"3 things I have seen this week: Ultimate Masters Edition"

"3 things I have seen this week: Ultimate Masters Edition"

by:

Virgilio F. De leon Jr.MD

Much has been said about Ultimate Masters. And I will say it here again. Ultimate Masters is a cash grab. And like all greedy corporations Wotc has made a product that the richer nerds can afford. And with the way these boxes have been disappearing. Well. It seems that we are in store for a lot more price increase in the coming years. They tested the waters and the waters are full of biting fish. Along with sharks. So what have I seen this past week regarding Ultimate Masters?

1) Some Nerds are richer than other Nerds.

I was tempted to buy this product. It was tempting with a lot of the reprints that I wanted and those darn box toppers. I just had to stop myself from swiping my credit card or my wife from swiping hers because I could see that she was about to buy me a box regardless of how much I cost. I walked away.

Does this mean I don't want anything to do with the set? With the prices of the boosters and boxes I think I would be better off buying the individual pieces that I like than getting a box topper Stirring Wildwood or Lavaclaw Reaches. I already have enough copies of those.

2) This product is not for you.

Yeah. I have always thought about this divide that exists in Magic but I have never felt it as much as I have this past few weeks. Hey I should not have to worry. I have the money to buy this but it makes me sad that not anyone could. I mean one of the times that I enjoyed opening packs was when I played Sealed with my Eton Centris Playgroupmates and Team Virulence. 

Opening a box or fat bundle is awesome but it feels a lot better when you and your friends can play against each other with cards that you can all buy fairly.

3) People will still buy.

Like my wife told me this is just like the latest Iphone or Video game. You can read a lot of hate. A lot of bad reviews but the people with the money will still buy it mainly because they could. 

And so we are set on an ever constricting spiral staircase. Will people stop playing Magic in the future because cards will be financially restrictive? Will players finally realize the monster that we are now feeding? I hope it does not take people leaving the game they love to make WotC realize that they have control over this and that they can still make a product that includes everyone.