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I was sitting with Dork4Short on stream a few weeks ago. They sparked this interesting conversation in me about third spaces, while we were just yapping like usual. They were talking about how it could help social anxiety, community outreach, and rule zero conversations. I got hooked.

Fascinated by the idea of third spaces and its relationship to Magic: The Gathering as a whole, I decided to interview a few people in the community who are known for their prowess in third spaces: JanePlaysMagic (Jane), ReversalWizrd (Reversal), and Dork4Short (Dork).

What Is a Third Space?

According to Project for Public Spaces, "Ray Oldenburg... is known internationally as [the] author of The Great Good Place, in which he coined the term 'third place' and made a case for the importance of informal public gathering places... In contrast to first places (home) and second places (work), a third place allows an individual to put aside their concerns and simply enjoy the company and conversation around them."

Reversal, a former game store owner, defined a third space as "a place for like minded people to meet up and usually share in some commonality." Jane adds onto this by insisting that it's about play, about breaking the social norms, talking to strangers, and allowing yourself to be "a little weird! You can share you enthusiasm for your interest with your friends."

Like Oldenburg seemed to be saying, it's about more than the "essentials" of day to day like home and work. It's a place for fun.

Dork adds that the form of the space didn't really matter. It was about "breaking the mold of what it means to be a... 'traditional friend.'" They push the emphasis on the functionality of a space like a coffee shop or a bar from just drinking or eating to "providing a third path" for interaction.

It's these transcendences of spaces' intentionality that makes them conducive for the fun and play Jane talked about.

What Do Magic Third Spaces Look Like?

Jane put it precisely, "They can be anything from a convention like Shoebox - proxy friendly and focused on community formats - to the room in the library your friends have a standing reservation [for], to my house where we host commander nights for friends." Dork agreed, saying, "In my experience, I’ve seen great success centered around coffee shops and bars. Something about having a convenient beverage to consume (caffeinated or not) is a great middle ground."

Reversal added, "For years MTG third spaces were the LGS [local game stores] and the kitchen table but technology coupled with Covid has changed that drastically. Now you can hang out with your fellow Eldrazi and Phyrexian people with a click of a button and a camera."

Being able to have a third space, or a fun communal environment outside of home is the goal of third spaces, but paying for space is a real concern for those who can't afford it. The internet is third space adjacent enough to count in my opinion.

Magic third spaces can look like anywhere as long as people are welcomed, safe, and playing the game.

What Is the Importance of Third Spaces to Magic: The Gathering?

Jane mentions that a lot of third space are often really expensive to attend. She said, "LGSs are a little oasis where you can sit at the table without buying anything and there is so much magic in that!" This is important for marginalized people in the US who typically struggle financially and, as Jane points out, "have more things societally repressed about their identities."

Being able to share that fun and play in third spaces is important with Magic's identity.

Reversal talks more about the skills you acquire through the community in these spaces: "People sometimes form new families and lifetime friendships just by slinging spells. On an education level, it helps people read, write, and critically think." This is so important when considering the long term impacts of third spaces for Magic players.

Friendships and skills are things that players can take away from Magic and utilize in their personal lives. It makes people teach the game to their friends and their families.

Dork emphasizes how third spaces "help break the social stigmas and traditional norms of the hobby. For Magic, a lot of it can feel gatekept at times... In general, besides supporting local businesses, it’s a place where there isn’t stigma or pressure...I notice a healthier rotation of folks. It’s much more laid back. Just trying to engage and meet people ... For Magic these spaces are so important because unfortunately, not all LGS spaces are built the same. Some can be outright bigoted, intolerant, and downright distasteful."

These third spaces help break the stigma surrounding the game by humanizing the social interactions in their spaces.

How Do We Make Healthier Third Spaces?

Dork stated, "A healthy third space cultivates, not crushes. It’s something that people want to go to, want to go back to. But also a space where the venue wants people back. We’re sharing this space and the utmost courtesy amongst all groups is so important for these spaces to thrive."

