Saturday, February 11, 2023

Hasbro's Over-Monetization of Magic: The Gathering Raises Concerns About Brand Longevity

 The world of tabletop gaming has seen tremendous growth in recent years, and Magic: The Gathering is one of the biggest players in this industry. However, recent statements from Bank of America suggest that the brand's parent company, Hasbro, is facing criticism from its customer base for over-monetizing its products. Join us as we explore the concerns raised by Bank of America and examine the impact of Hasbro's business practices on the long-term durability of its brands.

According to Bank of America, Hasbro's attempts to maximize profits from its Wizards products, which includes Magic: The Gathering, are irking customers. The bank claims that the company is focused on short-term gains rather than considering the long-term health of its brands. This approach has led to concerns that the company is exploiting its customers and sacrificing the quality of its products in the process.

Over-monetization is a common problem in the gaming industry, and it can have a negative impact on customer loyalty and brand reputation. Customers are often frustrated by the constant release of new products and expansions that require them to constantly invest more money into the game. This can lead to a feeling of being taken advantage of and can ultimately lead to a decline in customer satisfaction.

Moreover, over-monetization can also lead to a decline in the quality of the product itself. When a company is focused on maximizing profits, it may prioritize releasing new products over fixing bugs and improving gameplay. This can lead to a decline in the overall quality of the game and a reduction in its longevity.

In conclusion, Bank of America's statements about Hasbro's approach to monetizing its Wizards products, including Magic: The Gathering, raise serious concerns about the long-term durability of the brand. While it is understandable that companies want to make a profit, it is important for them to strike a balance between maximizing profits, ensuring customer satisfaction and the longevity of the game. By focusing on short-term gains, Hasbro may be sacrificing the long-term health of its brands and alienating its loyal customer base

Monday, January 16, 2023

Elenda the Dusk Rose: A Strong Commander

Elenda, the Dusk Rose is a powerful and unique legendary creature from the Magic: The Gathering set "Vampires of the Ixalan." This vampire warrior is a formidable commander for any vampire-themed deck in the Commander format, also known as EDH.


One of Elenda's key strengths is her ability to create a token creature whenever another creature dies. This ability can quickly generate a horde of vampire tokens, which can be used to attack opponents or to trigger other abilities that care about creature tokens. Additionally, Elenda's toughness is equal to the number of vampire tokens you control, making her a formidable creature in combat.


Another key strength of Elenda is her lifelink ability. This ability allows her to gain life whenever she deals damage to an opponent. This can be a powerful tool for staying alive in a multiplayer game, as well as for triggering other abilities that care about gaining life. Additionally, it can be used to drain your opponent's life and win through commander damage.


Elenda's unique ability is to become a creature card in your opponent's graveyard if she dies. This ability allows you to keep generating vampire tokens even after Elenda has been removed from the battlefield. Additionally, this ability can be used to trigger other abilities that care about creature cards in graveyards, such as reanimation effects or graveyard recursion.


When building a deck around Elenda, it's important to focus on cards that can take advantage of her abilities. Cards that trigger when creatures die, such as Blood Artist or Zulaport Cutthroat, can be powerful in combination with Elenda's token-generation ability. Additionally, cards that care about gaining life, such as Athreos, God of Passage or Felidar Sovereign, can also be powerful additions to the deck.


Another key consideration when building a deck around Elenda is to include cards that can protect her. Elenda is a powerful commander, but if she's removed from the battlefield, it can be difficult to recover from that loss. Cards such as Lightning Greaves, Swiftfoot Boots, or Darksteel Plate can help keep Elenda alive and on the battlefield.


Finally, it's important to include a good mix of vampire-themed creatures in your deck. Vampires of the Ixalan has a wide variety of vampire creatures that can be used in combination with Elenda's abilities. For example, cards like Bishop of Binding, Paladin of Atonement, or Vona, Butcher of Magan can be used to control the board and protect Elenda.


In conclusion, Elenda, the Dusk Rose is a powerful and unique commander for vampire-themed decks in the Commander format. Her ability to generate vampire tokens and her lifelink ability make her a formidable creature in combat and can quickly generate an advantage in the game. Additionally, her unique ability to become a creature card in opponent's graveyard can be used to trigger other abilities that care about creature cards in graveyards. Building a deck around Elenda requires focusing on cards that take advantage of her abilities, protect her and include a good mix of vampire-themed creatures. Give Elenda a try in your next Commander game and see how she can help you dominate the battlefield!


Commander- A Magic Game

 Commander, also known as EDH (Elder Dragon Highlander), is a popular and unique format of Magic: The Gathering that emphasizes social interactions and creativity. In this format, players construct decks featuring a legendary creature as the "Commander" or "General" of the deck. The game is played with a group of players, usually 3-5, and the goal is to be the last player standing.

One of the most appealing aspects of Commander is the freedom it gives players in deck building. Unlike Standard or Modern formats, where there are restrictions on which cards can be used, Commander has a much larger card pool to choose from. This allows players to build decks around their favorite cards, strategies, or themes. Additionally, the Commander themselves often inspire creative deck building, as they have unique abilities and can play a central role in the game.

Another aspect that sets Commander apart is the "Commander damage" rule. In a typical game of Magic, players lose the game when they are dealt damage equal to or greater than their life total. In Commander, players also lose the game when they are dealt 21 combat damage by the same commander over the course of the game. This rule adds an extra layer of strategy to the game, as players must consider not only how to deal damage to their opponents, but also how to protect their own commander.

Commander games are also known for their social interactions. Since the games are played with a group of players, there is often a lot of table talk and negotiation. Players may form alliances, make deals, or even play politics to try and eliminate their opponents. This dynamic can make for a very different and exciting gaming experience.

Despite the freedom and creative potential of the format, building a successful Commander deck can be a daunting task for new players. The format has a reputation for being expensive, but it is possible to build a powerful and fun deck on a budget. One strategy is to focus on cards that have utility across multiple decks, such as ramp spells or removal. Another is to find budget-friendly versions of popular cards, such as older versions or cards from less popular sets.

Another key consideration when building a Commander deck is the colors of the deck. In Magic, colors represent different strategies and play styles. For example, blue is known for its control elements, while green is known for its ramp and big creatures. Deciding which colors to include in your deck will depend on your personal play style and the abilities of your commander.

Overall, Commander is a unique and exciting format that offers players a lot of freedom and creativity in deck building. The format is known for its social interactions, and the "Commander damage" rule adds an extra layer of strategy to the game. Building a successful deck can be daunting for new players, but with a little bit of research and creativity, it is possible to build a powerful and fun deck on a budget. If you're looking for a new and exciting way to experience Magic: The Gathering, give Commander a try!


Hasbro's Over-Monetization of Magic: The Gathering Raises Concerns About Brand Longevity

  The world of tabletop gaming has seen tremendous growth in recent years, and Magic: The Gathering is one of the biggest players in this in...