Sound the alarm, the MTG Aetherdrift Play Booster Box just hit a record low price

A humanoid with a giant eyeball for a head waves a racing flag while watching cars at the start line — (Image credit: Wizards of the Coast)

MTG Aetherdrift may be careening round the bend toward its release date in early February, but it's already enjoying discounts ahead of launch.

You can currently pre-order the MTG Aetherdrift Play Booster Box for $109.95 via Walmart rather than the $150 or so I'm seeing elsewhere, and even though it's not listed as a deal, I can't find a better offer. It's currently $148.69 at Amazon, for example, and $114.99 at Miniature Market.

Such a gulf in pricing isn't unusual where Magic: The Gathering is concerned. Despite it being one of the most popular and best card games around, stable MSRPs don't seem to be a thing where MTG is concerned. While booster boxes and Commander decks hover around the same ballpark with every set, costs between retailers can vary wildly. That makes it difficult to tell what is and isn't a good deal at times, but this is the lowest I've been able to find on Aetherdrift's premier product.

MTG Aetherdrift Play Booster Box | $109.95 at Walmart
Save app. $40 - While it's not listed as a deal, I've yet to see the box come anywhere close to that price at other retailers. In most stores, it's a lot more expensive… and the cheapest we'd seen before this point was around the $115 mark.

Buy it if:
✅ You want best value for money
✅ You're a collector or deck builder

Don't buy it if:
❌ You aren't all in on Aetherdrift
❌ You'd rather save for the Collector packs

Price check:
Amazon | $148.69
💲 Miniature Market | $114.99

UK price:
🇬🇧 £115.99 at Magic Madhouse

Should you buy the MTG Aetherdrift Play Booster?

Whether you should pick up this pack will depend on what you're looking for with the new set. Are you mainly interested in collecting the cards, playing Limited matches like Draft, or getting enough to build your own decks? This is a no-brainer, because it's the easiest (and cheapest) way of getting MTG Aetherdrift cards in bulk.

An armored mammoth with a howdah carrying lizards charges through a jungle setting — (Image credit: Wizards of Coast)

However, anyone who wants the rarer card designs or alt-art should opt for the Collector Boosters instead. In addition, it's no good for those who mainly play with precon Commander decks. Unless you're interested in tweaking decks or constructing entirely new ones, it'll feel like overkill.

I doubt the Play Booster Box will dip much lower than this before release, though – and probably not for a long time afterward, if previous sets are any indication. Even then, you're unlikely to see them breach the $95 barrier. In other words? Now's as good a time as any to dive in.

For recommendations on what to play next, don't miss the best board games. As for what we can expect from the new set, check out these exclusive MTG Aetherdrift cards.

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I've been writing about games in one form or another since 2012, but these days you'll find me managing GamesRadar+'s tabletop gaming and toy coverage (I spend my time here handling everything from board game reviews to the latest Lego news). I've also been obsessed with Warhammer since the 1990s, and love nothing more than running tabletop RPGs like D&D as a Dungeon Master.