That is the question. Would anyone else just be up for a Release Day instead of PreRelease and then Release a week later?
For me its getting to the point where spoilers come out weeks in advance, then the trickle of PreRelease and by the time Release Day comes around the set almost seems stale (if you catch my meaning).
I've watched countless openings of product already that I do not have access to yet. Booster Box after box, Bundle after Bundle, Theme boosters, etc. And while it must be fun for those to open early it just feels disheartening. I don't have connections so I can't get the product early.
Why can't we just have a Release Day and sell the product everywhere at the same time? WalMart and Target aren't going to host Release tournaments so LGS will still get their traffic. Certain people will still open the product early but at least it would trim a week off of waiting. There were box openings of WAR put up on youtube 2 weeks ago for cripes sake.
WotC needs to dump their current model in my opinion and just go to a Release Day. Does anyone else concur?
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Playing since 1994: Currently MAGS (HomeBrew),Standard & Pauper (Pioneer and Modern are degenerate trash formats)
STOP using "dude/bro" as a pejorative or insult. Grow up.
Margaret Thatcher: “The problem with socialism is that you eventually run out of other people's money.”
Benjamin Franklin: "Those who would give up essential Liberty, to purchase a little temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety."
Martin Luther King Jr.: "I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character."
Maybe just go to the pre-release and get product then. Or try NOT watching videos on youtube, no one is forcing you.
It’s a model WOTC has been using for a long time. I like it, I get stuff early if I attend, if not no big. It’s just one week, are you people like five years old and cannot handle a little wait time?
Plus I feel that it’s good for LGSs, it gives them two weekends of high sales vs. only one.
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Maybe just go to the pre-release and get product then. Or try NOT watching videos on youtube, no one is forcing you.
It’s a model WOTC has been using for a long time. I like it, I get stuff early if I attend, if not no big. It’s just one week, are you people like five years old and cannot handle a little wait time?
Plus I feel that it’s good for LGSs, it gives them two weekends of high sales vs. only one.
You actually don't get anything early. Others are opening product a week or more before you. And NO you can't buy boosters, regular or theme, boxes, or bundles at that time either so you are dead wrong on that part. (Unless you have connections or your LGS breaks the Release Day agreement.)
I have MONEY to spend and I want to spend it on the product. The product is just sitting there at the stores or at the distributors. Business is about making money and in a timely fashion. There is NOTHING wrong with that at all. I would think WotC would want to capitalize on that. I guess not. Actually WotC already has their money and doesn't give a crap about those stores and retailers as they want to dictate when those places can sell even after they have paid and received the merchandise. I am not sure why retailers put up with that stupid policy.
Lastly, just because it has been done forever doesn't make it the best way. And thanks for the 5 year old backhanded insult, classy of you. I'm trying to have a valid conversation on the topic on the site. That's the only thing I have wrong, assuming as much.
Playing since 1994: Currently MAGS (HomeBrew),Standard & Pauper (Pioneer and Modern are degenerate trash formats)
STOP using "dude/bro" as a pejorative or insult. Grow up.
Margaret Thatcher: “The problem with socialism is that you eventually run out of other people's money.”
Benjamin Franklin: "Those who would give up essential Liberty, to purchase a little temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety."
Martin Luther King Jr.: "I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character."
The current system doesn't make sense. It's the result of an old system that has been improved multiple times but lacks the singular vision of something started from scratch and designed to work in a singular way, as opposed to a patchwork of fixes built on an archaic principle.
Prereleases used to be rare, there may only be 1 or 2 locations in your state that had the prerelease. The cards and what they do were not known (generally speaking, leaks were common). It was a rare, small event to hype the new set and a way to draft going into a format almost completely blind.
Obviously, the current incarnation of Prereleases are nothing like that now.
The current "Prerelease" events are fine, I just fail to see the benefit from separating them from the release. It's not to promote the set, as that information is already out there. It's not to create an environment for people who like drafting a completely unknown format (new =/= unknown).
Drop the "Pre", let people buy their cards that weekend and be done with it. Virtually nothing would change, and everyone would be happier.
