Last updated on January 15, 2025
Karn, the Great Creator | Illustration by Wisnu Tan
So maybe you've noticed that I’ve been creating a lot of Magic: The Gathering content for a while—whether it’s Pauper gameplay, writing articles, or even just posting some memes on social media. I’ve dipped my toes in a lot of different things, but what does all of that really mean for you? More importantly, why should you bother creating content, and how do you get started?
If you’re feeling stuck or don’t know what kind of content to post, you’re in luck! I’ve got a breakdown of everything you need to know about getting started with MTG content creation, from the tools you can use to how to make a name for yourself and stand out from the crowd.
Whether you’re just getting your feet wet or looking for ways to level up, I’ve got you covered!
What is a Content Creator in MTG?
The Crowd Goes Wild | Illustration by Mike Burns
A content creator in Magic: The Gathering is someone who makes and shares content about the game, usually to entertain, educate, or connect with other players. This can take many forms, like YouTube videos of gameplay, Twitch streams of live matches, or even deck tech videos where they break down how specific decks work and why certain cards are included. Some creators focus on strategy, helping players improve their skills, while others lean into fun themes, casual Magic formats, or even comedic takes on the game.
There are also creators who write articles, host podcasts, or share their thoughts on social media who are famous for talking about new set mechanics or even just posting new lists from winning decks.
Using MTG Circle and CardFlow
One of the best tools you can use to start your Content Creator career on MTG Arena is CardFlow, as it's an intuitive app that effortlessly takes away the pain of recording each of your videos, and rather does that for you in the background while you’re just enjoying the game. The best part: It isn’t resource heavy for your computer, and it’s completely free!
CardFlow offers a wide range of features that can be utilized by content creators, while MTG Circle provides all the content ideas they need to keep generating those amazing pieces of work.
Effortless Gameplay Recording
With CardFlow you can record gameplay without interruptions, capturing only video so you can edit it later. If you’re worried about storage, this app lets you save your recordings directly to MTG Circle’s YouTube side, eliminating the need for local storage.
However, if disk space isn’t an issue, you can choose to store your recordings on your hard drive.
Selective File Management
Easily manage your recordings by choosing which files to upload or delete to keep your content organized and reduce clutter.
Customizable Video Quality
CardFlow allows you to adjust video quality output to match your preferences, ensuring your audience gets the best possible viewing experience based on the kind of content you’re willing to produce.
Mic Integration for Streaming
One of the newest features CardFlow offers is the ability to toggle your microphone on or off during gameplay.
This is especially useful if you’re streaming and want a hard drive backup of your gameplay, complete with your commentary, for future uploads to YouTube.
24/7 Replay Streams
If you’re looking to create a continuous streaming experience, CardFlow allows you to upload a playlist of replays to YouTube.
With a bit of hardware setup, you can loop these replays on YouTube or Twitch, giving the impression of a 24/7 live stream.
Keeping Your Content Fresh
Playing a variety of decks is essential to keep your community engaged. CardFlow integrates seamlessly with MTG Circle, a platform offering a rich database of the most successful decks across formats.
You’ll also gain access to the latest brews from other users, which you can tweak and test to suit your style.
Learning and Expanding Your Knowledge
In addition to deck databases, MTG Circle provides written articles on various topics, ranging from gameplay strategies to meta-analysis.
These resources can be a valuable source of inspiration and knowledge.
How Do I Become an MTG YouTuber?
Since MTG content is widely popular, it can be hard to break into saturated areas like Commander gameplay or Draft replays unless you bring something fresh to the table. Think about what makes your perspective unique—whether that’s creating content around lesser-known formats, breaking down advanced strategies, or showcasing your personal deck-building style. Identifying your niche helps you stand out and attract a dedicated audience.
Once you’ve figured out your niche, the next step is setting up your YouTube channel. Choose a catchy, memorable name that reflects your content and set up a simple but eye-catching channel banner so first-time viewers know exactly what to expect when they visit your channel. Also, make sure to fill out the “About” section to give more information to your viewers about your goals with your platform, and more importantly, make it count towards SEO. When it comes to equipment, you don’t need the best camera gear to start. A smartphone with a decent camera and a good microphone is enough. For editing, free software like DaVinci Resolve or Capcut can work just fine as you begin.
To post a video, simply log into your YouTube account and navigate to YouTube Studio. From there, click the “Create” button, then select “Upload Videos.” You’ll be prompted to drag your video file into the upload box or browse your computer to select it. While uploading, you can enter a title, description, and tags, ensuring to include keywords related to MTG to improve discoverability.
That said, adding a clear thumbnail and a concise but strong Title is critical to catching viewers' eyes, but be careful that both match the content of your main video. Otherwise, you’ll be flagged as clickbait.
As you start posting regularly, consistency is important. Stick to a content schedule and experiment to see what works best for your audience. Use YouTube Analytics to track your performance and refine your strategy. By engaging with your community, responding to comments, and promoting your content on social media, you’ll slowly build an audience. While it may take time to gain traction, persistence and originality are key to growing your channel and finding success as an MTG YouTuber.
