Summary

  • Josh Lee Kwai resigned from the Commander Advisory Group due to recent polarizing card bans in Magic: The Gathering.
  • Kwai and other members felt blindsided by the ban announcement and were not consulted by the Rules Committee.
  • Despite an outcry from fans, the Rules Committee stands firm on the decision; resulting in many fans trading away banned cards.

Josh Lee Kwai, a notable name in Magic: The Gathering, has resigned from his position on the Commander Advisory Group. This resignation came shortly after the recent polarizing card bans for Magic: The Gathering in the Commander format.

The Magic: The Gathering fan base is quite the scene right now, thanks to the recent decision by the Rules Committee to ban several prevalent cards in the Commander format, including cards that have been untouched for years. The cards were staples of the format, and a lot of Magic: The Gathering players are not happy about the decision to see them banned. The Commander Advisory Group is a group of players that the Rules Committee will often consult with concerning major choices in the Commander format, but after the most recent decision, one of their members has taken a step away from the position.

hasbro using ai dungeons and dragons wizards of the coast
Hasbro CEO Confirms Company Has 'Already Been Using AI'

Hasbro confirms it has 'already been using AI' to develop games like Dungeons and Dragons and Magic: The Gathering in spite of previous statements.

By 

Josh Lee Kwai, CEO of "The Command Zone" podcast, made his resignation public via his Twitter account. He gives no explicit reason for his resignation, but the timing of his resignation, coupled with other recent Tweets that express his disapproval of the recent bans, paints a clear picture. According to Kwai, the Commander Advisory Group was "just as blindsided" by the ban announcement as the fans were. He has expressed the sentiment that he disagrees with the ban, especially as it makes one Magic: The Gathering card unplayable, and that he and the Commander Advisory Group were not consulted regarding the decision at any point.

Josh Lee Kwai Resigns from the Commander Advisory Group

In a recent statement by the Rules Committee following the outcry over the bans, one frequently asked question was about the Commander Advisory Group, and why it was excluded from what was arguably the most impactful decision in Magic: The Gathering's history for Commander. In this statement, the Rules Committee claims that it "had all the information [it] needed" to make the decision, and felt that making sure there were "no leaks" was the most important factor. Not long after this announcement, Kwai publicly resigned, and many fans can understand why, considering the Rules Committee didn't trust the CAG to not leak anything. Many fans have shown support for Kwai during this time, and many players of Magic: The Gathering have been very vocal in their disapproval of the ban, with some even starting petitions to have the decision rescinded.

Despite the outcry, the Rules Committee seems nailed down to its decision, and it seems a reverse of the ban is highly unlikely. Many fans are already trading away their cards, with some stores even offering full refunds for any of the banned Magic: The Gathering cards that were purchased more recently.

Image
MagicTheGatheringFranchiseTag
Magic The Gathering
Display card main info widget
Original Release Date
1993
Age Recommendation
13+
Display card main info widget end

Magic the Gathering is a tabletop and digital collectable card game created by Richard Garfield and released in 1993 by Wizards of the Coast. Players take on the role of a Planeswalker and use various cards to battle other players by casting spells, summoning creatures, or utilizing artifacts. It features two main rule categories, constructed or limited, and can be played by two or more players at a time.

Checkbox: control the expandable behavior of the extra info