You actually don't get anything early. Others are opening product a week or more before you. And NO you can't buy boosters, regular or theme, boxes, or bundles at that time either so you are dead wrong on that part. (Unless you have connections or your LGS breaks the Release Day agreement.)
Just want to comment on this. You do get early access to cards, see interactions play out, and get a feel for how strong the cards are in use, outside of the vacuum of speculation. Wizards has also recently made a change whereyou can purchase your box at a pre-release (I believe this started with Dominaria, but am not 100% sure). As an avid limited player I enjoy attending pre-release events. I do, however, see your point and would be more than okay with pre-releases becoming a thing of the past and just becoming releases. That said, the likely reason pre-releases are still around is because Wizards find them profitable.
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Currently Playing:
Standard - Some kind of control
Modern - UB Mill (casual)
EDH - Meren's Grave Shenanigans
You actually don't get anything early. Others are opening product a week or more before you. And NO you can't buy boosters, regular or theme, boxes, or bundles at that time either so you are dead wrong on that part. (Unless you have connections or your LGS breaks the Release Day agreement.)
Just want to comment on this. You do get early access to cards, see interactions play out, and get a feel for how strong the cards are in use, outside of the vacuum of speculation. Wizards has also recently made a change whereyou can purchase your box at a pre-release (I believe this started with Dominaria, but am not 100% sure). As an avid limited player I enjoy attending pre-release events. I do, however, see your point and would be more than okay with pre-releases becoming a thing of the past and just becoming releases. That said, the likely reason pre-releases are still around is because Wizards find them profitable.
@WarMachinePrime, this. You can buy product if you attend a prerelease. It's been going on for a while now(even further back than Dominaria but don't quote me on that).
The current model is profitable for both WOTC and LGSs. I'm close friends with the owner of my LGS, and he says his biggest sales are at prerelease and street date. After that it's just a steady trickle. So for him the model works.
I'm a singles buyer, so I have to wait until street date to get what I what. Right now I have a pile of singles sitting at my LGS waiting for release date for me to purchase them.
Look, I'm not trying to argue or debate the topic. I just disagree with your sentiment about it. Since opinions don't matter really, there we have it. Two people with differing opinions about nothing that truly matters.
It is strictly a good thing for Limited and to a lesser extent Standard players to be able to play with (rather than just see) the new cards before the street date.
Prereleases are also very profitable for both local game stores AND WotC.
So I don't see anyone having incentive to get rid of them. Other than "the prerelease bothers me in concept for some reason." Most of the player base really likes prereleases.
but yeah, i would definitely like to see prereleases go away. just release the product, and make kits for the release weekend events the same as the prerelease events. itll never happen, but it should.
when there were only a few shops in the country, and even fewer that could hold events, sure the prerelease concept was great. it was a way to get everyone together and have a big event. now that a shop exists in every town there's no point.
even more so now that they have the preorders for pickup early thing. especially since some shops try to scum you into only giving you your product by attending their prerelease event at a specific time. then there's the whole thing where a shop may have heaps of product/cards but can't even sell them for a week. it makes for a very frustrating shopping experience at an lgs level.
but hey that's their thing lately. dick the lgs because amazon and ebay exist.
The current system doesn't make sense. It's the result of an old system that has been improved multiple times but lacks the singular vision of something started from scratch and designed to work in a singular way, as opposed to a patchwork of fixes built on an archaic principle.
Prereleases used to be rare, there may only be 1 or 2 locations in your state that had the prerelease. The cards and what they do were not known (generally speaking, leaks were common). It was a rare, small event to hype the new set and a way to draft going into a format almost completely blind.
Obviously, the current incarnation of Prereleases are nothing like that now.
The current "Prerelease" events are fine, I just fail to see the benefit from separating them from the release. It's not to promote the set, as that information is already out there. It's not to create an environment for people who like drafting a completely unknown format (new =/= unknown).
Drop the "Pre", let people buy their cards that weekend and be done with it. Virtually nothing would change, and everyone would be happier.
You actually don't get anything early. Others are opening product a week or more before you. And NO you can't buy boosters, regular or theme, boxes, or bundles at that time either so you are dead wrong on that part. (Unless you have connections or your LGS breaks the Release Day agreement.)
