Not sure if you oversee art but the Hugs and variant art clearly depict a european badger in one and an american badger in the other. Why doesn’t the same artist who does the initial art also do the alt arts? or at least give both artists a guideline?

Usually the point of alternate art is to have something different from the original, so we prefer to use different artists. You’re note about making sure both artists are drawing the same thing is a good one.

Happy birthday and greetings from Europe!!Personal Magic story here: A while back, I introduced a friend to the game. A few friends and I sat down to teach them the rules and we drafted some Mystery Boosters. They then started drafting and playing Magic locally where they lived. They started a little discord server with more people, and I've met many new friends in that manner, people I hold dear.They in turn also introduced some people to Magic. One of these people I would later meet when we met to play a round of commander. And they would eventually become my girlfriend! And still are! So yeah I'd say Magic has been a part of some very important times in my life. I connect through it with some of my oldest and closest friends. Thank you for everything you do for the game and by extension, us players! You truly are a treasure, Mark.

Thanks, and I liked your story.

Hi Mark! I was sad to hear on the latest DtW that you aren't coming to Europe this year. Last year, Barcelona was a bit outside my price range, but Amsterdam would still have been in my budget. I hope you'll return to central Europe next year :)

I will be back to Europe, just not this year.

Hey, Mark! Normally we visit planes that have one source of inspiration, like Kaldheim that is inspired by Norse mythology, or two sources that are somewhat similar, like Eldraine that's inspired by fairytales and Arthurian legend, both connected to European folklore, but could we visit a plane whose sources of inspiration are very different? Like a plane inspired by ancient Rome and Wild West at the same time, for example?

Nothing is off limits, but the world needs to feel cohesive.

Have you personally done any considering on what you could do with Lorwyn to more broadly separate it from Eldraine (they both feature a vague European fairy tale aesthetic) assuming that you got the greenlight to do the former? Or is that sort of brainstorming something you do only once a Vision Design starts up for a set/plane/product?

I think through a lot of possible ideas, because it’s part of my job to pitch new set concepts.

My (most likely from mainland europe) opponent attacks me with spelling bee, it's an unfinity draft, so every card is in english. I'm not an english native speaker either and I feel my ability of pronouncing some english words correctly is sketchy at best. Can I search a video of someone saying the word I choose online on my phone and make my opponent hear that? Or do I have to pick a word I know I can pronounce in a correct way?

You can use a video if it helps.

I feel like a lot of people have a very narrow view of what is or isn't fantasy and what is or isn't sci-fi based on very Western and in particular USian ideas of mass media. There really aren't hard set lines for these things and I'm glad to see Magic being allowed to expand further beyond the "vaguely medievil europe with wizards" box that people like to keep fantasy in. (acknowledging also that Magic hasn't constrained itself quite that much even before, just Neon Dynasty is a step further)

One of the big questions we keep asking ourselves is “what exactly makes a set feel like Magic?” Time has shown us it’s much more expansive than we thought back in the day.

Since Eldraine is going to be more focused on the fairy tale elements, could we visit a different plane with a medieval Europe aesthetic with a knight theme?

The issue with the Camelot portion of Eldraine was it wasn’t unique to Eldraine. Dominaria and Alara, for example, both had a “medieval Europe aesthetic with a knight theme”.

Hi Mark, I don't know to what extent you're able to answer this, but, I have a question about secret lair products, I live in Europe (Belgium specifically) and the import/shipping fees doubled the price of the product (~ +25$), now as I understand it Secret Lair is a print to demand product and MTG cards are also printed right here in Belgium, is there a reason these products can't be printed closer by for European customers?

All I can say right now is we are aware of the global accessibility issues with Secret Lair and are trying to figure out ways to address them.

Could a return to Eldraine involve non-European-based fairytales? Say like the monkey king?

That would be a different plane.