That’s me around 1997—my freshman year of high school—playing guitar in my punk band.

Somewhat out of place here, I know. This may sound somewhat strange, but the two biggest influences on my teenage years were punk rock and trading card games. They may sound completely different, but they actually have a lot in common.

Unfortunately, punk rock is often associated with an anarchistic/nihilistic destructive philosophy (or more recently, a commercialized and processed version of rebellion). But dig beneath the surface a bit, and you’ll see there’s a lot of positivity in the genuine emotions you can find within the culture. To me, punk rock means a healthy does of questioning authority in a constructive way, having compassion for your fellow man, confidence in your own abilities, and not accepting status quo when you know things can be better.

 

If you’re an outsider and you see a mosh pit, you understandably see a bunch of kids slamming against each other and don’t get what it’s all about. It probably looks like random mild violence with no point.

However, there is a strong sense of community and unity in the mosh pit, at least where punk rock is concerned. In fact, there are two major rules everyone follows:

#1: The mosh pit is for fun, not inflicting pain. No fighting, no kicking, no punching.

#2: If someone falls down, or if someone looks like they’re hurt, you pick them up immediately and help.

Now, let’s compare this with the first major trading card game tournament I ever played in. I’m thirteen years old, I’ve been playing for a few months now, and I’m really excited to spend the day gaming. I tune my deck, wake up early, get to the venue, pay my admission, and hope for the best.

Round 1, I play against a guy whose deck cost thousands of dollars more than mine. There’s no way the match could have lasted more than ten minutes. I got my teeth kicked down my throat, and there wasn’t much that was friendly from my opponent other than a quick smile and a handshake at the end.

Either you experience this and come back for more, or you leave. In the case of the former, many players grow, learn, and eventually become that guy in Round 1, myself included. A few years later, I was the one crushing newbies under my boot, making fun of their decks between rounds with friends, and acting like they shouldn’t be there in the first place.

This, of course, was a terrible attitude to have. But the game and competitive environment I played in encouraged it, and it was beneficial. Call the guy with the bad deck a “scrub”, or the guy who wants to be friends with you a “barn”, cash your paycheck and move on to the next tournament.

A lot of you have been through this experience, and understandably, it turns you off. So if this doesn’t appeal to you, let’s build an alternative experience, together. Our game releases in March, and I’d like to lay down two rules everyone should try and follow:

#1: TCGs are for fun, not pain. Throw elbows at will and play to win, but remember this is a community. This is not the place to make yourself feel better at someone else’s expense.

#2: If someone falls down, you pick them back up. Is there a new guy at your local hobby store who came with a starter deck, quietly sitting by himself, and he doesn’t know anyone? Introduce yourself, and make him feel welcome. Did you just beat an inexperienced player with a bad deck? Shake his hand, and be friendly. Offer up some deck tips, or even strike up a conversation unrelated to Marvel Superstars. Let’s make sure every player has a great experience, even if they don’t win a game all day.

There are other games where you can be out for yourself, crush everyone in your path without regard, and get rewarded for it. And for some people, this is what they’re looking for: a stressful, hypercompetitive environment.

But Marvel Superstars will be different. It’s about putting down the mouse or console controller, and getting out of the house to make new friends at your local hobby store. It’s about having fun playing a game with people face-to-face, in a positive environment, and encouraging as many people as you can to join in the experience. It’s about building the kind of community that picks people up when they fall, instead of stomping on their bodies until they learn the hard way or leave.

That’s what this is about, and that’s what we’re going to build together.

Now, what are you going to do to help grow Marvel Superstars when it comes out? What are some ways you can ensure the experience is fun, friendly and positive for everyone, starting on day one? We’ve got about two months to plan, so click here to join our Facebook discussion. Tell others what you’ll do at your local store, and let’s come together to make this what we want it to be.

Your community, your game. Build it the right way, and create an alternative.