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With many groups of Magic: The Gathering players, there are more neurodivergent players than there are not. For example, in my local game store, I see many neurodivergent tendencies among almost all the players on the Commander days when I visit. In this article, we will explore why that is, how it impacts their experience, and how it may impact the experience of even neurotypical individuals. But first, what is neurodivergence?

Neurodivergence, as described by Cleveland Clinic, is "a nonmedical term that describes people whose brains develop or work differently." This can mean a lot of different things, but good examples of neurodivergencies would be people with autism or ADHD. However, it is not limited to those, and even conditions such as anxiety or depression can qualify. Those who are not neurodivergent are sometimes referred to as “neurotypical.”

It is important to note that because of the broad definition of neurodivergence, not all who are neurodivergent appear, or even are, disabled in a traditional way. This is sometimes called an “invisible disability,” and hiding neurodivergence to blend into a neurotypical crowd is often called “masking.”

Now that we’re all on the same page, why do we see a lot of neurodivergent individuals gravitate to Magic: The Gathering?

While I cannot confirm for other individuals, I do have a few theories and my own experiences I can speak on.

For one, I think a lot of neurodivergent individuals (including myself) look for validation and acceptance in skill-based communities. We’re often surrounded by doctors who can present themselves as knowing conditions better than the patient who lives with them, and that can feel belittling. As such, being a part of a community where our conditions are seen as secondary to our experience levels can feel incredibly validating and supportive, especially in casual formats like Commander, where players often help each other.

Another extremely common neurodivergent tendency is called hyperfixation. Hyperfixations are very, very intense hobbies. PubMed Central describes it extremely well: "Hyperfocus, broadly and anecdotally speaking, is a phenomenon that reflects one’s complete absorption in a task, to a point where a person appears to completely ignore or ‘'tune out' everything else." Hyperfixations, the subjects of hyperfoci, can feel all consuming, and often prevent an individual from doing anything else as well as losing track of time, a state referred to as 'time blindness.'

This is different from special interests, which are well described under Autism Spectrum Disorder in the DSM-5 as “Highly restricted, fixated interests that are abnormal in intensity or focus.” Special interests rarely go away, and consume massive portions of someone’s life. They may fade to the background, but are sure to come back into the foreground at a later date. It is very common to see someone with a special interest in Magic: The Gathering in the community, in my experience.

Magic: The Gathering impacts the life of many neurodivergent individuals greatly, including myself, of course. I decided to show this by putting out a survey to my local community college’s Magic: The Gathering players to report back the results. All quotes were taken from neurodivergent individuals. One said that they lost because “I was too nervous to interrupt someone’s spell.” This displays another common neurodivergent tendency: social anxiety. Compounded with this particular player having fewer than six months of experience, it makes sense that they would be afraid to make an incorrect play with more experienced players at the table.

Another player posited one reason why Universes Beyond has been so successful: “I decided to try the game largely because of Marvel's Spider-Man, an IP that’s a major hyperfixation of mine.” With a seemingly disproportionate number of Magic's playerbase being neurodivergent, it makes sense that hyperfixations would pull in new players.

Now, how may this impact you, if you’re neurotypical? For one, it’s important to realize that people may be struggling with things you can’t see, and it impacts all parts of their life. A little empathy goes a long way.

Secondly, however, in a way, it doesn’t. We’re still people. We play the same game you do. We play the same decks; the Y'shtola player across the table may have joined because Final Fantasy got a Universes Beyond set. The person constantly talking about the game, seemingly thinking only about when they get to play next Friday, may just be hyperfixated. That player who always seems a little hesitant to counter your spell may have social anxiety.

Or maybe not. It doesn’t really matter, at the end of the day. We’re all just players, playing the same game. And together, we build a unique community that allows space for everyone.

Evan Moss is a guest contributor to EDHREC. For more information on Evan's journey with Tuberous Sclerosis Complex (TSC), a rare genetic disorder, see below. TSC can cause seizures, developmental delays, intellectual disabilities, behavioral challenges, and autism. Evan has also provided his take on a Isshin, Two Heavens as One deck tech, which can also be found below.

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