Just want to comment on this. You do get early access to cards, see interactions play out, and get a feel for how strong the cards are in use, outside of the vacuum of speculation. Wizards has also recently made a change whereyou can purchase your box at a pre-release (I believe this started with Dominaria, but am not 100% sure). As an avid limited player I enjoy attending pre-release events. I do, however, see your point and would be more than okay with pre-releases becoming a thing of the past and just becoming releases. That said, the likely reason pre-releases are still around is because Wizards find them profitable.
Wizards doesn't make any more or less money. They have already sold these cards to distributors and the distributors to the LGS. They don't see a dime of any of it. You have it that it just needs to become a Release Day. PreRelease crap is simply outdated and bassackwards.
You actually don't get anything early. Others are opening product a week or more before you. And NO you can't buy boosters, regular or theme, boxes, or bundles at that time either so you are dead wrong on that part. (Unless you have connections or your LGS breaks the Release Day agreement.)
Just want to comment on this. You do get early access to cards, see interactions play out, and get a feel for how strong the cards are in use, outside of the vacuum of speculation. Wizards has also recently made a change whereyou can purchase your box at a pre-release (I believe this started with Dominaria, but am not 100% sure). As an avid limited player I enjoy attending pre-release events. I do, however, see your point and would be more than okay with pre-releases becoming a thing of the past and just becoming releases. That said, the likely reason pre-releases are still around is because Wizards find them profitable.
@WarMachinePrime, this. You can buy product if you attend a prerelease. It's been going on for a while now(even further back than Dominaria but don't quote me on that).
The current model is profitable for both WOTC and LGSs. I'm close friends with the owner of my LGS, and he says his biggest sales are at prerelease and street date. After that it's just a steady trickle. So for him the model works.
I'm a singles buyer, so I have to wait until street date to get what I what. Right now I have a pile of singles sitting at my LGS waiting for release date for me to purchase them.
Look, I'm not trying to argue or debate the topic. I just disagree with your sentiment about it. Since opinions don't matter really, there we have it. Two people with differing opinions about nothing that truly matters.
We are debating it. We can disagree, no need for putdowns as earlier. Opinions DO matter though. As for purchasing product all my local LGS will only let you buy a Prerelease Pack if you register for a tourney or sell you a Planeswalker Deck. That is it. That isn't a way to get lots of product into the hands of buyers whose excitement is at a peak then to be letdown to wait another week to buy a box(es), bundle, packs, etc.
but yeah, i would definitely like to see prereleases go away. just release the product, and make kits for the release weekend events the same as the prerelease events. itll never happen, but it should.
when there were only a few shops in the country, and even fewer that could hold events, sure the prerelease concept was great. it was a way to get everyone together and have a big event. now that a shop exists in every town there's no point.
even more so now that they have the preorders for pickup early thing. especially since some shops try to scum you into only giving you your product by attending their prerelease event at a specific time. then there's the whole thing where a shop may have heaps of product/cards but can't even sell them for a week. it makes for a very frustrating shopping experience at an lgs level.
but hey that's their thing lately. dick the lgs because amazon and ebay exist.
Good points made here. The system is outdated. It doesn't get cards into anyone hands any sooner as people are already skirting the "rules" and opening boxes and every other type of product for 1 to 2 weeks before the prerelease. LGS that stick to the "rule" of not selling anything but PreRelease packs and Intro/Planeswalker Decks are doing nothing but a disservice to the end buyer as well. Get rid of the stupid prerelease have a release date and that is that, it helps everyone down the line from top to bottom.
Silly outdated ways of doing things need to go by the wayside.
Playing since 1994: Currently MAGS (HomeBrew),Standard & Pauper (Pioneer and Modern are degenerate trash formats)
STOP using "dude/bro" as a pejorative or insult. Grow up.
Margaret Thatcher: “The problem with socialism is that you eventually run out of other people's money.”
Benjamin Franklin: "Those who would give up essential Liberty, to purchase a little temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety."
Martin Luther King Jr.: "I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character."
It is strictly a good thing for Limited and to a lesser extent Standard players to be able to play with (rather than just see) the new cards before the street date.
