After the disaster that was the Spider-Man prerelease this past September, local game store owners and workers are giving their thoughts on Avatar: The Last Airbender's prerelease.
The prerelease for Avatar: The Last Airbender, the second consecutive Universes Beyond release for Magic: The Gathering, occurred the weekend of Nov. 14 and, for the most part, those working at LGSs have mostly good things to say about it. This is in direct contrast to the overwhelmingly poor response the previous set, Marvel's Spider-Man, received.
"I don’t know if it was just because Spider-Man was such a letdown, but players were back and excited for Avatar," says Daniel Crabtree, who judged the prerelease events at Gray Fox Games in Joplin, Mo. "Lots of first time prerelease players as well."
Others who worked the Avatar prerelease events shared the sentiment.
"We had a slightly better than average turn out for our Avatar Prerelease," comments Edward Mullen of Game Kastle in Orange Beach, Al. "A lot of players mentioned that the set was fun."
Mullen continues, saying that his players were commenting that it was "way better than Spider-Man" and that the set "actually feels like Magic (unlike Spider-Man)."
Not all stores, however, saw the same level of success as some players avoided the prerelease altogether.
"Worst turn out we’ve EVER had in a prerelease...and we’ve been doing them for so long I can’t even remember," says Nick Kelley of Chimp's Comics in Warsaw, In. "This makes Spider-Man look ok and that one was very bad."
Another LGS owner reported a similar lack of success, though he doesn't entirely blame it on Universes Beyond specifically.
"Worst one ever," comments Brian Kehrer of Direct Damage Games in Spokane Valley, Wa. "But I kind of expected it since we have to fight for folks with bars/cafes and other non hobby shops getting product before release day."
The next set to release for Magic: The Gathering is the hotly anticipated return to in-universe MTG with Lorwyn Eclipsed, which releases on Jan. 23. The set is already available for preorder.
