I think this new schedule works in targeting players that aren't all that invested in the game, say casual kitchen table or those who drift in and out playing for a bit and then taking a year or two off before coming back. To them it's just a new set coming out soon that they can mess around with as they hop in and out of engagement. To those of us who have been into the game for years or decades now, it's the 4th release in 5 months that we've seen and everything starts to blur. Nothing feels special when you have product releases every month.
I don't know how much of Magic is tailored towards those who were into keeping up with the game via playing Standard FNMs or weekly drafts and watching the Pro Tour or occasional SCG Open on the weekend. That was pretty high engagement with the hobby. For that particular type of player, which was most of my primary playgroup back in college, I don't think the game is anywhere near as engaging nowadays due to how much of it is coming out so quickly. It's definitely different if you're a content creator or someone playing professionally; changes and constant updates keeps you on your toes and makes it fresh and exciting. I mean just look at viewer engagement with anything featuring Alchemy. It's absolutely abysmal for a viewer where card familiarity is key, but the actual content producers seemed to be having a blast with the changes. Well, until they saw the viewership numbers had tanked for Alchemy content (like MTGGoldfish for example).
I'm really not quite sure what the end game is for WoTC aside from short term profit margins. I mean they're obviously targeting a more casual demographic than they were in the past with all these EDH products and various one-off collaborations, especially with Secret Lairs, but they're sacrificing the staying power that kept the game appealing for so many invested players for the past 25+ years. There was a comfort in that stability. Tailoring their designs towards digital play and pushing paper focus in an EDH oriented direction has caused issues across the board rearing their ugly heads in various formats.
Magic just feels very different to me now than the game I fell back in love with in 2013. If I were a new player, I'm not sure I'd even want to get started with this hobby in 2022. I still think the game is the best I've ever played, but my engagement and excitement for it is not anywhere near what it was a few years ago even dating back to Ravnica 3 or Eldraine. I'll definitely be enjoying BRO as the cards are spoiled as I'm very into this setting and revisiting a part of Magic's past, but I can't say that I'm all that thrilled by the prospect of having another two week stretch to enjoy new cards before spoiler season starts up again.
