Today, at MagicCon: Las Vegas, Wizards of the Coast has revealed almost the entirety of the 2025 MTG release schedule. Thanks to a colossal Gen Con panel back in 2023, we already had some idea what to expect, but Wizards has still managed to surprise us. Not only have we been given new cards, details, art, and names, but a colossal change is coming to MTG in 2025.
Three For Three
To jump right into the aforementioned significant change, Wizards of the Coast is overhauling the balance of sets released each year. Traditionally, we’ve had four premier sets each year and two major supplemental sets. These could be anything between Horizons sets, Masters sets, Un-sets, or even Universes Beyond releases.
In 2025 and onward, however, Wizards is shifting this balance so each year contains three premier sets and three Universes Beyond sets. Technically, there will be a fourth premier-set in MTG Foundations, since that’s around for five years, but that’s a technicality at best. Technicalities aside, this is a truly major change to the landscape of MTG and one that may have huge long-term consequences.
For long-time MTG players, this switch may be seen as a huge negative that dilutes the strength of Magic’s IP. This has already been in somewhat of a sore spot recently, thanks to sets hopping around without a strong core cast. Alongside this, Universes Beyond has long been lamented for being a problem that makes Magic look less magical.
Despite these concerns, Wizards is now fully leaning into Universes Beyond, and letting everyone play with it. In case you haven’t heard, Wizards is doing away with format-specific sets to make everything either Standard-legal or Eternal-legal. Once again, this is likely to be a controversial change, but it should make Magic a lot more approachable for new players.
Said new players are undoubtedly the target audience for this monumental shift. With more Universes Beyond sets being released each year, Wizards has more opportunity to entice potential fans. Hopefully, this will help MTG move from strength to strength in the future. For right now, we’re expecting some immense backlash since Wizards has essentially replaced an in-universe set for Universes Beyond…
The 2025 Calendar
On top of this colossal change to the release schedule, Wizards also confirmed what’s on the docket for MTG in 2025. As mentioned previously, we had been given some hints before, but now we’ve got all the juicy details. Between new cards, new art, and the set names, players now have a lot of concrete details to look forward to. Here’s what we know about the five, technically six, sets announced today.
Aether Drift
To kick off the 2025 MTG release calendar, we have Aether Drift, Magic’s highly-anticipated ‘Death Race’ set. Okay, technically, Innistrad Remastered will release first, but we’re focusing on big new reveals here, so shh… Releasing on February 14th, 2025, Aether Drift is set across three planes and promises to feature a metric boatload of vehicles.
On top of reconfirming Aether Drift’s vehicle-focused nature, Wizards revealed three new cards from the set. Unsurprisingly, each of these is artifact and Vehicle-focused, which will be a significant theme. As for the cards themselves, only Brightglass Gearhulk has any real competitive potential, but each card is nonetheless interesting.
Thanks to their tutor-focused abilities, both Daretti, Rocketeer Engineer and Brightglass Gearhulk will do serious work in Commander. Outside of this, Brightglass Gearhulk could see Standard and Pioneer play thanks to grabbing multiple utility or equipment pieces. While it can only grab two cheap cards, this one certainly isn’t to be scoffed at.
Rounding out the trio, Earthrumbler is an interesting heavy hitter that mono-green might be interested in. Able to become an artifact creature without too much hassle, Earthrumbler has surprisingly good protection when on the board. That said, Aether Drift is bound to feature plenty of artifact/vehicle removal, but this card may be one to watch.
As well as new cards to gawk at, Wizards also revealed a handful of art for the set, showing off some characters and vehicles. Thankfully, this art gives us some clues as to which planes we’ll be going to, since Wizards hasn’t officially confirmed that.
Tarkir Dragonstorm
Following on from Aether Drift, Tarkir Dragonstorm will be the next premier set for 2025. Due to be released on April 11th, 2025, this set takes MTG players back to Tarkir after 10 long years. Sadly, we didn’t get to see any cards from this set just yet, but we did learn that, unsurprisingly, Sarkhan Vol will appear!
