MTG’s Spider-Man Survey: The Backlash to the Backlash, and the ‘Witch Hunt’ Question

Wizards of the Coast (WotC) has recently deployed a survey to gather feedback on the controversial Magic: The Gathering | Marvel’s Spider-Man set—a set that faced significant fan criticism for its grounded aesthetic, uninspired mechanics, and commercial performance. While surveys are standard practice, a specific line of questioning has ignited a new wave of outrage, particularly among content creators and influencers.

The “catch” is that WotC appears to be seeking a scapegoat for the set’s poor reception, directing the blame away from the product’s internal design and toward external commentary.

The Controversial Question

A key moment in the survey, which is seemingly only presented to players who consumed content about the set, asks participants to rate the following:

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

The possible answers ranged from “Greatly worsened my perception” to “Greatly improved my perception.”

Why This Question Caused a Firestorm

The industry’s reaction has been swift and overwhelmingly negative, with many content creators—who often serve as early access partners and marketing megaphones for WotC—feeling that they are being unfairly targeted for expressing honest, critical opinions about a product the community largely agrees was flawed.

1. The Scapegoat Narrative: The question is viewed as a clear attempt by WotC to shift accountability for the set’s lackluster design, unpopular “Hot Dog Cart” and “Subway Train” filler cards, and overall uninspiring Limited format. Critics argue this avoids addressing fundamental issues like an over-stuffed release schedule and a hasty shift in product design (the set was reportedly salvaged and repurposed from a smaller concept).
2. The “Witch Hunt” Concern: The survey also asks participants to explicitly name the streamers and YouTubers they watch. Coupled with the pointed question about negative commentary, this has led to influencers and players expressing fear of corporate retaliation, labeling the query a “witch hunt” against independent critical voices.
3. A Poorly Worded ‘Mistake’: Following the intense backlash on social media, WotC representatives, including Head Magic Designer Mark Rosewater, acknowledged the question’s poor wording, suggesting it was an internal mistake that “sucks” and was not intended to be malicious. However, this has done little to soothe community anxiety, which sees it as a reflection of WotC’s internal thought process.

The Bigger Picture: Universes Beyond Fatigue

The Spider-Man controversy is a flashpoint in a larger debate about WotC’s rapidly expanding Universes Beyond (UB) product line. While UB sets like The Lord of the Rings: Tales of Middle-earth have been massive successes, the relentless pace of crossovers—with sets like Final Fantasy, Star Trek, and The Hobbit also scheduled—has led to widespread ‘Magic fatigue’ among long-time players. The Spider-Man set’s failure to capture the magic of its predecessors amplified the existing frustrations:

• Aesthetic Mismatch: Unlike high-fantasy IP like LotR, the New York-based, modern-day setting of Spider-Man felt too disjointed from Magic’s core fantasy aesthetic.
• Product Overload: Three of the seven premier sets scheduled for 2026 are UB sets, contributing to a feeling that the game’s original worlds are being marginalized.

Ultimately, the survey question has backfired, creating more negative publicity for WotC and highlighting the tension between the company’s aggressive commercial strategy and the reliance on its community’s independent critics.