Every iteration of the brand logo for the last 25 years has kept ties to it's heritage...until now.
Here is where they lose me because they seem to be describing the fact that they have lost themselves. They've ditched their core identity in an attempt to appeal to more cultures and more products rather than focusing on the game itself. I believe they are in danger of spreading themselves too thin and thus losing their ability to appeal to enfranchised players while not having enough of a unique characteristics to standout to new players.
This isn't about the logo for the sake of a logo, just as the article explains - it's about their direction as a brand. The logo does it's job perfectly. However, what it represents is not a move in a positive direction in my opinion. They have forsaken their heritage and frankly, that's really what this game has going for it more than anything. I believe that is why the return to Dominaria is so exciting for people.
I think you are afraid of something that isn't going to happen, but has been happening for years now. It's not like Magic is suddenly gonna turn its whole brand upside down in 2018 and turn into something else. It's more like the logo is finally catching up to a transformation it's been going through since, like, Mirrodin. Nothing about the game is actually going to be changing any more than it has been, so don't worry so much. Do you like what MTG embodies today, disregarding the logo? If you do, then you will probably continue to. The new logo is not signifying the start of a change, but more of a retrospective of how far it's already come.
I think you are afraid of something that isn't going to happen, but has been happening for years now. It's not like Magic is suddenly gonna turn its whole brand upside down in 2018 and turn into something else. It's more like the logo is finally catching up to a transformation it's been going through since, like, Mirrodin. Nothing about the game is actually going to be changing any more than it has been, so don't worry so much. Do you like what MTG embodies today, disregarding the logo? If you do, then you will probably continue to. The new logo is not signifying the start of a change, but more of a retrospective of how far it's already come.
You're right about that. If anything, this new logo is most emphatically not a change made "for the sake of change." Rather, it's an extremely logical next step in a chain of changes designed to keep Magic current, whether that be a new border, a new font, a shift in how story is told in this game, or the game's overall design philosophy.
This hits the nail on the head for me. This doesn't feel anything like MTG. They are folding to Hearthstone style in every way.
This comment was interesting to me, because I think it's the exact reverse of the truth. Hearthstone's style is all about being kind of goofy and not taking itself too seriously— here's a Murloc dressed as a gangster, there's the evil Lich King talking about dusting his legendary cards. I would love it if Magic folded to this style! It might mean they bought back Beebles and Foglio-style comedy art and all the stuff they took away because it wasn't serious enough for the brand. But this logo says to me that they're going to do the exact opposite, instead: let Hearthstone have the market that's into the silly stuff, and cater instead for the people who're into serious emo wizards having grim things continually happen to them. I guess that makes sense, although I can't help thinking Hearthstone's got the larger market there.
I wonder what Maro thinks of it all in private. It must be very frustrating to watch a brand team systematically purge the product you work for of stuff you're a passionate advocate of, then watch a rival product adopt your whole personal ethos and become massively successful. Maybe this is a secret aim of Unstable? Several people have said it's kind of Hearthstoney in style, and maybe it's a way for them to see if a modern audience actually really likes the game being full of squirrels and silly stuff.
I think you're right about the purpose of Unstable. It's not something that is foreign to MTG but it has been absent for a long time. Now, given the current playing field against something like Hearthstone and how similar the Unstable art feels to that game, I would be hard pressed to believe that it's a coincidence to release it now. That's a whole new topic though.
Try taking it a step further. What's on every single box of Magic regardless of the language?
Now if you look at the new logo, how does that apply?
Try Googling McDonald's in say... Russia. China. Japan. UAE is interesting.
How about FedEx? I didn't even know they had a logo until I saw it written out in a different language.
Coca-Cola has some very interesting ones. I guess the red can or bottle itself is the logo?
Up until I read your post, I think Magic: the gathering was the brand. Just like Google is the brand regardless of the country. But now, I think Hasbro wants to localize the brand. So it's not Magic the Gathering but the Planeswalker symbol and... whatever language MtG translates to.