Prereleases are also very profitable for both local game stores AND WotC.
So I don't see anyone having incentive to get rid of them. Other than "the prerelease bothers me in concept for some reason." Most of the player base really likes prereleases.
WotC has already sold the PreRelease packs to distributors, they don't see a dime more for them or any other product they have already sold. Just call it a Release Day pack and have it on Release Day. The box stores aren't going to hold tournaments anyway. LGS will get all its regular traffic PLUS they will have a chance at making more money by selling boosters, boxes, fat packs, theme boosters and the whole product lineup WHILE THE CUSTOMER IS THERE IN THE STORE and need not come back the next week. It then could become MORE profitable to LGS. Staggering the rollout is arbitrary at best and punitive at worst. It needs to go in my estimation. Nothing is "lost" only 3 letters and everyone can have access to the cards/product line at the same time (theoretically).
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Playing since 1994: Currently MAGS (HomeBrew),Standard & Pauper (Pioneer and Modern are degenerate trash formats)
STOP using "dude/bro" as a pejorative or insult. Grow up.
Margaret Thatcher: “The problem with socialism is that you eventually run out of other people's money.”
Benjamin Franklin: "Those who would give up essential Liberty, to purchase a little temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety."
Martin Luther King Jr.: "I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character."
My local LGS just informed me that they'll be allowed to start the first prerelease as early as 3pm ET Friday instead of waiting for midnight (which they hate as it creates a logistical nightmare). Im not a fan. This means FNM gets canceled and I have no reason to be there. You can also get your buy a box promo product at the same time. If they'd like to keep the 1 week stagger on acquiring product vs being legally playable, id be fine with it though. I just want my playsets.
I've always found that prereleases are great for stores. Stores in my area at least almost always sell out of their kits for every set.Release events usually go well as well. I think it's mostly due to casual players in my area coming out for the few events kitchen table players will attend, in addition to spikes wanting to get the new cards.
Prereleases are pretty good for both casuals and spikes IMO because casual players seem to think that they have more of a chance at sealed when they won't get stomped by net decks and spikes like the high EV a lot of stores in my area run
I've always found that prereleases are great for stores. Stores in my area at least almost always sell out of their kits for every set.Release events usually go well as well. I think it's mostly due to casual players in my area coming out for the few events kitchen table players will attend, in addition to spikes wanting to get the new cards.
Prereleases are pretty good for both casuals and spikes IMO because casual players seem to think that they have more of a chance at sealed when they won't get stomped by net decks and spikes like the high EV a lot of stores in my area run
Now imagine that the LGS can sell to BOTH groups on the same day. Win-Win. Hold the Release events on release day let the Spikes buy and brew, then show up the next week for Constructed, Game-Night or whatever WotC wants to call it. Win all around.
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Playing since 1994: Currently MAGS (HomeBrew),Standard & Pauper (Pioneer and Modern are degenerate trash formats)
STOP using "dude/bro" as a pejorative or insult. Grow up.
Margaret Thatcher: “The problem with socialism is that you eventually run out of other people's money.”
Benjamin Franklin: "Those who would give up essential Liberty, to purchase a little temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety."
Martin Luther King Jr.: "I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character."
Now imagine that the LGS can sell to BOTH groups on the same day. Win-Win. Hold the Release events on release day let the Spikes buy and brew, then show up the next week for Constructed, Game-Night or whatever WotC wants to call it. Win all around.
I don't think transferring the hype and goodwill from a prerelease to the street date is as simple as you describe. There's power in perception, and, while I can't adequately describe it, there's something about that extra week that brings people in. Launch parties, in my experience, rarely receive the same attention, even back when they got their own promos and sealed events. I certainly can't see how combining the two results in a net benefit for everybody involved.
Now imagine that the LGS can sell to BOTH groups on the same day. Win-Win. Hold the Release events on release day let the Spikes buy and brew, then show up the next week for Constructed, Game-Night or whatever WotC wants to call it. Win all around.
No way this happens. You don't have anywhere near the hype the week after actual release. Pre-release allows some expose without opening the floodgates. Then people see the cards appear for sale and trade, get more hyped, then land in a release day pod. And when people want cards 'before' they can buy boxes and decks, they get them at pre.
