Three reasons why I quit Magic: The Gathering
When I was a teen, and for many years afterwards, Magic: The Gathering was one of my favourite games. Every week, I would meet in a local shop to play it and it would be rare for me to go more than a couple of days without building a deck or thinking about it. And yet, despite its enduring popularity, I no longer play it with any regularity.
Magic is the most expensive game I’ve ever played. In fact, it may very well be the most expensive game I’m aware of. Despite being fully composed of cards, it requires an investment unmatched by any other title, even those that require highly detailed miniatures. A typical deck can cost more than 1000€ and paying 20, 40 or 90€ for a single card is commonplace.
You can reduce that price by playing in environments where only the newest cards are legal, but that’s more expensive in the long run. The price impacts the entire experience of play. Better cards are more expensive than weaker ones. Experimenting in deckbuilding comes with a hefty price tag and mistakes are punished, not just in game terms, but economically.
Even the community is worse for it. Magic players are constantly scared of having their cards stolen and indeed theft is not an uncommon occurrence. Some older players cheat children out of their good cards in trades and speculate on booster boxes like an unregulated stock market. Expensive “foil” cards act as status symbols, a nerdier equivalent of jewelry and conspicuous consumption.
