Articles

In its broadest sense, the physical components of the Magic: The Gathering game are the game cards themselves. So how can these little pieces of cardboard be keys to a game's incredible success and global patronage? Let us review several factors that turn pieces of cardboard into objects of addiction and value to human beings. The size of the card is integral to the game's success. Magic cards are highly portable, reasonably durable and allow the game to be played anywhere. Humans are creatures of convenience and are less likely to engage in game play regularly which involves a lot of equipment or is difficult to carry. One of the beauties of Magic is that it can be played virtually anywhere; hotel and venue corridors, restaurant tables, buses and beds have all been common makeshift card tables for games where ever groups of magic players gather.
Further, the collectable aspect of the game is considerable. Magic cards are a work of art, each one of them. They are attractive and alluring to the collector. While I could harp on about all humans in some way having an intrinsic desire to collect I will restrain myself. Suffice to say that the artistic value of the cards and the fact that they can vary in rarity is integral to the memory of the cards in the players' minds, making the game more memorable and potentially more addictive. It is reasonably safe to assume that nearly every regular Magic player would have a favourite card picture, irrespective of the playability of the actual card, or even more so, a favourite card artist. The collectable value of the card was significantly increased with the introduction of the premium card, and added another facet to the collectable nature of the game. Not only is it valuable to many people to possess rares, but now foils as well.

Similarly, the flavour text of the card is another cunning little way in which the game cards themselves become more memorable and more collectable items. While there is a series of books which tend to coincide with the Magic the Gathering card game, I have not read one myself and from speaking to those who have, none of the books appear to be in line for a Pulitzer prize. The flavour text on the cards, however, is brief and memorable, sometimes even adding a humour aspect to the game, which significantly increases memory retention of that card, its picture, colour and information.

The final individual part of the physical game, which is salient to the Magic success story, is something a little less obvious than the previously mentioned aspects. This part, I would argue, is anticipation. The anticipation of opening that box or booster and finding within it something you really want. It is similar to the anticipation experienced by gamblers prior to scratching a scratch lottery ticket and it is evidenced in that uncontrollable urge to open the booster and see what's inside. Humans are a curious breed: we want the cards, we know that there is a possibility, irrespective of how small it is, that the bomb rare we want is in that booster and not only that, but it could also be foil! I would challenge any Magic player to admit in all honesty they don't love the act of cracking open a booster pack or starter pack and finding out what is inside. Anticipation is a universal sensation which is not restricted by culture, language or understanding and everyone wants to know what Wizards have in store next or inside that shiny packaging.

The combinations of all of these factors not only makes the physical game card collectable, but also tradeable. Because of the variety of cards in each expansion, limitless deck possibilities (although the Psychatog phase will bear challenge to that) and the different motivations behind people in the game (are they collectors, players etc). Different cards hold different meanings to different people. This opens up the floor for trading. What you have is what someone else might want. However, trading is more than that, most of the time. Trading is an enjoyable interaction. Why? Because it is supposed to emulate a win/win situation. Both parties in the trade should be getting something that they want and that is significant to them, whether it is playable, valuable or both and therefore should (generally!) leave the trade feeling pleased with the outcome.

Deeper than this is the fact that trading is a social interaction and humans subconsciously (or sometimes consciously) gather significant information about another person by trading with them (what they have, what they play, what they collect, how much money they may have, how seriously they take the game or the collecting of cards). It incites conversation and is often a basis for further interactions with that person and a catalyst for friendship, which requires neither person making an introduction to the other, other than "you got trades"?

The second component to Magic: The Gathering's success is the game play itself. In a tournament or two player setting, the game is essentially a duel and there is always something to be said of the glory of winning a duel. Humans, (most prevalently males of above average intelligence but more of this later) relish competition on an intellectual plane. Your deck building nous against your opponent's (pre Internet!), your cards against their cards. Your ability to play the game, know the timing issues, know the rules and have funky cool on-table tricks against theirs, all with a bit of luck thrown into the bargain.
It's all fun isn't it? Whatever your motivation for continuing to play Magic now, chances are you started the game and got hooked on it because it was fun to play. It's fun to beat other people up with big, fat creatures, it's fun to make people draw their entire deck, it's fun to mill people to death and it's fun to counter everything someone else does before beating them down with an insect token. For some, it was even fun to play Stasis based decks and stop others from having their turn entirely. Should those persons ever see me in a professional capacity, however, they are sure to be straight jacketed and committed to their nearest local hospital for taking it way too far!
Fun aside, Magic is a game with a future, and if you become good enough you can compete against stronger opponents. You can win more cards to fuel your addiction, add to your collection and better your decks. You can also win cash, the prestige of a kick ass rating, trophies, popularity and/or notoriety and the opportunity to travel and play against the people you've read about who are building the decks that are getting copied by everyone in your local magic playing community.
The varied options for game play of Magic: the Gathering not only keeps the game interesting at a competitive level, but elicits conversation and debate at all levels, from the regular social multi-player game to the pro tour circuit. Everyone has an opinion or advice to give about a game or even a particular play or scenario, merely because they have played the game themselves and most feel compelled and comfortable in articulating it.
Building decks to combat other decks or other opponents and making the best limited or constructed decks both allow players to be imaginative, creative and completely in control of what they want to do; no multiplayer game or duel is ever the same. The psychological and marketing appeal of these factors cannot be underrated. Humans love to create and use their imagination and they love to buy something that is fun, that will stay fun and interesting game after game. The game play becomes addictive: if I do this or play this, what will happen? what will they do in response? and so forth. Or, I know if I make this kind of deck it will really annoy this person, therefore I will target them in multiplayer so that their reaction will provide amusement for us all.