If people are sick of reading about stuff just stop taking part. You have 100% control over what you read. Simic Ascendancy isn't going to get banned just because you didn't tell someone to shut up on the internet.
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For me its getting to the point where spoilers come out weeks in advance, then the trickle of PreRelease and by the time Release Day comes around the set almost seems stale (if you catch my meaning).
I've watched countless openings of product already that I do not have access to yet. Booster Box after box, Bundle after Bundle, Theme boosters, etc. And while it must be fun for those to open early it just feels disheartening. I don't have connections so I can't get the product early.
Why can't we just have a Release Day and sell the product everywhere at the same time? WalMart and Target aren't going to host Release tournaments so LGS will still get their traffic. Certain people will still open the product early but at least it would trim a week off of waiting. There were box openings of WAR put up on youtube 2 weeks ago for cripes sake.
WotC needs to dump their current model in my opinion and just go to a Release Day. Does anyone else concur?
STOP using "dude/bro" as a pejorative or insult. Grow up.
Margaret Thatcher: “The problem with socialism is that you eventually run out of other people's money.”
Benjamin Franklin: "Those who would give up essential Liberty, to purchase a little temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety."
Martin Luther King Jr.: "I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character."
This week of having done prerelease events then not being able to draft it is frustrating.
"Reveal a Dragon"
It’s a model WOTC has been using for a long time. I like it, I get stuff early if I attend, if not no big. It’s just one week, are you people like five years old and cannot handle a little wait time?
Plus I feel that it’s good for LGSs, it gives them two weekends of high sales vs. only one.
You actually don't get anything early. Others are opening product a week or more before you. And NO you can't buy boosters, regular or theme, boxes, or bundles at that time either so you are dead wrong on that part. (Unless you have connections or your LGS breaks the Release Day agreement.)
I have MONEY to spend and I want to spend it on the product. The product is just sitting there at the stores or at the distributors. Business is about making money and in a timely fashion. There is NOTHING wrong with that at all. I would think WotC would want to capitalize on that. I guess not. Actually WotC already has their money and doesn't give a crap about those stores and retailers as they want to dictate when those places can sell even after they have paid and received the merchandise. I am not sure why retailers put up with that stupid policy.
Lastly, just because it has been done forever doesn't make it the best way. And thanks for the 5 year old backhanded insult, classy of you. I'm trying to have a valid conversation on the topic on the site. That's the only thing I have wrong, assuming as much.
STOP using "dude/bro" as a pejorative or insult. Grow up.
Margaret Thatcher: “The problem with socialism is that you eventually run out of other people's money.”
Benjamin Franklin: "Those who would give up essential Liberty, to purchase a little temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety."
Martin Luther King Jr.: "I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character."
Prereleases used to be rare, there may only be 1 or 2 locations in your state that had the prerelease. The cards and what they do were not known (generally speaking, leaks were common). It was a rare, small event to hype the new set and a way to draft going into a format almost completely blind.
Obviously, the current incarnation of Prereleases are nothing like that now.
The current "Prerelease" events are fine, I just fail to see the benefit from separating them from the release. It's not to promote the set, as that information is already out there. It's not to create an environment for people who like drafting a completely unknown format (new =/= unknown).
Drop the "Pre", let people buy their cards that weekend and be done with it. Virtually nothing would change, and everyone would be happier.
Just want to comment on this. You do get early access to cards, see interactions play out, and get a feel for how strong the cards are in use, outside of the vacuum of speculation. Wizards has also recently made a change whereyou can purchase your box at a pre-release (I believe this started with Dominaria, but am not 100% sure). As an avid limited player I enjoy attending pre-release events. I do, however, see your point and would be more than okay with pre-releases becoming a thing of the past and just becoming releases. That said, the likely reason pre-releases are still around is because Wizards find them profitable.
Standard - Some kind of control
Modern - UB Mill (casual)
EDH - Meren's Grave Shenanigans
@WarMachinePrime, this. You can buy product if you attend a prerelease. It's been going on for a while now(even further back than Dominaria but don't quote me on that).
