Whether you like it or not, Magic is an esport.
This past weekend, we saw the Mythic Invitational, MTG Arena’s first major tournament. With a million dollars on the line, great matches and amazing personalities, it was undeniably a fantastic first showing for Magic as an esport. Sure, the format was a mess, but the fact of the matter is that Magic is an esport now, and it’s poised to be the next big thing.
Written and hosted by: Daniel Rosen (@Daniel_Rosen)
Shot and edited by Chris Barrow
Graphics by: Diego Bernal
Editorial assistance by Colin McNeil (@McNeil Colin)
Footage courtesy of:
www.twitch.tv/magic
Wizards of the Coast
LSV Breaks MTGO
ChannelFireball
Music used under license from Associated Production Music LLC (”APM”).
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21 comments
I don't know why should I care about your opinion after that OK gesture blunder…
What does E stand for?
I get the idea behind duo standard, it's to try and show a wider variety of decks to make it more interesting for the spectator. Hearthstone's first tournaments kind of had this issue where one deck ruled them all, and it was boring to watch. Blizzard changed the format to make it so once you won with a deck, you had to use a different deck for game 2.
Magic isn't Hearthstone though. Sideboarding is a huge deal for MTG, it's what makes certain cards like Cindervines and Celestial Purge viable. Similarly it means I can get rid of dead cards in my deck. If i'm playing against a deck that has no creatures a card that "deals 4 damage to target creature" is going to be useless, but in a bo1, I still need to have it in there because I can't risk not having it against a deck that relies on creatures.
A potential way to fix it: have two decks with sideboards, one is randomly assigned to you at the beginning of the bo3 match. After games 1 and 2 you may choose to either swap decks OR sideboard, but you cannot sideboard if you choose to swap. All four decklists (including sideboards) are revealed to the players after game 1.
If you put money into it, every game can be an e-sport.
I've been playing paper Mtg for 15 years. My biggest complaint about Mtg Arena is the shuffler. Like I would draw 10+ straight lands or in some games no lands at all. This never happens in paper. Other complaint is, depending on your deck, you would be matched-up with a specific deck. Like for example, my deck is mono u tempo, I would be matched-up with burn 8 times out of ten. Then when I switch to ur drakes, I would be matched-up with esper control everytime.
MTG is a dying game. Even its own long time community knows it. Every format is a broken mess. Competitive play is drenched in cheating. And its filled with a bunch purists who push out new players.
Theres a reason both Yugioh and Pokemon have better sales numbers. I don't hate MTG, quite the opposite in fact, but to deny the current state the game is in, that would be ignorant.
See Konami, this is how you do your card game right.
Well, at least make a decent official game of your card game like WOTC did, rather than Duel Links.
Long time MTG player, but I won't be picking arena back up again unless they change competative to classic best of 3.
"next big esport" LOL
Magic: Arena actually killed the original Magic: The Gathering card game tho
Best part is that blatant cheating will not happen anymore. Accidental or otherwise.
If every card in standard was available to every player regardless of financial input, then sure, it’s an esport. But as long as cards are locked off because of money, mtg will never be an esport
they got the one thing that matters: wallets.
Shadowverse player here. 🙂
WHO cares
Solitaire is an esport because there are PC games based off of it
As soon as Legacy, Vintage and Modern are made available as formats I can't care for MTG Arena.
You didnt talk most important thing? Do you need spend money to cards to be competitive (have the best cards) like in all other card games? (aka its also pay to win)
For example in Hearthstone cards are as good as much they costs (and new to buy always the newest stuff). I hate pay to win, any games wont change my mind.
Also hate WoT. Disgusting business model.
Lol what the fuck
Whether you like it or not, a sport, whether that be traditional or Electronic, requires physical skill. Playing a card game requires no physical skill, therefore it can not be an esport. If card games are esports then Chess and Scrabble are sports. You can't just define the terms however you like, words have usage and there is no common usage of sport which would include games that require no physical skill to play.
They won ten grand for playing a card game video game wtf