Normalizing "EDH" as a Shorthand for Universes Beyond-Free Games

Ok, so I enjoy Universes Beyond (UB), but I'm concerned about its overwhelming presence in Commander. The initial solution of "if you don't like it, don't play it" is becoming impractical as UB becomes more frequent and powerful. To preserve the classic Magic feel for those who want it, I propose we, as a community, normalize a simple social shorthand for our Rule Zero conversations:

Use the term "EDH" to express a preference for a game without Universes Beyond cards.

Use "Commander" to indicate openness to all official content.

This isn't about creating a new format or rules. It's about creating a clear, efficient vocabulary for players to find the kind of game they want within the existing Commander structure. Here’s how we can make it work:

1. Leverage the "EDH" Name: The term "EDH" already carries a classic, old-school connotation. Using it as a quick way to say "I'd prefer a game using only Magic's original multiverse" is intuitive and easy to remember.

2. Integrate it into Rule Zero: We should add a simple question to the pre-game conversation: "Are we cool with UB, or are we feeling more like an EDH game today?" This normalizes the preference without making it a confrontation, just like discussing power level or proxies.

3. It's a Preference, Not a Ban: This is purely opt-in. If a pod can't be formed around an "EDH" preference, the default is the standard, inclusive Commander rules. The goal is to give players a tool to find like-minded pods, not to exclude others.

This approach acknowledges that many players enjoy UB while creating a clearer path for those who don't. It's a simple social tool to help manage product fatigue and strengthen Rule Zero discussions. And if it gets normalized, we could see a day where we bring both Commander and EDH decks to the LGS. I for one would enjoy that kind of deck building restriction with the comfort of knowing I'm not handicapping myself against my opponents.

What are your thoughts on adopting this kind of shorthand?

Edit: Thank you to everyone that weighed in! I've had some awesome conversations here.

Some interesting points:

1. EDH, specifically, is too tied to this community and so would be linguistically difficult to decouple. 2. There are existing structures in place that use "EDH" as part of their identity making such a change more difficult 3. EDH as a term had a shared history that would have a strong legitimizing force against UB. That may be too much. 4. Apparently, I'm a dick for suggesting this? That came up a lot. IDK 5. New terms are too ephemeral to let the no-UB section of our community still feel included 6. This kind of thing may not be possible due to the size of the card pool involved. Simply removing then essentially makes it a different format, which what not the intent.

Good points. Y'all are awesome!