New Horizons Year In Review

It’s approaching the two-year mark since I began writing articles for MTGStocks. Much like my first anniversary post, I wanted to take a moment to reflect back on some of the products and articles I’ve covered over the past year. This retrospective includes a mix of statistics, opinions, and, hopefully, a bit of fun.

Behind the Curtain

Let’s start by revisiting the articles published this year. We began the year with Ravnica Remastered and wrapped up last month with Foundations. Throughout 12 articles, we’ve explored the full spectrum of products and key releases. In total, I analyzed 106 cards, offering recommendations on whether their prices were likely to rise, fall, or remain stable. Of those predictions, approximately 71% were accurate, with 30 cards missing the mark.

Among the cards that exceeded my expectations were the Surveil Lands from Murders at Karlov Manor. These lands surged from roughly $3 to an impressive $10-$25 range. Another standout winner was Excalibur, Sword of Eden, which found its footing faster than I anticipated, spiking from its initial $7 to $17 recently.

Of course, not all predictions panned out as expected. The most significant misses included Lavinia, Foil to Conspiracy and Unexplained Absence, both of which lost over 80% of their value against the prediction of potentially gaining in price.

Delve Into the Known

This year, I covered all the major set releases, with some standing out much better than others. Looking back, the released sets placed greater emphasis on additional cards included. Things like the Special Guests and exclusive Collector Booster treatments stood out to me much more this year than previously. 

That said, the majority of these cards have seen a decline in value since their release. I tried to identify any patterns or trends that may have been established among the covered cards. What became apparent is that the cards that increased in value were often either new staples or improvements to pre-existing decks.

A great example of this is Ocelot Pride. Rather than creating an entirely new archetype, it seamlessly integrated into existing decks, enhancing their overall power and utility. Its role as a valuable component rather than a central focus underscores a broader trend in how impactful cards are shaping the metagame.

No Packs for Participation

As we look to 2025, it’s clear that Magic: the Gathering is undergoing significant shifts. Starting with card production, the number of new cards printed has remained relatively consistent over the past three years, with variations of about 100 cards annually. This year alone, 2,061 new cards have been printed - roughly two and a half times the amount introduced a decade ago. The steady increase in card production shows no signs of slowing, especially with the growing emphasis on Universes Beyond.

On top of this, the product structure is undergoing another transformation. MSRP is back and Booster Boxes are being reduced from 36 packs to 30 per box, accompanied by a price adjustment. This change reduces the prize support for draft events and will likely be reflected in your local LGS prize payouts. Most of the LGSs that I attended this year have already changed their prize structure, with emphasis on the top two players. While every store operates differently, this pattern is emerging across several stores here so far. Compounding these changes is the rising cost of entry for events, which is now at an all-time high. 

Better Wrapped Than Spotify

Wrapping things up this past year, I wanted to share a few personal highlights and where I focused my investments.

Starting with my investments, the card I picked up the most was Conduit of Worlds at $3.80 back in January. My reasoning was that its likeness to Crucible of Worlds would likely drive demand and prices upward. Additionally, I got in on the Sol Ring (Surge Foil) from Universes Beyond: Fallout at about $8, due to the unique foiling, and the price being driven up by the associated playmat.

Highlights from the Year 2024:

• Favorite Article To Write

What's Hot in Magic Foundations? was my favorite article to write this year. It required a different approach, as I had to consider the five-year rotation associated with the set and its long-term implications. It challenged me to think deeply about how these cards might shape the game over time.

• Favorite Product Release

My favorite product of the year was Mystery Booster 2. The entire collection of cards struck me as carefully crafted picks with great art treatments and enough chase cards to keep the value up. Once the boxes became more available, the overall experience of this set became more enjoyable for me.

• Best Limited Environment

This year, Modern Horizons 3 was my favorite environment. I admit I’m a bit biased, as I got to experience it firsthand at MagicCon: Amsterdam. The return of Eldrazi, the solid power level of the cards, and the return of Fetchlands made it everything I could have asked for in Limited.

• Most Anticipated Release for 2025

A lot is coming next year from universes within and beyond, but I have my hopes up for Edge of Eternities to be a decent set with potentially gorgeous art reprints.

Finally, I want to express my heartfelt thanks to all the lovely people reading and supporting my articles. Writing for MTGStocks over the past two years has been an incredibly rewarding experience so here’s to another great year ahead.

Join me next time as I figure out how to offload my Edgar Markov before Innistrad Remastered.

Further Reading:

Should You Buy Magic Specialty Bundles?