Published on 07/14/2025
The End of an Era
By Carsten Haese, Nathan Long, and Justin Hovdenes
This Article from: Carsten Haese
Cranial Translation
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A confluence of several personal circumstances has prompted us to take stock of the Cranial Insertion project, and we have come to realize that interest in Cranial Insertion has been in decline for a while. Readers move on and don't get replaced, authors move on and don't get replaced, translators move on and... well, you get the picture. Faced with this reality, we've decided to put the project on an indefinite hiatus, and this article will attempt to answer some questions you might have about this.
Q: What exactly does "indefinite hiatus" mean?
A: It means that we're taking a break from writing new articles for an unknown length of time, but the site will remain operational for the foreseeable future to serve as an archive of rules knowledge, and you can continue to email questions to moko@cranialinsertion.com or tweet questions to @CranialTweet. We will still answer your questions, time permitting, but we can't promise that your question may be used in a future article.
Q: If I have a rules question about a game in progress that requires a quick answer, where can I get help?
A: Your best resource for getting a quick answer is the #magicjudges-rules IRC channel. Information about this channel and a web-client for accessing the chat can be found at this link.
Q: How about asking (insert name of some generative AI tool here)?
A: You'd be better off asking your dog or flipping a coin. The answer you'll get will be just as accurate, and it won't require the power consumption of a moderately-sized city to generate.
Q: I am studying to become a judge, and I read Cranial Insertion to practice my skills. What alternative resources would you recommend?
A: Well, first off, this site isn't going away just yet. As I said, the site will remain operational for the foreseeable future and will serve as an archive of rules knowledge, but keep in mind that the rules change from time to time, so older articles may become inaccurate as a result. For more timely content, you could read questions and answers in the aforementioned rules chat, or even try to answer questions yourself. You could also participate in Facebook groups or reddit boards where people ask and answer rules questions.
Q: I am a judge and I want to help revive the Cranial Insertion project. How can I help?
A: In order revive the project and to keep it running, we need people with strong rules knowledge, good written communication skills, a good sense of humor, and most importantly a strong commitment to Magic rules education. We also need people who are fluent in other languages to help translate the articles for non-English audiences. If you think you have what it takes to actively participate in the project, please let us know by sending an email to moko@cranialinsertion.com .
I think that covers the main questions you might have about this announcement. If you still have questions, you know where to find us. I do hope that Cranial Insertion will be revived at some point in the not-too-distant future. It would certainly be fitting for a Magic rules column whose mascot is a Zombie Monkey.
- Carsten Haese
About the Author:
Carsten Haese is a former Level 2 judge based in Toledo, OH. He is retired from active judging, but he still writes for Cranial Insertion and helps organize an annual charity Magic tournament that benefits the National MS Society.
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