MTG Holiday Gift Guide
Season’s greetings everyone! The holidays are upon us and Magic’s next big release is…not until January?
That’s right - in what comes as a break from Magic’s recent pace of releases, there is no product set to debut this December.
A month may not seem that long, but December has historically been one of the biggest months for game companies overall, not just Hasbro. So, with nothing new hitting shelves to distract shoppers heading out for presents, what are some of the things we should be keeping our eyes on in the Magic world this winter? Let’s take a look!
The Lord of the Rings: Tales of Middle-earth /Holiday Release (LTC)
Woo boy, this one’s a doozy. LTC has every marketing gimmick that could possibly work going into the holiday season, plus it's a limited release. First things first - where do I think prices for this are going? If it’s sealed, up. The supply of this is going to dry up fast.
First, the name. Lord of the Rings: Tales of Middle-earth (LTR) was already Magic’s best selling set ever, and that’s because of the massive IP crossover. Between the chase for the One-of-One Ring, the appeal to the massive Middle-earth fanbase, and Magic’s pre-existing player growth, LTR had something for everyone. The One-of-One Ring may have been found, but there’s still plenty to be excited about inside LTC. Beyond Magic players, LTR, and LTC by association, are both going to continue to draw from the Lord of the Rings fan base into the holiday season, putting extra pressure on the price.
Second, the holiday demand. Beyond people continually buying LTC for themselves, there is also the bonus demand created by holiday gifts. Plenty of people will be buying Magic product this season not for themselves, but for friends and family. One of the easiest things to buy is anything with a holiday advertisement on it, and LTC comes with that on every pack.
Finally, the supply. If LTC was the December release, there wouldn’t be much to talk about here, but it's not. LTC is already long out of print, and orders have been placed for over a month now. Supply is already incredibly low, so the amount available for people to purchase both for themselves, as gifts, and to spread between both the Lord of the Rings and Magic fan bases, is going to push the price to a breaking point.
Special Edition Collector Booster Display
Jumpstart Vol. 2 Booster Display
The Lost Caverns of Ixalan Commander Decks
It may not have “Holiday” written on it in big bold letters, but Commander decks are often the next best thing when it comes to non-Magic players buying gifts for Magic players. A neat box, not too expensive (comparatively speaking), available at big-box stores and hobby shops alike, these really are one of the best - and easiest - things to gift. So, what about the Lost Caverns of Ixalan Commander decks makes them a top choice product?
First, timing. These are still the newest Commander decks on the block, meaning there is the most left on the market. As such, they aren’t going to be the most expensive on the secondary market coming out of the holidays, but they’re a prime candidate for having the biggest price swing. This is because they’ll get the most attention - an amount significantly disproportionate to their release demand - and so their price is going to likely be a bit volatile in the next month or so.
Second, the singles within. Many of the Commander decks in this release wave each come with a card or two that is solidly above $10, something not many Standard release Commander decks have been able to claim. Whether its
Finally, we come to playability. While not exclusive to these Commander decks, you shouldn’t underestimate the gameplay aspect of a product, especially during the holidays. A common selling point of games going into the holidays is that you can play them with friends and family right out of the box, and Commander decks are the pinnacle of that. With themes like Pirates and Dinosaurs, these are fun decks, and fun sells.
Agatha's Soul Cauldron , and other Wilds of Eldraine Singles
Ok, the other two items on our list so far have been easy gifts - things that do their best to advertise to consumers both new and old. So, why would single cards from a standard set fall in on this list as well? It comes down to two things: stocking stuffers and holiday sales.
If you’ve ever gone looking at the hobby aisle in a Target or Walmart, something you’ll often see are 3-Booster Magic “Draft” packs. Like the name suggests, they contain three Draft booster packs of a uniform set, usually Standard (although some specialty releases do have them). The idea is that - for around $15 - you can buy one person’s draft experience. Get enough friends together, and you can all play. Beyond just drafts, however, these are excellent Magic gifts - not too pricey, but something to give out at a White Elephant or the like.
Big stores, as well as online retailers, know that these are easy gift targets, which is why they are often one of the first things to get marked as “on sale” by a dollar or so during the holidays. It may not sound like much individually, but when Amazon has a sale on Magic cards, odds are someone will notice.
So, what does this have to do with singles, especially Wilds of Eldraine of all things? Well, three packs may not sound like a lot, but as players start opening and gifting these during the season, chances are that a good chunk of singles will start to hit the market in the month or so afterwards. Think of it like a second wave of singles - the first came with release, and the second bump comes with the holidays. It’s things like this that can cause a real dip in card prices.
As for why Wilds of Eldraine, sales tend to hit two categories of product during the holidays: backlogged supply of outdated goods, and extra supply of new goods. Wilds of Eldraine sits comfortably in the second of these two categories, while being just old enough that attention has shifted to newer sets. Put the two together and there you have it - a discount target.
| Agatha's Soul Cauldron | ||
| Agatha's Soul Cauldron (Extended Art) |
Wrap Up
Well, that’s our list. I hope this has given you some things to think about as you hunt for gifts this holiday season, or maybe keep an eye out for your own wish list of singles after the holiday bump has come and gone. Happy holidays everyone, and I’ll see you in 2024!
Further Reading:
Harvey McGuinness is a student at Johns Hopkins University who has been playing Magic since the release of Return to Ravnica. After spending a few years in the Legacy arena bouncing between Miracles and other blue-white control shells, he now spends his time enjoying Magic through CEDH games and understanding the finance perspective. He also writes for the Commander's Herald.