In my experience, I chose to become a YouTuber because I’m not fluent in English, and I feel more comfortable expressing myself through video edits rather than speaking in real time. Creating pre-recorded videos allows me to take my time, carefully craft my message, and make edits to ensure clarity and quality. This way, I can share my thoughts and ideas with an audience without the pressure of live communication.
YouTube also allows me to reach a global audience, as viewers can follow along with subtitles or visual aids, making language less of a barrier.
How Do I Become an MTG Streamer?
If you’re good at talking in front of a camera or with people overall, becoming an MTG streamer will be easy for you. This can be done within multiple platforms, but the most popular ones are YouTube and Twitch, the latter being the one most people relate to when it comes to streaming as a whole.
After picking a platform, creating an account, and setting up the defaults like logo, description, banner, etc., you need to invest in the basics or streaming.
You’ll need a reliable computer, a good microphone for clear audio, and a webcam if you want to appear on screen. Streaming software like OBS Studio or Streamlabs is free and user-friendly, and you’ll need it to capture gameplay and stand out among other streamers with features like overlays and customized emotes, among others.
Next, test your setup to ensure smooth performance before going live. If everything seems fine, you're good to go.
Again, focus on a niche or angle so that you stand out. Since MTG streaming is competitive, find a way to make your content unique—whether it’s specializing in a specific format like Pauper, sharing off-meta decks, or hosting interactive Q&A sessions with your audience, keep in mind that engaging with viewers is essential, so respond to chat messages, ask questions, and involve them in your gameplay decisions when possible.
Like every other platform, consistency is key to growing as a streamer. By creating a regular streaming schedule and prompting your streams on social media, you’ll start steadily grabbing viewers' attention.
Becoming a streamer takes time, and many spend several hours daily, ranging from as little as two to up to 12 hours, to reach an average of 500 simultaneous viewers. The format is also key here, as some may be willing to spend their time looking at the latest Modern or Standard brew rather than Pauper, for example.
Still, it’s all about finding your niche and appealing to your audience with the content you provide.
If you’re good at the game and have several good results over major Magic tournaments, that’s also a big appeal for viewers to engage with your stream, even if you don’t have a big personality, so take that into account.
How Do I Become an MTG Podcaster?
I may sound repetitive, but picking a niche is crucial because some topics may be oversaturated. Try to mix in your personal perspective and clarify the unique value you’ll provide to your listeners, as this encourages them to become regular followers of your podcast.
Once you’ve determined your podcast’s focus, start creating high-quality content. Invest in a good microphone and use audio editing software like Audacity or Adobe Audition to ensure your episodes sound professional. Clear, polished audio is essential for keeping listeners engaged. Plan each episode to offer value, whether through strategy tips, interviews with MTG personalities, or engaging discussions about the game.
After recording, you’ll need a hosting platform to store and distribute your episodes. Platforms like Libsyn, Podbean, or Anchor are excellent options. These services make it easy to share your podcast on major directories like Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and Google Podcasts, helping you reach a wider audience.
Promotion plays a key role in building an audience. Share your episodes on social media platforms where MTG players are active, like Twitter, Reddit, and Instagram. Engage with listeners by replying to comments, joining community discussions, and collaborating with other content creators. Collaboration is particularly effective for growing your audience quickly, as it helps spread the word about your podcast and why people should tune in.
Since podcasts lack visual aids, be mindful of how you explain specific mechanics or cards. Provide clear and detailed descriptions to ensure your audience understands what you’re discussing.
How Do I Become an MTG Writer?
Becoming an MTG writer is straightforward and rewarding if you share your insights through text. The first step is deciding where to write and which topics to cover. From there, it’s about choosing the right platform to showcase your work. Options range from free blogging sites like Blogger to investing in your own domain to build a personal brand. If you attract enough readers, you can monetize your site with ad services like Google AdSense.
You can also share your deck techs and strategy guides on platforms like Ko-Fi, where you can offer them for free or set up a paywall to earn from your content. Patreon is another excellent option, allowing you to share premium, subscriber-only articles with your supporters.
For those looking to get paid by established outlets, consider pitching your work to well-known MTG sites like Draftsim where they accept submissions and pay writers based on word count or per article. Be sure to have a portfolio of your previous writing to demonstrate your expertise and style when reaching out to them.
What Other Ways Can I Be an MTG Content Creator?
As I’ve mentioned, there are plenty of options to explore to become an MTG Creator, and it's all about exploiting what you're good at.
For example, if you’re artistically inclined, design custom card alters, playmats, or tokens. The MTG community loves unique accessories, and you can showcase your work on platforms like Twitter or Instagram and sell them over Ko-Fi or Etsy.
Another way to generate content is by becoming a community organizer. You can run local events or even online tournaments through platforms like Melee.gg and offer commentary or post-match breakdowns from these events, which can also be unique content.
You can also share memes, polls, or quick takes on MTG news on platforms like Twitter, Instagram, or TikTok. After all, engaging content doesn’t always need to be long-form—it’s about connecting with your audience where they are.
