Booster pack: Difference between revisions

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A '''booster pack''' is a sealed package of random ''[[Magic]]'' cards from a particular [[expansion]] set, designed to add to a player's collection.  
A '''booster pack''' is a sealed package of random ''[[Magic]]'' cards from a particular [[expansion]] set, designed to add to a player's collection.  


Starting with ''[[Throne of Eldraine]]'', regular boosters were rebranded as [[#Draft Boosters|Draft Boosters]], which formed a line up with [[#Theme Boosters|Theme Boosters]] and [[#Collector Boosters|Collector Boosters]].<ref name="Booster Fun">{{DailyRef|making-magic/project-booster-fun-2019-07-20|Project Booster Fun|[[Mark Rosewater]]|July 21, 2019}}</ref> A later addition were the [[#Set Boosters|Set Boosters]].<ref name="Set Booster">{{DailyRef|making-magic/set-boosters-2020-07-25|Set Boosters|[[Mark Rosewater]]|July 25, 2020}}</ref>
Starting with ''[[Throne of Eldraine]]'', regular boosters were rebranded as [[#Draft Boosters|draft boosters]], to distinguish them from [[#Theme Boosters|theme boosters]] and [[#Collector Boosters|collector boosters]].<ref name="Booster Fun">{{DailyRef|making-magic/project-booster-fun-2019-07-20|Project Booster Fun|[[Mark Rosewater]]|July 21, 2019}}</ref> [[#Set Boosters|Set boosters]] were introduced for [[Zendikar Rising|''Zendikar Rising'']].<ref name="Set Booster">{{DailyRef|making-magic/set-boosters-2020-07-25|Set Boosters|[[Mark Rosewater]]|July 25, 2020}}</ref>


==Draft Boosters==
==Draft Boosters==
{{Main|Draft Booster}}
{{Main|Draft Booster}}


Draft Booster is the modern name for the original booster product. They have a fixed distribution based on [[rarity]]. A regular booster pack nowadays contains sixteen cards: fifteen playing cards and a [[marketing card]] / [[token]].<ref>{{EzTumblr|https://markrosewater.tumblr.com/post/188135922378/a-long-time-ago-the-15th-card-slot-got-changed-to|title=A long time ago, the 15th card slot got changed to a basic land. Why did they do that?|October 04, 2019}}</ref><ref>{{EzTumblr|https://markrosewater.tumblr.com/post/188155573088/if-a-booster-pack-can-only-fit-sixteen-cards|title=what made the packaging for Modern Horizons special to allow the seventeenth card (the art card)?|October 05, 2019}}</ref>
Draft booster is the modern name for the original booster product. They have a fixed distribution based on [[rarity]]. A draft booster pack contains sixteen cards: fifteen ''Magic'' cards and a [[marketing card]] / [[token]].<ref>{{EzTumblr|https://markrosewater.tumblr.com/post/188135922378/a-long-time-ago-the-15th-card-slot-got-changed-to|title=A long time ago, the 15th card slot got changed to a basic land. Why did they do that?|October 04, 2019}}</ref><ref>{{EzTumblr|https://markrosewater.tumblr.com/post/188155573088/if-a-booster-pack-can-only-fit-sixteen-cards|title=what made the packaging for Modern Horizons special to allow the seventeenth card (the art card)?|October 05, 2019}}</ref> Of the fifteen ''Magic'' cards, one is a [[basic land]], ten are [[common]], three are [[uncommon]], and one is [[rare]] or [[mythic rare]].  There is also a chance for one of the common cards to be replaced by a [[Foil card|premium foil]] card of any rarity.  This results in a booster pack with one basic land, one foil card, nine common cards, three uncommon cards, and one rare or mythic rare card.


Of the fifteen playing cards, one is a [[Basic land|basic land]], ten are [[common]], three are [[uncommon]], and one is [[rare]] or [[mythic rare]].  
While most modern sets follow this distribution in draft boosters, some sets have unique requirements, such as having at least one [[double-faced card]] in every [[Innistrad]] pack, which skews the typical distribution of rarities and card types. Draft Boosters were [[obsolete]]d starting with ''[[Murders at Karlov Manor]]''.


There is also a chance for one of the common cards to be replaced by a [[Foil card|premium foil]] card of any rarity. This results in a booster pack with one basic land, one foil card, nine common cards, three uncommon cards, and one rare or mythic rare card. 
While most modern sets follow this breakdown in draft boosters, some sets may have unique pack requirements (like Innistrad including [[Double-faced card|double-faced cards]] in every pack) that can skew the typical distribution of rarities and card types. In addition, this breakdown has evolved over time, with older sets sometimes having different numbers of cards in their boosters.
==Targeted boosters==
==Targeted boosters==
Starting in 2018, [[Wizards of the Coast]] began to create special boosters targeted at special audiences.<ref>{{WebRef|url=https://wpn.wizards.com/en/article/how-sell-each-type-magic-booster|title=How to Sell Each Type of Magic Booster|author=[[WPN]]|date=May 24, 2021|publisher=[[Wizards Play Network]]}}</ref>
Starting in 2018, [[Wizards of the Coast]] began to create special boosters targeted at special audiences.<ref>{{WebRef|url=https://wpn.wizards.com/en/article/how-sell-each-type-magic-booster|title=How to Sell Each Type of Magic Booster|author=[[WPN]]|date=May 24, 2021|publisher=[[Wizards Play Network]]}}</ref>
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===Theme Boosters===
===Theme Boosters===
{{Main|Theme Booster}}
{{Main|Theme Booster}}
Theme Boosters contain 35 cards (a variable amount of commons and uncommons, and 1 rare or mythic rare) from a given [[color]] or theme. The MSRP is $6.99. These are targeted at [[deckbuilding]] players, providing a greater number of cards that could go straight into their deck. They also play up a set's [[flavor]] for those that might be interested in sampling a slice of a particular aspect of the world.
Theme boosters contained 35 cards (a variable amount of commons and uncommons, and 1 rare or mythic rare) from a given [[color]] or theme. The MSRP was $6.99. These are targeted at [[deckbuilding]] players, providing a greater number of cards that could go straight into their deck. They also play up a set's [[flavor]] for those that might be interested in sampling a slice of a particular aspect of the world. Theme Boosters were obsoleted starting with ''[[Dominaria United]]''.


===Collector Boosters===
===Collector Boosters===
{{Main|Collector Booster}}
{{Main|Collector Booster}}
Collector Boosters are targeted at [[collector]]s and sold for $12.99. Unlike Draft Boosters, which optimize the Draft experience with a lot of repetition and a huge number of commons, Collector Boosters are maximized for more diversity in content, with more [[rare]]s, [[foil]]s, [[extended art]], [[borderless]] [[planeswalker]]s and [[showcase]] cards.<ref name="Booster Fun"/>
Collector boosters were introduced for [[Core Set 2020|''Core Set 2020'']].  They are targeted at [[collector]]s and sold for $12.99. Unlike draft boosters, which optimize the draft experience with a lot of repetition and a huge number of commons, collector boosters are maximized for more diversity in content, with more [[rare]], [[foil]], [[extended art]], [[borderless]], and [[showcase]] cards.<ref name="Booster Fun" />


===Set Booster===
===Set Boosters===
{{Main|Set Booster}}
{{Main|Set Booster}}
Set Boosters were introduced for ''[[Zendikar Rising]]'' in 2020.<ref name="Set Booster"/> They are targeted to players that are not interested in [[Draft]] or [[Limited]], and sell for a slightly higher price than [[#Draft Boosters|Draft Boosters]]. Each pack comes with fourteen objects, twelve of which are ''Magic'' cards with a higher variety in rarities and unique treatments.
Set boosters were introduced for ''[[Zendikar Rising]]'' in 2020.<ref name="Set Booster" /> They are targeted to players who are not interested in [[draft]] or [[limited]] formats, and sell for a slightly higher price than draft boosters. Each pack comes with fourteen cards, twelve of which are ''Magic'' cards, with a higher variety in rarities and unique treatments. Set Boosters were [[obsolete]]d starting with ''[[Murders at Karlov Manor]]''.
 
