Wizards of the Coast has raised the curtain on its 2025 Magic: The Gathering release schedule, including a preview of the art of a highly anticipated crossover with Final Fantasy. But the publisher also revealed some major changes coming to the trading card game. A cascade of announcements, made live at the MagicCon Las Vegas fan convention, may even change the trajectory of the beloved TCG for all time.
By far the biggest announcement is the fact that starting next year, all Universes Beyond releases produced in the future will be legal on all formats, including standard. First introduced in 2021, Universes Beyond features non-traditional intellectual property Magic Multiverse, swapping characters like Jace Beleren and the Phyrexians for stranger things'Eleven, Hatsune Miku and the Space Marines of Warhammer 40,000. In the past, these crossovers were segregated into alternative formats. Starting in 2025, they will become a central part of the franchise's gaming experience.
To make room in the next calendar year (and for the foreseeable future) there will be only three Magic Multiverse-themed set released every year. Wizards said to look forward to the new Foundations ready to fill that perennial void, offering the necessary cards until at least 2029. Otherwise, fans should expect the “three and three” cadence to continue, with three Magic Multiverse deals combined with three Universes Beyond sets.
That's not the only change coming. Magicand fans are encouraged to find out more on the official site Magic website. Expect additional analysis here on Polygon in the coming days and weeks.
In the meantime, here are all the new details about Magic: The Gathering2025 release schedule, plus comments from the Magic The team spoke at a private press conference ahead of today's announcement.
1/6Image: Yuu Fujiki (藤木ゆう)/Magos de la Costa
Top billing is going to Magic: The Gathering – Final Fantasya Universes Beyond set releasing on June 13, 2025. Wizards describes the set as the largest collection of Final Fantasy art ever released in a single game.
“Across the entire franchise,” said lead designer Mark Rosewater, “you'll see artwork from Magic artists along with classic illustrations from legendary Final Fantasy artists, as well as stunning new pieces made specifically for this set.”
Image: Wizards of the Coast
Magic: The Gathering – Innistrad remastered brings together popular cards from multiple sets of gothic horror classics into one refined new product. This Magic The Multiverse set, which will be released on January 24, 2025, will also include 500 serialized copies of Edgar Markov.
The set is now available for pre-order.
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Magic: The Gathering – Aetherdrift stops on February 14, 2025. The Magic The Multiverse set represents a wild race across three different planes of existence. It also tells a very personal story about the pyromancer Chandra and her quest to return the mystical spark that her companion, Nissa, recently lost.
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“The idea is that we are simply doing something [where] There are 10 different teams for the different color combinations,” Rosewater said, “so it's a really fun and exciting race.”
1/3Image: Wizards of the Coast
On April 11, 2025, Magic: The Gathering – Tarkir: Storm of Dragonsthe second Magic Multiverse release of the year, it brings back tri-color decks and towering, deadly dragons in a plane that hasn't been visited by designers in over a decade.
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After final fantasy in June, Magic: The Gathering – Edge of Eternities take the Magic Multiverse to outer space in a completely new environment.
“Over the years, Magic has explored a lot of different perspectives on fantasy and really expanded the definition of what fantasy can be,” Rosewater said. “[We’re] Looking to take a lot of space fantasy tropes (planets, aliens and all that) and really create an exciting new movie. Magic world different from anything you have ever seen before.”
Image: Wizards of the Coast
The second Universes Beyond in 2025 will be the previously announced one Magic: The Gathering – Marvel Spider-Manwhich draws inspiration from the Brooklyn-based webslinger's rich history of comedic stories.
Unannounced release of Universes Beyond
The year will conclude with the third release of Universes Beyond, which has not yet been announced.