On October 3, Magic: The Gathering head designer Mark Rosewater shared a cautionary message on his blog, asking fans of the trading card game to avoid “gatekeeping”. “A note to everyone”, Rosewater begins. “Please don’t use ‘real’ to differentiate between Magic cards that you play and Magic cards other people play.”
“It’s gatekeeping and exclusionary”, Rosewater adds. “Everyone can play the way they enjoy, and it’s just as ‘real’ a game of Magic as how you play.”
The statement was prompted by a question sent to the blog by Tumblr user theuninvitedghost, who asked about the recently announced Transformers MTG cards. It was revealed in early October that, unlike your standard Secret Lair collections, these cards would be available in booster packs for the upcoming set, The Brothers’ War.
“If I open a pack of Magic and get a Transformers card, can I exchange it for a real Magic card through customer service?”, asked theuninvitedghost. Rosewater didn’t directly confirm whether the Transformers cards can be exchanged in his blog post, but based on his comments about exclusionary attitudes, we’re assuming the answer is ‘no’.
While Rosewater assures us the Transformers MTG cards are just as real as any in-universe creatures or planeswalkers, one thing they aren’t is an official part of The Brothers’ War. The cards come with a unique badge to distinguish them from the rest of the set, and they won’t be legal in Standard.
With The Brothers’ War release date approaching, there’s been plenty of Magic news rolling out. For example, check out the melded Urza planeswalker card that brings the keyword back to Magic. We also have another Secret Lair Chibi planeswalkers collection on the way.
Keep up with the future of Magic by checking out our 2023 release schedule guide. Or, for something more eternal, why not check out our guide to the best MTG Commanders?