As you can tell, Wizards don't care. It has been the same for EDH/Commander since fans invented the format. At first Wizards would not support the format, because it did not help sell packs of new cards. They gradually and, I feel, reluctantly tried to add formats that made standard cards, relevant. Pioneer, planechase etc. But, these formats never had the success of Commander.
Nowadays, Wizards has taken to promoting the format by finding it a lucrative way to sell reprints. Both Modern and EDH feed the reprint market. They also release pre-constructed commander decks that have success where their previous pre-contructs failed.
With that being said, you would think that Arena would have been a great environment for EDH. Instead though it allowed the format in Historic Brawl. True to form this is limited in the fact that it is single player only and not ranked.
Being a singleton and single player format players build decks that win, no matter what. Negating the fun aspect of building a deck of cards that you just like and want to experiment with. Most times, when you spend hours building a fun tribal or inventive deck, you face an OP infinite combo/ramp deck that kicks your butt before you can even see if your deck works.
Combine this with the fact that most out of control EDH decks usually have at least a couple of other players help balance the playing field. Along with players that quit when they don't get the ideal starting hand. Despite having a free mulligan!!!
Anyway. As someone that loves the game and has been playing since 1994, I am never astounded by how WOTC consistently manages to upset its base. The players that keep them making money. If we want to play, we have to suck it up. End of.
So, much like with the paper version, I go through periods where I play Arena a lot and then stop for many months. When I begin to miss the creativeness and fun side of magic I go back to playing a lot. After a spell of playing against annoying decks. I stop. Rinse and repeat.
MTGO has multi player commander. But, the software is stuck in 1995. Shame. If it looked and felt like Arena, it would be much more popular. Perhaps that's why it doesn't.
VVarlock#59667
As you can tell, Wizards don't care. It has been the same for EDH/Commander since fans invented the format. At first Wizards would not support the format, because it did not help sell packs of new cards. They gradually and, I feel, reluctantly tried to add formats that made standard cards, relevant. Pioneer, planechase etc. But, these formats never had the success of Commander.
Nowadays, Wizards has taken to promoting the format by finding it a lucrative way to sell reprints. Both Modern and EDH feed the reprint market. They also release pre-constructed commander decks that have success where their previous pre-contructs failed.
With that being said, you would think that Arena would have been a great environment for EDH. Instead though it allowed the format in Historic Brawl. True to form this is limited in the fact that it is single player only and not ranked.
Being a singleton and single player format players build decks that win, no matter what. Negating the fun aspect of building a deck of cards that you just like and want to experiment with. Most times, when you spend hours building a fun tribal or inventive deck, you face an OP infinite combo/ramp deck that kicks your butt before you can even see if your deck works.
Combine this with the fact that most out of control EDH decks usually have at least a couple of other players help balance the playing field. Along with players that quit when they don't get the ideal starting hand. Despite having a free mulligan!!!
Anyway. As someone that loves the game and has been playing since 1994, I am never astounded by how WOTC consistently manages to upset its base. The players that keep them making money. If we want to play, we have to suck it up. End of.
So, much like with the paper version, I go through periods where I play Arena a lot and then stop for many months. When I begin to miss the creativeness and fun side of magic I go back to playing a lot. After a spell of playing against annoying decks. I stop. Rinse and repeat.
MTGO has multi player commander. But, the software is stuck in 1995. Shame. If it looked and felt like Arena, it would be much more popular. Perhaps that's why it doesn't.
End of rant.