Always Be Cubing — 2024 in Review

View all cards mentioned in this episode Andy and Anthony close out 2024 reflecting on their year in Magic. This year Magic’s new direction as a product driven primarily by marketing goals fueled with cheap gimmicks and cross branding feels solidified. Our hosts talk, kind of briefly, on how their relationships to the game have changed because of that. More importantly, they talk about their personal highs and lows with the game this year. Regardless of the direction Magic as a product is moving, the Cube community has surged in so many ways. Small, grassroots events have become a norm. The local Baltimore Cube community is hitting a stride. The interstate Cube culture is emerging and flourishing. They also talk about some of their struggles in taking on more ambitions projects and how the podcast has effected their relationship to the online community. Discussed in this episode: Glengarry Glen Ross Episode 218: State of the Game 2024 The Adventure Zone Hello from the Magic Tavern My Brother, My Brother, and Me Til Death do us Blart 100 Ornithopters Episode 206: The Joy of Gaming with Richard Garfield Potsdam Gravity Potato Check us out on Twitch and YouTube for paper Cube gameplay. You can find the hosts’ Cubes on Cube Cobra: Andy’s “Bun Magic” Cube Anthony’s “Regular” Cube You can find both your hosts in the MTG Cube Talk Discord. Send in questions to the show at [email protected] or our p.o. box: Lucky Paper PO Box 4855 Baltimore, MD 21211 If you’d like to show your support for the show, please leave us a review on iTunes or wherever you listen. Musical production by DJ James Nasty. Timestamps 0:00 - Intro 8:48 - Recap of last year’s recap 10:51 - How our relationship with Magic changed in 2024 13:34 - The perishability of joy, novelty, and discovery: why Andy and Anthony no longer listen to most McElroy brothers podcasts 23:34 - On decreased participation in set surveys 25:07 - Shared High: Small, Grassroots Cube Events 32:18 - Andy’s High: The Design of and Reception to 100 Ornithopters 37:35 - Anthony’s High: The Variety of Depth of What is Accepted as a Cube 42:28 - Anthony’s High: The State of Our Local Cube Playgroup 44:17 - Andy’s High: Having Richard Garfield on Lucky Paper Radio 48:36 - Anthony’s High: He’s Good at Magic Now 53:18 - Anthony’s High: Connecting with Magic Friends about Things Other than Magic 55:45 - Andy’s High: The Reception to Our First Playmat 57:04 - Andy’s Low: The Playmat International Shipping Fiasco 1:09:43 - Andy’s Low: His Sensitivity to Discussion on the Podcast