Taken from a post in the HIGH END buy/sale/trade group on Facebook (link provided by my research):
WotC has announced that WPN stores are NOT allowed to run proxy events. The implicit threat is the removal or limitation of WPN status for those stores.
The implications of this is that eternal formats like Vintage are severely threatened by a lack of 15-proxy non sanctioned tournaments.
http://wizardsmagic.tumblr.com/post/137189233486/regarding-proxies
Kinda stupid because now it's even easier to throw salt at an lgs
From a business standpoint I can almost make sense of this.
Most 15-proxy events will be run in Legacy or Vintage, where WotC isn't missing out on sales (all the proxies would have been acquired on the secondary market).
However, it does set the tone that if a card is expensive enough, it's ok to proxy. (Origins Jace / BFZ Gideon anyone). Thus, it could cascade into people proxying cards that are still available through Wizards, which would affect them directly.
With standard moving to more mythics/deck played, I can wrap my head around the move.
And it doesn't stop it. The TO just needs to be an outsider. The shop still can be the locale of a casual tourney.
Quote from: Kaylesh on January 13, 2016, 04:02:53 AM
With standard moving to more mythics/deck played, I can wrap my head around the move.
What?
Standard has had a healthy amount of mythics in it always
This move is simply going to penalize stores that have demand for vintage. It penalizes people who want to play in person vintage. A store now cannot even run a casual event without potentially risking themselves to losing access to wizards VIP list.
And I think it will only make shops more vulnerable to random trolls filing false complaints. My lgs lost its gpts, modern masters direct orders and many other benefits like fnm promos due to a former employee filing a false claim against the store.
These types of restrictions that pop up that don't really affect wizards pocket end up penalizing the lgs the most
Quote from: MuggyWuggy on January 13, 2016, 04:44:36 AM
Standard has had a healthy amount of mythics in it always
Not too long ago I saw an article on the state of standard which addressed the playability of mythics in standard. Since mythics where introduced, they've become more and more tournament staples, increasing both the price of standard decks. Since more packs need to be cracked to meet the singles demand, Wizards directly profits there.
I agree though, most of the actual proxying doesn't hurt Wizards. In fact, it could even attract new players, seeing powerful cards in action does more for appeal then a match of random pauper.
All I'm saying I could see (Hasbro) wanting to protect themselves and making a stand towards (counterfeiting) (as they call it).
Especially with the recent DQ in an event involving actual counterfeit cards and the turmoil that accompanied it. That showed morals about using counterfeits which would trouble me as TM-holder.
They aren't cracking down on proxies. They just don't want stores making money off of players playing with proxies.
According to the article that was just posted today, the email that started this whole debacle was sent because the store in question had a suspiciously large prize pool for its unsanctioned proxy tournament. Somewhere along the line, someone got the idea that they didn't want proxies in WPN stores, period, and it blew up.
Nothing has really changed. It was primarily a big misunderstanding.
Which means lack of vintage and some places legacy (most places allow 5 cards for proxy with eternal formats)
Quote from: Taysby on January 14, 2016, 07:00:20 PM
Only problem is under this ruling, you can't use proxies to even try a new deck inside of a certified store. They could get priveledges revoked for that
Their press release today stated that it only applies to sanctioned tournaments. They give no shits about what you playtest with.
Here is today's clarifying article, for reference.
http://magic.wizards.com/en/articles/archive/news/proxies-policy-and-communication-2016-01-14
Quote from: Taysby on January 14, 2016, 07:00:20 PM
Only problem is under this ruling, you can't use proxies to even try a new deck inside of a certified store. They could get priveledges revoked for that
No, that was a bunch of people deliberately misinterpreting things to paint this in the worst light possible.
They've specifically said that's not the case in multiple venues.
Quote from: griffin131 on January 14, 2016, 08:33:20 PM
Quote from: Taysby on January 14, 2016, 07:00:20 PM
Only problem is under this ruling, you can't use proxies to even try a new deck inside of a certified store. They could get priveledges revoked for that
No, that was a bunch of people deliberately misinterpreting things to paint this in the worst light possible.
They've specifically said that's not the case in multiple venues.
I woudnt say that it's only a bunch of people painting it "in the worst way possible." In the article it even says that their reps were giving different answers.
The original post by a wotc employee did say they didn't want anyone using proxies for any reason in a certified store, even if it's just a basic land with sharpie writing on it... So it wasn't just people's interpretation or people trying to see it in the worst way. What started this was pretty clear. They back pedaled a whole lot today with the updates press release.
Quote from: Falcon182 on January 14, 2016, 11:19:54 PM
The original post by a wotc employee did say they didn't want anyone using proxies for any reason in a certified store, even if it's just a basic land with sharpie writing on it... So it wasn't just people's interpretation or people trying to see it in the worst way. What started this was pretty clear. They back pedaled a whole lot today with the updates press release.
This whole thing seems to have been a case of people reacting (even WotC officials) before consulting on an official standpoint.
Backlash of the fast social networks.
I think Wizards would benefit from instructing people on social networking as a Wizards employee.