Does anyone know why the fall set releases only two months after the summer set?
I'm looking at the expansion release schedule for the last decade or so, and with few exceptions, the schedule is pretty regular, with sets releasing in January, April, July, and September (usually in the middle or near the end of the month, and I'm using pre-release dates). If the fall set released a month later, there would be a clean 3-month gap between each set. But it looks like there is usually a 2-month gap between the summer set (this year, Eldritch Moon), and the fall set (this year, Kaladesh), and then a four-month gap before the winter set (this year, Aether Revolt). Why not 3 months between each?
I have not gotten to play my fill of Eldritch Moon limited, so it feels like Kaladesh is here too soon. And doesn't this impact Standard in a strange way, too? Players have a shortened period to brew decks with the summer set before another batch of cards comes their way.
Mostly, I'm just sad that the CatPact deck only gets to see 2 months in standard
Your thread title says that Kaladesh is a month early, but...
Release Dates:
Kaladesh - 09/30/2016
Battle For Zendikar - 10/02/2015
Khans of Tarkir - 09/26/2014
Theros - 09/27/2013
Return to Ravnica - 10/05/2012
Innistrad - 9/30/2011
Scars of Mirrodin - 10/01/2010
Zendikar - 10/02/2009
Shards of Alara - 10/03/2008
Not so.
Eldritch Moon came out July 16th. In the past, the Core Sets were released in mid-July as the non-supplemental Summer set and were drafted by themselves. Actually looking at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Magic:_The_Gathering_sets the current trend of release dates is exactly in line with the past months/parts of those months going back for quite some time.
the current trend of release dates is exactly in line with the past months/parts of those months going back for quite some time.
You misinterpreted the question. OP did not say that Kaladesh is more early then other fall sets, he pondered about why the fall set is only 2 months after the summer and 4 months before the next set instead of doing a clean 3/3 month split.
I noticed that OP's analysis of 2months/4months is not entirely correct and it is closer to 2.5 and 3.5 months.
I agree with previous posters that the "summer lull" effect core sets use to have on magic plays a part in this, and players can't handle 3 full months of waiting for a new fresh and exciting block, so wizards delivers the new goods earlier. they can also not produce a set end of december/early january because of the holiday season. so instead they choose end of january. It is possible that the new 2 block model and lack of core sets makes wizards rethink this release scheme and bring it close to an equal 3 month gap between each set.
The release schedule is based on a lot of factors. Some of the biggest are competing products (even if they're not in the same industry) and school schedules for high-school and college-aged kids (one of MTG's biggest demographics). The fall set comes out just as school is starting and the weather is changing. That means less competition from outdoor activities and fewer people traveling (thereby being more likely to attend events or even play at home).
The holidays (November, December) are typically slower, because MTG has to compete with tons of other products that are given as gifts.
The spring set typically will release during the window where most students are on Spring Break which will give a boost to the number of available players.
The late-spring set seems to hit a bit before people start going on summer vacation. The summer sets are typically the lowest selling of the year, which is likely why they'd put the core sets in that slot (they're likely to sell worse anyway since they're mostly reprints). Since people are going on vacation and doing outdoor activities, it dilutes the player base a bunch.
I agree with previous posters that the "summer lull" effect core sets use to have on magic plays a part in this, and players can't handle 3 full months of waiting for a new fresh and exciting block, so wizards delivers the new goods earlier. they can also not produce a set end of december/early january because of the holiday season. so instead they choose end of january. It is possible that the new 2 block model and lack of core sets makes wizards rethink this release scheme and bring it close to an equal 3 month gap between each set.
Thank you for the thoughts. Now that the summer set is an expansion and not a core set, I'm curious if they'll push the fall set back a month to give the summer set more time to sell. But holidays are important to consider, and I could see why they might not want to push the fall set too close to Halloween. That being said, Halloween doesn't involve as much travel or other disruptions in peoples' schedules as do the other holidays.
