Secret Lair was first introduced to Magic the Gathering just over 4 years ago with the original drop that focused on seven different releases. Whether you picked up Bitterblossom Dreams, <explosion sounds>, OMG KITTIES, or any of the other products, you were in for a treat of unique are across some of Magic's most iconic cards. "A love letter for Magic fans" Wizards called it and they certainly sold a whole lot of the print-to-demand product.

Today it has been announced that instead of using print-to-demand, the series would be moving to a "limited-run-print" instead to make shipping faster. Even if we assume the reasoning behind it is genuine, this is going to create a whole new source of fear of missing out which should do Hasbro wonders for their sales on the product. If you're afraid of being unable to buy something that was previously unlimited, you're going to make sure you're in the front of the line come drop day.

With over 200 Secret Lair drops since its debut, we've seen little movement in the secondary market for secret lair cards with little profit to be made thanks largely in part to print-to-demand, and as it rightfully should be to some degree, MTG doesn't need to be a vessel for finance. Will the secondary market pick up on the new sets with restricted print runs? Is Wizards full of baloney and these runs are actually going to be quite large still but they want to cause renewed interest in the product line for more sales?

We ultimately don't know, Hasbro doesn't make Secret Lair's numbers public information in their investor relations, but we do know that Hasbro's stock has been on a decline since 2021 when it peaked post-pandemic. Certainly not the highest it had ever been, which was in 2019, but what a covid recovery! Read on for their full statement and if you want to check out the latest drops, you can always find them on the Secret Lair website.

Quote From Wizards of the Coast

Thank you for celebrating more than four years of Secret Lair with us! As with all our products and services, we're constantly listening to feedback, and one piece of feedback we've overwhelmingly heard is that you want to have Secret Lair drops in hand more quickly.

Starting in 2024 and to expedite shipping and reduce wait times for receiving some of the wildest treatments in Magic, Secret Lair is officially shifting from a print-to-demand model to a limited-print-run model for most of the product line. There may still be some exceptions wherein Secret Lair drops continue to be print to demand for an ordering window, but moving forward, you should expect that most drops will be pre-printed and therefore able to ship out and reach you more quickly once you've placed your order.

Practically speaking, this means that some products may sell out before their end date. However, it also means waiting significantly less time from order to Secret Lair drops arriving at your doorstep. While popular Secret Lair drops may sell out fast, we now have four years of Secret Lair sales to base our print-run numbers on, and we're aiming to get as close to overall demand as possible. The result should be that most players get what they want faster.

We're excited about these changes and, as always, appreciate your feedback!

What are your thoughts on the Secret Lair product line and today's announcement? Let us know in the comments below.