How Does the Head Designer for Magic: The Gathering Do His Job?

This week we go back to Wizards of the Coast to talk to Mark Rosewater, the head designer for Magic: The Gathering.
Last week, Alison told Jordan all about creating the stories behind Magic cards. And it’s the job of Mark and his team to come up with the mechanics of those  cards. Mark explains how, once he and his team come up with the creative concept for a particular Magic set, there are a lot of other things to think about. They have to figure out not only how that deck works on its own, but also how it fits into a game that already has tens of thousands of cards already out there -- not to mention all the various ways the massive fanbase can play with those cards. The calculations are so complex, they even have a full-time economist on staff.
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This week we go back to Wizards of the Coast to talk to Mark Rosewater, the head designer for Magic: The Gathering.

Last week, Alison told Jordan all about creating the stories behind Magic cards. And it’s the job of Mark and his team to come up with the mechanics of those  cards. Mark explains how, once he and his team come up with the creative concept for a particular Magic set, there are a lot of other things to think about. They have to figure out not only how that deck works on its own, but also how it fits into a game that already has tens of thousands of cards already out there -- not to mention all the various ways the massive fanbase can play with those cards. The calculations are so complex, they even have a full-time economist on staff.

Email us: [email protected]

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices