The recently launched (and quickly concluded) sale of the Raining Cats and Dogs Commander Secret Lair deck has been the talk of the town for some wrong reasons. Due to a new limited print policy, Raining Cats and Dogs (US$150) was was sold out in the US store within 6-7 hours. Overseas stores in EU, UK, and Singapore were also sold out shortly after. The incredible quick sellout has caused uproar among fans, with many players unable to purchase even a single deck. How did this happened?

Limited Print Run for All Future Secret Lairs

Prior to this, Secret Lairs were printed to demand. If a million orders came in within the sale window of a week, then a million copies would be printed. Enough for everyone to go around. With the new limited print run policy, a predetermined number is set for each Secret Lair. It has become a first-come, first-serve system, which means those who are not the fastest to hit “buy” will find themselves unable to get any.

Several players vented their frustrations online:

“Yeah the limiting was due to them appeasing the secondary market they claim not to make decisions around… so dumb.”

“By the time I got home from work to buy, they were sold out. Fail and stupid by wizards. I’ll be passing from now on.”

Inflated Prices on the Secondary Market

Raining Cats and Dogs is the 3rd preconstructed Commander deck released by Secret Lair, the first two being Heads I Win, Tails You Lose and Angels: They’re Just Like Us but Cooler and with Wings. At $150, the price is steep but some notable reprints with new art made this particular release a hot one, leading to lots of hype in the run up. There’s a first-ever reprint of Anointed Procession, which even comes in double-sided foil, and each side featuring new art. Rin and Seri, Inseparable has always been a highly sought-after card, and now it’s getting a new art variant.

Because of the high demand, many players who entered the purchasing queue ended up buying more than 1 deck. This usually isn’t a problem in print-to-demand policy, but in a limited supply, it means other players don’t get the chance to own one. To make matters worse, some who did snag a few copies have listed them online for inflated prices to the tune of US$400.

At US$400, that’s more than double the original retail price of US$150. On one hand, the limited print run appeases some collectors who had been complaining of wanton reprints in recent years driving down card prices. On the other, it destroys the spirit of accessibility when players who just want to open decks and play can’t do so anymore.

With all foreseeable Secret Lairs now having this limited print run policy, be prepared to stand by on your computers or phones if you want to get a particular card or deck release.