===Jumpstart Boosters===
{{Main|Jumpstart Booster}}
Starting with ''[[Dominaria United]]'' in 2022, [[Jumpstart Booster|Jumpstart booster]]s replaced theme boosters for [[premier]] sets.<ref name="Sneak Peek">{{DailyRef|news/your-sneak-peek-double-masters-2022-dominaria-united-and-beyond-2022-05-12|Your Sneak Peek at ''Double Masters 2022'', ''Dominaria United'', and Beyond|[[Wizards of the Coast]]|May 12, 2022}}</ref> They were canceled for ''[[Wilds of Eldraine]]''.
 
===Play Boosters===
{{Main|Play Booster}}
[[Play Booster]]s were introduced for ''[[Murders at Karlov Manor]]'' in [[2024]] to replace both [[Draft booster]]s and [[Set booster]]s.<ref name="PB">{{DailyRef|making-magic/what-are-play-boosters|What are Play Boosters?|[[Mark Rosewater]]|October 18, 2023}}</ref><ref name="Discord Q&A">{{DailyRef|announcements/play-booster-discord-q-and-a|Play Booster Discord Q&A|[[Wizards of the Coast]]|October 20, 2023}}</ref> Going forward, they are the "foundation product" of every [[premier]] and [[Set#Tentpole sets|tentpole]] set.<ref name="PBQ&A">{{YouTubeRef|lYIKzRYT3OA|WeeklyMTG - Play Booster Q&A|creator=[[Blake Rasmussen]], [[Mark Rosewater]], [[Mike Turian]]|channel=Magic: The Gathering|date=October 18, 2023}}</ref> Play Boosters are designed to combine the characteristics of their predecessors; they are draftable per Draft Boosters while retaining the fun opening experience of finding surprise cards or [[card treatment]]s per Set Boosters.


==Non-regular boosters==
==Non-regular boosters==
===Six card boosters===
=== Six-card boosters===
[[File:CON Gravity feed.jpg|thumb|right|''Conflux'' Gravity Feed for 6-card boosters]]
[[File:CON Gravity feed.jpg|thumb|right|''Conflux'' Gravity Feed for 6-card boosters]]
''[[Conflux]]'' was the first set to be sold in six-card booster packs containing a [[rules card|tips]]/[[token]] card, one land, three commons, one uncommon, and one slot that had an equal chance of being rare/mythic, uncommon, or common. These packs were exclusively available from Gravity Feeds.<ref>{{DailyRef|arcana/gravity-feed-2009-02-05-0|The Gravity Feed|[[Magic Arcana]]|February 05, 2009}}</ref> These could be found at mass-market retailers like ''Target'' and ''Walmart''. 6-card boosters were available up until ''[[Magic 2014]]''. They were available in Japanese from ''2010 Core Set'' to ''New Phyrexia''. Spanish six card packs of ''[[Magic 2011]]'' and ''[[Magic 2012]]'' were added to the [[Salvat]]e Magazines.
Six-card booster packs contain a [[rules card|tips]]/[[token]] card, one land, three commons, one uncommon, and one slot with an equal chance of being rare/mythic, uncommon, or common. The packs were packaged in gravity feeds rather than booster boxes<ref>{{DailyRef|arcana/gravity-feed-2009-02-05-0|The Gravity Feed|[[Magic Arcana]]|February 05, 2009}}</ref> and could be found at mass-market retailers like ''Target'' and ''Walmart''. English six-card boosters were produced for ''[[Conflux]]'' through ''[[Magic 2014]]''. They were available in Japanese from [[Magic 2010|''Magic'' ''2010'']] to ''[[New Phyrexia]]''. Spanish six card packs of ''[[Magic 2011]]'' and ''[[Magic 2012]]'' were included with several [[Salvat]]e Magazines.


===Demogame boosters===
===Demogame boosters===
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===Sample Packs===
===Sample Packs===
Free ten-card Sample Packs were available for several [[starter-level]] sets and [[core set]]s. Six-card Sample Packs were given available for ''[[Duels of the Planeswalkers]]''-users.
Free ten-card sample packs were available for several [[starter-level]] sets and [[core set]]s. Six-card sample packs were also given to ''[[Duels of the Planeswalkers]]'' users.
{{Main|sample deck}}
{{Main|sample deck}}


===Seeded boosters===
===Seeded boosters===
A seeded booster is a special set of cards that are made available at some [[prerelease]]s.<ref>{{EzTumblr|http://markrosewater.tumblr.com/post/178389772608/can-you-explain-why-we-are-back-to-seeded-boosters|title=Can you explain why we are back to seeded boosters in pre-release?|September 23, 2018}}</ref> It consists of playable cards that help to create a coherent [[deck]], so that way more people (especially newer players) have a good time. There are limited combinations of cards that can appear in a seeded booster,
A seeded booster is a special set of cards made available at some [[prerelease]]s.<ref>{{EzTumblr|http://markrosewater.tumblr.com/post/178389772608/can-you-explain-why-we-are-back-to-seeded-boosters|title=Can you explain why we are back to seeded boosters in pre-release?|September 23, 2018}}</ref> It consists of playable cards that help to create a coherent [[deck]], so that way more people (especially newer players) have a good time. There are limited combinations of cards that can appear in a seeded booster,


===Standard Showdown prize boosters===
===Standard Showdown prize boosters===
Special promotional prize boosters were introduced in 2016 for the [[Standard Showdown]], containing three cards each. One is a [[premium]] card from a currently legal [[Standard]] set, including [[Masterpiece Series]], and two are non-premium cards that are either a rare or a mythic rare from a set currently legal in Standard.<ref>{{DailyRef|news/announcing-standard-showdown-2016-11-14|Announcing Standard Showdown|Wizards of the Coast|November 14, 2016}}</ref>
Special promotional prize boosters were introduced in 2016 for the [[Standard Showdown]], containing three cards each. One is a [[premium]] card from a currently legal [[Standard]] set, including [[Masterpiece Series|Masterpiece series]] cards, and two are non-premium cards that are either a rare or a mythic rare from a set currently legal in Standard.<ref>{{DailyRef|news/announcing-standard-showdown-2016-11-14|Announcing Standard Showdown|Wizards of the Coast|November 14, 2016}}</ref>


===Holiday Buy-a-Box Promotion===
===Holiday Buy-a-Box Promotion===
* ''[[Kaladesh]]'': as a holiday promotion, purchasers of a [[booster box]] received two bonus holiday packs.<ref>{{DailyRef|feature/magic-holiday-gift-guide-and-holiday-buy-box-promotion-2016-11-21|Magic Holiday Gift Guide and Holiday Buy-a-Box Promotion|[[Blake Rasmussen]]|November 21, 2016}}</ref> These boosters had the same content as the previously announced [[#Standard Showdown prize boosters|Standard Showdown prize boosters]] (for a total of two foil cards of any rarity—excluding [[double-faced card]]s—and four foil rares or mythic rares).
* ''[[Ixalan]]'': purchasers of a booster box received the Buy-a-Box [[Treasure Chest]] booster, containing two foil cards of any rarity from any Standard-legal set, four rare or mythic rare cards from Standard-legal sets, two foil basic lands, and one out of ten possible [[alternate art]], foil double-faced cards.<ref>{{DailyRef|news/black-friday-treasure-chest-promotion-2017-11-07|Black Friday Treasure Chest Promotion|[[Blake Rasmussen]]|November 7, 2017}}</ref>


===Twenty card boosters===
*''[[Kaladesh]]'': as a holiday promotion, purchasers of a [[booster box]] received two bonus holiday packs.<ref>{{DailyRef|feature/magic-holiday-gift-guide-and-holiday-buy-box-promotion-2016-11-21|Magic Holiday Gift Guide and Holiday Buy-a-Box Promotion|[[Blake Rasmussen]]|November 21, 2016}}</ref> These boosters had the same content as the previously announced [[#Standard Showdown prize boosters|Standard Showdown prize boosters]].
The [[draft booster]]s of ''[[Commander Legends]]'' contain 20 ''Magic'' cards (and a [[marketing card]]).
*''[[Ixalan]]'': purchasers of a booster box received a [[Buy-a-Box]] Treasure Chest booster, containing two foil cards of any rarity from any Standard-legal set, four rare or mythic rare cards from Standard-legal sets, two foil basic lands, and one out of ten possible [[alternate art]], foil [[Double-faced card|double-faced]] cards.<ref>{{DailyRef|news/black-friday-treasure-chest-promotion-2017-11-07|Black Friday Treasure Chest Promotion|[[Blake Rasmussen]]|November 7, 2017}}</ref>
 
===Twenty-card boosters===
''[[Commander Legends]]'' draft boosters and ''[[Jumpstart]]'' boosters contain 20 ''Magic'' cards.  ''Commander Legends'' boosters also include an additional marketing card.
 
