Complete deck customization is what makes collectable card games so personal and fun. Every deck is different and can be suited to the style of play the owner is comfortable with. It’s one of the reasons why Magic the Gathering has had such a long and legendary life. When Wizards of the Coast released Magic: the Gathering – Duels of the Planeswalkers back in 2009–as well as its updated 2012 edition–it felt like something was missing. While the player was provided with decks by progressing in the campaign not much could be done to make that deck feel different and special from person to person. Cards earned could be substituted while not compromising the theme of a given deck, yet full deck building has not yet been a part of the Duels series. That is not set to change anytime soon, either.


While at PAX East on Friday, John Laster spoke with Wizards Brand Manager, Paul Levy, about the possibility of giving players the reins on deck building in future Duels of the Planeswalkers installments. Paul stated to us that Duels is all about creating something anyone can pick up and play. There are other, better, settings for those who enjoy Magic such as local hobby shops or even Wizards’ own website that cater to players wanting a fully customizable experience.

For the foreseeable future, it sounds like Wizards intends Duels of the Planeswalkers to be the low barrier of entry solution to get fans into the world of Magic the Gathering. We were told that the recently announced Magic the Gathering Duels of the Planeswalkers 2013 would focus on adding a new mode and new decks.

Check out more awesome XBLA game previews and impressions from PAX East 2012!