Magic: The Gathering to replace, stop selling Draft Boosters in 2024

Magic the GatheringIt is now changing the way that it offers cards for sale to its players. Play Boosters, formerly known as Draft Boosters, will take the place of random packs called Set Boosters. It’s a subtle change, Wizards indicated in a private press briefing, but it hopes that the new offering can successfully combine the best parts of both products and reduces the burden of carrying multiple SKUs on local game stores. Changes, including a likely price increase, begin with the box set Murders on the Karlov Mansion.

Up until just a few short years ago. The Magic of the WordBooster packs were only available in one type. As the brand has expanded its offering in the last five years or so, other kinds of packs have come to market — including Jumpstart and Collector packs. Draft Boosters remained most like the original booster packs, and were most commonly used for pick-up games where cards are chosen on the fly — i.e. “drafted” like players on a sports team — in order to create unique decks to play on the spot. Set Boosters were geared towards collectors or fans of different gameplay formats.

Wizards of the Coast

In a blog written by Mark Rosewater (head designer), released on Monday, he outlines the problems that Play Boosters will solve. It also includes a detailed breakdown of the odds of receiving certain cards in a pack — and information on pricing.

Are these packs more expensive? Rosewater replied that it was likely.

“Play Boosters match the cost of a Set Booster, not a Draft Booster,” Rosewater said in the blog post, “which will result in Limited environments going up in cost slightly. Although the actual value of the booster increased, it was also due to the possibility of pulling additional mythic or rare cards. So yes, you will be paying slightly more, but you’ll likely be getting more value out of the boosters. Your rare/mythic rare card ratio per dollar spent will be staying the same.”

Magic the Gathering’s Murders in the Karlov MansionSet does not have an official release date but should be available in 2024.