I seem to always find lots and lots of discourse about block sets. Two sides of the same argument every time.
Side 1 says something like:"I hate all these random sets, I miss block sets."
To which, Side 2 says; "Well block sets never sold as well at the end, players attention span's are better suited for one and done blocks."
My problem with this response is that it essentially ignores the initial statement. Rather than clarifying what they mean, they assume and answer.
Personally, I miss block sets, but ONLY from a story perspective.
Basically, do sets exactly the same as you're doing now. Draft is better now than blocks were, standard with Foundations sounds fantastic. The only thing I'd like to see is a set of setup, and a set of payoff.
MKM was a set based on a murder mystery with the big twist ending basically included in the release, as an example. It could've benefitted from a real, but delayed, payoff. Set up the consequences for each suspect, then reveal and give different consequences that were hinted at in other ways. Bam. Improved.
The last time we visited New Phyrexia, it was a block, I remember ubiquitous speculation over how the story would wrap up. There were factions events at local game stores, branded posters and packs for the factions at play, etc. I had a friend get the New Phyrexian emblem tattooed on themselves. The story felt *Important* and so much less divorced from magic than it does today.
Usually, in my experience, when someone asks for blocks, they're asking for the story to matter. There are lots of mechanically interesting card games out there, and mechanics are only part of what makes magic, magic!
All I would ask is that writers get the opportunity to do setups and payoffs with magic's evolving story with multiple sers, and that story related sets have *some* play synergies. They don't need to share mechanical themes just to share story themes, but it would be a nice little florish if they had mechanical synchronisets,
Hell, a REALLY good idea (in my opinion) would be to do these sets in a different order than the old method. Modern fantasy novels swap POV characters and follow different stories. Why not set up multiple stories in a row, then start to alternate resolving an older, established plot line, and then starting a new one or swapping to another established one. This really gives players time to get interested and speculate (and making the story FEEL present will likely also boost novels and comics numbers, etc., if you need a monetary reasoning.)
What do you think Mark?

We already do a lot of what you’re asking. Each Magic “year” does have a larger connected story, often with different POV characters.

Is there a reason cards that prevent cause an effect on a player for the rest of the game don’t use emblems as a memory aid? You have stared using emblems for effects like “you have no maximum hand size for the rest of the game,” but not for “you can’t gain life for the rest of the game” which seems like it could benefit from the memory aid.

It’s just not how we currently choose to use emblems.

Will Emblems ever have interaction?

They often have effects that interact with permanents or cards in other zones.

If / When: spell/ability that allows an emblem to be "destroyed" or otherwise removed from the game.

Technically, if. We like that they’re hard to get, so we don’t make it easy to get rid of them.

RE: emblems; if they aren't a card type, I don't think they can be exiled either. I don't think anything can interact with them since they aren't cards. From a gameplay perspective, they're more like player reminder text than anything.

Which actually got me thinking: If or When: Using emblems on cards outside of planeswalkers? For example, if the Epic mechanic was made today, would you potentially be made with emblem technology?

We’ve currently chosen to (mostly) keep them connected to planeswalkers. The Ring Corrupts you us the only exception I believe we’ve made.

I know emblems aren't permanents, but do the rules support printing "sacrifice an emblem"?

Whether the rules support it and whether we want to do it are two separate things. My gut is the rules support it.

Regarding the ask about interacting with the command zone outside commander: Emblems and Dungeons exist in the command zone, so any card that creates an emblem or ventures into the dungeon interacts with the command zone regardless of format.

Good point.

"Rules are not my forte. If emblem’s weren’t permanents before I posted that, nothing has changed."They are indeed not permanents. They are objects that exist in the command zone.

FYI

"Where is an emblem from a source besides a planeswalker on the storm scale? Have you seen the previews for the next upcoming set? : )" Nothing that includes an emblem...

Look again and see if any mechanic tempts you. : )

"Have you seen the previews for the next upcoming set? : )" Refering to non-Planeswalker emblem on the Storm Scale.Isn't that scale about Premier set expansions? Or are you implying that since LotR is doing it, Premier sets are more likely to do it?

It is. I was just stating that we’d done it for the first time (albeit in a non-premier set) which lowers its Storm Scale rating.