Word of mouth is huge. Uplifting healthy spaces and downvoting unsafe spaces is important to the health of LGSs.

Reversal added, "Sounds easy but acceptance wasn't always so easy for a player like me - African-American and gay - but the times have changed and things have gotten better, but I'm just one player. That's not everyone's story. I can remember a time when people would look down on me in the game because of my knowledge and skill and also my access to game pieces aka money."

Acceptance is so important to making everyone feel safe in a space.

Jane offered, "Send some love to the person who holds your third space - offer to bring a snack, tell them how important it is to you, find a way to show your appreciation back! It's not often done for financial gain, so a little love to your space organizers really helps. It's also the best way to learn how to curate your own third space, attending spaces you think are cool and talking to the organizers about how they do it!"

Cultivating a space by showing appreciation and making the spaces inclusive is how we make them healthier.

Being vocal about how spaces make us feel, promoting inclusive environments, and showing our love when spaces meet or exceed our standards is how we make LGSs healthier.

The Health of Commander, Thirds Spaces, and Community

I asked my interviewees what is the importance of LGSs to the health of Commander as a format and the steps needed to protect these spaces. Jane said, "Those third spaces are sanctuaries, where you can be yourself and be truly seen by your peers. Your creativity, differences, excitement, are all welcome and shared - everyone came here to put on the little play that is their Commander deck."

LGSs are sanctuaries. These spaces are where Commander can let people express themselves. That's important. That's what needs to be protected.

Dork talks about the connection of the community and Commander: "The health of Commander is determined by LGS[s] in terms of accessibility. Not everyone can order cards online... Try telling a kiddo who's just getting into Magic to convince their folks to order cards on a random website they've never heard of ... vs a brick and mortar LGS where they actually can know where their kid is going? What they're spending their money on. Way more approachable... Without the foundation of an LGS, Commander simply cannot thrive."

LGSs are the foundational block to get new players invested safely and young.

Reversal tackles the relationship between LGS as third spaces. "[It's] important for all stores to support the biggest format in the game. This format... allowed all kinds of people into the game from professional Super Bowl winning athletes to the timid nonbinary player who was afraid to step in an LGS. LGS[s] need to be more welcoming of the format and try to come up with events so more players will come support them but its a give and take. Players have to support their LGS as well because these are the place[s] where to you go to create that third space."

Commander uplifts the game. LGSs uplift Commander. People uplift LGSs with Commander. It's a balance.

Conclusion

Work then home. Then back again. Every dollar of our lives surrounds what is necessary, as our wages stretch thinner and thinner as capitalism eats away the average American. Spending becomes tighter and tighter so it becomes economical to spend time at home, spend only for things you can do at home. Save money for the necessary.

Third spaces - affordable or free spaces - are so important. Emotionally. Dork says, "For one, they break the traditional cycle. It’s a healthy changeup which can help prevent burnout!" Reversal says, "These place[s] truly help you to level out, to not feel alone in the world. Like a warm embrace that keeps you safe from the harshness of life. You can go to your third space and you can rid yourself of all the home stress, work stress..."

Jane says, "To me, a third space is a place where you can allow the rules you have to follow as an adult (dress normal, be quiet, don't be dramatic, etc.) to slip away."

We share this game, and being able to play it together, freely, somewhere other than home is important. Getting on a train, into a car, or going for a walk outside with the goal of spending some time with people we love or people we don't know is important. Having the expressed intention of just having fun is freeing; it's necessary.

It's the bit of necessary that gets lost with the type of necessary that can't be ignored, like rent and groceries.

Playing Magic: The Gathering has given us a game, a task, an activity to let us enjoy "the doing" of a third space, the healing of this kind of space. We needed that. I want to share that with more people.

But that's just my thoughts. What are yours? I'm @strixhavendropout on everything.