Wizards of the Coast’s successful tabletop gameMagic: The Gatheringis crossing over with franchises likeAssassin’s Creed,Final Fantasy, andFortniteas part of its Universe Beyond initiative.Games likeFortnitehave crossed over with a variety of intellectual property andMagic: The Gatheringmay be drawing some inspiration from the broad collaborative idea to bring in new players.
Magic: The Gatheringhas seen a lot of success in 2022, with each major set earning Wizards of the Coast a minimum of $100 million in revenue as the tabletop game is on track to earning $1 billion annually. The Universe Beyond initiative will combine the gameplay of the renowned tabletop game with the universe ofAssassin’s Creed,Final Fantasy,Fortnite, and more. Although these sets won’t be used in traditionalMagic: The Gatheringcompetitive play, fans of the gaming series' may learn more about the games or gain a renewed appreciation for them with the upcoming Universe Beyond cards.
RELATED:Post Malone Challenging Fan to High Stakes Magic: The Gathering Match
The Universe Beyond initiative was first announced by Wizards of the Coast during a Hasbro 2021 investor event, with more information being confirmed by company President Cynthia Williams at Hasbro’s Investor Day 2022. TheMagic: The Gatheringcrossover with the aforementioned gaming IPs is expected to begin in 2024, but it’s currently unclear how long Wizards of the Coast intends to follow the initiative. Other franchises that are expected to be included in the set areStreet Fighter,Warhammer 40,000, andThe Walking Dead.
Magic: The Gatheringhas doneSecret Lair dropsin the past that featured known characters like Godzilla, while a 2023 set calledTales of Middle-earthwill revolve around theLord of the Ringsseries. On top ofLord of the Rings,Magic: The Gatheringis gettingArcane,Dr. Who,Stranger Things, andTransformerssets as part of the Universe Beyond which provides an even balance of movie and TV show-based cards versus video game ones. Neither Hasbro nor Wizards of the Coast have confirmed which video game set from the Universe Beyond will debut first, but the cards may complement new releases or updates expected in 2024.
ManyMagic: The Gatheringfans have expressed their enthusiasm for the continued release of standard Magic cards alongside the Universe Beyond initiative that may bring more fans to the tabletop game. OneMagic: The Gatheringfan has suggested that the franchise is slowly becoming Funko Pop through the collaborative efforts, while another simply pointed out that it’s an evolution to the tabletop likeFortnitehas evolved the live service model.
MORE:Magic: The Gathering’s Streets of New Capenna Set Deserves a Dungeons & Dragons Crossover
