MTG Survey on Spider-Man Backlash: The Catch is a Finger-Pointed Question at Influencers

Wizards of the Coast (WotC) has released a community survey to gather feedback on the controversial Magic: The Gathering | Marvel’s Spider-Man set, a release from its Universes Beyond crossover line that has been met with significant player backlash. While an official survey is a necessary step to address community concerns, a specific question within the feedback form has sparked a new wave of outrage, particularly among content creators and influential members of the MTG community.

The core of the controversy isn’t just about collecting data on the set itself; it’s how WotC appears to frame the source of the negative reception.

The Loaded Question: Shifting Blame to Influencers

The “catch” in the survey is a question that suggests external commentary—specifically from MTG influencers—may be to blame for the set’s poor reception. Participants who indicated they received information about the Spider-Man set from content creators were reportedly prompted with a question similar to this:

“To what degree did negative influencer commentary impact your perceptions of Magic: The Gathering | Marvel’s Spider-Man before the set released?”

The options provided a scale ranging from “Greatly worsened my perception” to “Greatly improved my perception.”

This phrasing has led to an outcry, with prominent MTG figures and players accusing WotC of attempting to deflect responsibility for the set’s perceived failures, which many believe stem from:

• Thematic Mismatch: The grounded, modern New York setting and repetitive character variants (multiple Spider-Men) felt mismatched with Magic: The Gathering’s traditional fantasy aesthetic, especially compared to the highly successful Lord of the Rings set.
• Perceived Low Power/Quality: Many players and financial analysts felt the card quality and impact on competitive play were lackluster, leading to Collector Booster price crashes.
• Rush Job Perception: The set was reportedly converted from a smaller, limited release to a full-sized product, which some felt resulted in an uninspired design, including “filler” cards like a Hot Dog Cart and Subway Train.

The survey question, perceived as a “witch hunt” by some, suggests WotC is looking for a scapegoat rather than critically examining their own product design and Universes Beyond strategy.

Wizards of the Coast Admits a “Mistake”

Following the significant backlash on social media, a representative from WotC acknowledged the issue. They clarified that the wording of the question was a mistake and that the intent was not to blame the creator community. The representative suggested the unusual negative focus and poorly worded answer scale “sucks” and was not part of a malicious plan to attack influencers, many of whom play a crucial role in the MTG ecosystem by providing content and previewing cards.

Despite the apology, the incident underscores the intense scrutiny surrounding the rapid expansion of the Universes Beyond line. As WotC prepares for future collaborations like The Hobbit and a massive Marvel Super Heroes set in 2026, the community is demanding a higher standard of thematic integration and card quality to prevent the brand from being defined by its crossovers.

This controversy highlights a significant tension in the gaming and collectibles space: the growing power of independent content creators and the difficult balance publishers face when managing community feedback on high-profile, high-investment products.