Pretty much since its inception, Magic’s Secret Lair initiative has been the source of constant controversy. Many players weren’t a fan of their boundary-pushing art styles or the way that they opened the Universes Beyond floodgates and brought other IPs into the game. More recently these concerns have essentially blown over, only to be replaced with criticism of how Wizards handles the limited print run Secret Lair products.
So far, there have been pretty major supply issues with these drops. Players have been practically begging for a return to the print-to-demand model of years past. With the latest Superdrop, however, Wizards may have found a balanced solution. One that provides all the benefits of limited print runs, but still allows players to actually buy the products.
A Balanced Solution
Sadly, we don’t have exact numerical data on the things we’re about to discuss. Chalk that up to the appropriate-if-frustrating secretive attitude Wizards adopts when it comes to Secret Lair products. That said, there has been a clearly observable shift with the last Secret Lair Superdrop, and I think it gives new hope for the limited print run model going forward.
If you head to the Secret Lair website right now and check out the Camp Totally Safe Superdrop, you’ll notice something truly remarkable. Other than the English Hatsune Miku Lair and the Peach Momoko Lair, almost everything else from this Superdrop is still available for purchase. Given that the Superdrop launched over two full weeks ago, that’s surprising indeed. By contrast, multiple Lairs from the last Superdrop sold out in mere hours.
This rapid turnover was great for Wizards, but terrible for the average player. Many reported dismal experiences with the online purchasing interface where they waited in a queue for hours and then didn’t even get to buy a Lair in the end. This was mostly true for the popular IP-based drops but extended to other drops too. Put simply, the supply on the first few waves of limited print run Secret Lair Superdrops was far, far too low.
With Camp Totally Safe, it appears that Wizards has addressed this issue. Sure Hatsune Miku has sold out as always, but it happened within a matter of days not hours. The other IP-based Lairs in the drop, the Ghostbusters and Chucky ones, are still readily available. Clearly, the supply has been greatly increased here, thus addressing the major concern players had with the limited print run model. This is great news because such a model has a number of big advantages over print-to-demand.
Limited Run Secret Lair Pros
What are these advantages exactly? Well, they’re more numerous than you might think. A limited print run sounds like an innately anti-consumer model for Secret Lair products on the surface. It intensifies the FOMO already associated with the products and makes the purchasing experience worse in the bargain.
Having a limited print run means that players can get their hands on their Secret Lairs much sooner than before, however. Rather than waiting a month or more for Drops to arrive, players are now getting their hands on them within a week, sometimes even sooner. Since Wizards now goes into each Drop with a set quantity in mind, they can print them well in advance of sale.
Besides the obvious convenience, this also greatly improves the Bonus Card experience. When players get their Lairs quickly, others can be made aware of the Bonus Cards before they make their purchase. While this goes against the spirit of Bonus cards somewhat, it’s undeniably better for players to have the full information.
Another important advantage of the limited print run model is value. Secret Lairs printed in limited quantities will, by virtue of scarcity, hold their value better than those printed to demand. Even genuine players who buy Lairs with no intention of flipping them can appreciate this upside.
Secret Lairs are, by design, limited edition products. While this is much more obvious in a limited print run world, it applies to past Lairs too. If Wizards is going to produce limited edition products, they may as well fully commit to it. Shifting to a limited print run model achieves this, ensuring that Secret Lair products get the full benefits of their intended scarcity.
Problem Solved?
So with all of that in mind, and the benefits of a limited print run model fully considered, are the issues with Secret Lair finally over? Unfortunately, it’s too early to say. As I mentioned above, Wizards plays things pretty close to the chest when it comes to Secret Lair. They’ve also been experimenting with different models recently.
The shift to a limited print run was one, of course, but they’re also trying out a hybrid model for the current Extra Life Secret Lair drop. This drop is both limited print run and print-to-demand. In practice, this means that those who order early will get their drops sooner, but it will remain available for purchase for a set time afterward. While slightly confusing to explain, this is probably the best possible model for most players. Some long-term value is sacrificed, but in exchange, players get much more time to grab the Lairs they want.
The hybrid model is likely a one-off since Extra Life is a charity drop. That said, it does highlight the fact that Wizards is willing to tinker with the Secret Lair formula until they get the best results. If the increased supply for Camp Totally Safe produces poor sales or profits, then it could well be reversed for the next Superdrop.
It’s too early to say for sure whether or not this will happen. For my part, I sincerely hope it doesn’t. I think a limited print run with ample supply is the ideal model for Secret Lairs going forward. Hopefully, the data, and the player sentiment, support it enough for it to stick around.
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