Universes Beyond
Universes Beyond is a “sub-brand” of Magic: The Gathering that exists in addition to, and alongside, the regular line of products.[1] The series was announced by Chris Cocks in February, 2021 during the Hasbro 2021 Investor Event.[2][3]
The sets featured in this series are never Standard-legal.[1]
Description
Universes Beyond is a series that combines the gameplay of Magic: The Gathering with worlds, characters, and stories of other IPs.[1][4] The series is branded slightly differently from regular products and has a specific look as a result. These are still Magic cards, but the card frame will be distinct and the non-canon cards have a triangular holofoil stamp that denotes them as being from Universes Beyond. This holofoil stamp was first seen on cards of the Secret Lair Drop Series: The Walking Dead, and that set was grandfathered in into the Universes Beyond-series.
Universes Beyond products will not be strictly Secret Lair products but will be sold in the whole range of Magic products. Wizards of the Coast may occasionally do associated Secret Lair products related to the main release, like the Secret Lair Godzilla lands when Ikoria: Lair of Behemoths came out. There will also be the occasional standalone product like The Walking Dead, but the intention is to typically make Universes Beyond as available as any other Magic product.
Wizards of the Coast may utilize the treatment from the Ikoria Godzilla cards (existing Magic cards skinned with the alternate universe). But mostly, the sets will be like The Walking Dead (alternate universe cards that stand on their own).
List of featured brands
Note that the 2021 Dungeons & Dragons: Adventures in the Forgotten Realms is not part of Universes Beyond, because Wizards of the Coast owns both the Magic and Dungeons & Dragons IPs.[1]
| IP | Set | Year | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Walking Dead | Secret Lair Drop Series: The Walking Dead | 2020 | Grandfathered in.[1] |
| Warhammer 40,000 | Warhammer 40,000 Commander decks | 2022 | |
| The Lord of the Rings | Lord of the Rings | TBA |
References
- ↑ a b c d e Wizards of the Coast (February 25, 2021). "Magic's Voyages to the Universes Beyond". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
- ↑ Christian Hoffer (February 25, 2021). "Magic: The Gathering Announces Crossovers With Lord of the Rings and Warhammer 40,000". Comicbook.com/.
- ↑ Hipsters of the Coast (February 25, 2021). "Magic is introducing a new class of product: Universes Beyond, which will take fan-favorite brands and bring them into Magic.". Twitter.
- ↑ Mark Rosewater (February 26, 2021). "The answer is something we call “economy of scale”.". Blogatog. Tumblr.