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News: Wizards Changes Block Size and Standard Schedule

Posted on Tuesday, August 26th, 2014 by paz
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Posted in mtg

REDMOND, WA — Wizards of the Coast rocked the world of Magic: The Gathering today when they announced an intimidating new release schedule for new sets, as well as a new schedule for Standard rotations.

First, blocks will now be composed of 2 sets apiece. Maro Rosewater explains:

“Well, thus far, the modus operandi has been:

  • 1st set: Introduce the world.
  • 2nd set: Hint at an impending apocalypse.
  • 3rd set: Blow the world up.

The problem is that this put our designers in a box.

One of the common complaints we’d hear about ‘2nd sets’ from players was, ‘Gimme my blow-ups!’


Before, with 3 sets, addressing those complaints wasn’t feasible. But with 2 sets, we can now do the following over and over again:

  • 1st set: Introduce the world.
  • 2nd set: Blow the world up.”

Second, Standard will now rotate such that it contains no more than 3 blocks at all times, and without any core sets whatsoever.

Maro Rosewater explains:

“core sets = revenue down = frown town”

Finally, a new set will be introduced every single day.

Maro Rosewater explains:

“Over many years, we’ve been carefully moving the game further and further away from mechanics-based storytelling and deep flavor, under the auspices of ‘gameplay first.’ In reality, we were migrating toward a nexus point at which a simple piece of software could pump these things out constantly.


My job, and that of my fellow designers and developers, has now been relegated to a team effort of feeding that software computer bits, making sure it does not become hostile to humans, and scooping its litter box.”

Finally, Wizard of the Coast built state-of-the-art animated GIFs to explain the new paradigm shift and somehow included them in its press release:



For ages we’ve struggled with the question, “Where the dragons at?”


It appears we now have our answer: “Every. Damn. Day.”