It’s been a long week in the world of Magic: The Gathering. We’ve had Strixhaven: School of Mages and Commander (2021 Edition) spoilers over the last few weeks, but it doesn’t end there. If you’ve missed the spoilers so far, you can catch up with our dedicated preview gallery.
Earlier in the week saw the unexpected cancellation of the MTG Arena Early Access Event which was the highlight for many Magic: The Gathering personalities and creators. It meant fans could watch their favorite content creators play with the newest cards in an attempt to break the Standard or Limited format once more.
Read More: Wizards Seem To Be Removing Early Access Events In MTG Arena
MTG Content Creators Respond to the Early Access Cancellation
What made the decision more troubling was Strixhaven: School of Mages Early Access Event was due to happen this week. Wizards of the Coast (WoTC) announced the cancellation three days before the MTG Arena Early Access Event was due to go ahead. As a result, it angered many of the personalities and creators since they made plans to stream the event on Twitch.
Naturally, many MTG personalities and creators took to Twitter and YouTube to discuss the issues with the abrupt change. The biggest hit is with smaller content creators, who take time out of their schedule (or in some cases, full-time jobs) to take part in the Early Access Event. Without that prior communication from Wizards of the Coast, it’s left many creators feeling abandoned and confused.
We even saw PleasantKenobi, a noted UK MTG creator discussing on YouTube the shortfalls in the Early Access Event. Although the event was free for creators, it generated traffic and interest for their channel and brand to grow while showing off the latest set of Magic: The Gathering cards.
Read More: MTG Commander RC Explains How 2 Strixhaven: School of Mages Mechanics Interact With Commander Rules
Then it goes further. Michelle Sutterfield, former Influencer Manager at WoTC went to Twitter to share their thoughts on the Early Access Event.
Michelle was a huge proponent of the MTG Arena Early Access Event and saw tremendous success as a result. It’s a shame to see such a fun event disappear for reasons we aren’t quite sure yet. Although it may be difficult to relate to creators as they are offered “free” opportunities, it’s worth noting that it is their livelihood. Having opportunities such as these enables them to earn money while promoting a game we all deeply appreciate.
With that, we’re hopeful the Early Access Event can come back in some capacity and hopefully without a paywall.
Read More: Wizards Seem To Be Removing Early Access Events In MTG Arena
