When a game is released, it is often accompanied by new trailers and advertising. But now a new card game has quietly appeared on Steam and mobile devices. For many, it seems like a mix of the popular titles Hearthstone and Magic: The Gathering.
What kind of game is this? Magic Spellslingers is a new online collectible card game from the creators of the popular Magic: The Gathering (MTG). The F2P title was released on August 5 on Steam and mobile devices.
Magic Spellslingers is based on a selection of 16 characters, each bringing their own playstyle along with unique abilities.
At the beginning of the game, you must complete a tutorial, after which you can unlock your first hero. The Spellslinger you choose also comes with a starter deck of 30 cards, which you can use to engage in your first battles.
“Incredible to me how quietly this was released”
Why does it feel like a stealth release? On one hand, there is the subjective perception. With the release of a digital collectible card game, one expects a lot of advertising on their smartphone. However, Magic Spellslingers is currently not strongly present before the YouTube video you want to watch, nor as a banner in the upper half of the screen – at least, it seems that way.
However, a much more telling look comes from the numbers. Magic Spellslingers promotes itself with the statement “From the creators of Magic: The Gathering” (see Steam) and is published by Wizards of the Coast.
Given the strength behind Magic Spellslingers, we expect enormous reach. For example, if we look at the official YouTube channel of Magic: The Gathering (via YouTube), we see views in the double-digit millions.
- War of the Spark Official Trailer – Magic: The Gathering: 13 million views (via YouTube)
- Official Innistrad: Midnight Hunt Cinematic – Magic: The Gathering: 19 million views (via YouTube)
- Ikoria: Lair of Behemoths Official Trailer – Magic: The Gathering: 29 million views
- Innistrad: Crimson Vow official Cinematic – Magic: The Gathering: 17 million views
In comparison, the official trailer of Magic Spellslingers (via YouTube) has only 17,700 views (as of August 17, 2022), which is quite poor and nearly insignificant.
Moreover, the MTG channel has 529,000 subscribers, while Magic Spellslingers only shows 234 (as of August 17, 2022, 14:00).
Of course, one cannot ignore that the MTG channel was founded back in 2006, making the comparison somewhat unfair, but the Spellslingers account has also existed since March 2019. It seems that publisher Wizards of the Coast is not fully optimizing the potential of the MTG franchise, which is also reflected in some comments on YouTube:
Incredible. One of the largest game franchises of all time has released a mobile game, and the trailer has only 12,000 views after being out for 2 days. They have just 191 subscribers. If you told me this was a bootleg, I would believe it. I don’t have particularly strong feelings about the game, because it’s just Hearthstone, because they want you to spend more money. It’s just incredible to me how quietly this was released.
Sam Kirk via YouTube
Magic Spellslingers divides players
How is Magic Spellslingers received? The reviews for Magic Spellslingers are currently rather mediocre. On Steam, the user reviews are overall balanced. Of the just 101 reviews, 60% are positive. Here’s what players are saying about their reviews:
- mdschugel via Steam: “It’s not pay-to-win, until you’re above gold in the ranking. It’s a fun mix of Magic and Hearthstone.”
- HBlaze3 via Steam: “Not for MTG players or MTG: Arena players […]”
- Manick via Steam: “I wish I could give this game something like a 3-star rating. The game is fun, but if you don’t spend money on cards, it’s really hard to compete.”
- Orangeluigi via Steam: “It’s a complete Hearthstone ripoff – literally the same mechanics. Wizards of the Coast hasn’t put any marketing/advertising funds behind it, so the player base is tiny.”
- Afrikazulu via Steam: “Maybe the game is similar to Hearthstone, but who cares? The game is fun and that’s what matters, right?”
- Wiz via Steam: “I was pleasantly surprised how this game blends Hearthstone and Magic, resulting in a game that has the flow of a Hearthstone match and the strategic thinking of a Magic game.”
Magic Spellslingers apparently didn’t have a perfect start. Neither the views on YouTube nor the reviews stand out particularly positively.
Do you think this card game will get its hype and be able to compete with big titles like MTG or Hearthstone, or do you think the title will soon fade into obscurity? Feel free to let us know here on MeinMMO in the comments!
Are you still looking for alternatives to Hearthstone and Magic? Then you might be interested in our list of the 5 best online card games!
