As for the special cards for special people, they aren't something I'd value to be honest. Back when I did collect paper cards, I found the inclusion of foils and whatnot quite frustrating. There was no real way to collect a full set without investing a lot of money in the singles and I always preferred to have all my cards of the same type. (Damn you OCD! #shakes fist#). Putting all the special cards off to one side would be better for someone like me as they would be easy to ignore/collect depending on preference.
I can kind of see why WotC would want control over popular formats. It's profitable obviously, but it also allows for 'official' rules, events and tournaments. Not that I necessarily agree that such a thing is needed, just why WotC would want it in their hands rather than under the influence of a group/groups of non-profit hobbyists.
Maybe it's just the DT's from not being able to play Arena talking, but there is a voice at the back of my head that keeps saying how awesome it would be to collect MtG in paper again. I can't be certain, but I think the voice has a slight Glaswegian brogue to it.
Pros
- The thought of ranks of binders full of carefully arranged cards in crisp, clear plastic sheets appeals to the collector in me. (Which is bizarre as I am not a neat or tidy person in any other aspect).
- Hunting down those last few cards to complete a 1-of-each set gives a nice sense of accomplishment. (but see below).
- Opening boosters is fun.
Cons
- Cost. Any money spent on cards is money not spent on minis. (Not that I need more of those either). If I were to spend money on MtG, Arena is a cheaper alternative. I am aware that it is possible to just buy a complete set from Ebay, but that is no fun at all.
- Older cards can go for stupid money.
- There is no intrinsic value in having a full set of cards. As soon as a set is complete, it's value as a thing to collect is finished. Aside from the few cards per set that are great in Modern, the resale value is probably poor.
- Cards arranged neatly in files as a collection =/= cards for playing with. I would probably want a second (incomplete, but more competitive) set to play with. The idea of just getting desirable cards to play with and not full (1-of) sets of cards leaves me cold.
- Is this just a midlife crisis, trying to recapture the fun of my youth?
- I am not the most focussed of people. There is a high chance that this would be forgotten about when the next shiny thing catches my attention.
- I barely get to play wargames these days, so playing MtG offline seems unlikely unless...
There are plenty of stores in Nagoya and even a few near me that sell cards and host game evenings. Having been to a few of those stores and seen the usual crowds, I'm not too sure about actually going along to play there. When I have been into hobby shops in Japan, the UK and the USA, the clientele are often high-schoolers/young adults, male, and occasionally lacking in personal hygiene and social skills. Now, perhaps the FNM groups are more sophisticated and play wearing tuxedos and sipping brandy, but I doubt it.
Gamer odour is my least favourite part of hobby culture. Getting pwned by some anonymous user on Arena is one thing. Losing to a bunch of kids half my age is something else. Plus there is the whole language barrier thing if my opponent is using Japanese cards. (Mental note, learn more Kanji).Back home, I always played Magic among a small group of close friends, usually big multiplayer games with 'anything goes if it's fun' style decks, usually followed by a takeaway after the games. To me, kitchen table MtG is far more fun than serious tournaments with ＄1000 netlist decks.
So I have the option to play on my way home from work sometimes, but I'd much rather play with a group of friends and a few beers. (Or a few friends and a group of beers
).I realize much of this post is not really related to Arena.
) actually collect paper magic cards, I can certainly empathise with your feelings on the subject. I went through a period (until pretty recently) where I did collect sets of cards, mostly for play purposes. I do not and have never owned a collection binder, though, as I firmly believe cards should be played with. Carefully. Double sleeved if necessary, but played with nonetheless. My justification for getting full sets (aside from, y'know, needing them) is that if you get 4x each common, 3x each uncommon and 1x each rare/mythic, then you can use them for drafting forever. I mean, twenty years from now, I can say "hey folks, lets all play a Guilds of Ravnica draft" and hey ho, it can be so. That can be kinda fun. Obviously, that'll depend on actually having a playgroup around twenty years from now, but I'm optimistic 
FWIW, I bought the Brawl precons with the intent of using them with my son, with mus on lunch breaks at work, and with anybody who wants a pick-up game on whatever random occasion. I hope to get my local playgroup into them as a gateway to commander, but that's probably a bit optimistic at this point. Anyway, my point is that I don't see it as getting into the format so much as a side-purchase, kinda like we sometimes buy games as "games to play between games on games days". 
