3, Apr, 23

Do Booster Boxes Contain MTG Arena Codes?

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Article at a Glance

There’s nothing more exciting than when you finally get the chance to tear into a brand new Magic: The Gathering sealed product, even if it’s not necessarily for a brand new set! As MTG Arena grows in popularity, you may begin to wonder whether or not you can get some extra content, such as codes, when buying a physical booster box.

We’re here to answer that question for you although you may not like the answer!

Read More: Fan-Favorite MTG Archetype Causes 280% Price Spikes!

Are MTG Arena Codes Available in Booster Boxes?

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Unfortunately, MTG Arena codes are not available in booster boxes currently. It does seem like a missed opportunity not to offer some digital content with these fairly valuable products. There could, however, be a very good reason for this.

Due to the limitations around how codes are handled for Arena, it would be difficult for Wizards of the Coast to overhaul how they work at this point. We know that with every new set, a code will go live to give us all some free packs. That’s a nice offer, but free digital content with physical products could create a much bigger problem.

Even the MTG Arena codes that are given out with prerelease packs are limited to one per account so that they cannot be abused. The ecosystem that Arena exists within is perfectly balanced for now and having a bunch of digital codes floating around could compromise this.

However, MTG Arena codes are available in promotional packs handed out by Local Game Stores. These can be won by attending or winning various weekly events like Friday Night Magic or Wednesday Modern. These tend to be released alongside each core set to promote LGS events.

The Bigger Picture

alrund's epiphany

There is also the issue around the resale and distribution of the codes. Let’s face it, if codes were so commonly available, there would be a marketplace set up for them in no time. It’s entirely understandable that WotC would not want this secondary market to come in and disrupt the game as people find alternative ways to fund their Arena accounts.

Many will make the argument that MTG Arena is pay to win because you can purchase card packs with real money. This means that those who cannot are at an instant disadvantage. Free packs are available and in-game currency can be earned and used to purchase more packs, it’s just a grind compared to outright buying them with cash.

The idea that digital codes with physical products will fix this problem is a little naive. It would just lead to a lower level of monetisation as players seek out cheaper ways to spend real money for in-game content.

Read More: MTG Arena Codes to Unlock Free Things!

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