By trying to center their cube around a single mechanic, color, or gameplay style, designers often achieve the exact opposite effect. Here's why variety is the foundation of strategic replayability.

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The fifth issue of Upkeep. Made available on September 23, 2026. You can download a copy here .

The Cube format is so diverse that it's impossible to develop a single tier list or pick order. Forget those prescriptive tools, and analyze the cube's scarcest resource to build yourself a flexible h...

A spooky set with a notorious Draft environment, Midnight Hunt offers an object lesson in the limits of "balanced" gameplay. In its zombie hordes, we see a glimpse of what's possible with crystal-clea...

“The multiverse within my brain is more divided than ever,” Jace mumbles at me before wiping away a tear and continuing, “and the only person who understood that was gone.” The “man” known as The Theo...

The dark and distressing way that Silicon Valley talks about A.I. can be traced to a philosophy that influenced many tech executives.

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Settler or savage. Saint or sinner. Sovereign or subhuman. Planeswalker or pawn.

Games Matter, to Facists, At Least. Parker tells us what's up.

What if I told you that the best draft format for 7 and 9 players was also the best way to finish a whole cube night in less than 3 hours? This is my new favorite way to play Magic.

The last set of Ravnica's second block: an all-time stinker, at least according to the pros and competitive players. For Cube, though, the Dragon's Maze hides a wealth of unique lessons and flexible r...

Ryan examines years of quotations landing on Magic card flavor texts. The data, mechanics, and feeling of the words in italics.

Rob Bockman takes a moment to consider the many different Magics we've had over the years.

An elegy for a game store: Or, what an improbably bad tournament weekend teaches Cube designers about compelling, mysterious, irresistible gameplay.

Cascade Cascade's resident Limited Guru weighs in on how to stop wasting your gold and start winning games.