A particular interaction often comes to mind.
In October 2024, at MagicCon in Las Vegas, a recurring event for Magic enthusiasts to play, trade cards, and explore the game`s future, I found myself in the media room alongside other journalists and PR representatives. The discussion turned to the upcoming `Foundations Of Magic’s Next Era` panel, where Wizards of the Coast (WOTC) was set to unveil the game`s future.
Having already attended a pre-panel online press preview and Q&A session a few days prior, my fellow journalists and I were familiar with most of the announcements. A PR team member inquired about what we believed would elicit the strongest audience response. While some predicted excitement over Final Fantasy set art or `Foundations` cards, my immediate answer was the reintroduction of Manufacturer`s Suggested Retail Price (MSRP).
MSRP, or Manufacturer`s Suggested Retail Price, represents the recommended price from the product`s creator. Before the November 2024 launch of `Foundations,` Magic: The Gathering products lacked MSRPs, with Wizards allowing retailers to set their own prices. `Foundations` was set to reverse this trend.
The PR team was surprised by my choice, deeming it uninteresting. However, later during the panel, their reaction changed dramatically.
The audience erupted in cheers, prompting me to glance at my companions and offer a knowing shrug. The absence of MSRP had been a significant point of contention for MTG players, who had hoped its return would curb the exorbitant prices prevalent in the secondary market.
MSRP: A Fading Hope?
The reintroduction of MSRP was intended to usher in an era where Magic players could acquire desired cards at reasonable prices. Although the Final Fantasy set`s MSRPs were higher than those for in-universe sets like Aetherdrift and Tarkir: Dragonstorm, players largely accepted this due to the nature of licensed intellectual property. However, this affordability hasn`t materialized, particularly with the Final Fantasy set, where many retailers disregarded the recommended pricing.
Final Fantasy’s MSRP, according to the official MTG website, was supposed to be as follows:
- Play Booster: $6.99
- Collector Booster: $37.99
- Commander Deck: $69.99
- Collector`s Edition Commander Deck: $149.99
- Bundle: $69.99
- Gift Bundle: $89.99
- Starter Kit: $19.99
Now, compare those numbers to these preorder numbers found from an independent hobby shop:
- Play Booster Box (30 Packs): $174.99
- Collector Booster Box (12 Packs): $699.99
- Commander Deck:
- Final Fantasy 6 – $74.99
- Final Fantasy 7 – $124.99
- Final Fantasy 10 – $124.99
- Final Fantasy 14 – $124.99
- Collector`s Edition Commander Deck:
- Final Fantasy 6 – $219.99
- Final Fantasy 7 – $399.99
- Final Fantasy 10 – $399.99
- Final Fantasy 14 – $399.99
- Bundle: $79.99
- Gift Bundle: $159.99
- Starter Kit: $24.99
The discrepancies are quite apparent, aren`t they?
Crucially, these inflated prices aren`t from scalpers, unlike the Pokemon TCG market; they`re from local game stores. These are meant to be community hubs for engaging with Magic, yet they`re effectively rendering MSRP meaningless.
A notable omission from Wizards` MSRP announcement was the pricing for booster boxes. While individual pack prices were recommended, boxes were not explicitly listed. Wizards` communications director, Blake Rasmussen, explained this was intentional, stating that box MSRP would simply be the pack MSRP multiplied by the number of packs, making a separate listing redundant.
Let`s test this: 30 Final Fantasy Play Boosters at the $6.99 MSRP per pack totals $209.70. Interestingly, the local game store`s example price for a Play Booster Box was actually lower than this calculated MSRP, which is a rare positive anomaly.
However, the Collector Booster box tells a different story: 12 packs at $37.99 each should yield an MSRP of $455.88. Our example store`s price for this was significantly higher, and indeed, nearly every other product line from that store exceeded Wizards` recommendations by at least five dollars.
These figures were from preorder pricing. Currently, Collector Booster boxes are fetching four-figure sums online and in local game stores. A single Collector Booster pack costs $120 on TCGPlayer. Even Play Booster boxes now surpass the calculated MSRP, with the lowest TCGPlayer price at $230.
While major retailers generally adhere to MSRP, they struggle with inventory, and there`s no assurance that actual players are the primary buyers. This presents a critical problem, undermining the core objective of Universes Beyond sets: attracting new players to Magic: The Gathering.
Veteran MTG players are also negatively impacted. The current Play Booster pricing is especially difficult to justify given two significant changes: the introduction of 14-card Play Boosters with `Murders At Karlov Manor` in 2024 (down from 15-card Draft Boosters) and, starting with `Aetherdrift` earlier this year, Play Booster boxes now contain only 30 packs instead of the previous 36, meaning less value per purchase.
