Recently, Wizards of the Coast quietly updated their Magic: The Gathering Commander ban list. Unlike the recent update to their Modern ban list, this change has lead to passionate outrage within the Magic: The Gathering community due to depleting cards of hundreds of dollars in value.
The Magic: The Gathering Commander Ban List Controversy
The Magic: The Gathering Commander Ban List update was made public via social media post on X (formerly Twitter) by The Command Cast's director, Josh Lee Kwai.
The post stated that the Commander Rules Committee banned Mana Crypt, Jeweled Lotus, Dockside Extortionist, and Nadu, Winged Wisdom from Commander format. The post ends with a poll on whether or not this was a good thing.
This is important because the cards mentioned don't just see heavy use in competitive Commander format; they are pricey as well. TCGPlayer's own Cassie LaBelle illustrates the drop in value. One example is Dockside Extortionist, worth as much as $160, potentially losing up to 90% of its value due to not seeing much play outside of Commander.
The result of this Magic: The Gathering Commander ban list update has been passionate outrage by the community. Several change.org petitions have been circulating requesting a reversal of the ban (at 4,676 signatures), and firing the Commander Rules Committee (1,144 signatures).
In response to this outrage, the Commander Rules Committee posted an FAQ document in a gesture of transparency. In the document, the committee strikes down accusations of insider trading, stating it holds a zero-tolerance policy of abusing knowledge of potential game changes.
They also reiterate the ban had more to do with the cards' functions in the current meta than their financial worth.
The committee also committed to the ban list change. Stating if they backpedaled now, it would only exacerbate the financial concerns. In addition, they believe the update will be better for Magic's competitive scene in the long-term.
Lastly, the committee admits that such a drastic change with no forewarning was a mistake. As of right now, they are discussing "warming up" the community to potential bans in the future.
