WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:04.059 mine to Magic Con in Atlanta. I had never been 00:00:04.059 --> 00:00:06.080 to a Magic Con. I've been to a bunch of different 00:00:06.080 --> 00:00:08.599 cons in the con circuit. Over the last 10, 11 00:00:08.599 --> 00:00:12.679 years, I've been to a lot of conventions. But 00:00:12.679 --> 00:00:13.900 it had been a while since I took a vacation, 00:00:13.960 --> 00:00:16.160 so I went out to Magic Con. So we're going to 00:00:16.160 --> 00:00:19.699 talk real quick about Magic Con, what some of 00:00:19.699 --> 00:00:21.660 the cool magic -y stuff we learned there, and 00:00:21.660 --> 00:00:25.859 some other stuff about that. Let's talk about 00:00:25.859 --> 00:00:28.640 Magic Con. So first off, bottom line up front, 00:00:29.059 --> 00:00:30.780 like my buddy asked me, because he'd been to 00:00:30.780 --> 00:00:32.939 many Magic Cons before, he goes, where does this 00:00:32.939 --> 00:00:35.700 rate as a con? I said, it's a good, it's a solid 00:00:35.700 --> 00:00:38.899 seven out of 10. It's a seven out of 10. And 00:00:38.899 --> 00:00:40.820 I think he was initially, because he loves Magic 00:00:40.820 --> 00:00:43.619 Con very much, he was very disappointed. He was 00:00:43.619 --> 00:00:46.399 like, but why? And I was like, okay, first off, 00:00:46.859 --> 00:00:49.719 let's start with the easy one, the venue. So 00:00:49.719 --> 00:00:51.539 Magic on Atlanta is held at the World Congress 00:00:51.539 --> 00:00:53.280 Center, which is right next to Mercedes -Benz 00:00:53.280 --> 00:00:57.679 Stadium. It's like a whole big complex. The venue 00:00:57.679 --> 00:01:01.920 is terrible. It's a bad venue for this type of 00:01:01.920 --> 00:01:11.359 con. It is. It is just once you even get to the 00:01:11.359 --> 00:01:13.120 front doors of the con and Jay, you'll appreciate 00:01:13.120 --> 00:01:15.219 this because you go to a lot of like ECC and 00:01:15.219 --> 00:01:18.019 stuff like that. Imagine if you got to the front 00:01:18.019 --> 00:01:20.840 door of ECC, but to actually get anywhere in 00:01:20.840 --> 00:01:26.920 the conu to walk another 10 minutes. Yeah. To 00:01:26.920 --> 00:01:38.120 get to the show floor. Yeah. Yeah, at all. The 00:01:38.120 --> 00:01:41.950 whole convention center is really long. And it's 00:01:41.950 --> 00:01:44.549 laid out really weird to get to it. And it's 00:01:44.549 --> 00:01:47.250 like a series of like, walk here, go down, walk 00:01:47.250 --> 00:01:50.030 here, go down, walk here, go down. It's really 00:01:50.030 --> 00:01:54.049 funky. And I just I didn't like the venue. I 00:01:54.049 --> 00:01:56.650 don't. I talked to some of these at all. Is it 00:01:56.650 --> 00:02:00.189 all just one floor? No, it's four floors that 00:02:00.189 --> 00:02:04.129 kind of like shift down as you go. Oh, so kind 00:02:04.129 --> 00:02:07.049 of like Emerald City. But where Emerald City 00:02:07.049 --> 00:02:12.219 is stacked, it's like one floor. One floor. Oh, 00:02:12.259 --> 00:02:15.240 it's it's really weird. And I don't as weird. 