Every Magic: The Gathering collector has their spending limit when it comes to products and for many, that limit is the Secret Lair releases. Why is this the case when, for better or worse, the weakness of many Magic players is that they love the collectable aspect of the game?
It raises a question about just how the product is presented and whether or not it’s worth the price of admission. So we’re aiming to answer that question once and for all… Are Secret Lair releases worth the cost?
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What is Secret Lair?
To determine whether or not the product is worth the cost, you must first know what the product is. Secret Lair products are limited-time releases usually focused on external collaborations or unique products. In the past, we’ve seen The Walking Dead cards produced as well as full-text lands.
This is how they’re described on the Secret Lair site;
Each drop puts a brand-new spin on your favorite cards and might even have something new entirely. Think collabs with all kinds of different artists, some with styles you’ve never seen on a Magic card before, others with different weird and awesome ways to celebrate the game. Keep your eyes peeled: you never know what’s coming next with Secret Lair.
The product is limited in that it’s only ever available to order for a very short time but there is no limit on the number of orders that can be placed. So it’s more a case of blink and you miss it than being an exclusive for the few who have the ability to order.
Are they worth it?
The reason this question is so tricky to answer is that it comes down to personal preference. Let’s take the aforementioned Secret Lair x The Walking Dead release. For around £/$ 60 you received five legendary cards based on characters from the show. You also received five foil Walker tokens and a foil treasure token.
These cards are not legal in Standard but could be used in formats like Commander. Whether or not that £50 is ‘worth it’ comes down to if you’re purchasing them to use or display and how unique they are. If you have a great love for TWD and MTG then it’s a dream product at a reasonable cost. If not then it may seem a little steep for eleven cards you have no desire to own.
The truth of the matter is that no product has ever been an extortionate rip-off. Wizards of the Coast could easily bump the price higher to take advantage of a hardcore collector audience. Secret Lair products are 100% worth the price provided you feel that way, no one can tell you otherwise!
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