Yesterday, Magic: The Gathering attempted to launch Zeta Set, a collaboration with art collective MSCHF, on its online retail platform Secret Lair. We say “try” because it went so wrong that publisher Wizards of the Coast has now apologized and called the events that occurred “a disaster.” “There’s no other way to say it,” reads a somber apology on Magic’s website. “We are extremely sorry for the experience and are trying to get to the bottom of the matter.” Fan complaints about Secret Lair releases are nothing new. Ever since Secret Lair went from a limited-time print-on-demand model, in which Wizards of the Coast printed as many copies of each set as ordered during a given time frame, to limited printings of each set that often sell out extremely quickly (leading to resellers snapping up limited inventory and selling them for absurd prices on the aftermarket), there has been a general sense of unease among Magic players and discontent with Wizards of the Coast. However, things usually don’t get so bad that the company is forced to apologize. As for what really happened, not even Wizards of the Coast seems to know. Forty minutes after the release went live, Secret Lair posted a message on its X account saying it had temporarily stopped the sale while it investigated unspecified technical issues. Fans on social media reported issues with the queuing system, difficulties placing orders, not receiving order confirmations, and seemingly random order cancellations. An hour and a half later, the sale resumed, but everything sold out shortly after. In the apology post, Wizards of the Coast listed “a number of potential issues” customers may have faced, including: If you’re not sure you’ve completed an order but think you may have, we’re working on it. Likewise, if you received a duplicate confirmation email, don’t be alarmed. If you do not receive a confirmation email within 24 hours but believe you purchased the Zeta Set, please contact our customer service team and they will help you resolve it. We’re getting a ton of leads there right now and we’re reviewing them as quickly as possible. Wizards of the Coast did not provide any details on possible fixes or workarounds for customers affected by this mysterious glitch, but said it would “share as much as we can” once everything is resolved. Want more io9 news? See when to expect the latest releases from Marvel, Star Wars and Star Trek, what’s next for the DC Universe in film and television, and everything you need to know about the future of Doctor Who.