00:02:15.500 --> 00:02:19.800 It's not built for fandom type conventions. Which 00:02:19.800 --> 00:02:24.379 brings me to the show floor. Not. Not surprisingly 00:02:24.379 --> 00:02:26.280 to me, this is where it gets dinged a little 00:02:26.280 --> 00:02:31.169 bit. The show floor is lackluster. OK. It's a 00:02:31.169 --> 00:02:33.189 magic on so the primary vendors there are all 00:02:33.189 --> 00:02:36.349 magic related I was hoping to see more like Accessories 00:02:36.349 --> 00:02:38.830 and the people that sell other stuff the dragon 00:02:38.830 --> 00:02:41.030 shield booth was really bad. Some of the other 00:02:41.030 --> 00:02:46.349 booze were really bad. I I didn't I Didn't like 00:02:46.349 --> 00:02:48.889 the show floor was just pretty lackluster My 00:02:48.889 --> 00:02:52.550 suggestion to wizards is do what ECC did add 00:02:52.550 --> 00:02:55.129 a tattoo section because I think that would be 00:02:55.129 --> 00:02:58.050 dope Okay, because people would love to get like 00:02:58.050 --> 00:03:00.569 little magic tattoos while they're there The 00:03:00.569 --> 00:03:02.270 show floor is mostly just buy sell cards buy 00:03:02.270 --> 00:03:03.870 sell singles buy sell singles and it's just it's 00:03:03.870 --> 00:03:09.150 not very fun You can like again ecc You can kind 00:03:09.150 --> 00:03:11.469 of get a sense of the show floor in one day But 00:03:11.469 --> 00:03:13.129 you can get a sense of the show. You can do a 00:03:13.129 --> 00:03:15.289 full turn on the show floor at magic on in about 00:03:15.289 --> 00:03:21.229 two hours That's it it doesn't take long Wow, 00:03:21.270 --> 00:03:28.770 okay, it's not it's not very good So that's that's 00:03:28.770 --> 00:03:31.530 the two areas where they really get dinged in 00:03:31.530 --> 00:03:37.129 my mind is that Here's the good stuff Okay, and 00:03:37.129 --> 00:03:38.530 we're gonna talk about some of the other the 00:03:38.530 --> 00:03:41.189 other magical and stuff One of the things that 00:03:41.189 --> 00:03:43.069 had confused the crap out of my play group and 00:03:43.069 --> 00:03:45.270 a lot of people is Magic had built this whole 00:03:45.270 --> 00:03:47.770 bracket system for commander to make it make 00:03:47.770 --> 00:03:50.310 more sense to everybody to do power levels and 00:03:50.310 --> 00:03:56.400 we for a long time We're like this there's missing 00:03:56.400 --> 00:04:00.060 piece here to do and it wasn't working They have 00:04:00.060 --> 00:04:03.039 this whole big commander area set up there and 00:04:03.039 --> 00:04:05.780 the matchmaking they did you could be by yourself 00:04:05.780 --> 00:04:07.240 You could be with a small group looking for other 00:04:07.240 --> 00:04:10.259 players the match me I every time I walked into 00:04:10.259 --> 00:04:12.699 the command zone the Wizards of the Coast staff 00:04:12.699 --> 00:04:16.120 who was matching people up by power level I Never 00:04:16.120 --> 00:04:19.399 waited more than five minutes for a game not 00:04:19.399 --> 00:04:25.459 once right and They did it in a way where I now 00:04:25.459 --> 00:04:28.399 understand the power levels better, right? I'm 00:04:28.399 --> 00:04:31.860 like, oh That's what we were missing, right? 00:04:32.579 --> 00:04:36.540 It's structured so well and again for a con to 00:04:36.540 --> 00:04:41.959 get you match made into Atlanta or sorry into 00:04:41.959 --> 00:04:45.959 Into games and I did not have one unpleasant 00:04:45.959 --> 00:04:48.939 experience. Everybody there was super chill It 00:04:48.939 --> 00:04:52.319 was a fun, fun time playing Magic with people 00:04:52.319 --> 00:04:55.100 who really just wanted to have fun. And the bracket 00:04:55.100 --> 00:04:57.000 system that they set up, the way they've got 00:04:57.000 --> 00:05:02.279 it, the way they've set it out at Magic Con, 00:05:02.339 --> 00:05:05.339 A, makes it make more sense, but B, really does 00:05:05.339 --> 00:05:07.040 make sure that you're within people that are 00:05:07.040 --> 00:05:09.180 playing at the same power level you are with 00:05:09.180 --> 00:05:10.939 your decks. So you're not going to sit down. 00:05:10.959 --> 00:05:12.759 I didn't sit down at a table the whole weekend 00:05:12.759 --> 00:05:17.160 and just get completely curb stomped. Right? 