Magic The Gathering
Latest
Call for Submissions: All about WoW TCG
We're more than a little surprised that there's so little talk around these parts about the World of Warcraft Trading Card Game. After all, players who've been around the gaming scene for very many years tend to have dabbled in card games like Magic: The Gathering. WoW itself would be a very different creation without the influence of games like MTG and the games that inspired it -- so let's talk about WoW's own collectible card game! WoW.com is accepting article submissions from experienced WoW TCG players. What does it take to get started? What's the gameplay like? How do the loot cards tie in, and what's been available so far? Is the game part of the tournament scene? Your article will give readers who've never played WoW TCG a peek into the game and the world of card games.
Preview: Magic: The Gathering - Tactics
if you happen to be nostalgic for those middle school games of Magic: The Gathering over the lunch table, MtGT, the latest of Sony Online Entertainment's line of online games, could be the game for you. It's not an exact copy of Wizards of the Coast's successful collectible card game, but it tries to bring that classic MtG feel to your PC or PS3. And it's going to be completely* free-to-play, so what's to lose by giving it a try? Though the build I saw at E3 is still a bit rough around the edges (SOE hopes to release the game in September on the PC and early 2011 on the PS3), the hands-on time I had with it was still good MtG-style fun. * The first hit is always free. You're given an initial starter deck to play with, but to get more cards you'll have to trade with other players on the auction house or buy them in SOE's cash shop. %Gallery-95996%
SOE unveils new screenshots and trailer for Magic the Gathering: Tactics
Our crew at E3 saw something interesting on the show floor and passed it along to share: Sony Online Entertainment has brand-new eye candy for Magic the Gathering: Tactics. The game is scheduled for release this fall, so if you're dying to create your Planeswalker character, it won't be much longer. New screenshots of the collection screen, battlefields, and characters should help to pass the time, as well as a teaser trailer. The trailer offers gameplay footage and a quick overview of how things will work, so check out the gallery, and follow along after the jump for a look at the trailer! %Gallery-95345%
Magic: The Gathering on deck for Steam
Wizards of the Coast has announced that it plans to release Magic the Gathering: Duels of the Planeswalkers on Steam. Unfortunately an actual release date has not yet been confirmed by WOTC. We're guessing the date isn't too far off, as the game will be available for pre-purchase on Steam starting June 1. Those who pre-order Planeswalkers for $9.99 will receive both the original game as well as its first expansion pack, which was released last year on XBLA. The release will also support future content. A second DLC pack is already available on XBLA, with a third pack expected this summer.
Users report Magic: The Gathering 'Expansion Pack 2' DLC breaks the game [update]
Update: We managed to get in touch with both Wizards and Microsoft PR, who acknowledged that the launch of the DLC did give users a few problems. However, the "DLC is now running smoothly," so happy downloading! You can find the original post below. Original post: It would seem the recent injection of fresh cards into Magic: The Gathering - Duels of the Planeswalker has had an unintended effect for some players, with the new DLC apparently crashing the game and displaying only a black screen. Users on both the GameFAQs and Wizards of the Coast forums have reported the same issues. Downloading the Title Update gave us some hiccups -- specifically, we were booted back to the dashboard after downloading it and then were forced to download the entire Magic: The Gathering - Duel of the Planeswalkers game again. But the actual DLC pack itself didn't give us any problems. We even played a game online and tried restarting the title multiple times to repeat the effect to no avail. Eric Sorensen from Wizards of the Coast's community team is aware of the issue, and WOTC is working with Microsoft to resolve it. We'll let you know when we're all in the clear. Source - Wizards of the Coast forums Source - GameFAQs forums
Second Magic: The Gathering DLC pack out tomorrow
Wizards of the Coast is set to shuffle things up once again, having announced that the second Magic: The Gathering - Duels of the Planeswalkers expansion will arrive tomorrow, May 12. The DLC will include three new decks and a new single-player campaign. It will also come packing three new cards for each original deck and the three decks from the first expansion. Finally, the DLC will also offer five new challenge levels, three new Achievements, multiplayer host migration and even some Avatar attire awards. The second expansion will set you back 400 ($5).
