MTG’s Spider-Man Survey: The Backlash Inquiry That Blames the Messengers

Wizards of the Coast (WotC) has distributed a comprehensive survey to the Magic: The Gathering community seeking feedback on the widely criticized Magic: The Gathering | Marvel’s Spider-Man set. The set, part of the non-canonical “Universes Beyond” crossover line, has faced significant backlash over its limited-focused “Pick-Two” format, perceived lack of design originality, and uninspired flavour, leading to reportedly low attendance at pre-release events.

While the survey offers a space for constructive criticism, the key “catch” that has ignited a new round of controversy is a pointed set of questions that appears to deflect blame from the developers onto the very people who cover the game: content creators and influencers.

The Controversial Question: Did Influencers Ruin Your Fun?

The core of the backlash stems from a question included in the survey, particularly for participants who indicated they followed MTG influencers for information about the set. This question, and others like it, asks participants to what degree negative commentary from content creators and streamers impacted their perception of the set before its release. Specifically:

• The Question: Participants are asked to rate the impact of “negative influencer commentary” on their perception of the set on a bipolar scale (e.g., from “Greatly worsened my perception” to “Greatly improved my perception”).

For many players and professional content creators, including Hall of Fame inductees, this line of questioning is seen as an attempt by WotC to:

1. Shift Blame: Suggesting that the set’s poor reception and low sales were caused by external negativity, rather than issues with the product’s design (e.g., repetitive mechanics, a “small set” feel, and the controversial Pick-Two draft format).

2. Conduct a “Witch Hunt”: Some sections of the survey ask participants to name the streamers and content creators they watch, which has fueled community speculation that WotC is gathering data to potentially penalize or restrict access for influencers who were openly critical of the product.

The Broader Context: Universes Beyond Anxiety

This controversy comes at a fraught time for Magic: The Gathering. While the “Universes Beyond” line has seen massive commercial success (most notably with the Lord of the Rings set), the increasing number of non-MTG-multiverse sets in the 2026 release schedule—including a planned Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and another unnamed Marvel set—has created significant anxiety among the core player base.

Many veteran players feel that crossover sets are being prioritized over original MTG content. The Spider-Man set’s perceived low quality, following the smash hit Final Fantasy set, has amplified calls for WotC to maintain a higher bar for these high-profile crossovers. The community believes the survey, rather than seeking honest feedback on product design, is a biased attempt to confirm an existing internal narrative about the source of the disappointment.

In short, the survey’s catch is the suggestion that players disliked the Spider-Man set because they were told to, rather than because of the game’s actual design and value proposition.