With the Pro Tour on its way back and Pioneer being the premier format for Regional Championships (see "'Magic's' Pro Tour"), WotC made a move to attempt to further balance the format with new bannings. They went ahead and banned both Winota, Joiner of Forces and Expressive Iteration in the Pioneer format. Winota, which had previously been a problem in the online Explorer format, was banned because it had a large share of the metagame and created frustrating scenarios where, if an opponent lacked instant-speed removal spells or countermagic, Winota could hit play and practically win a game on turn 4.
Expressive Iteration was banned in Pioneer because it allowed Izzet decks to sustain a higher than normal win rate. Also, to align Pioneer more closely with the online Explorer format, WotC banned Expressive Iteration in the Explorer format as well.
Shakes Up the Metagame Prior to Pro Tour's Return
Posted by Jeffrey Dohm-Sanchez on June 7, 2022 @ 10:31 am CT

Wizards of the Coast announced that they will ban two cards in the Magic: The Gathering Pioneer format.
MORE GAMES
New Boxed Figure
June 27, 2022
WizKids unleashed Adult Umbral Dragon, a new boxed figure for Pathfinder Battles: Impossible Lands, into retail.
Story-Driven Campaign Miniatures Board Game
June 27, 2022
Flat River Group will release Assassin’s Creed: Brotherhood of Venice, a new miniatures board game by Triton Noir, into retail.
MORE NEWS
Also: 'Megazord Pack' of Five Key Issues with New Covers
June 27, 2022
BOOM! Studios has also put together a special “Megazord Pack” of five key issues in the series, with new variant covers.
Much-Loved Marvel Exec Passes Away at 50
June 27, 2022
Friends and colleagues posted their remembrances of the 50-year-old on social media.