How Do I Make Money as an MTG Content Creator?
Bandit's Haul | Illustration by Monztre
To make money as an MTG content creator, you can get monetized through various social media platforms like YouTube, Twitch, Instagram, or even TikTok once you meet certain criteria, like reaching a specific number of subscribers or followers, achieving a minimum number of view hours, and other platform-specific metrics. Each platform values different key performance indicators (KPIs), so understanding their focus is important.
On YouTube, for example, your content is monetized through Google AdSense, earning revenue based on the number of views your videos receive. The more views your content generates, the higher your potential earnings from ad revenue. You can also boost your income with features like Super Chats, channel memberships, or brand-sponsored content aimed at the MTG audience.
Twitch offers monetization through subscriptions, donations, and ad revenue. Viewers can subscribe to your channel for a monthly fee, often gaining perks like custom emotes or exclusive access to content. Many Twitch streamers also rely on tips or donations from their audience during live streams, which can be a significant income source.
Beyond these platforms, you can diversify your revenue streams by selling merchandise like custom playmats, tokens, or apparel through platforms like Ko-Fi or Spreadshop, to name a few. Other options include offering one-on-one coaching sessions, creating premium content on Patreon, or partnering with sponsors and affiliates.
In addition, many MTG content creators work with card retailers or accessory companies, earning commissions when their audience uses affiliate links or promo codes.
If you’re a content creator, consider that they’re often looking for big numbers before committing to a full sponsorship. While this may not always be true, it's expected that you have an engaged audience before they release their money or perks.
All in all, building a sustainable income as an MTG content creator isn’t impossible, and there are multiple ways to do it. Still, it requires engaging with your community, producing high-quality content, and staying consistent in your efforts. After all, very few people will engage or view your content if they feel you haven’t done as much as upload a single thumbnail to your 3-hour gameplay video, for example.
Who Are the Best MTG Content Creators?
I’ve talked about niches, right? Well, each MTG content creator that stands out has a dedicated niche they inhabit.
Here’s my top list based on content type and format.
Written Content: Draftsim, MTGCircle
Standard: Crookeyz & Yellowhat
Limited: Sam Black, Alex Nikolic, Numot the Nummy, Voxy
Modern: Aspiring Spike, DoomWake
Pioneer: Todd Anderson
Brawl: Amazonian
Commander: The Command Zone, The Commander's Quarters
Misc. Content: MTGGoldfish, Tolarian Community College
Pauper: David Royale, kalikaiz
Podcasts: Drafting Archetypes, Lords of Limited
Art: Mother of Cards, Magali Villeneuve
Is it a Good Idea to Become a Content Creator in MTG?
Three Dog, Galaxy News DJ | Illustration by Elizabeth Peiró
Becoming a content creator can be a fantastic move if you’re passionate about MTG, love connecting with others, and, more importantly, have the time for it. The key is approaching it with a clear purpose—whether you want to share your unique perspective, grow a community, or even turn it into a side hustle or full-time career.
MTG has a passionate audience, which is great because niche communities tend to have highly engaged viewers. That means you don’t need millions of followers to make an impact. Start by focusing on what makes you unique—whether it’s insightful deck-building strategies, entertaining gameplay, incredible video editing, or even having good storytelling can lead to thousands of views. Consistency is key here. Regularly showing up with high-quality content helps you build trust and loyalty with your audience.
That said, it’s important to understand the challenges. Success doesn’t happen overnight—it takes time, effort, and a willingness to learn skills like video editing, SEO, and social media marketing. But if you focus on delivering value and engaging with your audience, you can grow steadily.
If you plan to make a living from it, remember that there are multiple ways to monetize, from YouTube ads and Twitch subscriptions to sponsorships and selling your own products or services. However, you’ll need to make a big time commitment before you start to see revenue, so keep that in mind.
One quick final tip on this: If you’re already monetized and your content is grabbing enough attention, consider outsourcing some of the work you currently do in order to produce more content. This way, you’ll grow and help others make revenue!
Wrap Up
Captive Audience | Illustration by Dmitry Burmak
To wrap things up, I’d like to share a bit about my own experience. I started creating YouTube content just for “fun,” focusing on a video game I was into at the time. Unfortunately, it was an oversaturated market, and my videos barely got any views. It wasn’t until I switched to posting Pauper gameplays that I began to see a real uptick in views. From there, everything started to click, and now, after two years of consistent uploading, I’m averaging around 4k views per long-form video.
This experience sums up what my journey has taught me, and I’ve done my best to pass that knowledge along to you. If you're looking to dive into content creation, now you know what to do, what to avoid, and—most importantly—why it’s crucial to focus on a specific topic and be consistent.
Thanks for reading up until now. If you would like to see more of my work or awesome MTG-related content, remember to follow us on X and join our Discord server to never miss a thing.
Take care, and see you next time!
This post is sponsored by MTG Circle. We will never work with a brand we don't love and trust, and by supporting them you also support Draftsim.
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