===Prerelease boosters===
Boosters containing one random [[prerelease card]].
 
===Epilogue boosters===
''[[March of the Machine: The Aftermath]]'' boosters were marketed as "epilogue boosters", said to be "lore-packed boosters that continue the story in between sets". Each 5-card epilogue booster contained 1 to 3 cards of rarity rare or higher, and the remainder were uncommon. 1 or 2 of the cards were traditional foil, and one was in the set's showcase frame.<ref>{{WebRef|url=https://wpn.wizards.com/en/products/march-of-the-machine-the-aftermath|title=March of the Machine: The Aftermath: Epilogue Booster|author=[[Wizards of the Coast]]|date=December 13, 2022|publisher=[[Magic.gg]]}}</ref>  These boosters were not designed to be used for drafting.<ref>{{WebRef|url=https://wpn.wizards.com/en/news/dates-and-details-for-march-of-the-machine|title=Dates & Details for March of the Machine|author=[[WPN]]|date=February 20, 2023|publisher=[[Wizards Play Network]]}}</ref>
 
The release of ''March of the Machine: The Aftermath'' was met with an extremely negative reception and epilogue boosters were heavily criticized for their small size and price point.<ref>{{WebRef|url=https://www.cbr.com/mtg-march-of-the-machine-the-aftermath-duplicate-uncommons/|title=Duplicate MTG Cards Ruined March of the Machine: The Aftermath|author=Louis Kemner|publisher=CBR|date=May 16, 2023}}</ref><ref>{{WebRef|url=https://www.dicebreaker.com/games/magic-the-gathering-game/news/dont-expect-another-mtg-march-of-the-machine-aftermath-says-mark-rosewater|title=Don’t expect another MTG set like March of the Machine: Aftermath anytime soon, lead designer suggests|author=Matt Jarvis|publisher=Dicebreaker|date=October 13, 2023}}</ref> The poor reception caused Wizards to cancel an already designed epilogue set for ''[[Outlaws of Thunder Junction]]'' and restructure the way [[Beyond Booster]]s were designed for ''[[Universes Beyond]]: [[Assassin's Creed]]''.<ref name="MATretrospective">{{YouTubeRef|LdQvmxffjX4|Epilogue on Epilogue|creator=[[Blake Rasmussen]], [[Max McCall]], [[Zakeel Gordon]]|channel=Magic: The Gathering|date=February 13, 2024}}</ref> Future micro-set releases with epilogue boosters are highly unlikely.<ref>{{EzTumblr|https://markrosewater.tumblr.com/post/741831401351102464|title=Hated? Not just disliked, but hated? Should we assume that means mini-sets like Aftermath are unlikely in the future?|February 9, 2024}}</ref>
 
===Beyond boosters===
{{main|Beyond Booster}}
Beyond boosters are a unique booster pack for [[Universes Beyond]] products introduced for ''[[Universes_Beyond#List_of_featured_brands|Universes Beyond: Assassin's Creed]]''.<ref>{{YouTubeRef|5wlBofOnmg4|Magic: The Gathering 30th Anniversary Panel at GenCon – A Recap of MTG's Past, Present & Future|channel=Magic: The Gathering|creator=Jess Lanzillo, Chris Kiritz, Athena Froehlich & [[Mark Rosewater]]|date=August 5, 2023}}</ref> Similar to Set and Collector boosters, Beyond boosters are not designed to be used for drafting.


==Packaging==
==Packaging==
===Wrapper===
===Wrapper===
====Plastic====
====Plastic====
The first booster packs had a fairly simple plastic packaging, where the sets only were differentiated by color. Core sets were brown, ''Arabian Nights'' was purple, ''Antiquities'' was silver-grey, and so on. A problem was that this early packaging was slightly transparent.
The first booster packs had fairly simple plastic wrappers, primarily differentiated by color. Core set packs were brown, ''[[Arabian Nights]]'' were purple, ''Antiquities'' were silver-grey, and so on. This early packaging was slightly transparent, making it possible to see what cards were in a pack without opening it.  The top and bottom of each wrapper is sealed with heat, a process called "crimping".  In the process of sealing boosters closed, cards can get caught in the heat press and accidentally get [[crimp]]ed.


====Metal foil====
====Metal foil====
Nowadays, booster packs are sealed with silver foil wrapping to keep all of the cards neatly in place. ''[[Fourth Edition]]'' was the first core set, and ''[[Ice Age]]'' the first expansion, with packs made of foil flow wrap and the first with artwork on the wrappers.  
Beginning with ''[[Fourth Edition]]'', booster pack wrappers have been made of opaque foiled plastic, which prevents the contents from being viewed without opening them.  


The foil, a mixture of metal and plastic, is sealed off with heat, a process called "crimping". In the process of sealing boosters closed, cards can get caught in the heat press and accidentally get [[crimp]]ed, as well.  
==== Origin ====
Quality may differ by origin.  Boosters with vertical crimps to seal the pack are made in the US or Belgium. Boosters with a grid pattern seal are made in Japan. Japanese packs tend to be looser and have more of the booster wrapper.  The order of rares, uncommons, commons may be different.  The cards themselves also have differences in things like [[card stock]], feel, and color saturation.


====Paper====
====Paper====
With ''[[Modern Masters 2015]]'' WotC experimented with recyclable paperboard booster wrappers.<ref>{{DailyRef|arcana/recyclable-modern-masters-packaging-2015-02-24|Recyclable Modern Masters Packaging|[[Blake Rasmussen]]|February 24, 2015}}</ref> Soon rumors abounded about the ease with which these new cardboard packs could be repacked.<ref>{{DailyRef|news/modern-masters-packaging-concerns-2015-05-21|''Modern Masters'' Packaging Concerns|Wizards of the Coast|May 21, 2015}}</ref> Also, the cards had room to move and could be damaged during transport. [[Mark Rosewater]] later admitted that some challenges had to be solved, before the experiment would be repeated.<ref>{{EzTumblr|http://markrosewater.tumblr.com/post/146053494303/was-there-results-posted-from-the-experimental|title=Was there results posted from the experimental change in Booster Packaging with Modern Masters 2?|June 17, 2016}}</ref>
[[File:Paper Booster.jpg|thumb|right|See through paper booster]]
WotC experimented with recyclable paperboard booster wrappers for ''[[Modern Masters 2015]]'' .<ref>{{DailyRef|arcana/recyclable-modern-masters-packaging-2015-02-24|Recyclable Modern Masters Packaging|[[Blake Rasmussen]]|February 24, 2015}}</ref> Soon rumors abounded about the ease with which these new cardboard packs could be repacked.<ref>{{DailyRef|news/modern-masters-packaging-concerns-2015-05-21|''Modern Masters'' Packaging Concerns|Wizards of the Coast|May 21, 2015}}</ref> The cards could also move around more and be damaged during transport. [[Mark Rosewater]] stated afterwards that some challenges had to be solved before the experiment would be repeated.<ref>{{EzTumblr|http://markrosewater.tumblr.com/post/146053494303/was-there-results-posted-from-the-experimental|title=Was there results posted from the experimental change in Booster Packaging with Modern Masters 2?|June 17, 2016}}</ref>


