Magic: The Gathering buried monumental shifts under a pile of speedbikes, Sephiroth, and… Spongebob?
A new Foundation for this branded house of cards.
If you’re a Magic: The Gathering fan, you’re probably accustomed to new information arriving in an overwhelming fashion. Publisher Wizards of the Coast only knows how to use one function on the ol’ information hose, and it’s flood. MagicCon Vegas was no exception—-presentations from head designers and the TCG’s stewards touched on future sets, changes to Standard rotations, a touted new “Foundations Era”, and so much Universes Beyond information.
The real meat and potatoes changes regards Universes Beyond—MTG’s licensed IP imprint—now releasing the same number of card sets per year as those taking place within the multitude of worlds cooked up by WotC’s designers. For example, 2025 will enjoy three in-universe card sets and three licensed crossovers. All of those branded releases—which have included Warhammer, The Lord of the Rings, Fortnite, and very soon characters from both Marvel comics and Final Fantasy—will now be legal in the TCG’s Standard format. This is a massive change that essentially shifts Universes Beyond from an opt-in side feature to an indelible part of the game.