I think you're right about this. I was going to make a similar point but the post was getting lengthy and figured I would wait until someone else brought it up. They are looking to consolidate their logo into a simple shape, something not reliant on text. That makes sense to me as a global brand like the companies that you referenced. They have been slowly making the Planeswalker image more and more prevalent for years which is the right way to do it.
I think you are afraid of something that isn't going to happen, but has been happening for years now. It's not like Magic is suddenly gonna turn its whole brand upside down in 2018 and turn into something else. It's more like the logo is finally catching up to a transformation it's been going through since, like, Mirrodin. Nothing about the game is actually going to be changing any more than it has been, so don't worry so much. Do you like what MTG embodies today, disregarding the logo? If you do, then you will probably continue to. The new logo is not signifying the start of a change, but more of a retrospective of how far it's already come.
It's entirely possible that I'm discussing something that will never happen. I don't think the sky is falling here. I'm just using this forum for it's purpose; to discuss my feelings of the changes that are occurring and what I think it means. I do agree that the logo is not the catalyst for a changing MTG landscape. It is simply a confirmation that the changes some players have been noticing have not been coincidental but have been an intentional shift. I'm not a huge fan of the story direction, the focus on planeswalkers, or the gameplay philosophy as a whole (massive emphasis on creatures) - but I do still love the game. In each set there are about 15 cards that I really enjoy - but for the most part I play with older cards because I liked the style better. So, the heritage and the nostalgia is an important part for me. It's something I personally would like to see have more emphasis placed on. Since they have basically described that they are forgoing that for the new - that bums me out. Again, I'm not up in arms while sitting at my computer screen but I am disappointed.
I think you are afraid of something that isn't going to happen, but has been happening for years now. It's not like Magic is suddenly gonna turn its whole brand upside down in 2018 and turn into something else. It's more like the logo is finally catching up to a transformation it's been going through since, like, Mirrodin. Nothing about the game is actually going to be changing any more than it has been, so don't worry so much. Do you like what MTG embodies today, disregarding the logo? If you do, then you will probably continue to. The new logo is not signifying the start of a change, but more of a retrospective of how far it's already come.
You're right about that. If anything, this new logo is most emphatically not a change made "for the sake of change." Rather, it's an extremely logical next step in a chain of changes designed to keep Magic current, whether that be a new border, a new font, a shift in how story is told in this game, or the game's overall design philosophy.
I'm not opposed to trying to stay current - but I firmly believe that something with a rich history needs to evolve in a way that continues to acknowledge that history. With Magic, that history is core to it's essence.
I don't know how many gear heads rummage through this forum. But, the analogy that I continue replaying in my head is that of Porsche. That company has evolved it's flagship vehicle, the 911, since 1964. However, it has continuously maintained styling cues all the way back - at the very, very least, the silhouette has remained consistent. When most people think of Porsche, they think of the 911 and the racing heritage. I think that the Magic: The Gathering Logo is to Magic as the 911 Silhouette is to Porsche. Perhaps, the MTG card back is their way of maintaining the heritage - but they don't really use that in their marketing...
Now, I fear I am starting to venture too far off topic.
TL:DR = Change is not unwelcome even if I don't agree with all of it. As many of you said, it has to evolve to stay relevant. But my fear is not the change itself but the diminished emphasis on the MTG history and what it means to players.
I'm indifferent really; I care more about what's printed on the front of the cards more lol. But if I had a choice I'd keep it same, for newer players but also just for nostalgic reasons.
The New York Islanders had the NY, hockey stick, puck, Long Island, and "Islanders" crammed in a circle logo for so many years, until they changed it into a fisherman in the late 90's.
Maybe with enough outrage, the logo will change back to the way it was. The Islanders Fisherman logo lasted only 2 years.
Maybe the MTG logo goes the way of the Buffalo Sabres logo. The original logo happened for roughly 25 years, before they both changed it. After 10 years with this logo, like the Sabres logo between 1996 to 2006, WOTC will change the logo again. The logo would be infamous, meme worthy, and the logo lasts 4 years, kind of like the Buffaslug. The logo will change back to the logo used from 1993 to 2017. For 8 years after MTG goes back the original logo, WOTC will have gone through a couple of wholesale changes, because MTG fans are tired of the game sucking, and the management at hasbro are tired of WOTC losing... all that money.
