Written by Jim Ziegler

Wizards of the Coast just revealed their newest holiday promo card, Eggnogger’s ‘Stache, featuring the baby Fomori Loot messily drinking a large mug of eggnog. It’s an adorable image, but one that adds fuel to the fire of the most recent controversy in the community: Who is the mascot for Magic: The Gathering?

Some Magic players have embraced Fblthp as Magic’s defacto mascot, and WotC seemed to be leaning into that, with several art treatments, new cards featuring him (including the entire Extra Life 2024 secret lair), and numerous product tie-ins. Fblthp was even the defacto mascot for MagicCon Vegas 2024, which included a scavenger hunt to find him, secret pins, a tiki mug in his likeness, and a featured drink named after his first appearance.

More recently, the focus has shifted to Loot, who was first introduced in Outlaws of Thunder Junction, a set which, notably, included Fblthp, Lost on the Range as a promo card. Loot, and adorable little furry gremlin, was the treasure that Jace assembled a team of outlaws to acquire for him thanks to his ability to map Omenpaths. Jace and Vraska immediately adopted Loot, but lost him immediately, as revealed in the Bloomburrow and Duskmourn stories.

In just a few months since he was revealed, Loot has been printed as two different legendary cards and has shown up in eight different sets of art, including one of the Foundations basic Forest. You can buy fuzzy Loot deck boxes, and playmats, and follow his adventures through the stories of three separate tentpole sets. For comparison, it took six years for Fblthp to be printed as a creature after appearing in background art since he was first introduced, and he appears on 33 cards over eleven years.

Some people feel like Loot is being forced upon them, the same way they complained that Kellan felt forced. But Magic has never really had a mascot the way Pokemon has Pikachu or Yu-Gi-Oh has Yugi and Dark Magician. They used Hurloon Minotaur for several years, and even had a giant statue in the WotC headquarters, but you’d be hard-pressed to find anyone who remembered that era. The early Planeswalkers, especially Jace, seemed to be an attempt to put a face on Magic, but they’ve pulled back from printing as many as they had before.

Magic doesn’t need a mascot, though. Unlike Pokemon, it’s a game first and a franchise second, and it doesn’t have or need the brand recognition of other trading card games. Whether you’re team Loot or team Fblthp, the important part is the gathering.

FIRST FRIDAY RED & WHITE NIGHT

Friday, 5:00 PM

Stop by Gam3Escape and check out the First Friday Market vendors! TCG Vendors include @tcg808marketplace, @shakacardz, @tcghawaii, @tcg808rips, & @porygontrainer.

@shaylax.ink will be there with her games and kawaii stickers.

@daanimehub will be there with their awesome anime and collectibles. @filedabahiadohavai will be there with Brazilian plates! There will be Pokemon, Lorcana, and other cards, including slabs, stickers, anime items, and collectibles, ono Brazilian plates and delicious desserts!

IN THE WORLD OF POKÉMON

Pokémon TCG League Challenge

Saturday, 6:30 PM

Best of 1 format, 30 minute matches, age divisions honored as much as possible based on participation. Deck lists are required, and must be submitted by 5:00 PM. Late and illegible deck lists may not be accepted. Prizes include packs, promos, and other Pokémon merchandise. Entry fee: $7.00

Pokémon TCG League Cup

Sunday, 11:30 AM

Best of 3 format, 50 minute matches, age divisions honored as much as possible based on participation. Deck lists are required, and must be submitted by 11:00 AM. Late and illegible deck lists may not be accepted. Prizes include packs, promos, playmats, and other Pokémon merchandise. Entry fee: $15.00

Pokémon League Casual Play

Monday and Saturday at 6:30 PM, Sunday at noon

Receive a pack of your choice from any in the store, as well as a promo pack. Participants are entered into the end-of-season prize pool. Entry fee: $10

Pokémon GO Scavenger Hunt

Grab an achievement sheet in-store and GO out to collect them! Complete the scavenger sheet to earn a booster pack and a promo pack, and to be entered into a drawing for an Elite Trainer Box and other prizes. Entry fee: $10 

GATHER FOR MAGIC

Foundations Jumpstart Tournament

Friday, 6:00 PM 

Shuffle two Jumpstart boosters together and you’ve got a deck, ready to go! Entry: $20

Casual Commander

Monday, Tuesday, and Saturday at 6:00 PM.

The most popular format in Magic, Commander, is back on the table. Bring your favorite deck, or playtest a new one against other magicians. No entry fee: These battles are for honor, not prizes!

TIME TO DUEL! Yu-Gi-Oh!

Advanced Constructed Tournament

Wednesday, Friday, 7:00 PM

Duel for supremacy in the Yu-Gi-Oh Trading Card Game. Earn booster packs and OTS Tournament Packs while demonstrating your skills as a duelist. Entry fee: $10

A WHOLE NEW WORLD

Azurite Sea Lorcana League

Monday, & Saturday, 6:30 PM

The adventures in the Inklands continue with Locana League. Bring your sealed deck, or join the fun! The initial entry fee includes a starter deck of your choice, a booster pack, and a 200-card deck box to keep your sealed cards from getting mixed up with your collection. Entry fee: $25 (one-time charge)

STAR WARS: UNLIMITED

Casual Play League

Tuesdays, 6:00 PM, Saturdays, 1:00 PM, Sundays 5:00 PM

Whether you’re an aspiring Jedi, a sinister Sith, or a bounty hunter looking for your next score, Star Wars: Unlimited has all the excitement of your favorite space opera in cardboard form. 

Constructed Tournament

Saturdays, 1:00 PM

Constructed format.  Entry: $10.00

THIS MEANS WAR(HAMMER)!

Casual Warhammer

Friday & Sunday, 5:00 PM

In the grim darkness of the far future, there is only war. At Gam3Escape, there is only Warhammer! Whether it’s a Tyranid terror or a Blood Angel battalion, stage your army and prepare for battle at the weekly Casual Warhammer event. 

CARDFIGHT! VANGUARD!

Divinez Constructed Tournament

Monday, 5:30 PM

Bring your cards and get ready to fight! Cardfight! Vanguard is back with weekly tournaments, every Monday night. Entry fee: $6

Check out Jim's articles at The Gamer: https://www.thegamer.com/author/james-ziegler/ and like, follow, and subscribe to his Youtube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@Alolan_Professor