Geek Credentials Verified

Magic the Gathering first came out in the mid-nineties, several years after I completed college, so I missed out during the years one would normally expect to play such a game. As it is, I learned to play Magic only a few years ago, in my mid-thirties. I don't get to play much, but I get online from time to time and occasionally play with cardboard with friends or family. I do, however, enjoy reading about the new sets as they come out and follow the meta-game. Having once created my own game, (one inspired by Cosmic Encounter even, just like Magic was) I really appreciate the effort and creativity required to continually produce a product like Magic.

And what I really appreciate is the revenue model. No other game manages to bring in repeat business like Magic. As the first card collecting game, it is in a unique posistion. By continually producing new card sets and shifting the standard playing environment they both keep the game interesting and produce a market for continual sales. In fact, Magic makes so much money they can afford to promote the game with a professional league, paying out tens of thousands of dollars to the top winners.

And like professional sports, they have an all-star game, the Magic Invitational, which is coming up next month. This is where I get to show off my true Geek Credentials. You see, one of the formats they play at the Invitational is the Auction of the People, where they players bid on 17 decks submitted by fans. This year, the decks all had to use cards based on some word, with that word appearing on every card. I submitted a card based on the word Pool and out of almost 1200 entries my submission will be one of the 17. Pretty cool, eh? Told you I was geeky. Not bad for an almost 40 year old who only picked up the game a few years ago and hardly plays! Check it out, you can see my entry here.