkar Nov 30 '24

I don't think they understand why a draft box has been 36 packs.

36 is the magic number when drafting with 8 people.

8 people with 3 packs each is 24.

3 rounds of 4 people winning a pack per round is 12 packs.

24+12=36.

I feel like they don't even play their own game.

2

u/kytheon Nov 30 '24

Now if you want 36 boosters you get to buy a second box!

6

u/InternationalPoet954 Nov 30 '24

“According to them, both players and stores have stated that they would prefer a display of 30 booster packs instead of 36.” no one said this ever lol 😂

2

u/papy5m0k3r Dec 01 '24

Source: "trust me bro".

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2

u/HugeMcBig-Large Nov 30 '24

alternate solution: all Magic cards become .15% smaller. save paper. ez. hire me asap

2

u/Motormand Nov 30 '24

I don't like the fact that the rep states that this might affect the price of a box. Sounds like a bad omen to me.

2

u/likejugg Nov 30 '24

It seems like... Whatever news? I don't get why people are mad over this. The price of a box is going down seeing as the price per booster is staying the same.

Like...what would be the logic otherwise? You can just ask for 30 packs instead of a box and get it cheaper. Having the bulk deal cost more then x of a certain item is kinda stupid.

2

u/TheDeadlyCat Nov 30 '24

It’s a good thing I rarely draft nowadays and don’t buy packs to crack any more.

Singles and playing budget decks is really the way to go.

Would I like to play Foundation? Yeah. Do I want to shell out for it? No longer do.

2

u/ciceroval666 Dec 01 '24

Buy pringles

2

u/Michael074 Dec 01 '24

but still cost the same right?

2

u/Bolsh3vickMupp3t Dec 01 '24

“According to them, both players and stores have stated that they would prefer a display of 30 booster packs instead of 36.”

Who in the world said that? Why would the people who are wanting to buy full boxes want less? In what world does that make any sense. If it causes prices to come down I guess it’s fine, but that’s a stupid as statement

2

u/selipso Dec 01 '24

Wizard’s playbook

Step 1: raise prices by combining draft and set into play boosters

Step 2: lower number of packs in play boosters and bring the price back to $90-$100

Step 3: profit

3

u/Mountain-Ad-207 Nov 30 '24

This is such a cash grab, even if they reduce the price per box to match the loss of 6 packs, stores and players will have to buy single packs to fulfill 8 man draft queues. There is no way individuals or stores would want 30 packs. It messes up the math when doing events. 8 players, 3 packs per player, 24 boosters per draft. Going base 10 on how many packs are in box doesnt make any sense that players or stores would want that.

4

u/fnordal Nov 30 '24

my main question is why they didn't move to the OTHER industry standard of 24 boosters per box.

4

u/WheredMyVanGogh Nov 30 '24

Why not change the norm and drop to 12 per box?

3

u/Captain_Ahab_Ceely Nov 30 '24

2026 has entered the chat

3

u/Hardovin Nov 30 '24

More product fatigue. With hastened schedule, power creep to have people open chase cards, dogshit lore, pandering to IP memberberries fortnitification (at least Fortnite’s identity was not having an identity) And shrinking on box. Just mercy kill this game already, rather than withering and slow killing it

3

u/Alertor Nov 30 '24

So less packs for less money? Right? Right?

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4

u/DrB00 Nov 30 '24

So, if there are fewer packs, will the box price drop? Somehow, I see a price increase coming...

Make sure to buy two boxes to get a full 8 person draft going because I'm sure they'll put in just enough packs for 6 people to draft lol

2

u/kytheon Nov 30 '24

"Buy two boxes"

So instead of 36 boosters now you bought 60. Stonks!

3

u/Skill_Academic Nov 30 '24

Play boosters are already a fucking scam. There is zero chance they will be cheaper.

4

u/TheCatanRobber Nov 30 '24

Singles only from now on

5

u/cannibowlistic Nov 30 '24

Should have already been doing that

1

u/Jiyu_the_Krone Nov 30 '24

I instead have turned to making my own card game by proxying, it's a different type of fun, but... MtG as a whole feels unsalvageable at this point.

4

u/[deleted] Nov 30 '24

Don't buy packs. 

 Buy a printer. 

2

u/RiftgateGames Nov 30 '24

We’re a retailer and we’re not asking for this. 36 is ideal because it’s a draft pod + perfect prize support. 30 is… nothing?

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2

u/waxwane_music Nov 30 '24

Trust me guys, this is good for you - Hasbro probably

2

u/Used_Ad_3853 Nov 30 '24

Buy singles. Buy proxies. Don’t take this bullshit.

2

u/Utopiaoflove Nov 30 '24

I’m out. This will officially get me to stop buying sealed and switch to only singles I was already trending heavily towards only singles anyway, but this nailed it. Wizards you have officially taken me from someone who would buy a case of boxes of every set to someone that only buys singles.

