Magic: The Gathering.

The game, as it is right now, barely resembles the game I learned to love when I started playing it two decades ago. The new card mechanics simply don’t interest me, the power creep has frankly gotten out of control which forces you to play formats like standard or commander to balance it out, and both of those formats are hard on the wallet if you want to be/stay competitive.

Also, part of what drew me into MTG in the first place was the rich lore and history, and now it seems like they are just constantly pulling in 3rd party IPs to make guest sets and it ruins any kind of immersion I might have had. I used to like building decks that were thematic and flavorful, but when I sit across from someone playing Ninja Turtles or Deadpool themed decks, complete with artwork and custom mechanics for each of them, it drags me out of the universe that I became so familiar with and reminds me that I’m no longer the target audience.

The ultra-exclusivity of the newer stuff also is a big turn-off. Secret lair drops and collectors edition boosters, alternate artworks, etc. all feel really scuzzy and I want no part of that. It was bad enough gambling on standard booster packs in the past that I tried to not make it a habit. Now all the new product seems to have FOMO as a main selling point.

I still check up on new stuff from time to time, but I barely play anymore (and when I do, I use old decks that have been outclassed for the most part by newer released stuff). I certainly haven’t spent a dime on any product in probably a few years now. Nothing about the game or the new sets interests me at all, and when I play I’m just going through the motions.

Not holding out hope that WotC or Hasbro will reverse course any time soon, especially with the way people have been voting with their wallets since Secret Lair #1.