Xbox Live Marketplace in May: Rocket Knight, Dragon Age DLC and more
You know that dusty piggy bank you've had sitting on the shelf forever? Look, forget the kid's college fund -- she's not going to college for, like, years -- and bust that thing open! There's going to be some solid content on Xbox Live Marketplace this month. In the mood for XBLA games? How does Rocket Knight or Zeno Clash tickle your fancy? Oh, so you want some DLC -- Dragon Age: Origins will have more to offer the tireless adventurer later this month. Want to learn the Secret of Monkey Island? During the week of May 17, the secret will be half-off. See what we mean? Head past the break for more XBLM release highlights for the month provided by Microsoft.
Second Magic the Gathering expansion DLC detailed
Jonesing for a few handfuls of new decks for Magic the Gathering: Duels of the Planeswalkers? You could try throwing your real-life Magic cards at the screen as hard as you possibly could, hoping they'll somehow break into the virtual plane of existence. Or, you could take the more intelligent route and wait for the next batch of DLC to drop -- GamerBytes reports the expansion will add three new decks and "a slew of new cards" to the XBLA title. In addition, the DLC will feature a new single-player campaign (in which two of the new decks will be unlocked), as well as new challenges, personas, Achievements and Avatar Awards. There's no release date on the new content, but we'd previously heard a Spring launch window. Oh, hey -- it's Spring right now!
Wizards of the Coast signs new deal with Stainless Games
Wizards of the Coast today announced that it has signed a new deal with the developer of Magic: The Gathering - Duels of the Planeswalkers, Stainless Games (also responsible for the upcoming Risk: Factions). The press release states that Duels of the Planeswalkers has been a great success for Wizards of the Coast, noting that it has been among the top 10 Xbox Live Arcade games since it was first released in June 2009. No specifics are given regarding the deal, so we'll have to wait to see what projects Stainless has going, though it's probably safe to assume there is more Magic on the way. Wizards of the Coast has already confirmed that versions of Planeswalkers are headed to both the PS3 and PC later this year. Given the collectible nature of Magic, it wouldn't be surprising to see Stainless produce more DLC for all platforms, either. Of course, Wizards of the Coast also has some other lucrative properties under its belt, notably Dungeons & Dragons and Star Wars, both of which could easily be turned into video game properties. We know, the idea of a Star Wars video game sounds crazy, but it just might work.
Xbox Live deal of the week taps Magic: The Gathering for $5
Magic: The Gathering, with its power to summon high school social ostracism, is now available for a mere $5 (400) on XBLA to gold members. Football quarterbacks and members of the Young Republicans can now participate or learn the monumentally successful card game in relative anonymity and at a great price -- especially if you factor in the cost of the real card game. Veterans may find the well-crafted XBLA version to be for "beginners," due to its lack of fully customizable decks, but there is an incredible amount of value stacked in there for $5. Another great and relatively overlooked feature is the game's two-player co-op, which allows you to cut a spouse or friend into the deal. Once all the social stigma is stripped away, it's pretty easy to see why the game has had the staying power of a Drudge Skeleton. Shortcut: Add Magic: The Gathering to your download queue
Rumors of WoW TCG's demise greatly exaggerated
Rumors have been swirling around the Internet this weekend, reporting that the WoW Trading Card Game was ending this year after the release of the upcoming Scourgewar expansion set due to mishandling of marketing by the Upper Deck team. The rumor apparently started at Rawrcast, where it was attributed to a "reliable source". Apparently not that reliable! Catching wind of the rumor, Upper Deck responded through its Senior Director, Scott Gaeta, saying that not only was the TCG not "over," but that it was steaming along right on schedule. Said Gaeta: "Plans for future sets have been moving along as normal and we even announced a good chunk of the 2010 product schedule a week ago. Just recently the Upper Deck team was at Blizzard to discuss plans for 2011 and just today we were at Blizzard to get a sneak peak of Icecrown Citadel, to help in the development of the 2010 Raid Deck and Treasure Packs. We have lots of great plans for 2010 and beyond and look forward to another great year for the WOW TCG. Thanks for your enthusiasm and support! " Good enough for me. Interneterati who heard the rumor attributed the TCG's purported demise to a myriad of culprits, including Blizzard's new microtransactional Pet Store, Activision grand poobah and laser-precise IP exploiter Bobby Kotick, or even the iron tabletop gaming fist of Magic: The Gathering. Of course, none of those ended up being the case. Me, I'm glad to see that the TCG isn't going away, but let's start seeing some of those cool vanity loot card items attainable through other means, yeah? And the rocket mount an Engineering item.