00:05:17.370 --> 00:05:20.689 which we've all had happen. I did do a couple 00:05:20.689 --> 00:05:23.670 of sealed events at the con for the Spider -Man 00:05:23.670 --> 00:05:26.790 release. Yay. The Spider -Man uterus is beyond 00:05:26.790 --> 00:05:34.769 came out. It's not good. It's not. Oh, no. It's. 00:05:35.470 --> 00:05:40.569 It's OK. It's not terrible. But it's not good. 00:05:42.569 --> 00:05:44.290 They should have done with spider -man what they 00:05:44.290 --> 00:05:45.910 did with the sass has created made it a mini 00:05:45.910 --> 00:05:47.649 set but because you're trying to make all the 00:05:47.649 --> 00:05:50.850 universes beyond standard legal they didn't and 00:05:50.850 --> 00:05:59.509 It's it's pretty weak It's not good It's not 00:05:59.509 --> 00:06:02.629 terrible but it's not great and I think because 00:06:02.629 --> 00:06:04.870 it's the primary set that magic on was You know 00:06:04.870 --> 00:06:06.970 built around because it's the most recent release 00:06:07.959 --> 00:06:11.060 I think that hurt it hurt the con a little bit. 00:06:11.079 --> 00:06:13.279 I think it was like a really hype set, like something 00:06:13.279 --> 00:06:19.019 really, really cool. I think it would have been 00:06:19.019 --> 00:06:22.100 better. Right. But the fact that Spider -Man 00:06:22.100 --> 00:06:28.480 is just not it's not great, guys, like. It's 00:06:28.480 --> 00:06:31.139 not great. And actually somebody in the chat 00:06:31.139 --> 00:06:33.180 saying magic nurses stay in their lanes. I've 00:06:33.180 --> 00:06:34.860 seen this for years. And in fact, this person 00:06:34.860 --> 00:06:38.430 in the chat. Oh boy, you're about to find out 00:06:38.430 --> 00:06:41.250 something funny, Dog Dad. You're about to find 00:06:41.250 --> 00:06:43.209 out something funny, because also at Magic Con 00:06:43.209 --> 00:06:47.129 this year, we got the 2026 slate. And I'm gonna 00:06:47.129 --> 00:06:49.350 start with the last one. In honor of Dog Dad, 00:06:50.569 --> 00:06:53.829 in November of 2026, well, let's start with this. 00:06:54.589 --> 00:06:57.329 Usually they alternate, like standard set, universe 00:06:57.329 --> 00:06:59.269 is beyond. Standard set, universe is beyond. 00:06:59.680 --> 00:07:01.620 this is the first year where they're going universes 00:07:01.620 --> 00:07:03.360 beyond universes beyond with spider -man released 00:07:03.360 --> 00:07:06.939 now and avatar the last airbender releases next 00:07:06.939 --> 00:07:11.459 next year we're in a similar situation we have 00:07:11.459 --> 00:07:14.579 four universes beyond sets coming to magic full 00:07:14.579 --> 00:07:18.680 sets right but we're going to start with the 00:07:18.680 --> 00:07:26.579 last one of the year and that's star trek And 00:07:26.579 --> 00:07:28.459 we were talking about this at the pre -show Jay 00:07:28.459 --> 00:07:30.480 and you kind of got that same look that you've 00:07:30.480 --> 00:07:33.259 got on your face right now So I want you to start 00:07:33.259 --> 00:07:37.579 I've been talking for a minute now What is your 00:07:37.579 --> 00:07:41.500 like? I Love that look. That's great. What is 00:07:41.500 --> 00:07:45.660 your thoughts on Star Trek as a magic the