WotC Announcement Day

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Happy Friday MTG peeps,

It is the 'May 2-4' Holiday, also known at the Victoria Day long weekend here in Canada-Land.  Most Canadians will be celebrating Queen Victoria's birthday by spending most of the long weekend in traffic heading north from Toronto through my beautiful and fair hamlet of Barrie, on their way to cottage country in the North.  Upon arriving finally, they will then realise they did not bring enough beverages and insect repellent.

The MTG Realm group, as well as most Magic: the Gathering players have been waiting with bated breath in the much anticipated and speculated contents of today's 'Announcement Day' over at Wizards of the Coast.  This went live earlier today over at this link and featured a great video with following crew :: 

Left to Right :
Dawn Murin (Sr. Art Director), Dough Beyer (Sr. Creative Designer), 

Gavin Very (Sr. Game Designer), 

Magic the Amateuring gals Maria Bartholdi, and Meghan Wolff.

Here is the 'quick 'n' dirty' summary of the rather exciting news for Magic: the Gathering gamers -

Guilds of Ravnica releases October 5, 2018

On Ravnica, whoever you are a soldier or scientist, merchant or spy, your guild is the core of your identity. It provides structure and greater purpose. Now, the time has come to defend it.  This set will prominently feature the harmonious Selesnya (green-white), the militant Boros (red-white), the life-and-death-focused Golgari (black-green), the frazzled geniuses of the Izzet (blue-red), and the mystery of the Dimir (blue-black).


Ravnica Allegiance  - releases January 2019

Darkness is coming to Ravnica. A conflict that could tear apart the world itself looms large, and the fragile peace between the guilds is strained to its breaking point. Now, with everything on the line, it's time to step up, prove your loyalty, and fight for your guild.  This set will feature the orderly Azorius (white-blue), the chaotic Rakdos (black-red), the wild Gruul (red-green), the experimental Simic (green-blue), and the devious Orzhov (white-black)


Guild Kits - releases November 2018 / February 2019

Guild Kits will feature a 60-card deck flavored after your favorite guild, plus guild schwag like pins, stickers, and Spindown life counters. Play as any one of the Guilds of Ravnica guilds with the Guilds of Ravnica Guild Kits releasing on November 2, 2018. Ravnica Allegiance Guild Kits release February 2019.

There was also a rather nice preview of a pair of cards from the upcoming Battlebond set !

Say 'wassup' to Pir, Imaginative Rascal and that card's partner, 'Toothy, Imaginary Friend'.

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Announcement Day 8-31

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Happy Wednesday MTG peeps,

BIG news day for Magic: the Gathering players.  Just like back earlier this year on May 15th, Wizards of the Coast bundled a number of new product announcements.  We suggest you pop on over to the mothersite (linky here) and / or watch the video posted to You-Tube (linked here).  

Given the all the very awesome information on the next MTG set, Kaladesh, posted earlier, today's story 'A Time for Innovation' from Kim Kreines, and the general excitement as we move into this weekend's PAX West convention, we a feeling kinda dizzy.  Anywhoos, let's get churning through all the big news out today -

Reporting from the historic Paramount Theater (the central locus of Magic: the Gathering at PAX in Seattle), WotC Community Manager Nate Price leads us through a rapid-fire interaction with other Wizard staffers -

• Lead Creative Designer Kimberly Krienes talks about the back-story of Amonkhet, the set releasing April 28, 2017.  Tag line of 'Rise Among the Worthy'.  This looks to be an Egyptian-themed Plane where warriors compete in the Trials of the Five Gods and earn an honoured place in the Afterlife.  The second set in the Amonkhet block is 'Hour of Devastation' with the tag-line 'Unleash your Endgame'.

• Game Designer Gavin Verhey summaries the following upcoming products.  'Archenemy: Nicol Bolas' is the continuation of the Archenemy series pitting the dragon against two friends.  

• Senior Game Desinger Sam Stoddard talks about the following product releases -
 - Commander Anothology, releasing June, 2017.  This is to be a bundle of  previous Commander products "Heavenly Inferno," "Evasive Maneuvers," "Guided by Nature," and "Plunder the Graves" together in one package.  
 - Duel Decks: Mind vs. Might.  The teaser here is the representation of the age-old clash between mages and warriors, or brains and brawn. 
 - Modern Masters 2017 Edition, releasing March 2017.  This set is to revisit some of the most remarkable sets from recent history, representing everything from Eighth Edition through Magic 2014–including trips through Innistrad and Return to Ravnica. 

• Wizards of the Coast President Chris Cocks - an introduction to the man, the myth and legend, who is attending the very first PAX - evar.  The big reveal here is the artwork for 'Chandra, Torch of Defiance' which is to see print for the upcoming Kaladesh set.

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