In a recent defence of Universes Beyond, Magic: The Gathering's Mark Rosewater revealed that Wizards of the Coast had considered launching a format that was UB-free, but ultimately found there wasn't enough interest. He suggested that if the fans think it's worth doing, they should make it themselves, saying "I promise we'll pay attention."
I believe Magic's head designer has said something very similar in the past, but this time it really got me thinking. Could an MTG format that exists to provide an experience free from third party intellectual properties, with cards that only feature characters from Wizards of the Coast's own lore, ever truly work?
The idea crops up online often enough, with social media commenters boldly proclaiming that they 'don't play against people who use Universes Beyond cards' (yeah right). But I've yet to encounter anyone actually playing UB-free games in real life.
But perhaps it's not as far-fetched as it seems. This mode of Magic would have to be a Constructed format, that much seems certain. Commander has such a huge cardpool that creating a new format just to remove a tiny percentage of the cards just seems like a non-starter.
The crux of my argument is that I don't think it's possible to get a fan-made format off the ground if its only reason to exist has nothing to do with gameplay. That's because Magic is a game first and foremost. There are fans who are very fond of its lore, but compared to a system like Warhammer 40k, where I'd bargain more people enjoy the setting than the actual tabletop experience, Magic's story has always been peripheral, an optional, additional way to enjoy this world-class card game.
What's more, Magic is already a hodgepodge of different aesthetics and genres. If there was ever a clear vibe for what a Magic card should look like, it has slackened considerably in the last few years, as Wizards has done more blatant genre experiments. Which means UB cards don't stick out much. If I can have a deck filled with space ships and cowboys, is it really that weird when Captain America shows up?
Ultimately, what MaRo has said is right. For every player who can't stand third party IPs infiltrating their game, there's a dozen more who just aren't that bothered. And I think even those who complain the loudest are as liable as anyone to pick up a Universes Beyond card if it does something really cool mechanically (like hit for 10,000 damage) or if they love the specific IP being used.
But, I said it might be possible to get a UB-less format going, and there's one simple reason for that. With half of the sets on this year's MTG release schedule and beyond being Standard-legal Universes Beyond releases, third-party IP cards are going to make up a huge chunk of the cardpool going forward. By the end of this year, after rotation, 25% of Standard will be UB cards. By the end of next year, if the pattern holds, it will be 42%. And the year after that, it'll be exactly 50/50.
Which means that a new, no-UB format would play very differently…
I believe that the number one reason no one's gotten serious about a Universes Within format yet is that, right now, ditching UB cards wouldn't be impactful enough.
All we've had so far is a single Lord of the Rings set enter Modern, and even though it contained some really powerful cards, it wasn't that dramatic in the grand scheme of things. Taking Lord of the Rings out of Modern a year ago would've dramatically reshaped the meta, but once the dust settled, I'd wager the best decks would've looked quite similar: just without Orcish Bowmasters and The One Ring.
But once half the sets in Standard are UB, there's something to be gained by creating a format that excludes them. Rather than just a 'no Marios allowed' club with a puritanical reputation, there's the potential for totally different (perhaps better!) gameplay.
Ignore all the UB MTG sets from 2027's Standard, and you'll have a weaker format – where decks that wouldn't make it in regular Standard might rise to the top. You'd have a slower release schedule with three sets a year instead of the current six, which means fewer concerns about product fatigue. What's more, paper players' decks would be good for longer – less likely to be replaced by the hot new thing in a month's time. And you'd still gain all the benefits of the extended rotation period.
Of course, this format would be bolstered if at some point down the road, Standard goes bad. If a subsection of Universes Beyond cards is overpowered, or we fall into an unhealthy meta where everyone is playing the same one or two decks, it's only going to make it easier for a Universes Within format to poach players.
I think it's genuinely quite likely that something like this will form in the next few years. The recent gangbuster success of Tarkir Dragonstorm shows the love the community has for Magic's worlds, and there's always been a constant low level grumbling about the oversaturation of third-party crossovers. If on top of that, you add the possibility of fresh, exciting gameplay, I can totally see it coming together.
So if you're sick of UB, don't worry. Just wait a couple of years, and hope that Wizards really screws up Standard.
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