In August 2019, [[Hasbro]] announced that it would begin phasing out plastic from new product packaging starting in 2020.<ref>{{WebRef|url=https://www.marketwatch.com/story/hasbro-removing-plastic-from-toy-and-game-packaging-2019-08-20?mod=newsviewer_click_seemore|title=Hasbro removing plastic from toy and game packaging|author=Tonya Garcia|date=August 19, 2019|publisher=Marketwatch.com}}</ref> This will include shrink wrap, window sheets, and more.<ref>{{DailyRef|feature/check-out-new-packaging-commander-2021-edition-and-beyond-2021-04-08|Check Out The New Packaging for Commander (2021 Edition) and Beyond|[[Adam Styborski]]|April 8, 2021}}</ref>   Virtually all plastic packaging will be eliminated by the end of 2022.
In August 2019, [[Hasbro]] announced that it would begin phasing out plastic from new product packaging starting in 2020.<ref>{{WebRef|url=https://www.marketwatch.com/story/hasbro-removing-plastic-from-toy-and-game-packaging-2019-08-20?mod=newsviewer_click_seemore|title=Hasbro removing plastic from toy and game packaging|author=Tonya Garcia|date=August 19, 2019|publisher=Marketwatch.com}}</ref> This included shrink wrap, window sheets, and more.<ref>{{DailyRef|feature/check-out-new-packaging-commander-2021-edition-and-beyond-2021-04-08|Check Out The New Packaging for Commander (2021 Edition) and Beyond|[[Adam Styborski]]|April 8, 2021}}</ref> Virtually all plastic packaging was to be be eliminated by the end of 2022. Paper booster packs were to be revisited.<ref>{{YouTubeRef|tEDQFM0BD9U|Sustainable MTG Packaging & Something New in Secret Lair!|channel=[[Good Morning Magic]]|date=November 24, 2021}}</ref><ref>{{WebRef|url=https://www.goodlookgamer.com/blog/magic-the-gathering-to-get-new-packaging-for-boosters/|title=Magic: The Gathering to get cardboard packaging for boosters, starting with Unfinity?|author=Admin|date=December 7, 2021|publisher=Goodlookgamer.com}}</ref>


===Marketing symbols===
The first waxed (or possibly [[Wikipedia:Glassine|glassine]]) see-through paper packaging appeared in late 2022 on [[bundle]]s and [[Secret Lair]]s.<ref>{{WebRef|url=https://www.reddit.com/r/magicTCG/comments/109aki4/new_paper_packaging_for_secret_lairs/|title=New paper packaging for Secret Lairs|author=Payton IV|date=January 11, 2023|publisher=Coolstuffinc.com}}</ref>
The packaging features several markings and symbols.<ref>{{DailyRef|arcana/ask-wizards-shards-rss-and-mysterious-symbols-2008-11-25|Ask Wizards: Shards, RSS and Mysterious Symbols|[[Wizards of the Coast]]|November 25, 2008}}</ref>  The CE Mark, together with the name and address of the first supplier, is required by law to appear on all toys placed on the market in the European Union on and after January 1990. The Lion Mark was developed in 1988 by the British Toy & Hobby Association as a symbol of toy safety and quality for the consumer. The Green Dot is an internationally recognized symbol that shows a company’s commitment to environmental protection.  
 
===Markings and symbols===
The packaging features several markings and symbols.<ref>{{DailyRef|arcana/ask-wizards-shards-rss-and-mysterious-symbols-2008-11-25|Ask Wizards: Shards, RSS and Mysterious Symbols|[[Wizards of the Coast]]|November 25, 2008}}</ref>  The CE mark, together with the name and address of the first supplier, is required by law to appear on all toys placed on the market in the European Union on and after January 1990. The Lion Mark was developed in 1988 by the British Toy & Hobby Association as a symbol of toy safety and quality for the consumer. The Green Dot is an internationally recognized symbol that shows a company’s commitment to environmental protection.


===Booster box===
===Booster box===
A '''booster pack box''' (or simply “'''booster box'''”) nowadays consists of 36 (12×3) booster packs, with the exception of sets like ''[[Conspiracy]]'' and [[Masters series|''Masters'' series]], whose booster boxes consist of 24 (8×3) booster packs. Earlier sets had different sizes for booster boxes, depending on the size of the booster packs. This wasn't very efficient in view of production costs. Each booster box can be flipped open to advertise the set with an appropriate piece of art.
A '''booster pack box''', '''booster display''', or simply '''booster box''', contains 36 booster packs for most sets.  Exceptions include supplemental sets like [[Conspiracy]], [[Jumpstart]], [[March of the Machine: The Aftermath|Epilogue]]'','' and [[Masters series|Masters]] sets, which contain 24 packs. Booster boxes of several early expansion sets contain more packs, but have fewer cards per pack. The top of each booster box can be flipped open and tucked in behind the packs to advertise the set with an appropriate piece of art.


[[Collector booster]]s are packaged 12 to a box.
[[Set Booster|Set booster]] boxes have 30 packs.
 
[[Collector booster]] boxes have 12 packs.


===Booster case===
===Booster case===
A '''booster case''' nowadays consists of 6 booster boxes or 216 booster packs. Local game stores usually buy new sets by case.
A draft '''booster case''' consists of 6 booster boxes, or a total of 216 booster packs. Local game stores usually buy booster boxes of new sets by the case.  The number of boxes and total number of boosters for non-draft booster products varies.


===Blister packs===  
===Blister packs===  
From the [[Time Spiral block]] on, Booster packs could be sold in blister packs. A blister pack is putting plastic and a cardboard backing around the booster pack, this is somewhat of a theft-deterrent and adds the possibility of hanging the boosters on pegs (usually found in mass-market venues like Wall Mart, Target, etc.). This kind of packing can add cost to the booster pack. Blister packs can hold one, two, or three booster packs.
From the [[Time Spiral block]] until ''[[Magic 2013]]'', blister packs containing one to three booster packs were available, primarily in large retail stores. A blister pack is a plastic front and a cardboard backing used to hold the boosters and allow the unit to be hung on store pegs.  It also provides somewhat of a theft-deterrent as it is larger than an individual booster pack. This kind of packing adds cost and increased packaging waste.


===Booster sleeves===
===Booster sleeves===
Starting with ''[[Magic 2013]]'', the blister packs were replaced with cardboard ''booster sleeves''.<ref>{{DailyRef|arcana/more-magic-2013-packaging-2012-06-28|More ''Magic 2013'' Packaging|[[Monty Ashley]]|June 28, 2012}}</ref> and about printing and collation issues.<ref>{{DailyRef|news/modern-masters-2015-edition-booster-packs-2015-05-26|Concerns with ''Modern Masters 2015 Edition'' Booster Packs|Wizards of the Coast|May 26, 2015 }}</ref> The sleeve is a cardboard overwrap around a regular booster in a normal foil wrapper. It's just a bigger package to make those items just a little harder to steal from big-box retailers. A Booster Sleeve display may contain 12 or 48 packs.
Starting with ''Magic 2013'', blister packs were replaced with cardboard ''booster sleeves''.<ref>{{DailyRef|arcana/more-magic-2013-packaging-2012-06-28|More ''Magic 2013'' Packaging|[[Monty Ashley]]|June 28, 2012}}</ref> The sleeve is a cardboard overwrap around a regular booster pack. The bigger package makes the packs a little harder to steal, while reducing the plastic content. Booster sleeves were distributed in display boxes containing 12 or 48 booster-sleeved packs.


===Draft packs===
===Draft packs===
''[[Conspiracy: Take the Crown]]'' introduced '''Draft Packs''' for sale in North American mass-market stores. These Draft Pack featured three boosters in a blister pack.<ref>{{DailyRef|news/announcement-day-2016-05-16|Announcement Day|Wizards of the Coast|May 16, 2016 }}</ref> For ''[[Time Spiral Remastered]]'' and later sets the three boosters are contained in a paper packaging.
''[[Conspiracy: Take the Crown]]'' introduced '''draft packs''' for sale in North American mass-market stores. These draft packs feature three boosters in a blister pack.<ref>{{DailyRef|news/announcement-day-2016-05-16|Announcement Day|Wizards of the Coast|May 16, 2016 }}</ref> ''[[Time Spiral Remastered]]'' and subsequent draft packs are packaged in booster sleeves instead of blister packs.


