Meh, it also feels like they do more and more of these each year. This year being behind doesn't mean much since these typically drop in batches. I'm sure once actual details of this arrive it'll be easier to evaluate.
That early access is worth quite a bit. If I can get the product to resell before others, it sells for more. Reselling SLs is already pretty profitable overall,and pretty easy, especially in the days immediately following the first deliveries.
That's assuming you get the product first and not just "Get to order the product first, with everything shipping at once." I also wasn't assuming purchasing for turning purposes, but I suppose that's on me.
They certainly create more product every year, as I've listed in another thread, but Secret Lairs have only been around since 2019. 2020 is the best data we can work off of, and we're already a third of the way through the year. Theros Stargazing and Secret Lair Drop: Smitten were comparable sets of five, as are Secret Lair: International Women's Day and Secret Lair: Black is Magic (being more charity based drops). But by this point last year, we'd also had the Year of the Rat, and Thalia. If Strixhaven only gets one Secret Lair, it'll be comparable to the Godzilla Lands Secret Lair.
You also made me curious again, so let’s toss in some extra math. I bought one Secret Lair in 2020. Assuming my receipt is correct, it cost 5 dollars to ship to me. I’m in the Midwest, so it probably costs more to ship to the East Coast, but I can only work with the information I have.
Assuming that every box costs 5 dollars to ship, with a 10% discount, I would need to buy 18 Secret Lairs to exceed the cost of the Subscription. Specifically going off of my list: Year of the Rat through non-foil Happy Yargle Day!, purchasing both foil and non-foil, gets me to $150 in discounts and free shipping.
From foil "Happy Yargle Day!" onwards, the savings add up to $110.
EDIT: Missed 3 places where shipping could have been added, upping the savings at the end from $95 to $110.
I for one appreciate ThyLordQ's attempts to quantify this in some realm as an estimate. I guess it does depend on the definition of "Early Access" and if that means early reservation or early shipped, but I'm not sure if we should approach this subscription series from the scalper angle (as it def would most likely be profitable in long term, even if short sale isn't), but from the average consumer who is buying it to get the cards and feel like the subscription savings make the subscription worth it.
But again, all these numbers will change, but with what data we got, not a bad spot to start conversations with.
I think most likely it's going to happen. People who want this will overwhelmingly respond to the survey, and if it's made it this far inside the company for them to survey it, they're probably already leaning towards a subscription model. The only way this may not happen is if they got an overwhelming negative response in the survey, or social media, but considering all the other things in the world, probably not a lot of energy will go to this.
This seems to have huge potential. There's probably a way to abuse just it being at 1 or 0. Thank god it's slightly slow on the 3/4 cmc side which makes it more of a build around, and that it's a sorcery. But dangerous none the less.
I was fine with the godzilla crossovers, even though I personally don't like seeing them. Secret Lairs as crossovers also don't bother me, as I know I'd rarely see them, and nothing that was printed in WD was busted. In fact, I was really hoping they'd keep it to secret lairs for all crossovers.
Having sets or commander blocks around these (and I know the DnD set was announced forever ago) are just... They're replacing opportunities to print materials distinct to the lore of MTG. It just feels like Hasbro is trying to open as many cash cows through MTG without any interest in respecting MTG's lore, history, and the wants of its older players (though I'm sure they assume these cross promotions will generate more than enough new players that they can ignore complaints). And why wouldn't they? Corporations exist to generate profit, and clearly demand is meeting the crazy supply they're pushing out.
Maybe I'm just fatigued by MTG. There is always an announcement of something new every minute, an oversaturation of materials to the point where it's difficult to even reflect on the faults of a previous set or recent WOTC/Hasbro decisions and overall game impacts, and maybe I'm just now having a headache from it.
The only interesting thing to have come out of the last commander cycle were those free to cast cards, and unfortunately they ended up being the majority of the value of each commander pack, which is why they all retain such high value currently.
I hope this product is more than just 1 super powerful card per box and a bunch of jank.
Though, the last time commander at $40 (or less?) that had good reprint value felt like the 4 color commanders all those years ago. Though maybe it looks good now as the market value is so high for everything EDH now.
I for one appreciate ThyLordQ's attempts to quantify this in some realm as an estimate. I guess it does depend on the definition of "Early Access" and if that means early reservation or early shipped, but I'm not sure if we should approach this subscription series from the scalper angle (as it def would most likely be profitable in long term, even if short sale isn't), but from the average consumer who is buying it to get the cards and feel like the subscription savings make the subscription worth it.
But again, all these numbers will change, but with what data we got, not a bad spot to start conversations with.
But Muse Vortex is interesting. Not a bad way to refill your hand at all.
Shame that the reprint value is in such stark contrast to the Lorehold deck.
That counter is off the chain.
But very slow // high priced for safety reasons
Collage style art just feels strange on an MTG card
This does look like one of the silliest card arts I've ever seen in mtg outside of an un-set
Arbitrarily will drive up prices to cards that never had the mythic treatment
Very disappointing, WOTC
Having sets or commander blocks around these (and I know the DnD set was announced forever ago) are just... They're replacing opportunities to print materials distinct to the lore of MTG. It just feels like Hasbro is trying to open as many cash cows through MTG without any interest in respecting MTG's lore, history, and the wants of its older players (though I'm sure they assume these cross promotions will generate more than enough new players that they can ignore complaints). And why wouldn't they? Corporations exist to generate profit, and clearly demand is meeting the crazy supply they're pushing out.
Maybe I'm just fatigued by MTG. There is always an announcement of something new every minute, an oversaturation of materials to the point where it's difficult to even reflect on the faults of a previous set or recent WOTC/Hasbro decisions and overall game impacts, and maybe I'm just now having a headache from it.
I hope this product is more than just 1 super powerful card per box and a bunch of jank.
Though, the last time commander at $40 (or less?) that had good reprint value felt like the 4 color commanders all those years ago. Though maybe it looks good now as the market value is so high for everything EDH now.