MTG’s new mascot is already getting merch and players are divided

MTG Outlaws of Thunder Junction has yet to launch, and players are already finding merch of Loot, the game’s newest mascot.

With the abundance of Universes Beyond crossover sets recently, MTG is carving out a large slice of the pop-culture pie for itself. Embracing popular series like Fallout and Doctor Who – with Final Fantasy on the way – has some players concerned that Hasbro is pushing for marketability over the integrity of the game’s world and stories.

These fears are the reason why some players are having such an adverse reaction to the character Loot, an adorable creature rescued from Thunder Junction’s vault by established MTG characters Jace and Vraska. While Loot’s adorable design will make it a new favorite for many, it has been inspiring revulsion in some areas instead. With new MTG merch featuring Loot being discovered, the issue is only compounding for some fans.

WotC

Why exactly has the reaction to Loot, and the character’s associated merch, been so polarised? For starters, it can be difficult for characters like Loot to catch a break. There’s a fine line to walk where what can be endearing and adorable to many can be infuriating. Mascot characters like The Mandalorian’s Grogu can see fan reactions flip at a moment’s notice. Even then, just the appearance of critters like this can be enough to send fans into a frenzy, good or bad. As said by user hellscare6 on Reddit:

“Loot really is like those jumping spiders. Some people f***ing die of cuteness overload looking at them, others would get a flamethrower and burn their houses down.”

WotC

It’s not as if Loot appearing on MTG accessories is terribly out of line with how Hasbro has operated in the past. MTG characters have long shown up on specialized card sleeves, playmats, binders, and more. Loot seems to be particularly drawing ire in this case as most MTG characters grew popular authentically through fan engagement with the game and its story. Loot, on the other hand, has many players feeling that they were designed specifically as a marketable mascot, with thoughts of merchandise as the priority. This train of thought in the community is summed up by Reddit user TheBuddhaPalm:

“Here’s why I hate Loot: it wasn’t ‘earned’.

Loot feels like an Industry Plant in the music world: they put together a thing, threw it at you as hard as humanly possible, and then get p*ssed when you don’t buy into it.

It’s distilled “This should work, because our marketing research says these are the component parts people enjoy in a thing”; ultimately, that’s a soulless concept.”

One thing’s for sure, Loot is going to have a big impact on the worlds of MTG as Jace and Vraska take this critter along on their plan to reshape the multiverse. With Loot set to pop up as a key player in MTG’s future story, more merch featuring the character – and perhaps their adopted family – is likely to follow.