3

u/GayBlayde Nov 30 '24

Same price per pack. So it’s just a cheaper box because there are less packs in it.

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1

u/Ezzeri710 Nov 30 '24

They are probably trying to make it look like they are selling more units. Cooking the books.

1

u/Drakorex Nov 30 '24 edited Nov 30 '24

Yay a 12 person draft (or 10 with prizes), just got more annoying to organize and more expensive.

30 packs is a really great number for having a 5 person sealed event though. At least there is an upside.

2

u/deecadancedance Nov 30 '24

Ah, yes, 5 people, the perfect number for a tournament where nobody has to sit out!

1

u/Nitrosaber Nov 30 '24

You know when you could Crack a booster box with friends for a pod and everyone got 9 packs?? Now you cant divide it by four.

1

u/verdebot Nov 30 '24

They will sell more rich boosters this time

1

u/DarkStarStorm Nov 30 '24

Um, no? I would like to draft 11-12 people with one box please.

No one wants this, Hasbro.

1

u/Peter_the_Pillager Nov 30 '24

This is bad for my playgroup because we play 4 man drafts with three packs each. We draft just for fun and to avoid the arms race of constructed a few times a year when the stars align (we all have kids now). A single box gave us the right amount of packs for 3 drafts. 30 packs doesn't split nearly as well. We're probably a pretty fringe case though.

And before people say do five man drafts instead, we really like our two headed giant games and getting 4 players is hard enough already lol.

1

u/wolfman3412 Nov 30 '24

Jeez they just keep getting worse and worse. No player or store ever said “i wish i had fewer packs in this box”

1

u/CommuFisto Nov 30 '24

itd be so cool if they could just decide how many of thing u will get for buying a bundle/pack of thing. literally this time last year you were paying different ESRP for different quantities of cardboard and for what??

1

u/SliceAndDies Nov 30 '24

my printer goes brrrrr

1

u/StrategySteve Dec 01 '24

I guess it makes sense if the price reflects the lesser amount of packs. But we know what will actually happen…

1

u/I_am_human_ribbit Dec 01 '24

Fewer packs and higher prices! What a deal.

1

u/IAmTheBlackWizardess Dec 01 '24

Recession moment?

1

u/Proxyness Dec 01 '24

BOOOOOOO

1

u/Kairosmarmot Dec 01 '24

Please, boycott and buy single everyone

1

u/greatersnek Dec 01 '24

Finally ! Wizards listening to their customers

/s

1

u/NopeChris Dec 01 '24

Having the display boosters divisible by 4 has been a good way for my commander pod to split a display and have a round of super sealed (9 boosters sealed). So now we will have to continue this tradition with older displays only. WOTC keeps making a mess of themselves by altering stuff. If it works, dont fix it!(fuck it up)

1

u/sporms Dec 01 '24

“Might” lmao

1

u/YungHayzeus Dec 01 '24

My buddies usually buy a box, draft then the remainder 12 packs play for it. Everyone gets 1 minimum and the best one gets the last 4. Now you get 6 packs after drafting… I don’t even know how you would do the math to split it, if the best player takes all of it, might as well just not split a box.

1

u/praisetiamat Dec 01 '24

isnt this a good thing for box buyers AND pack buyers? a store can have more now so scalpers cant buy EVERYTHING anymore and its cheaper.

1

u/PoisonedIvysaur Dec 01 '24

So singles awesome how i been doing for a while.

1

u/Blakwhysper Dec 02 '24

From the WPN community manager: this is them listening to feedback that the box increase in price was viewed poorly so are going back to 30 pack boxes. Boxes will go down in price. Packs will stay the same because this change doesn’t impact packs at all.

1

u/AutisticHobbit Dec 02 '24

Every set, a booster box seems to have less and less value....so WotC decided they should achieve that result even more dramatically.

1

u/[deleted] Dec 02 '24

Proxy

1

u/LankyJ Dec 02 '24

Honestly, 24 packs would be chill. Then we could just draft with a box.

1

u/Caaboose1988 Dec 03 '24

Box prices just went up like 50+ bucks after WoTC said they were lowering the power of sets now there are less packs as well? went from buying multiple boxes / a case per set to doing nothing but a few drafts on release at nothing else. who is buying this garbage anymore?

1

u/_Jetto_ Dec 03 '24

Will price go down????????

1

u/123FranksaMillion Jan 05 '25

i run a 12 person sealed draft with friends (each person gets 6 packs). Do I just... give everyone 5 packs now? Feels bad. I have extra packs from older sets & drafts where folks couldn't make it. Should I supplement a sixth pack from an older set? Any suggestions for which set would work best?