Magic: The Gathering is pairing up with American pancake restaurant IHOP, for yet another strange collaboration with an unlikely foodstuff. According to the IHOP Twitter account, you can sign up for the restaurant’s rewards program, and access “exclusive Magic: The Gathering Arena content”. The brand has also shared an image, which seems to imply the favorite pancake of the main MTG planeswalker characters – now we know that Jace likes blueberry pancakes, while Liliana is partial to chocolate.
Exactly what MTG Arena reward you’ll be able to gain from IHOP has not yet been revealed. Presumably it’ll come in the form of some gems, gold, or XP, but pancake related cosmetics – perhaps a sleeve or a little animated pancake pet – would be cool as well.
This is just the latest in a run of food collaborations that Magic: The Gathering has taken part in in recent months. Earlier this year, MTG Arena codes started showing up on Hot Pockets, and Cheez-Its revealed a collection of MTG-themed box arts (labeled ‘booster snacks’). This year has even included a licensed Belgian beverage named after a Magic card: Vastwood Seer IPA, anyone?
What’s up with all the food team ups in 2023? Is it that snacks are key to the enjoyment of any trading card game? Is it to pair with the increasing dominance of the Food token mechanic, now showing up in back-to-back releases, prominent in both MTG Lord of the Rings and MTG Wilds of Eldraine? Until someone performs Jace-style mind magic on MTG’s marketing division, there’s no way to know for sure.
We’re concerned though, that these Magic: The Gathering snack brand collabs are not promoting a healthy diet. Where is the Nissa Kale smoothie or Kiora oily fish?
For more Magic content, check out the upcoming 2024 MTG release schedule – and don’t miss our recommendations for the best MTG Arena decks.