For over 30 years, Mark Rosewater has been a cornerstone of the tabletop community. As a Magic: The Gathering legend, he continues to lead design teams for massive sets, including the upcoming Marvel Super Heroes expansion. However, while navigating the complex Magic multiverse, Rosewater has been quietly developing his own project.
Today, via the official Magic: the Gathering Secret Lair website, Rosewater finally unveiled his next card game, Mood Swings. Fans can expect to be able to order the title very soon.
A New Vision from a Magic: The Gathering Legend
Rosewater recently shared deep dives into the mechanics of his project via a blog post on the MTG website and a tutorial video on the official Wizards of the Coast YouTube channel. His primary goal with Mood Swings is to provide an accessible entry point for players who may find traditional TCGs overwhelming.
"About 28 years ago, I came up with an idea for a more accessible trading card game called Mood Swings," Rosewater says in the blog. "The idea behind it is simple. Trading card games are a lot of fun, but Magic, while amazing, can be complicated. Mood Swings is my attempt to make something simpler."
Gameplay and Mechanics
Mood Swings utilizes a single 45-card deck, though the launch will include over 100 available cards. Each card is named after a specific emotion—such as Patience, Hostility, Cheer, or Bashfulness—and features corresponding power and point values.
The game is designed for 2–4 players and follows these core rules:
- Players play one mood card from their hand per turn.
- Once all powers resolve, the player with the most points on their board wins the round.
- The first player to win three rounds wins the entire game.