Specifically, the advent of Play Boosters with `Murders At Karlov Manor` in 2024 introduced packs with only 14 cards – a first for the game, acting as a compromise between the former 15-card Draft Boosters and 12-card Set Boosters. Furthermore, starting with `Aetherdrift` in February, Play Booster boxes now contain a mere 30 packs, a reduction from the traditional 36.
In summary, players are receiving fewer cards per pack, fewer packs per box, yet paying prices significantly above the suggested retail. This unsustainable trend demands immediate change, or both new and veteran players will abandon the game en masse.
Universes Beyond: An Affordability Barrier
Imagine you`re a devoted Final Fantasy enthusiast discovering that one of the world`s most enduring trading card games is collaborating with your beloved franchise. Your Magic-playing friends showcase the stunning artwork, unique foiling, and thematic game mechanics, persuading you to give the game a try.
You visit a large retailer like Best Buy or Target, only to find empty shelves. Recalling your friends mention a local game store where they play, you head there. Success! The cards are in stock. But then, you see the price: $125 for the FF7 deck? The official MTG website quoted $70, the price you were prepared to pay. Confused and unwilling to accept such a markup, you return home empty-handed, opting instead to play FF7 for the experience you sought.
While hypothetical, this scenario is echoed by numerous accounts on Reddit and other online forums. These are precisely the new players Universes Beyond aims to attract, yet they`re being priced out before they can even engage. MSRP was intended to prevent this, but it has effectively become irrelevant.
Wizards faces a distinct disadvantage with the Final Fantasy collaboration. If we reverse the scenario – an MTG player discovering FF cards and wanting to explore the video games – the barrier to entry is significantly lower. For instance, during a recent Amazon Prime Day, just weeks after the MTG FF set`s release, several Final Fantasy games were discounted, including the Final Fantasy I-VI Pixel Remasters (six games) for only $45.
Even now, at full price, if this hypothetical MTG player wanted to purchase all 16 mainline Final Fantasy games at once, it would look like this (prices via Steam):
- Final Fantasy I-VI Pixel Remaster Bundle: $75
- Final Fantasy VII: $12
- Final Fantasy VIII: $12
- Final Fantasy IX: $21
- Final Fantasy X (via X/X-2 HD): $30
- Final Fantasy XI: Free to download via game`s website, free first month
- Final Fantasy XII (via The Zodiac Age): $50
- Final Fantasy XIII: $16
- Final Fantasy XIV: $20 Starter Edition, monthly subscription
- Final Fantasy XV: $36
- Final Fantasy XVI: $50
- TOTAL: $322
Consider this: all 16 core Final Fantasy games – the entire source material for the Magic: The Gathering set, offering hundreds of hours of gameplay – cost only 25% of a Collector Booster box, and just $100 less than a current Play Booster box. While the experiences of video gaming and physical tabletop card gaming differ, if the primary objective is to immerse oneself in Final Fantasy, the video games clearly offer superior value for money.
Universes Beyond was positioned as a gateway for new players to Magic. While it has technically achieved this, it`s contingent on those individuals being able to afford the steep entry cost. This financial barrier diminishes new players` enthusiasm for the hobby, fundamentally undermining the purpose of Universes Beyond. With upcoming collaborations like Spider-Man and Avatar: The Last Airbender, this is a precarious situation for Wizards.
A Superficial Fix for a Deep Wound
Frankly, I question whether the decision-makers are truly concerned about this issue. After all, the Final Fantasy set generated unprecedented single-day revenue for an MTG release. Hasbro, by implementing MSRP, still profited immensely, seemingly content that they`ve done their part and the market will self-correct.
However, upon closer inspection, it becomes clear that MSRP was never truly designed to solve this problem. The `S` stands for `Suggested,` implying a recommendation, not a mandate. Consequently, Wizards lacks any formal legal means to prevent such price gouging; the prices were merely `suggested,` not fixed. Unless Hasbro or Wizards commit to actively enforcing fair pricing and implementing meaningful penalties for non-compliant stores, this issue will persist.
One might argue, `It`s Final Fantasy; its popularity was guaranteed. This won`t happen with other sets this year.` Unfortunately, this assertion is already proving false:
- Edge of Eternities, the next in-universe set launching August 1, has pre-sale Collector Booster boxes for $430, when `MSRP` for a Collector Booster pack was $24.99, meaning a box`s MSRP would be $299.88.
- The Spider-Man set due to launch in September is currently pre-selling at $720 per Collector Booster box.
- Preorders for November`s Avatar: The Last Airbender set haven`t started yet, but don`t be surprised if those boxes start at a similar level.
This detrimental pricing trend is escalating, and there appears to be a worrying lack of urgency in addressing it before it becomes uncontrollable.