trifas asked:

I understand the playtest cards can't be considered real cards for many reasons (power level, rules consistency, etc...), but I like the fact that they have normal Magic backs, so I can put a Barry's Land in my Domain deck or a Maro's Gone Nuts in my Doubling Season for a casual game and have some fun!

I think people are misinterpreting my earlier post. It’s not that I don’t see the value or enjoyability in the playtest cards. I get why they’re fun. We had a lot of fun making them. I understand why many of you want to get your hands on them.

I’m voicing my worry as Head Designer. I take my stewardship of Magic very seriously. There’s a reason we spend so much time making a Magic set. Our goal is to make it the best game in the world. If someone came to me and said, “For the next set, we’re not going to spend our normal amount of time and energy on the set. We’re just going to throw something together.” I would fight that decision tooth and nail.

I’m just worried that in the guise of making something silly, we backed into doing the thing I would never have done straight up. That’s my concern. I don’t want to make Magic less, even accidentally.