===Unique packages===
===Unique packages===
*For the [[Ravnica block]], a "perfect for draft" piece was sold. This included one booster of ''[[Ravnica: City of Guilds|Ravnica]]'', ''[[Dissension]]'', and ''[[Guildpact]]'' each, and a [[spindown life counter]]. Retail price: US$11.99
 
* The ''Alara'' Premium Foil Booster pack contained fifteen foil, black-bordered cards from ''[[Shards of Alara]]'', ''[[Conflux]]'', and ''[[Alara Reborn]]''. It was released on January 8, 2010 at an MSRP of US$11.99.<ref>{{DailyRef|arcana/all-foil-booster-2009-09-29-0|The All-Foil Booster|[[Magic Arcana]]|September 29, 2009}}</ref>
* For [[Ravnica block]], a "perfect for draft" product was produced. Each includes a Ravnica block draft set - one booster each of ''[[Ravnica: City of Guilds]]'', ''[[Dissension]]'', and ''[[Guildpact]]'' - and a [[spindown life counter]]. Retail price was US$11.99.
* ''[[Shards of Alara]]'' block Premium Foil Boosters contain a random assortment of fifteen foil cards from ''Shards of Alara'', ''Conflux'', and ''[[Alara Reborn]]''. They were released on January 8, 2010 at an MSRP of US$11.99.<ref>{{DailyRef|arcana/all-foil-booster-2009-09-29-0|The All-Foil Booster|[[Magic Arcana]]|September 29, 2009}}</ref>


===Resale packs===
===Resale packs===
Line 98: Line 123:


===Additions===
===Additions===
Wizards of the Coast toyed with the idea of [[Wikipedia:Scratchcard|scratch-off cards]] in boosters of ''[[Unglued#Unglued 2|Unglued 2]]''. Another idea they explored was having it come with pieces of [[Wikipedia:bubble gum|bubble gum]]. But it turned out that putting something edible in the booster packs created a whole series of stricter rules, and it turned out to not be feasible.<ref>{{DailyRef|making-magic/25-more-random-things-about-magic-2016-06-20|25 More Random Things About Magic|[[Mark Rosewater]]|June 20, 2016}}</ref>
Wizards of the Coast toyed with the idea of [[Wikipedia:Scratchcard|scratch-off cards]] in boosters of ''[[Unglued#Unglued 2|Unglued 2]]''. Another idea they explored was having it come with pieces of [[Wikipedia:bubble gum|bubble gum]], but  putting something edible in the booster packs made them subject to stricter rules which could not be complied with.<ref>{{DailyRef|making-magic/25-more-random-things-about-magic-2016-06-20|25 More Random Things About Magic|[[Mark Rosewater]]|June 20, 2016}}</ref>


==Artwork==
==Artwork==
===Core sets===
===Core sets===
*''[[Alpha]]'' packs through ''[[Revised]]'' packs have no card artwork.
* Starting with ''[[Fourth Edition]]'', packs from most core sets feature artwork from one of several cards.
*''[[Sixth Edition]]'' packs have all the same promotional artwork.
*''[[Magic Origins]]'' packs have original artwork of five planeswalker by Chase Stone : [[Gideon Jura|Gideon Jura / Kytheon Iora]], [[Jace Beleren]], [[Chandra Nalaar]], [[Liliana Vess]] and [[Nissa Revane]]. The art for these packages is not found on any card of the set.<ref>{{DailyRef|arcana/origins-packaging-2015-06-22|''Origins'' Packaging|[[Blake Rasmussen]]|June 22, 2015 }}</ref>


===[[Expert-level]] early sets===
*''[[Alpha]]'' through ''[[Fallen Empires|Revised]]'' packs have no card artwork.
*''[[Arabian Nights]]'', ''[[Antiquities]]'', ''[[Legends]]'', ''[[The Dark]]'', and ''[[Fallen Empires]]'' packs have no card artwork.
*Starting with ''[[Fourth Edition]]'', packs feature artwork from four or five cards in the set, with the exception of ''[[Sixth Edition]]'' packs'','' which all have the same promotional artwork not found on any card in the set.
*''[[Homelands]]'' packs have no card artwork, but have a green and red textured frame.
*''[[Magic Origins]]'' boosters have original artwork by Chase Stone for five planeswalkers in the set: [[Gideon Jura|Gideon Jura / Kytheon Iora]], [[Jace Beleren]], [[Chandra Nalaar]], [[Liliana Vess]] and [[Nissa Revane]].  The booster art is different from the art on the cards.<ref>{{DailyRef|arcana/origins-packaging-2015-06-22|''Origins'' Packaging|[[Blake Rasmussen]]|June 22, 2015 }}</ref>


===Expert-level expansion sets===
===Early sets===
*Starting with'' [[Ice Age]]'', large expansion sets feature artwork from three to five cards. Until [[Onslaught block]], small expansions only featured one card art. This was later expanded to three.
 
*''[[Arabian Nights]]'', ''[[Antiquities]]'', ''[[Legends]]'', ''[[The Dark]]'', and ''[[Fallen Empires]]'' boosters have no card artwork.
*''[[Homelands]]'' boosters have no card artwork, but have a green and red textured frame.
 
===Expansion sets===
 
*Starting with'' [[Ice Age]]'', [https://mtg.fandom.com/wiki/Set#Large_and_small_expansions large expansion set] boosters began featuring artwork from one of three to five cards in the set. Small expansions prior to [[Onslaught block]] feature art from only one card in the set, but subsequent small expansion boosters feature art from one of three cards in the set. With the introduction of [[Set Booster|set booster]]s for ''[[Zendikar Rising]]'', [[Draft Booster|draft booster]]s reverted to featuring a single art, to help clearly differentiate between different types of boosters.<ref>{{EzTumblr|https://markrosewater.tumblr.com/post/728113529574588416|title=May I request that we get draft boosters with different artworks on the packaging again?|September 10, 2023}}</ref>


===Compilation sets===
===Compilation sets===
*''[[Chronicles]]'' packs have no card artwork, but have the Chronicles globe graphic.
*''[[Chronicles]]'' packs have no card artwork, but have the Chronicles globe graphic.
*[[Masters series|''Masters'' series]] sets feature artwork from three different cards.
*[[Masters series|''Masters'' series]] sets feature artwork from three different cards in the set.


===Starter sets===
===Starter sets===
*''[[Portal]]'' packs feature artwork from one of the cards: <c>Merfolk of the Pearl Trident</c>, <c>Elvish Ranger</c> and <c>Spined Wurm</c>.
 
*''[[Portal]]'' packs feature artwork from one of three cards: <c>Merfolk of the Pearl Trident</c>, <c>Elvish Ranger</c>, or <c>Spined Wurm</c>.
*''[[Portal Second Age]]'' packs feature art from <c>Relentless Assault</c>.
*''[[Portal Second Age]]'' packs feature art from <c>Relentless Assault</c>.
*''[[Portal Three Kingdoms]]'' packs feature art from <c>Riding Red Hare</c>.
*''[[Portal Three Kingdoms]]'' packs feature art from <c>Riding Red Hare</c>.
*''[[Starter 1999]]'' packs featured the art from <c>Denizen of the Deep</c>.
*''[[Starter 1999]]'' packs featur the art from <c>Denizen of the Deep</c>.


===Supplemental sets===
===Supplemental sets===
*''[[Unglued]]'' was the first set to feature horizontal art on the packs. It featured <c>Jester's Sombrero</c>.
 
*''[[Unhinged]]'' boosters featured art from <c>Richard Garfield, Ph.D.</c>, <c>Mana Screw</c> and <c>Gleemax</c>.
*''[[Unglued]]'' boosters were the first to feature horizontal art. They feature <c>Jester's Sombrero</c>.
*''[[Conspiracy]]'' was the second set to feature horizontal art. The boosters featured artwork from <c>Dack Fayden</c>, <c>Magister of Worth</c> and <c>Scourge of the Throne</c>.  
*''[[Unhinged]]'' boosters feature art from <c>Richard Garfield, Ph.D.</c>, <c>Mana Screw</c>, or <c>Gleemax</c>.
*''[[Conspiracy: Take the Crown]]'' features horizontal artwork from <c>Queen Marchesa</c>, <c>Kaya, Ghost Assassin</c> (foil alternate art version) and <c>Daretti, Ingenious Iconoclast</c>.
*''[[Conspiracy]]'' boosters were the second to feature horizontal art. They feature artwork from <c>Dack Fayden</c>, <c>Magister of Worth</c> or <c>Scourge of the Throne</c>.
*''[[Conspiracy: Take the Crown]]'' boosters feature horizontal artwork from <c>Queen Marchesa</c>, <c>Kaya, Ghost Assassin</c> (foil alternate art version), or <c>Daretti, Ingenious Iconoclast</c>.


