As I intimated in my previous article and in the talkback, there was much more to my discussions with WoTC while I was in Renton than simply finding a way to bring constructed back. While we spent a good deal of time talking with Mike Gills and Chris Kiritiz (I believe Alexis Janson was still with us at the time) about those issues, later I was happy to get more of Chris Kiritz’s time to really talk about Classic.

And boy did we talk. In the end, I think myself, Bubba0077 and Chris finally left the Hotel Lobby/Main Room at 2am. Which was fine for myself and Bubba, both from the EST time zone with only a single day in PST to adjust, but must have been one heck of a caffeine run for Chris. Chris is in charge of MTGO Merchandising, which I suppose carries many duties, but the important ones that matter to the classic folk are that he is responsible for classic set releases.

I was able to get two real key pieces of information from this, which I think we can use later on to get a much clearer piece of just where Classic is headed.

New Classic Release Schedule for 2010.

Apr 2010 – Urza’s Saga
Jun 2010 – Urza’s Legacy
Dec 2010 – Master’s Edition 4

Specifically moving here was getting Master’s Edition 4 out of the September release slot it has previously been in and into a mid-December slot. The reasoning was simple – WoTC doesn’t have a holiday release online except for classic sets, and they’d really like to put their best foot forward. It makes a decent amount of sense. While Exodus is a great set, even it doesn’t generate the same kind of interest the Master’s Edition sets generally get – mostly because Master’s Edition contains cards that most people have only heard of in paper, and never actually seen. Putting it in the holiday slot allows them to really maximize sales during that time.

I also really liked this because since I have go ahead to run CQ POTY for 2010, that means a full set of Master’s Edition 4 (foiled – should be the same prizes again next year) will essentially be in the hands of the winner only a couple of weeks after the release, and the packs in the other place's hands when drafts are still firing at a good rate. I mentioned that, and got into talking about how CQ POTY might have to be really adjustable next year, since we had a bumpy ride this year with respect to PEs and DEs changing mid-year and the looming possibly of a Legacy/Classic split when I got this surprise tidbit

There will be no Legacy format in 2010

Now, for those of you who are Legacy fans, I hope you’ll continue reading before you head on over to the forums and register your dislike of this announcement.

First, I want to go on record as saying Chris was mum on why that decision has already been made, so from here on in it’s conjecture, but I’ll try and relate all the implications of that.

First of all, it’s very nice for the CQ POTY race, because I was really agonizing what to do if post Urza’s Saga (April) the format suddenly split. Should we include Legacy? Do we stick with just Classic events? I was going to get feedback from the community to see if it was overwhelmingly in favour of including Legacy, but really I would have liked it to be just Classic – Legacy wouldn’t need this site’s help promoting it. Now that decision is made for me (or at least put off for a year)

Secondly, note that specifically we are talking about 2010. Not Legacy is never coming. Legacy is simply not coming this year…

Yeah… I put the 2 and 2 together then as well.

So here we have WoTC moving back Master’s Edition 4 to a slot that occurs right at the end of 2010, and then stating that there will be no Legacy online in 2010. What could possibly be in Master’s Edition 4 that makes it so important to move into the holiday slot that also pushes the decision to move out a Legacy split from the same time frame? Hmmmmmm….

Ever since the first time WoTC mentioned the Legacy split, I’ve gone on record as saying that while when Saga is out the two formats would be significantly different in terms of power level, that the perception that they are different doesn’t necessarily also equate in the same time frame. In fact, in the thread on the topic on the long gone WoTC forums, after having made the point in chat with Worth, I made a point of indicating each and every time someone made the same distinction – Legacy = no P9, Vintage = P9. Yeah, Oath and Yawgmoth’s Will and Tolarian Academy (and now Bazaar of Baghdad and Mana Drain) make for a much different format, but ask 100 Magic players which cards are in Vintage that aren’t in Legacy and you get 100 people giving you the same answer – the Power 9.

To lend credence to my theory, several of the Challenge members were at the table earlier in the night when a WoTC member (it was either Alexis or Lee Sharpe) asked “How would you release the P9 online – would you make them mythic?” It was almost comical the way the 4 other members at the table looked at me and I think either Hammy or Spike actually just pointed right at me. I think by now, I’ve made my point on that matter – restricted cards should be mythic.

Now also add in that our Zendikar packs were tresureless. No a big hint, really, since online has recently released most of the stuff that were treasures, but still, it’s just a small hint.

Hey, I’ve been wrong before (ask me sometime how much I thought ME2 duals would be worth), but I’m having trouble coming to other conclusions. Again – it’s all just a puzzle to which we have only a couple of pieces, but sometimes a couple of pieces are all you need to get an idea of the big picture.