The current model is profitable for both WOTC and LGSs. I'm close friends with the owner of my LGS, and he says his biggest sales are at prerelease and street date. After that it's just a steady trickle. So for him the model works.
I'm a singles buyer, so I have to wait until street date to get what I what. Right now I have a pile of singles sitting at my LGS waiting for release date for me to purchase them.
Look, I'm not trying to argue or debate the topic. I just disagree with your sentiment about it. Since opinions don't matter really, there we have it. Two people with differing opinions about nothing that truly matters.
Prereleases are also very profitable for both local game stores AND WotC.
So I don't see anyone having incentive to get rid of them. Other than "the prerelease bothers me in concept for some reason." Most of the player base really likes prereleases.
I̟̥͍̠ͅn̩͉̣͍̬͚ͅ ̬̬͖t̯̹̞̺͖͓̯̤h̘͍̬e͙̯͈̖̼̮ ̭̬f̺̲̲̪i͙͉̟̩̰r̪̝͚͈̝̥͍̝̲s̼̻͇̘̳͔ͅt̲̺̳̗̜̪̙ ̳̺̥̻͚̗ͅm̜̜̟̰͈͓͎͇o̝̖̮̝͇m̯̻̞̼̫̗͓̤e̩̯̬̮̩n͎̱̪̲̹͖t͇̖s̰̮ͅ,̤̲͙̻̭̻̯̹̰ ̖t̫̙̺̯͖͚̯ͅh͙̯̦̳̗̰̟e͖̪͉̼̯ ̪͕g̞̣͔a̗̦t̬̬͓͙̫̖̭̻e̩̻̯ ̜̖̦̖̤̭͙̬t̞̹̥̪͎͉ͅo͕͚͍͇̲͇͓̺ ̭̬͙͈̣̻t͈͍͙͓̫̖͙̩h̪̬̖̙e̗͈ ̗̬̟̞̺̤͉̯ͅa̦̯͚̙̜̮f͉͙̲̣̞̼t̪̤̞̣͚e̲͉̳̥r͇̪̙͚͓l̥̞̞͎̹̯̹ͅi͓̬f̮̥̬̞͈ͅe͎ ̟̩̤̳̠̯̩̯o̮̘̲p̟͚̣̞͉͓e͍̩̣n͔̼͕͚̜e̬̱d̼̘͎̖̹͍̮̠,͖̺̭̱̮ ̣̲͖̬̪̭̥a̪͚n̟̲̝̤̤̞̗d̘̱̗͇̮͕̳͕͔ ͖̞͉͎t̹̙͎h̰̱͉̗e̪̞̱̝̹̩ͅ ̠̱̩̭̦p̯̙e͓o̳͚̰̯̺̱̰͔̘p̬͎̱̣̼̩͇l̗̟̖͚̠e̱͉͔̱̦̬̟̙ ̖͚̪͔̼̦w̺̖̤̱e͖̗̻̦͓̖̘̜r̭̥e͔̹̫̱͕̦̰͕ ̗͔̠p̠̗͍͍̱̳̠r̰͔͎̰o͉̥͓̰͚̥s̟͚̹̱͔̣t͉̙̳̖͖̪̮r̥̘̥͙̹a͉̟̫̟̳̠̟̭t͈̜̰͈͎e̞̣̭̲̬ ͚̗̯̟͙i͍͖̰̘̦͖͉ṇ̮̻̯̦̲̩͍ ̦̮͚̫̤t͉͖̫͕ͅͅh͙̮̻̘̣̮̼e͕̺ ͙l͕̠͎̰̥i̲͓͉̲g̫̳̟͈͇̖h̠̦̖t͓̯͎̗ ̳̪̘̟̙̩̦o̫̲f̙͔̰̙̠ ̹̪̗͇̯t͖̼̼͉͖̬h̹͇̩e͚̖̺̤͉̹͕̪ ͚͓̭̝̺G͎̗̯̩o̫̯̮̟̮̳̘d̜̲͙̠-̩̳̯̲̗̜P̹̘̥͉̝h͍͈̗̖̝ͅa͍̗̮̼̗r̜̖͇̙̺a̭̺͔̞̳͈o̪̣͓̯̬͙̯̰̗h̖̦͈̥̯͔.͇̣̙̝
but yeah, i would definitely like to see prereleases go away. just release the product, and make kits for the release weekend events the same as the prerelease events. itll never happen, but it should.
