Oh, Wizards of the Coast. How much of my childhood allowance did you end up taking after I became enamored with your tiny pieces of rectangular cardboard adorned with pretty fantasy pictures? It was quite the princely sum, to be sure (at least for a kid in elementary school), but the hours spent summoning guys whose names ended with en-Kor and casting Lighting Bolts (three damage for one mana!) seemed totally worth it at the time.
Now it seems that the Hasbro owned card-makers and developer Stainless Games are set to take the sort-of-like-real-money-but-not-quite Microsoft Points from people that are drawn to collectible card games all over again -- in the form of their newly announced Xbox Live Arcade game Magic: The Gathering - Duels of the Plainswalkers.
Although most of you probably don’t recognize it, that title was used before for a Magic game released on the PC back in 1998. Although the original Duels of the Plainswalkers saw players using their cards to defend a world from an invading Plainswalker and the local wizards he had corrupted, this new title will set players in the shoes of one of the dimension-hopping immortals that can use their memories to create magical effects.
Computer controlled opponents will of course be on hand to provide an immediate challenge, but the real draw (get it? draw? cause you draw the cards from the deck … ) will be in playing against other people over Xbox Live. Although no multiplayer modes have been specifically mentioned yet, I would expect to see to some sort of ranked, unranked, and tournament game types. Yep, we collectable card players sure do love us some tournaments.
Is this a game you might consider picking up? Do you already have enough real Magic cards lying in a box somewhere to consider buying virtual ones?
SEATTLE, WA.—August 27, 2008 — Wizards of the Coast, Inc. a subsidiary of Hasbro, Inc. (NYSE: HAS) and a leader in entertaining the lifestyle gamer today announced the unveiling of Magic: The Gathering - Duels of the Planeswalkers, a video game extension of the successful Magic: The Gathering franchise for Xbox LIVE® Arcade. Scheduled for official release in Spring 2009, this year's Penny Arcade Expo (PAX) attendees can demo the game at Wizards of the Coast's booth (No. 1132) during the show taking place at the Washington State Convention and Trade Center in Seattle August 29-31.
"We're excited to bring the Magic brand to new platforms and give gamers new ways to experience this great property," said Jared Gustafson, Brand Director for Magic: The Gathering at Wizards of the Coast. "The game successfully brings Magic's inherent strategic game play to the Xbox LIVE community.
Developed by Stainless Games, Ltd., Duels of the Planeswalkers lets players simulate the Magic: The Gathering Trading Card Game through an interactive digital experience. Players take on the role of a Planeswalker, a powerful wizard who battles others for glory, knowledge and conquest. Each Planeswalker has an arsenal of spells and creatures showcased by virtual cards. Players can either choose to battle against the computer or compete online against real life opponents using Microsoft's Xbox LIVE service offerings. With endless game play scenarios, including multiplayer game mode, Duels of the Planeswalkers offers an unrivaled depth in which each game is different from the last.
If it's like the old PC game and you don't have to buy bosster packs with real money then I'm sold. MTG is really a fun game but I stopped because of the cost and the lack of friends who play it.
I just got into Magic a few months ago after years of playing other TCGs (mostly Pokemon and Yugioh). I love trading card games almost as much as I love video games, so a TCG in video game form is fucking heaven for me. I can't wait for this to hit Live.
I may be less inclined to pick this up if I have to pay real money for more cards in-game, though. There are two reasons I like virtual TCGs: 1) Rule enforcement, so there's no arguing over rules and 2) cards are FREE. The fact that Magic Online lacks the latter is the main reason I don't play it.
I have never played Magic: The Gathering but even I would love to have a go. It seems like a deep, interesting card game, and XBLA needs one, IMO. Texas Holdem and Uno aren't exactly deep, while fun.
I loved that game for the pc years ago. it was the best incarnation of magic ever. It had a story of a wizard wandering around a map similar to the heroes of might and majic series top down view. If you went in a cave, you may face a wizard, and to progress you had to duel him with your premade deck. then you continued exploring the map and dueling as you progressed. I just loved it. I hope its true to form.
My biggest issue is that I don't like buying fake cards with real money. Give me a good game where I don't have to do that (like Capcom vs SNK Cardfighters Clash) and I'll be sold for life.
Hell I'd kill for a game that just let players select there cards from a list of the first ten years of MtG and have them compete against each other. See who can build the best deck. With Online Tourneys to reward the skilled with rare cards.
I've been waiting for this game for a long time, but WotC and Stainless have been scant on details. Like others have said, I don't want to have to buy cards for this game. I own real cards; I own fake cards in MTG:O; I don't want to have to buy all new cards for this game. Someone should ask them about this at PAX.
@AwesomeToph I hate burn decks- black and white global decks and white and red color shifts ftw!!!!
also PUT A MAGIC GAME OUT FOR PSP!!!!!
(ds could be neat too- but the resolution sucks and the screen is too small, look @ marvel trading cards game on the 2 to see what I mean)
I want to be able to play magic on the train to work.
I played the hell out of that back in my early college days...when I didn't go to class or have any monetary sense at all. I'll probably get this, but if they start charging for cards, consider me done.
I agree with the comments pertaining to paying for digital booster packs with real money. I'd rather it be like the old PS1 Yugioh games where you just had to win matches to earn your new cards. If it works that way, then I'm sold.
Same, I remember Card Fighters Clash, that was fun. Win games to win boosters/cards, you could also trade in cards at a machine to get better ones. Hopefully, this follows the same vein. I mean, is XBLA suitable for booster-pack buying? And seeing as this is some sort of 'wander around in the world' game, and not Magic Online, would it even be feasible to buy boosters?
HOWEVER, I can see them making money. You start off with the base set, whatever it is, then they release card expansions and more 'world' to explore. So, if you are playing online and want to keep up with the best cards, you're going to have to pop money for the latest expansions. I'm not up on recent magic, but you'd pay for the game, then an expansion could be say Mirrodin (which gives you the ability to find/trade/duel for all the cards in that set), then... whatever the others were.
Now if they brought back the classic expansions too that would be a dream.
I just started playing the old Duels of the Plainswalkers again, and it's mind-blowingly addictive. Hell, I might buy an Xbox if this new one is done right.
As long as it's not ridiculously expensive (over $40) to have a large collection of cards (see ALL) with which to customize different decks.
I remember when I heard about Magic the Gathering Online for PC; but I never started it because the costs involved w/ virtual cards was more than I was willing to pay.
Availability of cards & cost involved w/ said availability; Something I always hated about collectible card games & something Wizards should learn if they want this to ever go mainstream like say, UNO or poker. Look at current games, most major hits have customization. People like to express themselves & use their imagination. They don't want to be nickel & dimed for that & the people who will tolerate being nickel & dimed will be few & far between making the community anemic; which would further diminish the attractiveness of the game.
It will be heavily expensive - most likely the same as they cost in real life (thats what it is in the online PC version). That means £2.50 for 15 cards - and they rotate out so quickly that they're soon worthless. It'd be great if they didn't rip people off but it worked on Pc, no reason not to do it on Xbox live.
It is an incredible game though, I peaked at Worlds 2005 in Berlin, happy days...
If it's an XBLA game with a single player story, they can't charge per booster. I mean, ok they COULD, but it's stupid as it's NOT Magic Online. The most they might do, is charge per expansion set (say 800 points to have access to a new storyline/area, and the cards out of that expansion), and the way they keep bringing them out, it could be a decent cash-cow for them (especially if they start from the beginning and allow us to get access to the earlier sets too!), but I really seriously doubt they will charge per booster.
If they do, you make tar me up and feather me down. ;)
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12:10 AM on 08.28.2008 
