When MTG Arena first launched, Wizards of the Coast went above and beyond. Rather than simply adding cards and being done with it, many mythic cards also had unique animations. While these animations were occasionally a bit much, they nonetheless made playing cards feel more epic.
Unfortunately, as the years have gone on, these welcome extra animations became a thing of the past. Replaced instead by countless cosmetic options and purchasable pets, the resources dedicated to MTG Arena have shifted somewhat. Thankfully, while animations may be a thing of the past, there are still plenty of visually stunning and flavorful battlefields.
As the place where all the cards are, these battlefields are undeniably an incredibly important element in MTG Arena. Due to this, it’s a major issue should they not work right for whatever reason. Unfortunately, following a recent update to make things look prettier, that seems to be exactly what’s happening.
It’s Coarse and Rough and Gets Everywhere
Following the release of Murders at Karlov Manor, it seems Wizards has made MTG Arena a little prettier. Specifically, the battlefield from Amonkhet Remastered was given an upgrade. Rather than just being an Egyptian-themed townscape, now desert sands wisp across the battlefield.
In theory, this improvement should add a nice touch to the MTG playing experience, however, it appears the opposite is true. According to MTG personality Fireshoes, the update could be detrimental in a major way! Rather than just looking good, the new sand effects can spill over onto the battlefield.
Similar to the time pets adorably invaded the battlefield, this effect can cover up gameplay elements. Worryingly, this is most likely to cover up your opponent’s graveyard. If they’re playing a deck that utilizes this as a resource, you may be caught out.
Unfortunately, it’s currently unclear when this issue will be fixed by Wizards of the Coast. Hopefully, all it will take is turning off the upgraded visual effects, which shouldn’t take too long. Unfortunately, given the nature of digital games, a patch may be harder to implement than expected.
It’s Not All Doom and Gloom
For better or worse, this isn’t even the first time this visual error has happened. Back when Amonkeht Remastered first launched, these visual effects kept display over cards until they were ultimately disabled. While it’s undeniably bizarre that this known issue has seemingly been added back into the game, hopefully, it should make fixing it easy.
Beyond the bugs, MTG Arena is going to get new cards and cosmetics soon! Judging by new leaks, it appears that cosmetics related to the Fallout Universes Beyond crossover are coming to MTG Arena! Unfortunately, since this is a leak we can’t guarantee its authenticity, and there’s no word if any cards are coming too.
While Fallout could theoretically be a bust, there are at least more Murders at Karlov Manor cards coming soon! Recently revealed during an MTG Arena Announcements post, it appears Murders at Karlov Manor: Alchemy will be launching next month. Judging by the “Into the Future” event scheduled for March 5th, an Alchemy release at the same time seems likely.
