Wizards of the Coast will release a new MTG Arena update sometime on December 13, adding two new sets to the digital trading card game. An official Wizards blog post says Alchemy: The Brothers’ War will add “30 digital-first cards to MTG Arena for play in Alchemy and Historic formats”, while Explorer Anthology 2 brings “25 new-to-MTG Arena cards from Magic’s recent(ish) history” to Historic and Explorer.
As part of the release, Wizards is giving away six free packs from Alchemy: The Brothers’ War to all online Magic players. There’s no code to redeem, and there’s no event you need to join. The Arena blog post says you’ll simply need to check your player inbox (a new Arena feature for important notifications).
The Brothers’ War packs will also be available to buy, craft, or win in Alchemy events. However, the MTG Arena blog post says there won’t be a specific Alchemy launch event for the set.
Meanwhile, the “full” Explorer Anthology 2 will be available to buy for 4,000 gems or 25,000 gold until March 7, 2023. Cards can still be crafted after the set leaves the store. Players can also nab a Wastes basic land from their player inbox, allowing them to add these to future decks.
The latest insights into MTG Arena formats seem to predict Alchemy will see a small spike in play with the release of the new set. However, this, along with the other two formats the new sets are legal in, still falls way behind Standard in the player count department. Historic sees 28% of Arena playtime, Alchemy 12%, and the newer Explorer format pulls up the rear at just 7%.
For all the latest on Arena, check out our guides to the current MTG Arena codes and best MTG Arena decks. You can also keep up with paper magic using our MTG 2023 release schedule guide.