I could see why they might not want to push the fall set too close to Halloween. That being said, Halloween doesn't involve as much travel or other disruptions in peoples' schedules as do the other holidays.
I recall MaRo saying that if he had the foresight to schedule it - he would have had either SOI or EMN come out on Halloween if it were possible - but by the time he thought of it they had already scheduled it to be the summer block right after BFZ and it was too late too change.
So I don't see any reason why they couldn't move it to October other than conflicting with Canadian Thanksgiving.
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I'm looking at the expansion release schedule for the last decade or so, and with few exceptions, the schedule is pretty regular, with sets releasing in January, April, July, and September (usually in the middle or near the end of the month, and I'm using pre-release dates). If the fall set released a month later, there would be a clean 3-month gap between each set. But it looks like there is usually a 2-month gap between the summer set (this year, Eldritch Moon), and the fall set (this year, Kaladesh), and then a four-month gap before the winter set (this year, Aether Revolt). Why not 3 months between each?
I have not gotten to play my fill of Eldritch Moon limited, so it feels like Kaladesh is here too soon. And doesn't this impact Standard in a strange way, too? Players have a shortened period to brew decks with the summer set before another batch of cards comes their way.
Mostly, I'm just sad that the Cat Pact deck only gets to see 2 months in standard
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Release Dates:
Kaladesh - 09/30/2016
Battle For Zendikar - 10/02/2015
Khans of Tarkir - 09/26/2014
Theros - 09/27/2013
Return to Ravnica - 10/05/2012
Innistrad - 9/30/2011
Scars of Mirrodin - 10/01/2010
Zendikar - 10/02/2009
Shards of Alara - 10/03/2008
Not so.
Eldritch Moon came out July 16th. In the past, the Core Sets were released in mid-July as the non-supplemental Summer set and were drafted by themselves. Actually looking at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Magic:_The_Gathering_sets the current trend of release dates is exactly in line with the past months/parts of those months going back for quite some time.
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You misinterpreted the question. OP did not say that Kaladesh is more early then other fall sets, he pondered about why the fall set is only 2 months after the summer and 4 months before the next set instead of doing a clean 3/3 month split.
I noticed that OP's analysis of 2months/4months is not entirely correct and it is closer to 2.5 and 3.5 months.
I agree with previous posters that the "summer lull" effect core sets use to have on magic plays a part in this, and players can't handle 3 full months of waiting for a new fresh and exciting block, so wizards delivers the new goods earlier. they can also not produce a set end of december/early january because of the holiday season. so instead they choose end of january. It is possible that the new 2 block model and lack of core sets makes wizards rethink this release scheme and bring it close to an equal 3 month gap between each set.
The holidays (November, December) are typically slower, because MTG has to compete with tons of other products that are given as gifts.
The spring set typically will release during the window where most students are on Spring Break which will give a boost to the number of available players.
The late-spring set seems to hit a bit before people start going on summer vacation. The summer sets are typically the lowest selling of the year, which is likely why they'd put the core sets in that slot (they're likely to sell worse anyway since they're mostly reprints). Since people are going on vacation and doing outdoor activities, it dilutes the player base a bunch.
Thank you for the thoughts. Now that the summer set is an expansion and not a core set, I'm curious if they'll push the fall set back a month to give the summer set more time to sell. But holidays are important to consider, and I could see why they might not want to push the fall set too close to Halloween. That being said, Halloween doesn't involve as much travel or other disruptions in peoples' schedules as do the other holidays.
I recall MaRo saying that if he had the foresight to schedule it - he would have had either SOI or EMN come out on Halloween if it were possible - but by the time he thought of it they had already scheduled it to be the summer block right after BFZ and it was too late too change.
So I don't see any reason why they couldn't move it to October other than conflicting with Canadian Thanksgiving.
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It's actually not that early. The new release schedule without core sets is going to alter the schedules dramatically.