==Rules==
==Rules==
Line 135: Line 165:


==Booster Fun==
==Booster Fun==
In 2019, [[R&D]] introduced "[[Booster Fun]]" as the collective name that [[R&D]] use for the types of [[card frame]]s (also called '' card treatments''<ref>{{DailyRef|feature/booster-fun-modern-horizons-2-2021-05-21|Booster Fun of ''Modern Horizons 2''|[[Clayton Kroh]]|May 21, 2021}}</ref>) that could appear in [[Collector Booster]]s<ref name="Booster Fun"/><ref>{{EzTumblr|https://markrosewater.tumblr.com/post/187852587203/for-the-sake-of-voicing-an-opinion-premium|title=Premium boosters seem fine conceptually, but the details of what the collector boosters contain are really hard to wrap one’s head around.|September 21, 2019}}</ref> Booster Fun cards evolved from [[Masterpieces]]. The difference is that the Booster Fun cards are versions of cards in the set, not from outside of the set.<ref>{{EzTumblr|https://markrosewater.tumblr.com/post/187865617653/masterpieces-have-morphed-into-booster-fun-does|title=Does this mean that Masterpieces aren't coming back?|September 21, 2019}}</ref>
In 2019, [[R&D]] introduced "[[Booster Fun]]" as the collective name that [[R&D]] uses for the types of [[card frame]]s (also called '' card treatments''<ref>{{DailyRef|feature/booster-fun-modern-horizons-2-2021-05-21|Booster Fun of ''Modern Horizons 2''|[[Clayton Kroh]]|May 21, 2021}}</ref>) that could appear in [[Collector Booster]]s<ref name="Booster Fun" /><ref>{{EzTumblr|https://markrosewater.tumblr.com/post/187852587203/for-the-sake-of-voicing-an-opinion-premium|title=Premium boosters seem fine conceptually, but the details of what the collector boosters contain are really hard to wrap one’s head around.|September 21, 2019}}</ref><ref name="Even More R&D">{{DailyRef|making-magic/even-more-words-rd-2022-01-10|Even More Words From R&D|[[Mark Rosewater]]|January 10, 2022}}</ref>  Booster Fun cards evolved from [[Masterpieces]]. The difference is that the Booster Fun cards are versions of cards in the set, not from outside of the set.<ref>{{EzTumblr|https://markrosewater.tumblr.com/post/187865617653/masterpieces-have-morphed-into-booster-fun-does|title=Does this mean that Masterpieces aren't coming back?|September 21, 2019}}</ref>
The following card treatments can show up:  
The following card treatments can show up:  
* [[Extended art]]
* [[Borderless]] art
* [[Showcase]] cards (a catch-all term to cover a variety of different treatments that embody the spirit of the relevant sets.<ref name="Booster Fun"/>
* [[Retro frame]]s
These all may or may not be combined with [[foil]], [[foil-etched]] and / or [[alternate art]].


Booster Fun was in 2020 also extended to [[Set Booster]]s.<ref name="Set Booster"/>
*[[Extended art]]
*[[Borderless]] art
*[[Showcase]] cards (a catch-all term to cover a variety of different treatments that embody the spirit of the relevant sets.<ref name="Booster Fun" />)
*[[Retro frame]]s
 
These all may also have [[foil]], [[foil-etched]], and/or [[alternate art]] versions.
 
Booster Fun was extended to [[Set Booster]]s in 2020 and their successor [[Play Booster]]s in 2024.<ref name="Set Booster" />


Foil and non-foil Booster Fun cards may also appear in regular Draft Boosters but at a much lower rarity. Non-foils appear in the same rarity slot as the original card. Foil Booster Fun cards appear in a common slot like other foils.<ref>{{EzTumblr|https://markrosewater.tumblr.com/post/187873104363/will-the-non-foil-booster-fun-cards-be-found-in|title=Will the non-foil “Booster Fun” cards be found in their normal draft booster slots?|September 22, 2019}}</ref>
Foil and non-foil Booster Fun cards may also appear in draft boosters, but at a much lower frequency. Non-foil versions appear in the same rarity slot as the original card. Foil Booster Fun cards appear in a common slot like other foils.<ref>{{EzTumblr|https://markrosewater.tumblr.com/post/187873104363/will-the-non-foil-booster-fun-cards-be-found-in|title=Will the non-foil “Booster Fun” cards be found in their normal draft booster slots?|September 22, 2019}}</ref>


==See also==
== See also==
===Mystery Booster===
===Mystery Booster===
''[[Mystery Booster]]'' is a ''[[Magic]]'' [[booster]] [[set]], designed for [[Chaos Draft]]. It was released in [[2019]].
''[[Mystery Booster]]'' is a ''[[Magic]]'' [[booster]] [[set]], designed for [[Chaos Draft]]. It was released in [[2019]].
Line 153: Line 185:
===Welcome Booster===
===Welcome Booster===
{{Main|Welcome Booster}}
{{Main|Welcome Booster}}
Welcome Boosters were introduced for ''[[Core Set 2021]]''. These are free gifts for beginning players. Each Welcome Booster for a particular set is exactly the same and contains a sample of [[legendary|legendaries]], [[planeswalker]]s, [[showcase]] cards, and more.
Welcome boosters were introduced for ''[[Core Set 2021]]''. They are free gifts for beginning players. Each welcome booster for a particular set is exactly the same and contains a sample of [[legendary|legendaries]], [[planeswalker]]s, [[showcase]] cards, and more.


==Gallery==
==Gallery==
Line 171: Line 203:
File:CMR draft booster.png|''[[Commander Legends]]'' Draft Booster
File:CMR draft booster.png|''[[Commander Legends]]'' Draft Booster
File:WPN booster dispenser.jpg|Booster dispenser ([[2021]] [[WPN Premium]] benefit)
File:WPN booster dispenser.jpg|Booster dispenser ([[2021]] [[WPN Premium]] benefit)
File:DMU Jumpstart Booster.png|''[[Dominaria United]]'' Jumpstart Booster
File:ONE Prerelease Booster.png|''[[Phyrexia: All Will Be One]]'' Prerelease Booster
File:MAT Epilogue Booster.png|''[[March of the Machine: The Aftermath]]'' Epilogue Booster
File:CLU Ravnica Clue Edition booster.png|''[[Ravnica: Clue Edition]]'' Booster
File:ACR Beyond Booster.png|''[[Assassin's Creed]]'' Beyond Booster
</gallery>
</gallery>


Latest revision as of 12:21, 26 June 2024

A booster pack is a sealed package of random Magic cards from a particular expansion set, designed to add to a player's collection.

Starting with Throne of Eldraine, regular boosters were rebranded as draft boosters, to distinguish them from theme boosters and collector boosters.[1] Set boosters were introduced for Zendikar Rising.[2]

Draft Boosters

Main article: Draft Booster

Draft booster is the modern name for the original booster product. They have a fixed distribution based on rarity. A draft booster pack contains sixteen cards: fifteen Magic cards and a marketing card / token.[3][4] Of the fifteen Magic cards, one is a basic land, ten are common, three are uncommon, and one is rare or mythic rare. There is also a chance for one of the common cards to be replaced by a premium foil card of any rarity. This results in a booster pack with one basic land, one foil card, nine common cards, three uncommon cards, and one rare or mythic rare card.

While most modern sets follow this distribution in draft boosters, some sets have unique requirements, such as having at least one double-faced card in every Innistrad pack, which skews the typical distribution of rarities and card types. Draft Boosters were obsoleted starting with Murders at Karlov Manor.

