M10: The Backlash To The Backlash To The Backlash

I'm sure most players of Magic: The Gathering will be aware that Wizards of the Coast have announced some changes to the game's rules for the upcoming core set release, Magic: The Gathering 2010.

Inevitably, some players are predicting the death of the game. Just as they did with the Sixth Edition rules update, with Eighth Edition's new card frames, with the grand creature type update and with every other important decision made in the game's history.

Equally inevitable is the fact that many other players, particularly those who've been around throughout the course of many other changes, are pointing out how idiotic this view is. It's only two short years since the introduction of a new card type - Planeswalkers - was heralded as the 'death of Magic' in some quarters, and that didn't seem to pan out any more than any other such claims.

However, while the new rules almost certainly won't be the death of Magic, some players will quit. The question is whether the new direction will attract enough new players to have made the changes worthwhile - although even if they don't, it's unlikely to be the end. Star Wars Galaxies is still going strong despite a massive backlash from both critics and the player base, and a commensurate drop-off in subscriptions, following 2005's "New Game Enhancement" update. A game with such a strong brand as Magic would have to take a considerable hit before becoming truly dead. One can argue the ethics of trying to attract new players at the expense of alienating your current ones (as many did with the SWG update), but that's not the point of this article.

Yes, some players will quit, just as some players quit after Sixth Edition rules, after Eighth Edition card frames, after the introduction of the Planeswalker card type. Some of them will return to the game at a later date. Others will not. But that's their prerogative. Right now, the differences seem massive, but final judgement must wait until we're used to the new rules. But there's no denying that after July this year, significantly so or otherwise, Magic will be a different game. And it's only natural that some people will prefer the old rules, perhaps even continue to use the old rules.

I understand where these people will be coming from. To use a tangential example, the fourth edition of Dungeons & Dragons is an excellent game. It's simple, straightforward, and much better-tailored to the heroic fantasy genre than 3 or 3.5 edition rules were, which suffered by trying to be a generic, universal roleplaying system (reference intended). In D&D4, very much unlike D&D3, everyone in the player party has something to do, combat is as fast and smooth as an MMO, and you really feel like you're taking part in a fantasy epic. Of all the roleplaying games I have absolutely zero interest in owning myself, D&D4 is far and away the one I would recommend most strongly to other people. Personally? I don't like fantasy, I don't like MMOs, and I don't particularly care about having something to do in a party. I don't enjoy the style the game is aiming for and I don't roleplay for the same reasons D&D4 is geared towards. And that's just my thing. I can appreciate the beauty of D&D4 - I would just rather personally play D&D3.5 because it appeals more to my own sensibilities.

And so it is with Magic 2010. Some people genuinely won't like the updated rules as much as the old ones and may quit or continue to use the old rules casually. Rather than being chastised or accused of being luddites, the rest of the player base ought to accept that the new changes won't be for everyone and move on.

Those saying "This will kill Magic"? Reactionary, pessimistic and downright incorrect.

Those saying "I will quit Magic over this"? Reactionary, yes. Pessimistic, perhaps. But that's their call to make.

As a side note, it'll be interesting to note whether or not Magic Online will feature a "Pre-M10 Rules" game type...