As a devoted Magic: The Gathering enthusiast, I can confidently say that 2025 has been an extraordinarily bustling year for Wizards of the Coast, and I’m not alone in this observation, whether you’re a novice fan or a seasoned player. Last November brought us the launch of the Foundations set, intended to remain in Magic: The Gathering’s Standard format for at least half a decade, with plans extending beyond that. But 2025 has been particularly packed, with four sets released so far, including Innistrad Remastered products in January, and three more yet to come. This surge in releases can be attributed, in part, to the expanded Universes Beyond sets taking up a significant portion of the schedule. However, it’s not just that; there’s a lot more going on!
The issue isn’t necessarily about the specific sets being launched, but rather the arrangement of their releases, including information cycles and spoiler seasons, which collectively impact the game and its enthusiasts in a negative way. In essence, Wizards of the Coast is suffocating the Magic: The Gathering community, not through direct action, but by symbolizing asphyxiation. It’s exhausting to keep up with every set release, and given the nature of the hobby, it’s challenging to determine who should care about it and who shouldn’t.
In the 2002 Onslaught card set, you’ll find “Smother,” a black instant that requires two mana to cast (one generic and one black). This spell effectively eliminates any creature whose total mana cost is three or less.
Magic: The Gathering’s Release Schedule and Information Cycle is a Double-Edged Sword
Presently, the ‘Magic: The Gathering’ collection called Edge of Eternities is in its pre-release period, officially launching on August 1st. WotC has disclosed approximately 100 cards from the September Spider-Man set and intermittently unveiled cards for the November Avatar: The Last Airbender set as well. Similar patterns occurred with Aetherdrift, Tarkir: Dragonstorm, and Final Fantasy sets. Release dates for some sets overlap, which might be due to marketing strategies or just a natural occurrence when dealing with six or seven sets in a year. However, it can sometimes feel overwhelming.
In June, MTG (Magic: The Gathering) unveiled Avatar Aang card, five months prior to its corresponding set’s launch. Recently, at the San Diego conference, more details emerged about the Spider-Man set, such as numerous new cards for the main deck and some from the Eternal expansion too. Keeping track of these updates can be challenging since many game formats will incorporate these fresh cards, with Standard format being particularly dynamic due to frequent release of new sets and continuous shifts in its meta (metagame).
| Set Name | Release Date |
| Innistrad Remastered | January 24, 2025 |
| Aetherdrift | February 14, 2025 |
| Tarkir: Dragonstorm | April 11, 2025 |
| Final Fantasy | June 13, 2025 |
| Edge of Eternities | August 1, 2025 |
| Spider-Man | September 26, 2025 |
| Avatar: The Last Airbender | November 1, 2025 |
| Lorwyn Eclipsed | January 23, 2026 |
| Secrets of Strixhaven | TBD, 2026 |
| Ziplining | TBD, 2026 |
| Unannounced UB sets | TBD, 2026 |
MTG’s Release Schedule and News Fatigue May Persist Through 2026
It appears highly probable that the release schedule for Magic: The Gathering in 2026 will closely resemble that of 2025, potentially without the usual Remastered set or additional release. This prediction is based on WotC’s Mark Rosewater’s confirmation that the upcoming plan involves an equal distribution between sets within the multiverse and Universes Beyond sets. Given that in 2026 we are expecting the launch of Lorwyn Eclisped, Secrets of Strixhaven, and a set codenamed Ziplining, it’s reasonable to infer that there will be three Universes Beyond sets included in the schedule.
One perspective is that Magic: The Gathering’s Commander format stands out as relatively insulated from news cycles, hype cycles, spoiler seasons, and continuous releases because players typically require only a handful of cards from each new release, if any, to enhance their decks. This makes it quite challenging for the typical player to follow all the updates, spoilers, launch dates, pre-release dates, products on sale, MTG Arena packages, format modifications, and more, while still finding time to enjoy actually playing the game.
As a film enthusiast captivated by the magic of the card world, I can’t help but buzz about Steadfast Second, Tannuk from Edge of Eternity. It’s creating quite a stir due to its incredible combo possibilities, particularly its potent synergy with Portal to Phyrexia. However, amidst the excitement, it’s essential to note that this powerful duo won’t be available in the Standard format once Edge of Eternity rotates, and sadly, Portal to Phyrexia will follow suit, exiting the format as well.
Magic: The Gathering’s Constant Releases May Backfire After Final Fantasy’s Success
In essence, despite the excitement that numerous 2025 releases may generate among players, the continual updates could potentially wear down the community more quickly than expected. The record-breaking $200 million earned by Magic: The Gathering’s Final Fantasy set in a single day has undoubtedly attracted many new players and collectors, but it remains unclear if they will maintain their involvement once the initial buzz subsides.
For avid players of Magic: The Gathering, the game’s complex strategies, numerous rules, and rule-manipulating cards make it an engrossing pursuit that goes beyond casual pastime. Consequently, frequent announcements, updates, modifications, and expansions may feel like additional work, transforming the trading card game into something akin to a live-service video game rather than just a hobby.
For some who appreciate this facet, it might not be inherently negative, but the overall experience could seem overwhelming for beginners or casual fans. This could potentially undermine the introductory nature of Universes Beyond sets in MTG over time. However, there are plenty of exciting cards to look forward to following Edge of Eternities, regardless of one’s stance on UB sets within Standard. With time and a bit of patience, the revised release schedule can eventually prove to be more advantageous than challenging.
Read More
- Violence District Killer and Survivor Tier List
- All Data Pad Locations (Week 1) Destiny 2
- All Mafia The Old Country Returning Characters
- Mafia: The Old Country – Interactive Map (Sicily)
- Top 8 UFC 5 Perks Every Fighter Should Use
- Meet SAKAMOTO DAYS’ Deadly New Villains: 4 Death Row Killers Ready to Cause Chaos!
- Top 5 Unreal Engine 5 Games with Incredible Performance
- German Twitch streamer goes viral for playing Elden Ring & Street Fighter at a rave
- All Mafia The Old Country Safe Combinations
- Dune: Awakening is Already Walking Back a Planned Change for the Next Update
2025-07-28 20:45