Magic: The Gathering has changed a lot in the last three decades, from the concept of Exiling cards (introduced in 2010 as part of a major rules change) to ditching mana burn (also 2010) to Planeswalker cards (2007). But if there’s any one thing about Magic that’s changed the most since the game first launched in 1993, it’s the Commander format, a fan-created format that emerged in the 2000s and has since become the most popular way to play.
MTG publisher Wizards of the Coast released the first pre-constructed, 100-card Commander decks in 2011 (they were, by all accounts, pretty terrible), officially signalling a pivot towards the format that’s influenced the design of news cards ever since. And in the 14 years since, “precons” have become a marquee part of any new set. When Magic shattered its previous sales records earlier this year with a Final Fantasy crossover, its precons led the charge; demand for some of those decks was so high the price spiked into three-figure territory (the standard sales price usually hovers somewhere around $45).
So if precons are such an undeniably big deal, why isn’t Wizards selling any for its two big upcoming crossover sets this year: Spider-Man and Avatar: The Last Airbender? The answer raises another, more complicated question: Who are precons even for? This might seem like a beginner-friendly product on the surface, and a quick way to get into Magic’s most popular format, but many recent precons are packed full of complicated cards and synergies that could easily overwhelm new players.
According to Corey Bowen, a senior game designer at Wizards who’s designed over 30 precons and also served as lead designer on Spider-Man, the answer is complicated and changes frequently.
“There’s always a pendulum swinging on our preconstructed Commander decks,” Bowen tells Polygon. “Should we be lowering the complexity? We’re constantly evolving our Commander philosophy.”
At the moment, that philosophy leans away from marketing Commander as an entry point for Magic: The Gathering.
“Maybe precons aren’t the best new player on-ramp in general,” Bowen says.
MTG’s head designer, Mark Rosewater, agrees.
“We don’t think of Commander decks as entry level,” Rosewater says. “They are nice to get people introduced to the Commander format, but if you’re starting Magic cold, Commander is not the simplest.”
With Spider-Man expected to bring droves of new players into the world of Magic: The Gathering, it makes sense that this set skews a bit more towards newer players. Rosewater has also confirmed that future Marvel-themed sets will come with precons.
But for now, the strategy seems clear. Commander precons aren’t for new players, which is why Spider-Man is going with a different product strategy.
“Remember, SpiderMan has a Welcome Decks, which are designed to be an entry level product that’s much simpler,” Rosewater says.
Those Welcome Decks, designed for the game’s original 60-card format, are specifically designed with new players in mind.
“Spider-Man being a very well known character across all age groups makes it a really good place to make products that are as new-player-friendly as possible,” Bowen adds. “That was a huge priority.”