Targeted boosters

Starting in 2018, Wizards of the Coast began to create special boosters targeted at special audiences.[5]

Theme Boosters

Main article: Theme Booster

Theme boosters contained 35 cards (a variable amount of commons and uncommons, and 1 rare or mythic rare) from a given color or theme. The MSRP was $6.99. These are targeted at deckbuilding players, providing a greater number of cards that could go straight into their deck. They also play up a set's flavor for those that might be interested in sampling a slice of a particular aspect of the world. Theme Boosters were obsoleted starting with Dominaria United.

Collector Boosters

Main article: Collector Booster

Collector boosters were introduced for Core Set 2020. They are targeted at collectors and sold for $12.99. Unlike draft boosters, which optimize the draft experience with a lot of repetition and a huge number of commons, collector boosters are maximized for more diversity in content, with more rare, foil, extended art, borderless, and showcase cards.[1]

Set Boosters

Main article: Set Booster

Set boosters were introduced for Zendikar Rising in 2020.[2] They are targeted to players who are not interested in draft or limited formats, and sell for a slightly higher price than draft boosters. Each pack comes with fourteen cards, twelve of which are Magic cards, with a higher variety in rarities and unique treatments. Set Boosters were obsoleted starting with Murders at Karlov Manor.

Jumpstart Boosters

Main article: Jumpstart Booster

Starting with Dominaria United in 2022, Jumpstart boosters replaced theme boosters for premier sets.[6] They were canceled for Wilds of Eldraine.

Play Boosters

Main article: Play Booster

Play Boosters were introduced for Murders at Karlov Manor in 2024 to replace both Draft boosters and Set boosters.[7][8] Going forward, they are the "foundation product" of every premier and tentpole set.[9] Play Boosters are designed to combine the characteristics of their predecessors; they are draftable per Draft Boosters while retaining the fun opening experience of finding surprise cards or card treatments per Set Boosters.

Non-regular boosters

Six-card boosters

Conflux Gravity Feed for 6-card boosters

Six-card booster packs contain a tips/token card, one land, three commons, one uncommon, and one slot with an equal chance of being rare/mythic, uncommon, or common. The packs were packaged in gravity feeds rather than booster boxes[10] and could be found at mass-market retailers like Target and Walmart. English six-card boosters were produced for Conflux through Magic 2014. They were available in Japanese from Magic 2010 to New Phyrexia. Spanish six card packs of Magic 2011 and Magic 2012 were included with several Salvate Magazines.

Demogame boosters

Free 24-card Demogame boosters were available for several starter-level sets and core sets.

Main article: sample deck

Sample Packs

Free ten-card sample packs were available for several starter-level sets and core sets. Six-card sample packs were also given to Duels of the Planeswalkers users.

Main article: sample deck

Seeded boosters

A seeded booster is a special set of cards made available at some prereleases.[11] It consists of playable cards that help to create a coherent deck, so that way more people (especially newer players) have a good time. There are limited combinations of cards that can appear in a seeded booster,

Standard Showdown prize boosters

Special promotional prize boosters were introduced in 2016 for the Standard Showdown, containing three cards each. One is a premium card from a currently legal Standard set, including Masterpiece series cards, and two are non-premium cards that are either a rare or a mythic rare from a set currently legal in Standard.[12]

Holiday Buy-a-Box Promotion

  • Kaladesh: as a holiday promotion, purchasers of a booster box received two bonus holiday packs.[13] These boosters had the same content as the previously announced Standard Showdown prize boosters.
  • Ixalan: purchasers of a booster box received a Buy-a-Box Treasure Chest booster, containing two foil cards of any rarity from any Standard-legal set, four rare or mythic rare cards from Standard-legal sets, two foil basic lands, and one out of ten possible alternate art, foil double-faced cards.[14]

Twenty-card boosters

Commander Legends draft boosters and Jumpstart boosters contain 20 Magic cards. Commander Legends boosters also include an additional marketing card.

Prerelease boosters

Boosters containing one random prerelease card.

Epilogue boosters

March of the Machine: The Aftermath boosters were marketed as "epilogue boosters", said to be "lore-packed boosters that continue the story in between sets". Each 5-card epilogue booster contained 1 to 3 cards of rarity rare or higher, and the remainder were uncommon. 1 or 2 of the cards were traditional foil, and one was in the set's showcase frame.[15] These boosters were not designed to be used for drafting.[16]

The release of March of the Machine: The Aftermath was met with an extremely negative reception and epilogue boosters were heavily criticized for their small size and price point.[17][18] The poor reception caused Wizards to cancel an already designed epilogue set for Outlaws of Thunder Junction and restructure the way Beyond Boosters were designed for Universes Beyond: Assassin's Creed.[19] Future micro-set releases with epilogue boosters are highly unlikely.[20]

Beyond boosters

Main article: Beyond Booster

Beyond boosters are a unique booster pack for Universes Beyond products introduced for Universes Beyond: Assassin's Creed.[21] Similar to Set and Collector boosters, Beyond boosters are not designed to be used for drafting.

Packaging

Wrapper

Plastic

The first booster packs had fairly simple plastic wrappers, primarily differentiated by color. Core set packs were brown, Arabian Nights were purple, Antiquities were silver-grey, and so on. This early packaging was slightly transparent, making it possible to see what cards were in a pack without opening it. The top and bottom of each wrapper is sealed with heat, a process called "crimping". In the process of sealing boosters closed, cards can get caught in the heat press and accidentally get crimped.

Metal foil

Beginning with Fourth Edition, booster pack wrappers have been made of opaque foiled plastic, which prevents the contents from being viewed without opening them.

Origin

Quality may differ by origin. Boosters with vertical crimps to seal the pack are made in the US or Belgium. Boosters with a grid pattern seal are made in Japan. Japanese packs tend to be looser and have more of the booster wrapper. The order of rares, uncommons, commons may be different. The cards themselves also have differences in things like card stock, feel, and color saturation.

Paper

See through paper booster

WotC experimented with recyclable paperboard booster wrappers for Modern Masters 2015 .[22] Soon rumors abounded about the ease with which these new cardboard packs could be repacked.[23] The cards could also move around more and be damaged during transport. Mark Rosewater stated afterwards that some challenges had to be solved before the experiment would be repeated.[24]

In August 2019, Hasbro announced that it would begin phasing out plastic from new product packaging starting in 2020.[25] This included shrink wrap, window sheets, and more.[26] Virtually all plastic packaging was to be be eliminated by the end of 2022. Paper booster packs were to be revisited.[27][28]

The first waxed (or possibly glassine) see-through paper packaging appeared in late 2022 on bundles and Secret Lairs.[29]

Markings and symbols

The packaging features several markings and symbols.[30] The CE mark, together with the name and address of the first supplier, is required by law to appear on all toys placed on the market in the European Union on and after January 1990. The Lion Mark was developed in 1988 by the British Toy & Hobby Association as a symbol of toy safety and quality for the consumer. The Green Dot is an internationally recognized symbol that shows a company’s commitment to environmental protection.

Booster box

A booster pack box, booster display, or simply booster box, contains 36 booster packs for most sets. Exceptions include supplemental sets like Conspiracy, Jumpstart, Epilogue, and Masters sets, which contain 24 packs. Booster boxes of several early expansion sets contain more packs, but have fewer cards per pack. The top of each booster box can be flipped open and tucked in behind the packs to advertise the set with an appropriate piece of art.

Set booster boxes have 30 packs.

Collector booster boxes have 12 packs.

Booster case

A draft booster case consists of 6 booster boxes, or a total of 216 booster packs. Local game stores usually buy booster boxes of new sets by the case. The number of boxes and total number of boosters for non-draft booster products varies.

Blister packs

From the Time Spiral block until Magic 2013, blister packs containing one to three booster packs were available, primarily in large retail stores. A blister pack is a plastic front and a cardboard backing used to hold the boosters and allow the unit to be hung on store pegs. It also provides somewhat of a theft-deterrent as it is larger than an individual booster pack. This kind of packing adds cost and increased packaging waste.

Booster sleeves

Starting with Magic 2013, blister packs were replaced with cardboard booster sleeves.[31] The sleeve is a cardboard overwrap around a regular booster pack. The bigger package makes the packs a little harder to steal, while reducing the plastic content. Booster sleeves were distributed in display boxes containing 12 or 48 booster-sleeved packs.

