Wizards of the Coast CEO Chris Cocks has rolled out a statement of values for the Magic:  The Gathering player community, developed “with input from players, retailers, tournament organizers, fans, and staff,” he said in a post on the company’s website.  The moves comes in the wake of two player bans for online behavior, one related to harassment of a Magic:  The Gathering cosplayer (see “‘Magic’ Bans Target Online Behavior”).

The Cocks post reflects two of the steps announced by Wizards of the Coast Vice President, Global Brand Strategy and Marketing Elaine Chase last month to address “harassment and bullying.”  In addition to being more proactive about setting expectations for behavior at Magic events and in all Magic spaces, those steps included investigating reports as quickly as possible, and reviewing and updating policies and reporting process for Code of Conduct violations. 

The values on the new statement, titled “A Commitment to Each Other,” are “Put Fun First,” “Follow the Rules,” “Welcome Everyone,” and “Respect Your Play Environment.”  Cocks said players should expect to see the values statement in stores or on streaming services.

Cocks also laid out steps for players who spot issues.  “Should you spot an issue, contact the owner or operator of the store, stream, or play space first,” he said, and offered WotC Customer Support if an issue needs to be escalated. 

He tied the roll-out to a narrative of his entry into Magic play with a friend when he was a junior in college.  “Everyone at Wizards of the Coast wants to foster inclusive, positive, inviting places and groups for all Magic players, so that the next time a pair of friends shows up at a local game store, they find a community as welcoming and as awesome as I did,” he wrote.    

Click Gallery below for a full-size version of the values statement.