Prerelease, or How I Learned to Hate New Stuff

I just don't get it.

I don't even know who to blame anymore.

Here's the deal.  From my 'limited' perspective, prereleases still need more fine tuning - or maybe a great deal more.  I shelled out $120 so my son and I could do a sealed Swiss tournament and a round of Two Headed Giant together.  I left feeling slightly robbed, punch drunk, and unsatisfied.  For the amount of money I paid out, I would have thought things would have been...better.

Don't get me wrong, I do love Khans and everyone was civil at my LGS.  The problem I think stems from the continued play by WotC to package items by Clan (or color groupings) and push them that way.

Here's the thing.  I don't think that they're wrong to do this.  But I'm increasing certain that they need to find a way to improve this system.

Pre-Prerelease

People have preferences.  I prefer Red or White (but I'm starting to learn to love the other colors as well).  Wizards will not change peoples deep seated color preferences except through a long process of nerfing a color maliciously.  So, it is a give that some people feel like a nut and some don't.  In a room of a 100 players who know nothing about an upcoming set, if you ask them what colors they would choose, there is no world in which the answer would split evenly between the 5 colors.  I'm sure you'll find that there are more Blue players in the room than White.  Or the other way around.  

It is a given that Magic players have preferences for a particular color or color pairing.  Let's file that away and remember it - because it is important to this conversation.

Another part of this conversation has to do with the sharing of information, or spoilers.   Wizards has a complicated engine in place to spoil cards from new sets three to one week prior to prerelease.  It is a systematic leaking of state secrets, designed to accomplish several goals.  Of importance is the education of gamers to the new mechanics, abilities, and odd-ball cards.  Just that sentence alone justifies spoiling a set.  But it also serves to put some blood in the water.  Fans start arguing the merits of one card, one color or one group of colors over another.  Spoilers are a necessary evil, but I think they go too far.

And this is where we start to really run into some problems.

Fans start to think, "Hey, that Mardu really looks strong compared to the other sets," or "Why would anyone pick Dimir to play, the mechanic is all wrong."  These pre-prerelease preferences predicting prevalent picks proves problematic (don't think about what just happened, just move on to the next sentence).  LGS's are put in a difficult position.  Gamers don't get what they want.  Product is delivered in (arguably) the wrong quantities.  It's exacerbated when the heavy weights start to weigh in.  When LSV or Marshall talk Limited, people listen.  It's like E.F. Hutton without the stiff suits.

And everyone feels bad.  All except for that one guy that rocked his prerelease.  He can go sit on a small geyser.  [It's all good, I love you, I'm not salty.  Much.]

Feel Bads at the Prerelease

I don't do the crazy midnight prerelease.  It's not that I'm a pansy - but hey, I don't make my best gaming decisions after working all day and sitting around for seven hours before playing.  So I show up at my LGS on Saturday.  First thing I learn is that there is VERY limited Mardu available for the remainder of the weekend - good thing I had made earlier arrangements.  Instead of getting to play as my clan of choice, I'd have to pick some also ran for the 2HG event.  Sure, no problem.  How about Abzan?  Oh wait, there is limited stock there too.

As I let that sink in, I realized that I could be any of the other three clans without a problem.  Judging by the amount of product, come Sunday night I could have a wading pool full of the other three clans.

Folks, something has to give.

When an LGS has to have dice rolls to resolve who gets to be Mardu or Abzan, something is broken in the system.  Let me be clear too - I don't think this is so much the fault of the LGS as it is the entire Prerelease system.  Both parties, WotC and my LGS, probably should own some of the fault in this scenario as described.

Established love for colors or old mechanics.  New hot cards/hot mechanics in particular colors.  A feeding frenzy of spoilers.   Limited product.  An informed gamer base.  All of these pieces come together to create a perfect storm that Wizards has not navigated in an outstanding fashion since I started playing.

Oh...and don't get me started on the stickers.  I'm sure others can say a host of unkind things.  Instead, I'll be objective.  It was cheaply produced and did not add to the value of the experience in any way.

Looking Forward

I have to identify what the problem is, in plain language, to offer recommendations.  So I do apologize for the previous section.  I have suggestions to improve Prerelease.  Here they are, in no particular order.

Packaging - Kill the box packaging.  Or, only do special/box packaging for one of the five/six prereleases a store offers.  It's cool (and I don't think Wizards will get rid of it) but it is an option.

Limit Spoilers - Cut down on the number of spoilers before the full set is discussed.  Yes, this is a 'bad thing', but give me a moment.  A little bit of mystery is fine.  Don't discuss more than half of the rares and uncommons.  If you must keep sending out the full number of spoilers, do more commons.  For WotC, spoilers serve as a reward of sorts for dedicated writers/websites.  I'm not suggesting that they stop this practice.  I'm merely suggesting that the practice be potentially revised.

Move Back the Full Set Reveal - I don't know when it happens compared to shipping and other concerns.  But I would bet the Full Set Reveal can be moved a few days closer to prerelease, giving everyone a little less wiggle room in figuring out their 'preferred' clan or colors.  Even a day or two would make a difference.

Packaging (Part 2) - Whitewash the box packaging.  This will make the color or clan a random choice.  I don't think this is a bad solution...in fact, players could simply trade immediately after opening if they desire a different color.

Test ALL Product - Those stickers this time?  Lame.  Test all product before including it.  Yes, it's a small gripe, but the Prerelease is a canvas that Wizards uses to paint the next 3-4 months.  Why put something out that I'm sure even they thought was sub-par?

Instructions - Simple, but effective.  Send an email to LGS's telling them what to expect and how to capitalize.  If this means you spell out that they will be receiving a limited amount of product that is expected to be in high demand, also spell out how to divide the limited product fairly.  First come, first serve on the day of?  First paid reservation, first served?  A lottery?  Remind LGS's because they are only getting X amount of product they must share it fairly across all of their 5 or 6 events.  Is this already happening and LGS's aren't doing it?  Then please excuse me, my LGS and I have something to talk about.

Instructions (Part 2) - Force LGS's to take an online training course in optimizing their Prerelease experience.  This online training can be expanded into other areas.  It's amazing what a little bit of training can do for people.

Test Before Producing - Surely, even internal testing must indicate what couple of colors or clans will be more popular at release.  Try it out.  If internal testing with the Future Future League figures out what color or clan will be more popular - and it matches what happens at the LGS's in a year, then for future sets produce product with an extra printing of the colors that will be in higher demand.  Or, give LGSs the option to purchase Mardue or Azban by the case for example to meet expected demand.

Your Ideas?
I'm sure that some of my ideas have been spoken about before.  If you've seen an idea that I didn't list, please add it below in the comments.  Or, if you have an original idea, please share it as well.

I'll continue to attend prereleases in the future.  But I don't expect I'll be doing $120 worth of events for my son and I unless the system changes to promote more parity between players.  Sure my son and I made some interesting pulls - but no Fetches or Planeswalkers.  That probably made me a little bitter as well.  But after spending almost nine hours playing, I can't but help think that there is a better way to make sure that everyone has an equal chance to enjoy themselves.

Thanks for listening.

Magic Dad

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