We already know that the most recent set for Magic: the Gathering, Kamigawa Neon Dynasty, has been a hit, but how do fans feel about the rest of the Magic sets releasing this year? According to a Twitter poll created by Magic: the Gathering’s head designer Mark Rosewater on Saturday, the Brothers’ War – slated for release in Q4 of 2022 – stands head and shoulders above the other two.
Rosewater’s poll asked Magic: the Gathering fans which of the three remaining premier sets of 2022 they were “most excited about”, and The Brothers’ War came out the clear winner, receiving 49.9% of the 12,728 votes cast. Hot in pursuit was April’s noir set Streets of New Capenna, which won 32.2% of the vote share. Dominaria United, meanwhile, was trailing far behind, with only 17.8% of respondents saying they were most excited about the set returning to Dominaria, Magic’s first, and most detailed, setting.
All in all, when you consider what we currently know about The Brothers’ War, Streets of New Capenna and Dominaria United sets, the results make a lot of sense…
The Brothers’ War focuses on an event in Magic’s past, meaning much is already known about its characters and story. It’s also a set that brings more sci-fi elements into MTG, a feature many fans loved about Kamigawa Neon Dynasty (although it was not without its detractors). There’s also been room for fans to theorise about the set’s relation to the brewing Phyrexian plot that really started to pick up steam in Kamigawa.
Which of the remaining premier sets of 2022 are you most excited about? #WotCStaff
— Mark Rosewater (@maro254) February 26, 2022
Streets of New Capenna, meanwhile, is the set releasing soonest, and its April 29 release date was just revealed. Furthermore, New Capenna is Magic’s take on film noir. Magic sets that provide a twist on a well-known aesthetic or genre – as 2011’s Innistrad did for gothic horror and 2019’s Thrones of Eldraine did for fairy tales – always seem to generate a lot of buzz.
Which just leaves poor Dominaria United. While it wins points for taking place on Magic: the Gathering’s most famous plane, right now it’s also the set we know the least about. Very little plot information has come to light, meaning there’s been nothing for fans’ imaginations to grapple with – just the thought of a bunch of characters standing around being all ‘united’. Not the most exciting stuff.
Of course when more (hopefully scintillating) details for the set are revealed, we’ll cover them all, from artwork to mechanics, in our Dominaria United guide. And if you’re part of the 49.9% of Magic fans waiting for Winter, here’s everything we know about The Brothers’ War set so far.
Finally, don’t miss our hot takes on MTG in 2022 – we’ve been scrying tirelessly to bring you our top Magic: the Gathering predictions for the year ahead.