The Changing Landscape of Magic — 2023 in Review

Andy and Anthony take a look back on 2023, and what a year it’s been! Our hosts discuss some of their favorite things happening this year, including the second annual CubeCon, and a growing number of Cube events. They talk about how valuable Magic has been as a vector for creative outlets. In a candid, critical discussion they share how Magic as a game, and a product, has fundamentally changed in the recent years and how in many ways it no longer supports the way they most deeply engaged with it. Discussed in this episode: Episode 130: Cube Community Building CubeCon California Cube Champs Washington Cube Champs The Ice Cube bmktpt Local Playgroup Website Source Code on GitHub Cultic Bestiary Tokens Hasbro’s Christmas Layoffs on Polygon hbomberguy: Plagiarism, on YouTube Princess Bride Secret Lair Color of Magic Eley Hose Reels Sturgeon’s Law The Collapse of the Atlantic Northwest Cod Fishery Fairy Circles Timestamps 0:00 - Introduction 3:35 - Episode breakdown 5:31 - The good stuff — the second Cube Con and a battery of smaller, grassroots Cube events 12:22 - The joy of using Magic as a creative outlet 18:08 - Hasbro layoffs and the incentive structures of the business of Magic 36:08 - The costs of Magic’s growth and expansion 52:14 - Universes Beyond and the fractured identity of Magic 1:13:59 - Andy and Anthony’s Cube cards of the year!! 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 If want us to do a pack 1, pick 1 from your cube submit it on our website. Send in questions to the show at [email protected]. You can also find both your hosts in the MTG Cube Talk Discord. 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.