Making the most of the classic Magic setting, Tarkir Dragonstorm will feature both three-color clans and plenty of Dragons. Given the set’s name, this reveal probably isn’t the most world-shattering surprise. The same is true for the fact that Tarkir’s reformed clans and Dragons aren’t exactly getting along.
Sadly, that’s all we were told about Tarkir Dragonstorm, for now, but it should be a very exciting set. Not only have MTG players long wanted to go back to Tarkir, but it’s also the conclusion to the Dragonstorm Arc. While this is only chapter 2 of the overarching three-year Metronome Arc, it should nonetheless be a set to remember.
Final Fantasy
As MTG Rocks’ resident Final Fantasy enjoyer, I’m pretty hyped already for Final Fantasy. Scheduled to be released on June 13th, this Universes Beyond set will be Standard legal for the first time ever. While this may raise some concerns, Wizards has stated the set was designed with Standard in mind from the outset.
Much like many of the sets revealed today, we’ve not been told every juicy detail about Final Fantasy. What we do know, however, is that the set will span the entire franchise, from Final Fantasy 1 to 16. Exactly how much each game will be represented is unclear, but I’m personally rooting for a strong showing from FFXIV.
Thankfully, I’ve already got what I’ve wanted: art revealed for Final Fantasy features Emet-Selch. Alongside this, we can also admire a Moogle, Kefka, Lightning, Sephiroth, and Yuna and Tidus. With the amount of iconic characters in the Final Fantasy franchise, this set is bound to be loaded with legendary creatures.
Edge of Eternities
From the moment it was teased at Gen Con in 2023, this set has been raising a lot of eyebrows. In 2025, Magic: The Gathering will finally be going to space in Edge of Eternities. This set is due to be released on August 1st, 2025, and will be the final in-universe Magic set of the year.
As Magic’s first space-themed set, Edge of Eternities is apparently going to feature all the best bits of sci-fi fantasy. This means there will be planets, aliens, spaceships, and all that good stuff. There might be a fair few tropes to keep things familiar, but it sounds like a literally out-of-this-world set.
Given it’s a long way from release, Wizards hasn’t revealed too too much about Edge of Eternities just yet. We did get to see Tezzeret, however, who appears to be the set’s main antagonist. What exactly he is up to at this point is unclear, but he’s going to be shaking things up apparently, which sounds rather ominous.
Spider-Man
Announced a week prior to this big reveal at MagicCon: Las Vegas, the Spider-Man MTG set is already hugely anticipated. Sadly, Wizards didn’t reveal a proper release date for this set, as it’s still “TBA 2025.” That being said, from where it’s placed in the calendar diagram, a release around late September or early November could be likely.
Sadly, outside of a personal anecdote from Mark Rosewater, we weren’t told anything new about this Universes Beyond set. There are obviously bound to be plenty of iconic characters, but Wizards isn’t saying exactly who we’ll see just yet. Thanks to the legality change that comes into effect in 2025, we can presume that Spider-Man will be a Standard legal MTG set.
For now, Wizards is still keeping their cards close to their chest when it comes to the Universes Beyond Spider-Man set. Hopefully, it won’t be too long before we’re finally given more information.
Unnamed Universes Beyond
Last but not least, for Wizards grand reveal, we have UUB, an unnamed Universes Beyond set. Similarly scheduled for a “TBA 2025” release date, there’s no information about what this final set is going to be. All that has been revealed is that it’s a lot of fun, according to Mark Rosewater, but that doesn’t tell us anything.
Given this is a Universes Beyond set, which typically have longer hype cycles, it may not be long before we find out more. For now, however, Wizards is keeping things all mysterious and under wraps.
But Wait, There’s More
As if all that wasn’t enough to look forward to, 2025 has even more tricks up its sleeves. Innistrad Remastered will be released at the start of the year, and it was just leaked earlier today. On top of that, MTG Arena should be getting plenty of major improvements. So long as development has been going to plan, multiplayer Brawl/Commander is finally coming to the platform.
Looking at all that’s going on, it’s safe to say that 2025 will be a critical year for MTG. From the looks of things, it will also be obscenely busy with so many sets being released. As always, we’ll be here to keep you updated with all the latest goings on. So, watch this space to know more!
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