With Duels of the Planeswalkers 2012's impending release, we were given the opportunity to ask Paul Levy, one of the Brand Managers for Magic: The Gathering some questions about the game. Here are our questions and their answers below!

GatheringMagic: Will DotP 2012 release simultaneously for all platforms?

Paul Levy: Yes! Duels of the Planeswalkers 2012 is scheduled to release on XBLA, PSN and PC via Steam on June 15, 2011.

GM: Why a new release rather than an expansion to the previous game version?

PL: Expansions are great for new decks and cards to refresh a game, but we had the opportunity to expand the features that we were bringing to players and create a new experience for them. By adding in new game modes, improving the deck manager functionality and enhancing our co-op game play, we've created that new experience. We also took the opportunity to improve the overall user interface and experience. It really is an all-new version of the game.

GM: Are there plans to delay the launch should Playstation's ongoing platform issues continue through the product release?

PL: Duels of the Planeswalkers 2012 is scheduled to release on all platforms on June 15, 2011. If there is a platform delay, we will launch on that platform as soon as possible.

GM: Who lead development on the game given Matt Place's departure from Wizards?

PL: The development for Duels 2012 was really a team effort. If you take a look at the game credits, you’ll see designers and developers from both Stainless Games and Wizards, including the team that worked on the Magic 2012 Core Set.

GM: Can you tell us more about the Archenemy mode? Will it require all players to be on the same console or PC or will there be network capabilities for it?

PL: Archenemy can be played either in your single-player or multiplayer campaigns. In single-player, you have two AI allies. In multiplayer, you can team up with two friends (or one friend and an AI) to take down the Archenemy. Allies can be anywhere in the world as long as they are on the same platform. If one of your friends has to drop out of the game, the AI will automatically pick up where the player left off so that game play doesn’t end.

GM: With the addition of Archenemy mode, why did you opt for Titan promos rather than an Archenemy card as a promo?

PL: The Titan cards are powerful in any format, and we wanted to provide newer players with something they could get excited about and use in their games right away. And also…they look awesome!!!

GM: While this is a full purchase for players, rather than just an expansion to the previous release, will it interface with previous versions in terms of a player's deck and card selection?

PL: Duels 2012 is not compatible with the original Duels of the Planeswalkers game. It is an all-new game with new cards and decks as well as improved deck editing and enhanced co-op game play.

GM: Will we expect future physical "Duels of the Planeswalkers" inspired decks as we had last year?

PL: We are definitely integrating our digital and paper products to create a seamless Magic 2012 experience for players, and we plan to do that with products moving forward. The Magic 2012 Core Set cards that appear in Duels 2012 is a great example of this. We will not, however, be doing the Duels of the Planeswalkers paper decks that we produced last year.

GM: You introduce a new planeswalker in the game, Kiora Atua, will we see her in any future Magic set?

PL: We can’t tell you where Kiora may appear in the future, but right now she’s exclusive to Duels 2012 and we think that’s pretty cool!

After our questions were answered, Aaron Forsythe gave a very interesting tidbit about deck customization and management for the game.

Our thanks to Paul and Wizards of the Coast for taking the time to answer our questions!