My wife and I just recently got into MTG and decided we want our focus to be paper, but we also like the idea of digital as we learn since it forces us to play by the rules and we can use it to test out things we’re unsure about. We also like the idea of digital for times when we can’t be bothered to break out decks and such. So while we’ll primarily focus on paper we will invest some into digital.
We’re still deciding on which digital platform to really invest our resources into, though. I like MTGO for its “close to paper as possible” philosophy, but I get the impression Arena is golden child of Wizards and likely to have more staying power long term. The ability to play Arena pretty much anywhere, including mobile, is a big benefit as well.
So for the more seasoned players out there that may have focused on one or the other, or even both, what’s your experience been? Why did you lean into one versus the other?
I’ve played on both at different times. Currently I’m on Arena doing the F2P thing. But the reason I’m not on MTGO is primarily because of tech issues on my end, not any objections to the platform.
I’ll agree with everything that’s been said so far in this thread. I’d also add that Arena is a more user-friendly experience overall. It has nicer graphics, fewer bugged cards, and it handles a lot of the fiddly decisions for you automatically, like the way it chooses which lands to tap. Veteran or high-level players may chafe at the lack of control or the shallower card pool, but it sounds like that’s not where you are in your Magic career right now.
But one of the big drawbacks to Arena is that it doesn’t support having more than two players in a game. If Commander is your format of choice then that might be a reason to explore MTGO.
Whichever you choose, having software that enforces the rules automatically is a great way to learn Magic and develop good play habits.
Thanks for the info! I’ve seen the lack of multiplayer formats as a recurring negative for Arena, but thankfully it’s just my wife and I with no real interest (yet) in going beyond that.
I think we’ll keep an eye on MTGO, though, because eventually we’ll probably want to try something like Commander out. Since we’re social distancing enthusiasts it’s unlikely we’ll look for a local group to play with (nobody in our circle of friends plays MTG) so having a digital option for that will be awesome.
As a fellow social distancing enthusiast, I can certainly appreciate that.
The social angle brings up another important difference: MTGO has chat functionality and Arena doesn’t (actually I think Arena does have chat but only with people who are on your friends list, or something). But I’m the kind of person who sees Arena’s lack of chat as a positive. I’ve heard from enough salty opponents to last me a lifetime.
Personally I’m a bigger fan of Arena. It’s not super new player friendly, but of the two, it’s definitely friendly-er, imo, and you can play completely for free. Also, I’m a big fan of the Best-of-1 format being a thing on Arena. Makes playing much less of a time commitment, which is really nice.
The only thing about Arena that bugs me right now is Alchemy, which isn’t something that’s necessarily a problem with everybody, but is pretty hard to get away from, unfortunately.
I think your insight into the two platforms is pretty spot on IME. I’ve played on both and have enjoyed them both, even preferring MODO’s tabletop imitation, and I think your answer to a few questions would steer you in either direction:
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Do you want to play quick games or play anywhere? If so, Arena is definitely the way to go. Being able to play at any hour, for as little as 5 minutes for a Bo1 game, on Arena is really my only option currently with 2 small kids. If you enjoy and have time for true Bo3 matches at a computer, however, MODO would be better as I think the skill level is a bit higher and you get access to all formats down the line.
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Do you care about getting your money back out at some point? Arena is essentially a video game and once you buy packs or use wildcards, that’s it. You cannot trade cards and you cannot exchange them. If this doesn’t bother you, or you intend to play for free for a while as you build up a collection, Arena is great. MODO has a higher upfront cost (depending on format) and does not have a free-to-play option, but you can always sell your collection or trade your cards with others.
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Do you want to play custom formats, or older formats, like Pauper, Pioneer, Modern, Legacy, or Vintage? MODO would be your only option then and I would say even Pioneer is a ways away on Arena.
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Do you mind paying for every match you play? For the most part, MODO is built around “leagues” where you pay $10 for 5 matches. You get actual rewards based on your wins. There’s a free play area for constructed though, I’ve never done that. Arena has paid entry events (with either gold you get for free in the game, or gems you buy for cash) but their ranked queue is completely free to play and you can essentially play a deck forever for free in there.
You’re right that Arena is certainly WOTC’s main digital priority and has the most upside in the long term. MODO has been around for a long time though, has a stable economy, and there’s no indication they’re getting rid of it.
tl;dr: I just don’t have the time in my life to queue up for MODO leagues and if I play digitally it’s just Arena purely because of how quick and easy games are, but if I had the time and the 2 little near constant interruptions stopped a bit (😜) I would invest in MODO to play the older formats I like and because I support that style of economy much more than Arena’s which often feels predatory.
Great info, appreciate the thoughtful response!
Right now we’re using digital to help teach us the game and we’re mostly using Arena since we bought some starter kits which gave us the same decks in Arena and paper. It’s been really helpful having both forms of the same decks as we’re able to try things out that we’re unsure about. Long term I think digital will be more of a “pick up and play” type thing so we’re leaning Arena.
Yeah in that case Arena sounds like it’s definitely the right call! The new player quests really help teach the game and Arena is ideal for pick up and play.
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I returned to Magic in 2020 after a 15 year break. I love the possibility to also play Modern or Commander on MODO, but the UI is atrocious in my humble opinion. Also, I am unwilling to pay the same amount for a Modern deck I already own in paper for the digital version. You need third party Services for renting and and and… For me, in the 21st century, it feels like actual work before you can play.
I also have my quarrels with Arena - the client is super resource intensive, the economy is quite predatory and I hate the digital-only formats and that the cards leak into eternal formats that could have been fun to play (Historic). But the UI is light years ahead from MODO and for me, that would settle the deal. Especially for casual play, I’d recommend Arena, as long as you are fine with Standard, Pioneer and Limited and can get over the “mobile game” feel of the client (DAILY DEALS, GET XP, PLAY MORE NOW).
What kind of formats is she looking to play. Arena is pretty good for limited and standard. The eternal formats while decent can’t really hold a candle to the eternal formats available on mtgo. Arena does have bo1 which a lot of people enjoy.
I play both. I have much more money invested in Arena, but on MTGO I play Penny Dreadful which has been amazing fun and the absolute cheapest format I’ve ever played. There’s literally nothing to lose investment wise for PD.
