Magic: The Gathering’sSecret Lairdrops have been the subject of criticism for a little over a year now. Back in early 2024,Secret Lairsstopped being printed on demand, and were instead printed in limited quantities. While this does mean quicker shipping times, the limited availability has also made it more difficult for players to get popular drops, especially since the limited availability has madeSecret Lairsmore attractive to scalpers. Luckily, Wizards of the Coast made some changes to a recentSecret Lairdrop that seemed to help with some of these issues.
Although manyMagicplayers have lobbied for a return to a print-on-demand model forSecret Lairs, it is nice to seeWizards of the Coast is at least taking some steps towards fixing the issue. Frustration over products like theMarvelSecret Lairselling out, only to be immediately relisted online at a huge markup by scalpers, clearly caught the company’s attention. A recent policy change may help a bit withMagic’s scalping issue, and make it easier for players to get the products they want.
Magic’s Sonic Secret Lair Policy Helps Prevent Scalping
Customers Were Limited In How Much They Could Buy
Magic: The Gatheringrecently released threeSonic the HedgehogSecret Lairs, which made a significant change to how products are sold on the site. Customers were limited to two copies of any given drop or bundle. Although scalpers are still able to purchase more than their fair share of product, especially if they are snagging multiple bundles,this at least puts some limit on how manySecret Lairscan be bought for the express purpose of selling themon the secondary market.
It’s worth mentioning that this system still wasn’t perfect.A few of theSonic-themedSecret Lairsdid still sell out pretty quickly, leading to some frustration from players who were unable to get a complete set. However, as of the time of writing, there is still oneSonic the Hedgehogproduct still available on theSecret Lairwebsite, and it is arguably the best of the three drops to still be in stock.
The Mechanically Unique Sonic Cards Are Still Available
The Sold Out Drops Featured Reprints
The twoSonicSecret Lairdrops that sold out featured reprinted cards. Although the art on the cards was unique, these cards are still available elsewhere as functional game pieces. TheSecret Lair x Sonic: Friends & Foesdrop, on the other hand,includes all mechanically unique cards. Were it to sell out, players would miss out on the only opportunity to get copies of these cards, so it’s lucky that this is the oneSecret Lairthat is still available.
It’s unclear if Wizards of the Coast printed extra copies of these drops, because they feature mechanically unique cards, or if their countermeasures against scalping helped play a role. Either way,it’s nice to see that the only unique cards in thisSecret Lairare still availablefor those who want them. Wizards of the Coast seems to be making a concerted effort to ensure these cards make it to every player who wants them, as they will also be available in WPN stores following the sale on theSecret Lairsite.
Like limiting the number of products sold,sending copies to stores is also a somewhat unprecedented move for a standardSecret Lairdrop. This is usually reserved for theSecret Lair Ultimate Editionsor other WPN-specific products. Hopefully, these new changes to howSecret Lairsare handled aren’t just a one-time thing, and Wizards of the Coast will continue to make changes to improve the customer experience.
Future Secret Lairs Should Prioritize Unique Cards
Missing A Unique Drop Is More Disappointing Than Missing Reprints
If there’s one thing I hope futureSecret Lairsdo similarly to theSonicdrops, it’sprioritizing the availability of mechanically unique cards. While missing out on anySecret Lairyou want to buy is disappointing, nothing stings as badly as missing out on unique cards that might not be available again, at least for a while. Sending extra copies to WPN stores is a great solution for ensuring more customers are able to get them, even if they miss the initial drop.
Although, ideally, it would be nice to see Wizards of the Coast return to the print-on-demand model,it doesn’t seem super likely. Products selling out within hours of going on sale may be frustrating for consumers, but it’s a dream come true for the ones selling them. It’s nice to see that Wizards of the Coast are at least doing something to address the issue, and I hope it continues.
Whether or not they did this time, I think printing extras of any mechanically unique drops would be a good strategy going forward. It would also be nice if the number of products individual customers are allowed to buy continued to be limited. Cutting down on scalping should be a priority forMagic: The Gathering, andfrankly all TCGs. It hurts the game when important game pieces become too inaccessible for most players, and the frustration of missingSecret Lairscould lead some players to simply give up on them.
