2021 was an absurd year for MTG. There were more sets and cards than any year before it, and it looks as though we’re in for more this year.
It can be more than a little overwhelming, and as the number of products keeps increasing, it’s likely that players will have to consider how they view Magic as a whole.
This year is stacked
2022 is going to be busy. We’re talking busier than before, possibly the year that simply finally finds the limit on what’s reasonable to release in terms of sales. After all, there’s got to be a ceiling somewhere here. Let’s just take a look at the planned releases for 2022, shall we:
- Innistrad: Double Feature
- Commander Collection: Black
- Kamigawa Neon Dynasty
- Streets of New Capena
- Dominaria United
- The Brothers War
- Challenger Decks
- Unfinity
- Double Masters
- Jumpstart 2022
- Secret Lairs
- Warhammer 40K Commander Decks
- Digital-Only Sets
That’s an absurd amount of stuff. It’s the kind of output that makes it nearly impossible to keep up with. Assuming you were to invest in each set here, you’re looking at thousands a year now to try and keep on top of MTG if you play Standard and any of the eternal formats, let alone any more than that. It is, quite simply, no longer realistic, and we know that it’s not meant to be.
Read More: Best Starter Commander – Wulfgar of Icewind Dale
Pick your pleasure
I nearly named this section “pick your poison” but despite the sheer volume of MTG, I still utterly adore the game, even if it doesn’t feel as though it feels that way about me anymore. So, pick your pleasure. I used to play Standard, Modern, Pauper, Commander, and a few ancillary and store-based formats too. Now though, I almost exclusively play Commander.
That’s not for a loss of love for the other formats, but a necessity. MTG is becoming more expensive. Cards that are completely essential in formats are printed more frequently than ever before, and to play to any degree of competitiveness requires flexibility, finance, and a lot of time. It’s unlikely you’ll have all three of those things going for you, and even if you do, you might not want to anyway.
Instead, my advice to you is to simply pick a single format that you genuinely love and stick with it. If you still genuinely have the resources to stick with multiple formats and want to do so, then that’s fine. However, you’re no less a fan of the game for deciding to stay in one lane. There’s no shame in simply enjoying a singular aspect of this card game, and you shouldn’t stress yourself out by trying to do so if you’re not enjoying it.