Agree with a lot of the comments above. Changing the font is a mistake. They could have kept the font and made a metallic finish looking logo. That might look pretty cool. It's not like the new font is completely awful, it's just bland, and doesn't really vibe with the flavor of the game IMHO.
I like it. Then again, I'm a creative director / designer and this is the kind of stuff I do for a living. It's funny though because these posts are exactly the reactions that happen every time a company rebrands. The more brand loyalty a company has, the louder the outcry from long-time fans. Someone posted that as soon as they read the thread title, "they knew they weren't going to like it". When I read the title I thought... "They aren't going to like it". LOL.
Here's the thing about rebrands though... Nearly 100% of brand loyalists are going to stay loyal through a simple rebrand like this as long as the company doesn't go off the rails. Things like making sure the card backs stay the same is a sure sign WOTC is still on track with their long-time customers, so you guys aren't the ones they have to appeal to with the new branding. You're going to continue to buy cards. The goal is to keep MTG relevant and bring in a new generation of money players.
I like it. Then again, I'm a creative director / designer and this is the kind of stuff I do for a living.
As a fellow designer, I can say that it's not without issues (balance is all over the place and the styling on that planeswalker logo is a little gaudy, though I am curious to see how it looks in print). I'm not against the idea of a rebrand, and I don't think every aspect of this logo is bad, but it's got some weird problems the old logo didn't have.
As long as the logo change does not turn the organization into a laughing stock.
Anyone remember the Islanders fisherman logo, or the Sabres Buffaslug? If you don't know about this, let me tell you one thing. The next logo they came up with was the one they used since their inception, just colored in a different shade of blue.
As long as the logo change does not turn the organization into a laughing stock.
Anyone remember the Islanders fisherman logo, or the Sabres Buffaslug? If you don't know about this, let me tell you one thing. The next logo they came up with was the one they used since their inception, just colored in a different shade of blue.
Yeah, I remember both of these. They were awful, but the difference here is that NHL (and other sports teams) release new stuff periodically to make more cash off logo changes, but keep (usually) their regular logos around. This is just...a little different. I see the Planeswalker symbol, I guess (it looks like a fork?) but that doesn't mean anything to me, as I don't like Planeswalkers. That aside...as long as they don't change card backs too much (if at all), I'll live with this.
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The "Crazy One", playing casual magic and occasionally dipping his toes into regular play since 1994.
Currently focusing on Pre-Modern (Mono-Black Discard Control) and Modern (Azorious Control, Temur Rhinos).
Find me at the Wizard's Tower in Ottawa every second Saturday afternoons.
Come Dominaria, we'll all forget about the whole logo thing because we're going back to Dominaria. And then inevitably a vocal minority will complain that it doesn't hit some specific nostalgic chord like Cumulative Upkeep or Storm. And I already know we'll have the usual bout of complaining about Jace and the Gatewatch, somebody will post their messed-up hope that "Jace/character-I-don't-like will die this set", somebody will say Magic/Wizards is over, etc.
And meanwhile I'll have fun looking at the new cards and mechanics.
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MTGS Wikia Article about "New World Order"
Every time I read a comment about "Well if this card had card draw/trample/haste/indestructible/hexproof/life gain...", I think "You're missing the point." They're armchair developer comments that fail to take into account the card's role in the greater Limited and Standard environment. No, it may not be as good as whatever card you're comparing it to. There's a reason for that. Not every burn spell is Lightning Bolt, nor does it need to be or should be.
PSA to everyone who keeps forgetting about the Reserved List:
You're on a website dedicated to talking about MtG. You're only a few keystrokes away from finding out what cards are on the Reserved List. You're also only a few keystrokes away from finding out why some cards on the Reserved List got foil printings in FtV, as Judge promos, or whatnot, as well as why that won't happen again. Stop doing this.
Whatever, I like the logo. I liked the 8th edition and M15 borders, too. The logo has needed an update for at least a decade. It's just stodgy and stuffy. I'm so sick of people making a big deal about things that just aren't, because if Dominaria, as a set, is a letdown, then the sky may truly be falling.
