Since the product line’s inception in 2021, Secret Lair drops have wowed MTG players with incredible art and surprisingly good value. Alongside the typical four to five-card drops, Wizards has also released a few more exciting and exclusive products. These special Secret Lair drops include the Heads I Win, Tails You Lose Commander deck and the 30th Anniversary Countdown Kit. Unfortunately, these Secret Lair drops haven’t always gone to plan. However, they’re an undeniably awesome addition to the release calendar. As if Wizards hasn’t already offered enough, in 2022, WotC went above and beyond in a collaborative Secret Lair drop. Thanks to a surprisingly revealing customer survey, it appears another momentous collaboration is on the horizon for 2023.
Here be Dragons
Partnering with the high-end accessory manufacturer Beadle & Grimm’s, in early 2022, Wizards released the Here Be Dragons Secret Lair drop. Commemorating the Dungeons & Dragons: Adventures in the Forgotten Realms set from 2021, this Secret Lair drop offered a veritable treasure trove of goodies. Featuring a gorgeous deck box, card sleeves, a life counter, and seven limited-edition foils, players got a lot for their $125. At the time, the Here be Dragons Secret Lair drop was the most expensive Secret Lair product ever released. Despite holding that title, however, the Here be Dragons drop still managed to sell out in record time.
With a limited print run of 10,000 units, MTG players were understandably excited by this exclusive Secret Lair drop. Unfortunately, however, despite selling out in minutes, not everything about the sale went to plan. Scalpers, for instance, once again reared their ugly heads to capitalize on the exclusivity of the sale. Furthermore, once the products actually arrived, not every player was happy about what they received. In spite of Beadle & Grimm’s pedigree of making high-end accessories, several players were disappointed by the quality of the products. For instance, the build quality of the deck box was heavily criticized, with players such as u/Ronnthler calling it “super flimsy.”
Second Time’s the Charm
Despite the issues that were faced the first time around, there’s no questioning the product’s impressive sales record. Subsequently, it would come as no surprise to learn another collaborative Secret Lair was in the works. Until recently, such a Secret Lair has merely been hopeful speculation, as Wizards has been as coy as always. However, thanks to a new customer survey from Beadle & Grimm’s, players may finally have the confirmation they were after. As reported to Reddit by u/dcross9818, it appears a new Beadle & Grimm’s product might not be too far from release.
According to the customer survey, this new product is set to be announced in January 2023. Unfortunately, however, there’s currently no word on exactly what this new product might be. Described in the survey as “our next Magic: the Gathering product,” rather than explicitly a collaborative Secret Lair, there’s still some debate over what this new MTG product is. In the comments of u/dcross9818 Reddit post, for instance, u/TechnomagusPrime noted, “it could be another themed backpack and accessories, like the Kamigawa one. It doesn’t necessarily mean it’s going to be a Secret Lair.”
Room for Improvement
Whatever Beadle & Grimm’s has in store for MTG players, it’s sure to be incredibly enticing. That being said, it’s essential that Beadle & Grimm’s gets the sale right this time around. For the price, not only should the products be representative of the company’s quality standards, but also the sale itself shouldn’t be squandered. As we’ve seen recently, scalpers definitely have an interest in MTG’s limited-run sales. Subsequently, it might be wise for Beadle & Grimm’s to reduce their previous ten boxes per order limit. While this system allows for lightning-fast sales, unfortunately, it can deprive interested customers of products. As a result, we’re hoping Beadle & Grimm’s have adjusted their policy for whatever’s coming next. For that, however, we’ll just have to wait and see.
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