This post is dangerous for WotC, it should be a warning to them.

Today I wanted a MtG experience on my iPad Pro. I knew there was no-one around to play a physical game with. So I had to think what were my options digitally? Hearthstone? Or fire up the hardly played early access beta for Epic (I backed the digital version on Kickstarter, so had that early access to the iOS version)? I suppose I could reinstall Magic: Duels. But that’s a dead product and I’m not sinking any cash into that. I decided I wanted the MtG like experience that didn’t involve spending lots of money on digital product, or grinding my way to getting stuff.
Epic it was.

I don’t normally play against the AI in Star Realms, all my games are against my friends. So I thought I would get used to playing Epic and the cards by playing against the AI.

My first game was a beginner game, and I chose the green Wild deck. Yes the beginner decks do seem to be just the mono decks from the physical game.

I think to make me feel good, and get me hooked the AI let me win.

I decided to then dive right in the deep end and play one of the two limited formats on offer. I have to admit the Dark Draft format is really great fun.

The great thing about it is that you are never really sure what the other player has drafted. That not knowing exactly how they might have built their deck adds to the suspense. You know what cards they had a choice from, but what did they take and what did they discard?

Oh a Dark Draft if you were wondering is when “Each player is dealt 5 cards. They take 1 card out of their hand of five cards and drafts it, then passes the other 4 to the other (at the same time).
Each player takes 2 cards out of their new hand of four cards and drafts them, then discards the remaining two cards into a shared face-down discard pile.
Both players now have drafted three cards. Repeat nine times to get to a 30-card deck.”

Once you finish you play a game of Epic with the deck you just drafted.

I didn’t keep track of the win loss ratio, but I think the AI edged it.

So why is this post dangerous to WotC? Well with I’m pretty sure less resources available to them, White Wizard Games are developing the digital version of Epic on all platforms at once. The interface isn’t Hearthstone/MtG Arena like, but it is still very nice.

From what I have seen in this current beta build at the moment White Wizard Games can’t be that far off from actually releasing the game to the world. This won’t have the same business model as Hearthstone or WotC. If the Arena mode of Star Realms is anything to go by, then you will pay to enter events/tournaments. But the majority of the game will be pay once and play away, until a new expansion is released then you get that for a relatively cheap price. The nice thing is that this is buy once, have available everywhere. So if you move from your iOS device to your PC/Mac then you pick your games up where you left them, along with all the expansions etc that you have paid for. I really do like this model.

So while WotC are concentrating on one platform (Windows for their closed Beta) they will be at a disadvantage when they move to being open to everyone because they will not have Arena available on all platforms. which their competition will have. If from day one you are not on iOS and Android then you might as well pack up and go home. I know my playing habits from my brief time playing Hearthstone, and my constant playing of Star Realms, it’s portable, playing anywhere. Take my turns and move on to something else. I rarely fire up my Mac, and I don’t have a PC at home. My main computing device is my iPad. My students play Hearthstone on their phones (if they play it).

Hearthstone is well established now, they are the one to knock off the top. Epic won’t be that one, it will have a hard core audience that will play it (will it be as popular as Star Realms? I don’t think so). And I don’t think Arena will either. They are far,far behind Hearthstone. WotC are too busy trying to be the MtG version of Hearthstone, and working out from it’s closed beta just how much they can milk players for.

In the meantime I can get a MtG like experience where I can draft, build decks, play real time games against opponents online or 48 hour ones (this mode means each player has up-to 48 hours to take a turn) without being gauged for cash to play.

So with the lack of support for the platform I prefer to use (mobile and desk top) I’m looking at the alternatives to Arena and to be frank, I like the alternatives a lot.