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Can you name all of the creature types with at least 20 cards? Try my Sporcle Quiz! Last Updated: 6/29/20 (Core Set 2021).
Pokemon's logo didn't change. Does that count for anything?
Well, in Japan, it was ポケット モンスター (Poketto Monsutaa, or Pocket Monsters) but had to change its name for the American localization for legal reasons. Later, the American name made its way back to Japan.
While we're here, if WOTC wants to attract the little kids play Pokémon, then no wonder they think this logo is a good idea: The six-year-old whose parents bought red or blue in 1998 is 25 or 26 today. And the game has grown up with them. (There are more adult jokes in later games. *cough*aromatherapy*cough*)
Anyway, I think the logo design looks stupid, and I don't know who they're trying to appeal to with it.
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Card advantage is not the same thing as card draw. Something for 2B cannot be strictly worse than something for BBB or 3BB. If you're taking out Swords to Plowshares for Plummet, you're a fool. Stop doing these things!
I feel the change in logo reflects the theme of the game feeling more sci-fi than high fantasy these days. Also jeez they are way too proud of that silly little afro comb symbol.
You're right about that. If anything, this new logo is most emphatically not a change made "for the sake of change." Rather, it's an extremely logical next step in a chain of changes designed to keep Magic current, whether that be a new border, a new font, a shift in how story is told in this game, or the game's overall design philosophy.
I think you're right about the purpose of Unstable. It's not something that is foreign to MTG but it has been absent for a long time. Now, given the current playing field against something like Hearthstone and how similar the Unstable art feels to that game, I would be hard pressed to believe that it's a coincidence to release it now. That's a whole new topic though.
I think you're right about this. I was going to make a similar point but the post was getting lengthy and figured I would wait until someone else brought it up. They are looking to consolidate their logo into a simple shape, something not reliant on text. That makes sense to me as a global brand like the companies that you referenced. They have been slowly making the Planeswalker image more and more prevalent for years which is the right way to do it.
It's entirely possible that I'm discussing something that will never happen. I don't think the sky is falling here. I'm just using this forum for it's purpose; to discuss my feelings of the changes that are occurring and what I think it means. I do agree that the logo is not the catalyst for a changing MTG landscape. It is simply a confirmation that the changes some players have been noticing have not been coincidental but have been an intentional shift. I'm not a huge fan of the story direction, the focus on planeswalkers, or the gameplay philosophy as a whole (massive emphasis on creatures) - but I do still love the game. In each set there are about 15 cards that I really enjoy - but for the most part I play with older cards because I liked the style better. So, the heritage and the nostalgia is an important part for me. It's something I personally would like to see have more emphasis placed on. Since they have basically described that they are forgoing that for the new - that bums me out. Again, I'm not up in arms while sitting at my computer screen but I am disappointed.
I'm not opposed to trying to stay current - but I firmly believe that something with a rich history needs to evolve in a way that continues to acknowledge that history. With Magic, that history is core to it's essence.
I don't know how many gear heads rummage through this forum. But, the analogy that I continue replaying in my head is that of Porsche. That company has evolved it's flagship vehicle, the 911, since 1964. However, it has continuously maintained styling cues all the way back - at the very, very least, the silhouette has remained consistent. When most people think of Porsche, they think of the 911 and the racing heritage. I think that the Magic: The Gathering Logo is to Magic as the 911 Silhouette is to Porsche. Perhaps, the MTG card back is their way of maintaining the heritage - but they don't really use that in their marketing...
Now, I fear I am starting to venture too far off topic.
TL:DR = Change is not unwelcome even if I don't agree with all of it. As many of you said, it has to evolve to stay relevant. But my fear is not the change itself but the diminished emphasis on the MTG history and what it means to players.