Finally on this point, Magic is a highly social game. Multiplayer obviously, but less obviously so in tournament play. This social aspect, I would argue, is the most successful element of the Magic: the Gathering game and has been the catalyst of the creation and ongoing existence of the global Magic playing community. Why? In short, it brings together players with a similar mindset and gives them a gameplay structure, which elicits limitless possibilities to talk about. Magic is the sort of game where you can turn up to a store on your own, play in an eight round Swiss tournament and play eight different people. You meet eight different people without the need for formal introduction, etiquette (thank goodness) or social construct. Acquaintances and friends are made easily in a game which not only has limitless combinations and interactions to discuss, but also is one on one and confrontational. At the end of the game, especially if there is time permitting, how often is it that you have another game with that person (even if you have never met them before)? Or discuss the gameplay of the previous three games and what you each did, what you could have improved on and what was interesting about the match that just transpired, or the matches going on around you? Very often, I am certain.
Whether you win or lose, more often than not you have a reason to return and play again. It could be to talk to or ask advice of someone again who had an interesting opinion on a deck or game play, expose yourself to more tournament play, or enact revenge on that person who came back from being on one life to kick your ass in the final. Or simply, just to have fun. Everyone is in the same boat on the one river and more likely than not when you are playing a game of Magic with an opponent you will have more than three things in common with the person you are playing. Why three things? Let us look at the final aspect of the success of Magic the Gathering. The Magic Player.

As a mental health professional, Magic player and judge, one of my favourite subjects of interest is the Magic player or member of the Magic community. I mentioned in the previous section that we, as Magic players, judges and vendors, are likely to have at least three things in common with whomever we sit across the table from in a Magic game. Humour me and look at the below statements and see if you can relate to any of them. If you relate to at least three or four of these statements I am confident that you will find someone or more likely several people with whom you have plenty in common with in the magic playing community. Assimilate! Resistance is futile! My general opinion is that many of you will relate to more than half of these statements.

1) I am male
2) I am aged between 12 and 35 years
3) I am computer literate
4) I am not overtly religious
5) I read or am interested in science fiction or fantasy novels and movies.
6) I play or am interested in other games including chess, role playing games, war games and other board games.
7) I watch television shows such as Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Anime and or the X Files.
8) I can quote sections of script from any of the following television programs or movies:

• Buffy the Vampire Slayer
  
• X- Files
  
• The Simpsons
  
• South Park
  
• The Matrix/ The Matrix Reloaded
  
• The Princess Bride
  
• Star Trek
  
• Star Wars
  
• The Terminator Series
  
• Monty Python
  

From a psychological perspective, groups of people who have great many things in common stay together for longer. One of the keys to Magic's success is that not only do the people within the community of Magic players have the game itself in common, but also what they have in common is constantly changing and evolving. As such, there will always be more things to debate, discuss and playtest and this will invariably keep people coming back to a group of people that they know and can essentially be themselves around and fit in with.

The Magic playing community is largely unpretentious, although there are some groups or players in the community who may seem unapproachable to some by virtue of their status, notoriety, popularity or level of success. By and large, however, it is a diverse and accepting community of people. Consider our younger players; if an older player is playing a younger player in a game and the younger player loses the match, does the older player sledge the younger player and make them feel like an imbecile? Sometimes sadly yes, but in the vast majority of times from the younger players I have spoken to and observed the answer is no; there is encouragement and instructive advice on how to improve. The same can be said for less experienced and more experienced players. The environment tends on the general whole to be one of mutual respect based on each person's right to come and play the game and enjoy the game. It is something that everyone within the community can be proud of.

Now consider the larger picture, the World Championships for example. Those of us fortunate enough to have been there can cast their minds back to Sydney in 2002. Not only did we have the opportunity to match our Australian talent against the world, but it gave us a true opportunity to see how the game itself, and the players who play it, are part of a community which transcends barriers of language, age and culture. The catalyst, a card game which is easy to play but an ongoing challenge to master. Irrespective of your play level or level of play interest you can usually find someone to give you a game or discuss the game.
Now with the implementation of Magic online the community has grown closer. If we want to duel against an American, talk strategy with someone from Germany or draft with a drunken Scotsman the opportunities continue to be limitless in the online and global Magic playing community. But most importantly, it is the type of people who assimilate with this community that strengthen its links and will fly the flag for Magic the Gathering's ongoing success.

To summarise I have generally and briefly discussed my thoughts on the enduring popularity of Magic the Gathering on three levels. I have discussed the physical attributes of the game and game card, the limitless options for game play and the people who play the game. I have asserted that the physical attributes of the game cards, specifically their collectability and tradeability and limitless combinations of game play are catalysts for addiction to the game.
I have asserted that the players who play the game have a tendency to have more than the game of Magic in common and that their ongoing patronage of the game for a variety of motivations makes up a global community of fans. These fans keep the fascination of the game going with the continual creation of new ideas, decks, combinations and scenarios. Further, they tend to encourage learning and development of other players within the community, which strengthens bonds and ensures player retention. This global community has cemented the game's reputation and should ensure its success for years to come.

Wishing you all Good Luck
Samantha Hepworth
(Player, Judge, Shrink).
emailsam@mail2sam.com

[ Email the Author | Discuss this Article ]