An overall good article marred by the gate keeping bullshit. There are a ton of ways to play magic, and just because they are not part of the competitive scene does not make them “not real magic.”
I honestly don’t even think universes beyond is the problem in and of itself. The problem is the high number of sets released per year and the fact that too many of them are universes beyond and in standard. If they did 1 or 2 UB items and kept them to commander decks, secret lairs, or one UB set per year it would leave room for the universes within to shine. Hasbro would never though.
FWIW, the current set is universes within (Secrets of Strixhaven) and is really fun. Of course, the TMNT set before it was also really fun, but they were way too close together.
They said the reason they started playing was a UB set. I’m also new to paper magic. Final Fantasy is what got me started. Clearly UB works for getting new players interested. Should there be as many UB sets as in universe? No, but that doesn’t mean there shouldn’t be any or they don’t attract new players.