Universes Beyond has seriously spoiled my passion for Magic: The Gathering. I'm not the first fan to say this, and it's far from a shocking take on the current state of the TCG. Nevertheless, I need to get it off my chest. I've spent this year watching MTG turn into the paper equivalent of a Fortnite crossover, and I'm not convinced this weaponization of pop culture is a net good for the game.
Gandalf: But Mollie, Universes Beyond is making so much money.
Mollie: Yes, Gandalf from The Lord of the Rings. Repeated financial reports have espoused the overwhelming success of UB MTG sets, with Final Fantasy and Lord of the Rings being some of the top sellers of all time.
It's a simple equation, really. Already popular TCG plus immensely beloved IP equals profit, profit, profit. Theoretically, it's an excellent way to get new customers interested in MTG, and it's an even better way to get established fans to part with their cash. These sets are novel, loving nods to IPs that nerds already adore. Plus, unless Wizards of the Coast can figure out how to reprint cards tied up with external licenses, they might turn out to hold high levels of value.
Sephiroth: So, what's the problem?
Mollie: There are many, Sephiroth from Final Fantasy VII, but let's first look at this from a financial perspective. Newcomers who were onboarded by Magic's Avatar: The Last Airbender set won't necessarily be fans of Star Trek or Marvel superheroes. When next year's MTG release schedule rolls around, these anime fans will have no existing emotional ties to the product. So, unless they've been completely bowled over by Magic's rules in that year, why would they stick around?
Magic's reliance on Universes Beyond for runaway profits seems to me a short-term strategy. It reaps the rewards of individual, siloed IPs that are popular in the here and now rather than building a united brand that fans will want to return to.
Spongebob: But that's a non-issue! Mark Rosewater has already said that most Universes Beyond sales come from existing Magic players.
Mollie: A fair point, Nickelodeon's Spongebob Squarepants. But even if that's true, what is MTG's long-term plan for growth? Universes Beyond might not be attracting new players in swathes, but it's certainly turning some players - like myself - off a game they already enjoyed.
When Universes Beyond first reared its head, I could easily ignore it. The occasional Secret Lair or Commander deck didn't dilute Magic's identity (at least, in my mind).
Even when the first Lord of the Rings set released, outside IPs didn't feel like an overwhelming threat. Tolkien's fantasy series was, vibe-wise, similar enough to Magic's existing theming to slot in seamlessly. Plus, as someone who primarily plays Standard, I wouldn't often come across these cards in play.
Furby: I can see why you're complaining about this now.
Mollie: Exactly. The Final Fantasy set marked the moment that Universes Beyond sets became Standard-legal. Plus, half of Magic's yearly premier sets now promise to adopt the Universes Beyond brand. I could play ignorant before, but now there is no escape.
Vivi Ornitier: So, vote with your wallet. Just play around the cards you don't like.
Mollie: That's rich coming from you, Vivi Ornitier of Final Fantasy IX. You, after all, are the card that helped break the Standard meta in the past few months. Until a recent ban came in, competitive decks were entirely designed around you. Any viable strategy needed to include you or be built specifically to destroy you.
Unless you have a pocket of friends that all collectively agree to ignore Universes Beyond, you can't ignore Universes Beyond, whatever format you play in.
Spider-Ham: Alright, but why does that matter? If the game still feels fun to play, who cares what characters are printed on the cards?
I do, Spider-Ham from Spider-Man. I honestly didn't expect to. When Universes Beyond first began to bleed into bigger Magic formats, your philosophy was one I shared. I might not be a fan of any of the IPs in upcoming sets, but I'd never been a lore purist, and I loved to play MTG. That, I thought, would be enough to sustain me.
But mechanics don't exist in a vacuum. They are carefully chosen signifiers that create a larger concept in your mind. A vampire card has Lifegain because it conjures the image of a bloodsucking monster. For that same reason, you wouldn't expect a building to come with the Equip mechanic.
I mean, look at Earthbending. That's a whole new keyword that's been designed for the Avatar set, but what are we going to do with it when Wizards of the Coast no longer holds the relevant licenses? Where will it live, and how will it evolve? The mechanic is inseparable from its context, the art and ideas that share space with its wording.
Art means something. Keywords mean something. Hell, in Magic, colors mean something. They're a crucial part of the reason these designs are enjoyed in the first place. They are impossible to ignore.
Dwight Schrute: Can't you give us a chance?
I'm afraid not, Dwight Schrute from The Office. As more Universes Beyond sets were released, I've found myself judging them before I'd even seen a spoiler. Usually, I cannot know what I think of a new Magic release until I've skimmed its story, pored through its spoilers, and maybe joined a pre-release. I cannot fully understand its themes - and how they are realized in gameplay - until I've experienced the set for myself.
Now, though, I already have an opinion on half the products before release. I know I didn't care for Avatar: The Last Airbender, so I'm non-plussed by this latest release. I care even less about Star Trek, Marvel, and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. When it comes to enthusiasm for their mechanics-based translations, I'm fighting an uphill battle from the start.
That being said, I'm an edgy sewer goblin when it comes to media consumption, and few of my great passions are found in mainstream movies and TV. I'm someone outside of pop culture's usual catchment area.
Basically, my reluctance to engage with most of Magic's Universes Beyond sets isn't shared by the masses. Plenty of people are excited for MTG x Star Trek, for example, including other writers at Wargamer. Lead designer Mark Rosewater has claimed from the beginning that only a small minority actually dislike Universes Beyond.
But that doesn't mean I can't mourn. Magic: The Gathering and I have grown distant since Universes Beyond became Standard legal, and it hurts to grow apart from a game I've loved for many years, even if Wizards of the Coast has all the evidence it needs to go full steam ahead with this new strategy.
Magic will, no doubt, succeed. But, in 2026, I expect to play it an awful lot less.
Got your own take on the current state of the TCG? We're always keen to chat with fellow fans in the Wargamer Discord.