gathering 00:07:45.660 --> 00:07:49.660 universes be on set? I just like don't like it 00:07:49.660 --> 00:07:52.279 overall in general like dog dad like I think 00:07:52.279 --> 00:07:55.439 you're right like stay in your lane like it I 00:07:55.439 --> 00:07:59.699 don't want. I find it like just kind of weird 00:07:59.699 --> 00:08:04.959 when so I have. A cracking duck right I don't 00:08:04.959 --> 00:08:08.319 want to be freaking fighting the enterprise like 00:08:08.319 --> 00:08:11.079 what that's stupid that doesn't make sense to 00:08:11.079 --> 00:08:14.839 me I'm. But then also, I was trying to think 00:08:14.839 --> 00:08:18.980 of like, so I'm assuming you would have the ship 00:08:18.980 --> 00:08:22.120 or a like series of ships. Well, and with the 00:08:22.120 --> 00:08:24.420 last standard release, the last in universe was 00:08:24.420 --> 00:08:27.120 Edge of Eternity, which was a very sci fi e but 00:08:27.120 --> 00:08:31.220 in magic lore. Right. Yeah. And they added ships 00:08:31.220 --> 00:08:34.539 specifically like stations. And they also made 00:08:34.539 --> 00:08:37.019 it so that legendary vehicles can be commanders 00:08:37.019 --> 00:08:39.620 now. So now I think you're going to get about 00:08:39.620 --> 00:08:42.659 nine enterprises in that set. And all of them 00:08:42.659 --> 00:08:45.419 will be legendary vehicles and all of the enterprises 00:08:45.419 --> 00:08:55.039 can be your commander. Yeah, I. This is like, 00:08:55.320 --> 00:08:59.159 honestly. The stuff that has really turned me 00:08:59.159 --> 00:09:02.799 off of magic, so I used to used to stay like 00:09:02.799 --> 00:09:05.059 late at work and we would play magic at work 00:09:05.059 --> 00:09:08.039 with like a group of friends. And it just gets 00:09:08.039 --> 00:09:11.740 kind of insane with them constantly like releasing 00:09:11.740 --> 00:09:16.320 new cards, new decks, new whatever. And some 00:09:16.320 --> 00:09:18.700 of them are really cool. I will say I'm like 00:09:18.700 --> 00:09:22.519 I have bought secret lair sets before love them. 00:09:22.919 --> 00:09:27.539 Very beautiful card sometimes I am but I just 00:09:27.539 --> 00:09:30.539 get tired of this like endless like having to 00:09:30.539 --> 00:09:34.529 learn new mechanics and Stuff like Star Trek 00:09:34.529 --> 00:09:38.929 just doesn't make sense to me. Like, it's just 00:09:38.929 --> 00:09:42.429 a complete cash grab. Yeah. Well, and so that 00:09:42.429 --> 00:09:45.250 brings you to August's release, The Hobbit. Now, 00:09:45.250 --> 00:09:46.870 when they did the Lord of the Rings release, 00:09:46.970 --> 00:09:48.809 it was very, very popular. It was a very popular 00:09:48.809 --> 00:09:50.590 universe, as Beyoncé said. And a lot of people 00:09:50.590 --> 00:09:52.929 were really OK with it because as far as magic 00:09:52.929 --> 00:09:55.490 lore and magic kind of like theming, Lord of 00:09:55.490 --> 00:09:58.289 the Rings kind of fits. So the Hobbit kind of 00:09:58.289 --> 00:10:01.860 fits. But in June. We're getting another Marvel 00:10:01.860 --> 00:10:07.039 set, Marvel Super Heroes. That's June. So, let's 00:10:07.039 --> 00:10:09.600 go through the whole thing. January is Lorwin 00:10:09.600 --> 00:10:11.019 Eclipse, so they're going back to the Lorwin 00:10:11.019 --> 00:10:13.799 plane. They've started to do some releases, like 00:10:13.799 --> 00:10:15.419 some light stuff about what this is going to 00:10:15.419 --> 00:10:18.039 be. That looks like it's going to be a really 00:10:18.039 --> 00:10:20.759 good in -universe set. Then we have an unannounced 00:10:20.759 --> 00:10:23.240 Universe is Beyond, which is strange to me because 00:10:23.240 --> 00:10:26.159 we know what ones are coming out in June, August, 00:10:26.220 --> 00:10:28.940 and November. Why aren't you telling us what's 00:10:28.940 --> 00:10:36.529 coming out in March? Right? So there's a lot 00:10:36.529 --> 00:10:38.289 of people who are wondering what's going to come 00:10:38.289 --> 00:10:40.929 of that. April, we have Secrets of Strixhaven. 