I just read the article about Wizards of the Coast and I'm kicking myself!!!!! Dammit I should have gone to that interview.....DAMMIT!!!!

Heh, yeah, and I think I know now why Johnny Wilson went there...

I dunno, it all seems rather petty and sordid. I agree with the author about the mistakes Wizards made in its journey to Dilbertville, but I fail to see how geek orgies and lame drinking binges establish a patent of nobility for the company.

I just hated what M:TG did to the gaming convention scene...

It used to be that everyone would get together and play tabletop wargames, battletech, carwars, D&D, or whatever. There were a few younger kids, but they were there because they were into the games like the rest of us. Now, however, you see a room full of people bent over decks of cards, and half of them are 12-15. No clatter of dice to be heard. Now, those of us who consider ourselves "above" all that sillyness either hang out all night in the anime theatre, or we end up hitting the auction, an event or two, and then splitting.

Because of M:TG, I haven't had a good all-night game of starfleet battles in YEARS :-)

"Because of M:TG, I haven't had a good all-night game of starfleet battles in YEARS :-)"

Well, Mage Knight may bring back some life to the minis scene. It's cheap and you don't have paint the things.

I don't know much about Magic; is it still growing or has it stagnated? I don't think Pokemon is as popular anymore.

"I fail to see how geek orgies and lame drinking binges establish a patent of nobility for the company."

Yeah, I thought the whole thing sounded like a bunch of spoiled children whining about having their favorite toys taken away. Awww, poor wittle baby doesn't get to screw his employees anymore. Waaaah! Makes me happy I missed the whole M:TG thing.

Yeah, the whole thing is kind of silly. It was interesting in a gossipy way, but it didn't fill me with a sense of loss for what might have been. WotC could have easily partnered with someone and let the partner handle the manufacturing and order fulfillment, and they could have stayed small and focused on the creative stuff. How much money do you need?

And the article, as amusing and well-written as it is, smacks of hypocrisy. I mean, is Pokemon (Banned in Saudi Arabia! Film at Eleven!) worse than Magic in terms of being a cynical method of sucking money from the compulsive? Or, to be more positive, is a game based on fictional pocket-monsters and featuring cuties like Pikachu (hey, I have a stuffed Pikachu in my car) any more cynical or manipulative than a game based on fictional wizards and trolls and whatnot? I used to see people go without necessities to save enough money to buy Magic cards....

Good point about Pokemon vs. Magic. Why is Magic ok and Pokemon not? I guess the writer wanted to make some kind of distinction between a game they liked working on (Magic) and a game they produced just for the money (Pokemon).

If it were me running WotC, I'd look at Pokemon as a godsend. That's the kind of cash cow that funds other projects that might not be as profitable.

I think the difference might be what's behind the fad. Magic happened and it's power and popularity were surprising. It wasn't cynical.

It was like the Beatles.

Pokemon was pre-fabricated to be as popular as it is.

It's like the Monkees.

I'm not saying I agree with the distinction, mind you. I always found the collector madness associated with Magic to be quite silly and Pokemon, well, I really liked that South Park parody... and to be honest I don't think I've seen a worse cartoon...
and...
now I'm rambling.

Anyway, Tynes probably thinks Magic is "nobler" because it's intentions were less cynical.

-~Andrew

Well Magic seems more "gamer" oriented than Pokemon, though realy they are the same concept. yes, its sorta hypocritical and it IS there cashcow...and look at EA im sure they're singing hosana's now for The Sims...by God they are so lucky they developed it.

Also, is MtG REALLY the Beatles of gaming? i hope not...cuz then what is the WoTC's Sgt Pepper's? and is the Star Trek card game the Rolling Stones?!? harhar!

etc