when there were only a few shops in the country, and even fewer that could hold events, sure the prerelease concept was great. it was a way to get everyone together and have a big event. now that a shop exists in every town there's no point.
even more so now that they have the preorders for pickup early thing. especially since some shops try to scum you into only giving you your product by attending their prerelease event at a specific time. then there's the whole thing where a shop may have heaps of product/cards but can't even sell them for a week. it makes for a very frustrating shopping experience at an lgs level.
but hey that's their thing lately. dick the lgs because amazon and ebay exist.
Well said.
Wizards doesn't make any more or less money. They have already sold these cards to distributors and the distributors to the LGS. They don't see a dime of any of it. You have it that it just needs to become a Release Day. PreRelease crap is simply outdated and bassackwards.
We are debating it. We can disagree, no need for putdowns as earlier. Opinions DO matter though. As for purchasing product all my local LGS will only let you buy a Prerelease Pack if you register for a tourney or sell you a Planeswalker Deck. That is it. That isn't a way to get lots of product into the hands of buyers whose excitement is at a peak then to be letdown to wait another week to buy a box(es), bundle, packs, etc.
Good points made here. The system is outdated. It doesn't get cards into anyone hands any sooner as people are already skirting the "rules" and opening boxes and every other type of product for 1 to 2 weeks before the prerelease. LGS that stick to the "rule" of not selling anything but PreRelease packs and Intro/Planeswalker Decks are doing nothing but a disservice to the end buyer as well. Get rid of the stupid prerelease have a release date and that is that, it helps everyone down the line from top to bottom.
Silly outdated ways of doing things need to go by the wayside.
STOP using "dude/bro" as a pejorative or insult. Grow up.
Margaret Thatcher: “The problem with socialism is that you eventually run out of other people's money.”
Benjamin Franklin: "Those who would give up essential Liberty, to purchase a little temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety."
Martin Luther King Jr.: "I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character."
WotC has already sold the PreRelease packs to distributors, they don't see a dime more for them or any other product they have already sold. Just call it a Release Day pack and have it on Release Day. The box stores aren't going to hold tournaments anyway. LGS will get all its regular traffic PLUS they will have a chance at making more money by selling boosters, boxes, fat packs, theme boosters and the whole product lineup WHILE THE CUSTOMER IS THERE IN THE STORE and need not come back the next week. It then could become MORE profitable to LGS. Staggering the rollout is arbitrary at best and punitive at worst. It needs to go in my estimation. Nothing is "lost" only 3 letters and everyone can have access to the cards/product line at the same time (theoretically).
STOP using "dude/bro" as a pejorative or insult. Grow up.
Margaret Thatcher: “The problem with socialism is that you eventually run out of other people's money.”
Benjamin Franklin: "Those who would give up essential Liberty, to purchase a little temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety."
Martin Luther King Jr.: "I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character."
Prereleases are pretty good for both casuals and spikes IMO because casual players seem to think that they have more of a chance at sealed when they won't get stomped by net decks and spikes like the high EV a lot of stores in my area run
Now imagine that the LGS can sell to BOTH groups on the same day. Win-Win. Hold the Release events on release day let the Spikes buy and brew, then show up the next week for Constructed, Game-Night or whatever WotC wants to call it. Win all around.
STOP using "dude/bro" as a pejorative or insult. Grow up.
Margaret Thatcher: “The problem with socialism is that you eventually run out of other people's money.”
Benjamin Franklin: "Those who would give up essential Liberty, to purchase a little temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety."
Martin Luther King Jr.: "I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character."
I don't think transferring the hype and goodwill from a prerelease to the street date is as simple as you describe. There's power in perception, and, while I can't adequately describe it, there's something about that extra week that brings people in. Launch parties, in my experience, rarely receive the same attention, even back when they got their own promos and sealed events. I certainly can't see how combining the two results in a net benefit for everybody involved.