00:10:41.029 --> 00:10:43.330 Everybody likes Strixhaven as a plane. The previous 00:10:43.330 --> 00:10:45.950 Strixhaven set was very, very popular. I think 00:10:45.950 --> 00:10:47.190 that's going to be a really good popular set. 00:10:47.350 --> 00:10:49.669 And then we have another in -universe set. This 00:10:49.669 --> 00:10:52.990 is not a universe beyond called Reality Fracture, 00:10:53.429 --> 00:10:55.450 which they have said basically nothing about. 00:10:55.649 --> 00:11:00.990 That's all it's called is Reality Fracture. But 00:11:00.990 --> 00:11:04.909 that is an in -universe set. So, yeah, I take 00:11:04.909 --> 00:11:06.750 it you're on the bandwagon of people who are 00:11:06.750 --> 00:11:09.149 like, we've we've overdone it with the outside 00:11:09.149 --> 00:11:21.970 of magic magic. Yeah, I like. Pokemon had and 00:11:21.970 --> 00:11:27.710 I am like really just one fifty one guy, but 00:11:27.710 --> 00:11:32.250 Pokemon like. They would have some weird cards 00:11:32.250 --> 00:11:34.789 every now and then. Right. But it was still always 00:11:34.789 --> 00:11:39.490 in the Pokemon universe. You never saw a freaking 00:11:39.490 --> 00:11:44.470 the fortification. Yeah. Like they just kept 00:11:44.470 --> 00:11:47.730 it Pokemon. And I think, you know, that's what 00:11:47.730 --> 00:11:50.909 makes it great. You know, I think that's maybe 00:11:50.909 --> 00:11:53.509 one of the things I like has kept Pokemon alive 00:11:53.509 --> 00:11:58.909 for, you know, forever. because they just don't 00:11:58.909 --> 00:12:01.289 sell out in that way. I'm sure they've sold out 00:12:01.289 --> 00:12:03.649 in many ways, but they haven't sold out in that 00:12:03.649 --> 00:12:07.570 way. Like you you. You make your fans happy. 00:12:07.570 --> 00:12:10.230 You're just you don't bombard them with stuff 00:12:10.230 --> 00:12:14.799 that just doesn't make sense. Yeah. There's definitely 00:12:14.799 --> 00:12:16.759 arguments you made about bringing new fans into 00:12:16.759 --> 00:12:19.159 the hobby by using these universes beyond sets 00:12:19.159 --> 00:12:22.580 because there's their fandoms like Doctor Who, 00:12:22.580 --> 00:12:25.220 you know, that they've done and Assassin's Creed 00:12:25.220 --> 00:12:27.659 and Final Fantasy obviously was a massive hit 00:12:27.659 --> 00:12:35.340 for Magic this year. So. But yeah, so anyway. 00:12:36.280 --> 00:12:38.059 That's Magikonikon, all the things we know about 00:12:38.059 --> 00:12:40.259 the world of Magic. I'm really going to be curious 00:12:40.259 --> 00:12:43.940 when they release their their Q3 10k, which should 00:12:43.940 --> 00:12:49.100 be here shortly, what we see as far as as Wizards 00:12:49.100 --> 00:12:54.299 numbers go for this year. The rumors on how much 00:12:54.299 --> 00:12:55.879 they made on Final Fantasy is kind of ridiculous, 00:12:55.879 --> 00:12:58.100 but we're going to find out. Anyway, let us know 00:12:58.100 --> 00:12:59.759 what you think down in the comments below.