(W/U)(B/R)GForm of Progenitus, Shape of a Scrubland
BRGJund Tokens with Prossh, the Magic Dragon Foil
URGAnimar, the RUG CleanerFoil
RRRFeldon of the Third Path 2.0 Foil
BG(B/G)Not Another Meren DeckFoil
UR(U/R)Mizzix, Y Control and X Burn Spells
(W/U)(B/R)GHarold Ramos - The 35 Foot Long Twinkie (In +1/+1 counters)
UB(U/B)Dragonlord Silumgar
The New York Islanders had the NY, hockey stick, puck, Long Island, and "Islanders" crammed in a circle logo for so many years, until they changed it into a fisherman in the late 90's.
Maybe with enough outrage, the logo will change back to the way it was. The Islanders Fisherman logo lasted only 2 years.
Maybe the MTG logo goes the way of the Buffalo Sabres logo. The original logo happened for roughly 25 years, before they both changed it. After 10 years with this logo, like the Sabres logo between 1996 to 2006, WOTC will change the logo again. The logo would be infamous, meme worthy, and the logo lasts 4 years, kind of like the Buffaslug. The logo will change back to the logo used from 1993 to 2017. For 8 years after MTG goes back the original logo, WOTC will have gone through a couple of wholesale changes, because MTG fans are tired of the game sucking, and the management at hasbro are tired of WOTC losing... all that money.
Here's the thing about rebrands though... Nearly 100% of brand loyalists are going to stay loyal through a simple rebrand like this as long as the company doesn't go off the rails. Things like making sure the card backs stay the same is a sure sign WOTC is still on track with their long-time customers, so you guys aren't the ones they have to appeal to with the new branding. You're going to continue to buy cards. The goal is to keep MTG relevant and bring in a new generation of
moneyplayers.Anyone remember the Islanders fisherman logo, or the Sabres Buffaslug? If you don't know about this, let me tell you one thing. The next logo they came up with was the one they used since their inception, just colored in a different shade of blue.
Yeah, I remember both of these. They were awful, but the difference here is that NHL (and other sports teams) release new stuff periodically to make more cash off logo changes, but keep (usually) their regular logos around. This is just...a little different. I see the Planeswalker symbol, I guess (it looks like a fork?) but that doesn't mean anything to me, as I don't like Planeswalkers. That aside...as long as they don't change card backs too much (if at all), I'll live with this.
Currently focusing on Pre-Modern (Mono-Black Discard Control) and Modern (Azorious Control, Temur Rhinos).
Find me at the Wizard's Tower in Ottawa every second Saturday afternoons.
Soulless, which comes as no surprise. Desperate, likewise.
The timing could not be worse, either. Dominaria is their hope for redemption. Or was, we shall see.
Its like watching your 90 year old grandpa with dementia trying to do something ... its just sad.
WUBRG#BlackLotusMatterWUBRG
👮👮👮 #BlueLivesMatter 👮👮👮
Come Dominaria, we'll all forget about the whole logo thing because we're going back to Dominaria. And then inevitably a vocal minority will complain that it doesn't hit some specific nostalgic chord like Cumulative Upkeep or Storm. And I already know we'll have the usual bout of complaining about Jace and the Gatewatch, somebody will post their messed-up hope that "Jace/character-I-don't-like will die this set", somebody will say Magic/Wizards is over, etc.
And meanwhile I'll have fun looking at the new cards and mechanics.
Every time I read a comment about "Well if this card had card draw/trample/haste/indestructible/hexproof/life gain...", I think "You're missing the point." They're armchair developer comments that fail to take into account the card's role in the greater Limited and Standard environment. No, it may not be as good as whatever card you're comparing it to. There's a reason for that. Not every burn spell is Lightning Bolt, nor does it need to be or should be.
My 720 Peasant Cube
Well, in Japan, it was ポケット モンスター (Poketto Monsutaa, or Pocket Monsters) but had to change its name for the American localization for legal reasons. Later, the American name made its way back to Japan.
While we're here, if WOTC wants to attract the little kids play Pokémon, then no wonder they think this logo is a good idea: The six-year-old whose parents bought red or blue in 1998 is 25 or 26 today. And the game has grown up with them. (There are more adult jokes in later games. *cough*aromatherapy*cough*)
Anyway, I think the logo design looks stupid, and I don't know who they're trying to appeal to with it.
On phasing: