Magic artist encourages frustrated fans to ‘bootleg’ new goblin deck following Secret Lair controversy.

Magic: The Gathering has always been a captivating game, but few controversies have stirred the pot quite like the Secret Lair situation. What started as an exciting offering for collectors quickly turned into a playground for scalpers, leaving many fans, including the artists behind the drops, out in the cold.

Dakota Cates, known as Wizard of Barge, is the talented artist behind the latest Secret Lair Commander Deck, Goblin Storm. This release grabbed the attention of both players and collectors due to its valuable cards and Cates’ stunning artwork. Unsurprisingly, the Secret Lair sold out in mere minutes. Shortly after, it appeared on eBay and other resale platforms at outrageous prices. This unfortunate trend has become all too familiar with Secret Lair drops, but this time, the artist himself spoke out.

In a post on the r/MTG subreddit, Cates expressed his frustration over the handling of the drop. He attempted to purchase a Secret Lair, but it sold out while still in his cart, as he was only sent one copy by Wizards. Cates shared how significant this product was for him, especially in helping to introduce new players to Magic. “We promoted the deck around me as the artist,” he noted, “and I did everything I could to prioritize my fan base, many of whom were looking to get into Magic through this deck.” He reached out to Wizards of the Coast to request more copies, but he knows his plea is unlikely to be heard.

Earlier this year, a senior director confirmed that there are no plans to revert Secret Lair to a print-on-demand model. While they cited printing and stocking challenges, as well as player frustrations with long wait times, the community’s backlash every time a Secret Lair sells out suggests that many players would support a return to the previous policy.

Currently, the situation seems to favor scalpers who hoard these limited products to resell at inflated prices. Cates even took to Instagram to encourage fans to “bootleg the entire deck rather than pay these scalper prices,” ending with a rallying cry: “Goblins are for the people!” With resale prices soaring as high as $750, it’s hard to argue against that sentiment.

Reactions on the MTG Secret Lair X account are equally passionate, filled with frustration and anger directed at Wizards. Many hopeful buyers have reported issues, particularly with the pre-queue system, echoing Cates’ experience of losing the chance to buy the drop despite having it in their cart.

If history is any guide, it seems unlikely that Wizards of the Coast will take steps to prevent this from happening again. However, Cates’ willingness to speak out might inspire the company to rethink their approach. Long live the goblin revolution!