Magic: The Gathering has seen a lot of success in 2022, with each major set earning Wizards of the Coast a minimum of $100 million in revenue as the tabletop game is on track to earning $1 billion annually. The Universe Beyond initiative will combine the gameplay of the renowned tabletop game with the universe of Assassin’s Creed, Final Fantasy, Fortnite, and more. Although these sets won’t be used in traditional Magic: The Gathering competitive play, fans of the gaming series’ may learn more about the games or gain a renewed appreciation for them with the upcoming Universe Beyond cards.
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The Universe Beyond initiative was first announced by Wizards of the Coast during a Hasbro 2021 investor event, with more information being confirmed by company President Cynthia Williams at Hasbro’s Investor Day 2022. The Magic: The Gathering crossover with the aforementioned gaming IPs is expected to begin in 2024, but it’s currently unclear how long Wizards of the Coast intends to follow the initiative. Other franchises that are expected to be included in the set are Street Fighter, Warhammer 40,000, and The Walking Dead.
Magic: The Gathering has done Secret Lair drops in the past that featured known characters like Godzilla, while a 2023 set called Tales of Middle-earth will revolve around the Lord of the Rings series. On top of Lord of the Rings, Magic: The Gathering is getting Arcane, Dr. Who, Stranger Things, and Transformers sets as part of the Universe Beyond which provides an even balance of movie and TV show-based cards versus video game ones. Neither Hasbro nor Wizards of the Coast have confirmed which video game set from the Universe Beyond will debut first, but the cards may complement new releases or updates expected in 2024.
Many Magic: The Gathering fans have expressed their enthusiasm for the continued release of standard Magic cards alongside the Universe Beyond initiative that may bring more fans to the tabletop game. One Magic: The Gathering fan has suggested that the franchise is slowly becoming Funko Pop through the collaborative efforts, while another simply pointed out that it’s an evolution to the tabletop like Fortnite has evolved the live service model.
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Source: Polygon
