There are few controversies in Magic: The Gathering more annoying than the Reserved List, and I imagine there are plenty of WotC workers who wish they weren't constrained by an old promise not to reprint their oldest cards.
Head designer Mark Rosewater seems to be one of those people. He's said in the past that most Magic: The Gathering players would like the Reserved List gone, but that there are obstacles that make that difficult or impossible. Recently he was asked how he would've handled the Reserved List knowing what he knows now and as far as I can tell his answer basically amounts to 'no Reserved List'.
"I would have spelled out a means by which we would reprint things in a way that was transparent and gave a lot of notice rather than promise never to do it," Rosewater replied.
That reminds me of Wizards' relationship with card bans. The company has gone back and forth on how regularly it should be adding cards to its MTG banlist, and the main concern that stops the designers having itchy trigger fingers is that they don't want to piss off players who've invested in powerful, expensive cards. The current system with scheduled ban updates is WotC's attempt to give notice and be transparent about when things will change.
The fanbase has shown it can still get just as irate over cards losing value as it did in the 90s, with hundreds of players up in arms last year when Jeweled Lotus was axed from Commander.
In case you need a potted history lesson, The Reserved List was devised in 1996, just three years after Magic began (and the same year MaRo became a designer).
It happened as a result of 4th edition and Chronicles, MTG sets full of reprints, which upset fans who saw their valuable cards become much cheaper. To try and restore faith in the game and ensure its survival, Wizards implemented the Reserved List, with nearly 600 cards that it would never reprint ever again.
Would the less hardline approach Rosewater suggests have quelled fans' fears? Perhaps - but we'll never know!
Somewhat surprisingly, Wizards has stuck fast to its promise for close to 30 years now, despite more fans being in favor of torching the RL than not. It's the reason why some expensive MTG cards are so ridiculously pricey and a Vintage deck can cost more than a car. As far as I can tell, no one is 100% sure why Wizards won't go back on its word.
Do you think the Reserved List has a purpose in 2025/6? Let us know on the Wargamer Discord.