Magic: Duels of the Planeswalkers on PS3, PC in 2010, XBLA getting more content
Wizards of the Coast has announced that PC and PS3 gamers have more to look forward to than just Magic: The Gathering Tactics. In spring 2010, Magic: The Gathering - Duels of the Planeswalkers will hit PCs, followed by a PS3 version in the fall. Previously available only on Xbox Live Arcade, Duels of the Planeswalkers features traditional Magic gameplay with plenty of unlockable cards as well as online versus and co-op play. The PS3 and PC versions will include similar gameplay, though the press release notes that the PC version will include "an extra bonus." It's up in the air as to what this bonus might be, though more complex deck building would certainly be welcome. Meanwhile, the XBLA version of Planeswalkers will also receive two more expansion packs in spring and summer 2010. These expansions -- like the first, released earlier this year -- will include new cards, characters and some "surprises" as well.
Magic: The Gathering Tactics to have PC/PS3 connectivity
Relations between Sony Online Entertainment's John Smedley and the guys from Penny Arcade have clearly improved since the Donut Debacle of 2006. Smedley recently took a moment to talk to Jerry "Tycho" Holkins about Magic: The Gathering Tactics, revealing a few savory tidbits about the title -- the most delightful of which being the fact that the PS3 and PC versions of the game will be interconnected, allowing a player to use his account (and all his meticulously crafted decks) on both platforms. Basically, if you've got a laptop, a PS3 and an unslakable hunger for thin, rectangular artifacts imbued with immeasurable power, then your social life and work ethic are about to be assaulted on all sides. Good luck with that!
Magic: The Gathering - Tactics tapped for PC and PS3 release
Sony Online Entertainment and Wizards of the Coast have announced a new collaboration: Magic: The Gathering - Tactics, a new turn-based strategy game for PC and PS3 set in the universe of the card game. Tactics puts players in control of "dramatic 3D figures" in single-player or online battles, with spell cards taken from the Magic series. Of course, it's not Magic without frequent, additional purchases, and SOE promises "regular content expansions," which will no doubt become a de facto requirement for highly competitive tournament play. The game is being developed by SOE's Denver studio, and will be out on PC in early 2010, with the PS3 release to follow.
Magic: The Gathering DLC summoned Oct. 21
Wizards of the Coast -- the company, not actual wizards -- has sent word that the previously revealed Magic: The Gathering - Duels of the Planeswalkers DLC will hit Xbox Live Marketplace on October 21 (next Wednesday, to be specific). The expansion will include three new decks, three new cards for each of the original decks, new co-op levels and three new challenge levels. The DLC also contains a new single-player campaign. Those who wish to partake of the expansion will have to summon 400 ($5).
PAX 2009: Duel the Dragon DLC coming to Duels of the Planeswalkers
We've just returned from the Wizards of the Coast Magic: The Gathering party (where we were in the company of *NAME DROP ALERT* Wil Wheaton / Wesley Crusher / übergeek), and we've returned from the fray with tapped mana and ... information. WotC announced new DLC and a title update coming (finally) to the XBLA version of Duels of the Planeswalkers.Duel the Dragon, the first expansion to the popular Magic: The Gathering for the Xbox 360 set, features three new decks, six more ladder levels, new challenges including "multi-turns" that require more than one turn to win, and a final boss that is strongly hinted at in the title. They didn't announce a date for the DLC except for "soon." Even sooner than that, however, will be a full title update, which includes numerous bug fixes (no more freezes!), a forfeit option, and more.WotC execs foolishly chose yours truly to be the first to demo the new expansion, and through extreme amounts of audience help, which consisted of shouts of NOOOOO! and YEEEEEAHHHHH!, my black & blue deck triumphed over Sarkhan Vol. We'll have assets for the DLC soon, which thankfully won't include our blurry partycam shot above. Sadly the new DLC does not include deck customization, but keep hope alive.