Draft packs

Conspiracy: Take the Crown introduced draft packs for sale in North American mass-market stores. These draft packs feature three boosters in a blister pack.[32] Time Spiral Remastered and subsequent draft packs are packaged in booster sleeves instead of blister packs.

Unique packages

Resale packs

Main article: Resale pack

Additions

Wizards of the Coast toyed with the idea of scratch-off cards in boosters of Unglued 2. Another idea they explored was having it come with pieces of bubble gum, but putting something edible in the booster packs made them subject to stricter rules which could not be complied with.[34]

Artwork

Core sets

Early sets

Expansion sets

  • Starting with Ice Age, large expansion set boosters began featuring artwork from one of three to five cards in the set. Small expansions prior to Onslaught block feature art from only one card in the set, but subsequent small expansion boosters feature art from one of three cards in the set. With the introduction of set boosters for Zendikar Rising, draft boosters reverted to featuring a single art, to help clearly differentiate between different types of boosters.[36]

Compilation sets

  • Chronicles packs have no card artwork, but have the Chronicles globe graphic.
  • Masters series sets feature artwork from three different cards in the set.

Starter sets

Supplemental sets

Rules

The term "booster pack" is also referenced in the rules.

From the glossary of the Comprehensive Rules (June 7, 2024—Modern Horizons 3)

Booster Pack
A group of unopened Magic cards from a particular expansion. Booster packs are used in Limited formats. See rule 100.2b.

Booster Fun

In 2019, R&D introduced "Booster Fun" as the collective name that R&D uses for the types of card frames (also called card treatments[37]) that could appear in Collector Boosters[1][38][39] Booster Fun cards evolved from Masterpieces. The difference is that the Booster Fun cards are versions of cards in the set, not from outside of the set.[40] The following card treatments can show up:

These all may also have foil, foil-etched, and/or alternate art versions.

Booster Fun was extended to Set Boosters in 2020 and their successor Play Boosters in 2024.[2]

Foil and non-foil Booster Fun cards may also appear in draft boosters, but at a much lower frequency. Non-foil versions appear in the same rarity slot as the original card. Foil Booster Fun cards appear in a common slot like other foils.[41]

See also

Mystery Booster

Mystery Booster is a Magic booster set, designed for Chaos Draft. It was released in 2019.

Welcome Booster

Main article: Welcome Booster

Welcome boosters were introduced for Core Set 2021. They are free gifts for beginning players. Each welcome booster for a particular set is exactly the same and contains a sample of legendaries, planeswalkers, showcase cards, and more.

Gallery

References

  1. ↑ a b c d Mark Rosewater (July 21, 2019). "Project Booster Fun". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  2. ↑ a b c Mark Rosewater (July 25, 2020). "Set Boosters". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  3. ↑ Mark Rosewater (October 04, 2019). "A long time ago, the 15th card slot got changed to a basic land. Why did they do that?". Blogatog. Tumblr.
  4. ↑ Mark Rosewater (October 05, 2019). "what made the packaging for Modern Horizons special to allow the seventeenth card (the art card)?". Blogatog. Tumblr.
  5. ↑ WPN (May 24, 2021). "How to Sell Each Type of Magic Booster". Wizards Play Network.
  6. ↑ Wizards of the Coast (May 12, 2022). "Your Sneak Peek at Double Masters 2022, Dominaria United, and Beyond". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  7. ↑ Mark Rosewater (October 18, 2023). "What are Play Boosters?". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  8. ↑ Wizards of the Coast (October 20, 2023). "Play Booster Discord Q&A". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  9. ↑ Blake Rasmussen, Mark Rosewater, Mike Turian (October 18, 2023). "WeeklyMTG - Play Booster Q&A (Video)". Magic: The Gathering. YouTube.
  10. ↑ Magic Arcana (February 05, 2009). "The Gravity Feed". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  11. ↑ Mark Rosewater (September 23, 2018). "Can you explain why we are back to seeded boosters in pre-release?". Blogatog. Tumblr.
  12. ↑ Wizards of the Coast (November 14, 2016). "Announcing Standard Showdown". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  13. ↑ Blake Rasmussen (November 21, 2016). "Magic Holiday Gift Guide and Holiday Buy-a-Box Promotion". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  14. ↑ Blake Rasmussen (November 7, 2017). "Black Friday Treasure Chest Promotion". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  15. ↑ Wizards of the Coast (December 13, 2022). "March of the Machine: The Aftermath: Epilogue Booster". Magic.gg.
  16. ↑ WPN (February 20, 2023). "Dates & Details for March of the Machine". Wizards Play Network.
  17. ↑ Louis Kemner (May 16, 2023). "Duplicate MTG Cards Ruined March of the Machine: The Aftermath". CBR.
  18. ↑ Matt Jarvis (October 13, 2023). "Don’t expect another MTG set like March of the Machine: Aftermath anytime soon, lead designer suggests". Dicebreaker.
  19. ↑ Blake Rasmussen, Max McCall, Zakeel Gordon (February 13, 2024). "Epilogue on Epilogue (Video)". Magic: The Gathering. YouTube.
  20. ↑ Mark Rosewater (February 9, 2024). "Hated? Not just disliked, but hated? Should we assume that means mini-sets like Aftermath are unlikely in the future?". Blogatog. Tumblr.
  21. ↑ Jess Lanzillo, Chris Kiritz, Athena Froehlich & Mark Rosewater (August 5, 2023). "Magic: The Gathering 30th Anniversary Panel at GenCon – A Recap of MTG's Past, Present & Future (Video)". Magic: The Gathering. YouTube.
  22. ↑ Blake Rasmussen (February 24, 2015). "Recyclable Modern Masters Packaging". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  23. ↑ Wizards of the Coast (May 21, 2015). "Modern Masters Packaging Concerns". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  24. ↑ Mark Rosewater (June 17, 2016). "Was there results posted from the experimental change in Booster Packaging with Modern Masters 2?". Blogatog. Tumblr.
  25. ↑ Tonya Garcia (August 19, 2019). "Hasbro removing plastic from toy and game packaging". Marketwatch.com.
  26. ↑ Adam Styborski (April 8, 2021). "Check Out The New Packaging for Commander (2021 Edition) and Beyond". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  27. ↑ Sustainable MTG Packaging & Something New in Secret Lair! (Video). Good Morning Magic. YouTube (November 24, 2021).
  28. ↑ Admin (December 7, 2021). "Magic: The Gathering to get cardboard packaging for boosters, starting with Unfinity?". Goodlookgamer.com.
  29. ↑ Payton IV (January 11, 2023). "New paper packaging for Secret Lairs". Coolstuffinc.com.
  30. ↑ Wizards of the Coast (November 25, 2008). "Ask Wizards: Shards, RSS and Mysterious Symbols". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  31. ↑ Monty Ashley (June 28, 2012). "More Magic 2013 Packaging". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  32. ↑ Wizards of the Coast (May 16, 2016). "Announcement Day". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  33. ↑ Magic Arcana (September 29, 2009). "The All-Foil Booster". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  34. ↑ Mark Rosewater (June 20, 2016). "25 More Random Things About Magic". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  35. ↑ Blake Rasmussen (June 22, 2015). "Origins Packaging". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  36. ↑ Mark Rosewater (September 10, 2023). "May I request that we get draft boosters with different artworks on the packaging again?". Blogatog. Tumblr.
  37. ↑ Clayton Kroh (May 21, 2021). "Booster Fun of Modern Horizons 2". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  38. ↑ Mark Rosewater (September 21, 2019). "Premium boosters seem fine conceptually, but the details of what the collector boosters contain are really hard to wrap one’s head around.". Blogatog. Tumblr.
  39. ↑ Mark Rosewater (January 10, 2022). "Even More Words From R&D". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  40. ↑ Mark Rosewater (September 21, 2019). "Does this mean that Masterpieces aren't coming back?". Blogatog. Tumblr.
  41. ↑ Mark Rosewater (September 22, 2019). "Will the non-foil “Booster Fun” cards be found in their normal draft booster slots?". Blogatog. Tumblr.
Types of booster packs
Current
Obsolete
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