Despite its ongoing success, Magic: The Gathering is trailing in its mainstream appeal behind Dungeons & Dragons, which is published by the same company and has become a frequent reference in mainstream popular culture. While studying the transformation of the genre-defining card game into an esport, I encountered that its creators and players regularly discuss how the cis male-dominated tournament scene contributes to the public image of Magic: The Gathering.

Tampere University and the CoE Gamecult were pleased to host artist, academic, and game designer Troy Innocent during the week of 8th–16th April, 2019. Innocent was visiting for the 15th Annual Tampere University Game Lab Spring Seminar, Urban Play. The Spring Seminar was hosted by the CoE Gamecult and held at the Vapriikki Museum in Tampere, home of the Finnish Museum of Games.