Breakfast Topic: Have you played those other games?
One of the things I got to do at BlizzCon 2009 that ended up being a whole lot of fun was sit down and play a few rounds of the World of Warcraft TCG at the Upper Deck Booth. I actually plan to write a bit more on that later, but for now, my main thought on it was that it was pretty fun. As a former Magic: The Gathering Player way back in the early 3rd edition days, I've always held a soft spot in my heart for a good solid card game, and I've been meaning for the longest time to check out the TCG as something more than a silly thing that refuses to give me a mount. I have to say, if anything, that I probably enjoyed it too much. Not only did I catch onto the rules pretty quickly, but I was transported back to the old magic days, and I'm halfway tempted now to perfect a good solid deck and go out to my local gaming store in a couple weekends to see if anyone else plays. On the other hand, I'm trying to avoid that temptation, because I just know it'll eat up my life like Magic did back in the day.
Square Enix countdown reveals Final Fantasy/SaGa/Magic the Gathering crossover card RPG
The latest Square Enix teaser countdown displayed a big Roman numeral that counted down each day, causing a lot of excitement when it struck "VII." The countdown has elapsed, revealing that no, it's not the Final Fantasy VII remake, nor is it something remotely as exciting, though Lord of Vermilion II is at least interesting in its own right.Lord of Vermilion II is the sequel to Square Enix's popular arcade collectible card game, which uses real trading cards to summon monsters, allies, and such in-game. The sequel is particularly noteworthy because, as the new site reveals, it includes characters from Final Fantasy IV, Romancing SaGa II, and even creatures from Magic: The Gathering.Of course, since we don't really have card RPGs or arcades in North America, the chances of playing this ourselves are slim. Although, as Siliconera noted, Square Enix trademarked Lord of Arcana in the US. So, it's possible.
Interview: Magic the Gathering -- Duels of the Planeswalkers
Duels of the Planeswalkers was released at the beginning of summer on Xbox Live Arcade, and it's a surprisingly competent take on the traditional Magic card game. The XBLA game is immediately familiar and also easy enough for first-timers to jump in and learn the ropes. There's a robust tutorial, all of the cards are real Magic cards, and the multiplayer features multiple modes of play, including four-on-four battles and "Two-Headed Giant," where a team of two faces off against another team of two. In short, it's addictive.We recently spoke with Worth Wollpert, senior business manager for Magic Online, and Mark Purvis, associate brand manager, both at Wizards of the Coast. The subject at hand was all things Duels of the Planeswalkers: there's some DLC on the way, and possibly other changes to the game -- but no deck customization (boo!). For now, the team is happy to let the game bring lapsed players back into the fold, and to introduce new players to the tapping and shuffling of Magic: The Gathering. Continue reading for the full interview.%Gallery-30916%
Xbox Live Top 10: Halo, can anyone hear me?
Xbox Live sure can, Master Chief, as your game Halo 3 was once again the most played title on Xbox Live. For the week ending June 29, many gamers took to the floating rings in space for some first-person combat, knocking down the duo of Call of Duty: World at War and Call of Duty 4 to second and third place, respectively. The rest of the list posted by Major Nelson is pretty run-of-the-mill, save for what came in last place: Rock Band 2. We can't remember the last time Rock Band 2 populated this list. So, good for you, little game-that-could! On the XBLA side, it's all about the Worms 2. Explosive sheep were quite the draw, as the sequel to Team17's fragfest managed to beat out another popular XBLA title, Magic: The Gathering - Duels of the Planeswalker. We guess Magic: The Gathering is all tapped out. Get it? Hello? Where are you going?
