So I'd like to echo what a couple of others have said. I'm not a huge fan of MKM, but I do appreciate taking a chance on it. That said, I don't think it's a case that a murder mystery *can't* work, I think it's just that it's not good for a full set (I think something *way* more limited like the old Duel Deck: Jace vs. Vraska) would have been much better (or maybe something a bit more extensive, but you take my meaning)

I think the trope space is deep enough. It’s more is it a theme people enjoy?

RE: From the VaultAre products like FtV and Duel Decks considered (semi-)permanently retired, or could we see them as rare one-offs, like we're seeing with the Planechase cards in MOC?

They’re retired, but are open as possibility if there is a strong compelling reason.

As a huge fan of the duel decks from yesteryear, why were those products discontinued?

The same reason most things get discontinued - it didn’t sell well enough.

One of the first mtg items I purchased for myself was the Elspeth vs Tezzeret Duel Decks. Later I bought the Knights vs Dragons decks and kept those unaltered, teaching well over a dozen different people how to play magic with thoseThey were fantastic products and I personally used them to recruit new players into the hobby, what convinced wizards that there wasn’t enough interest in them?

Sales data. (And market research data.)

Mark, as a fan of Duel decks, If or When: Duel Decks return, even as a one-off?

Usually when a product gets killed due to lack of player interest, it’s tricky to get the product back. It has happened, but it’s infrequent.

What product would you recommend for a "kitchen table couple"? Duel decks used to fill this niche, but are no longer being made.

My personal pick is the Unsanctioned box. It comes with five half decks to let you combine to make various decks. If Un-cards aren’t your thing, Jumpstart does something similar. Also, one on one with Commander decks can be lots of fun.

Mark Ghostfire was reprinted in Duel Decks: Merfolk vs. Goblins. In your article today you said it hadn't been reprinted.

At the start of the first article in the series, I said I was talking about “pre-prints” in sets with new content as it could be “the first place it was printed”.

Happy birthday Mark! My college roommate and I both wanted to try out a new game, so we picked up the Izzet vs Golgari Duel Decks and learned how to play. I called dibs on the deck with the cool dragon, but we soon discovered that we each preferred the other deck's playstyle, so we traded. Green has been my favorite color ever since.

: )

What's your top 10 supplemental products today?

Today? 1) Un-sets2) Modern Horizons3) Planechase 4) Battlebond5) Archenemy 6) Conspiracy sets7) Modern Masters sets8) Commander Decks9) Duel Decks10) Signature Spellbook

of the Planeswalker Duel decks that actually happened; Garruk vs Liliana (Lili won), Ajani vs Bolas (Ajani won), Jace vs Vraska (Jace won), Nissa vs Ob (Nissa won), Sorin vs Tibalt (Sorin won). the rest were between characters that have never fought. In fact, in the case of Elspeth vs Tezzeret, we don't even have any evidence that the two ever even MET.

FYI