Magic: The Gathering’s Headliners Are The One Ring Hunt All Over Again

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Key Takeaways

  • MTG has a jam-packed 2025 with 3 Magic Multiverse sets and 3 Universes Beyond sets.
  • The addition of set-specific “headliner” cards may create a new tradition for MTG.
  • Headliner cards are serialized and limited, potentially leading to high prices and controversy, much like the one-of-one serialized The One Ring from LotR.

As a seasoned Magic: The Gathering enthusiast with over two decades of collecting under my belt, I can hardly contain my excitement for the new releases in 2025! With three Magic Multiverse sets and three Universes Beyond sets on the horizon, it seems that Wizards of the Coast is going all out to keep us hooked. The addition of set-specific “headliner” cards is particularly intriguing, as it could potentially establish a new tradition for the game.

2025 promises an exciting year for fans of Magic: The Gathering, with numerous releases on the horizon. Among these, there are three sets that unfold within Magic’s own universe and three Universes Beyond sets. Two of the latter have been unveiled as Final Fantasy and Spider-Man. With a busy release calendar, Magic: The Gathering kicks off 2025 with a boom, particularly because there will be a seventh release – Innistrad Remastered in January. Additionally, Innistrad Remastered could pave the way for a potential new tradition in MTG – the introduction of set-specific “star” cards.

Unlike the four other Magic Multiverse collections and Universes Beyond releases scheduled for 2025, Innistrad Remastered will not be eligible for play in the Standard format.

Headliner cards may not be entirely novel ideas, as they are special editions of a specific card, but their design for each collection is influenced by the themes of the corresponding expansion because they serve as the most sought-after prize. The “Magic: The Gathering” game isn’t unfamiliar with this idea either, and one prominent example of it was the global pursuit of The One Ring card from the “Lord of the Rings MTG” set, which eventually resulted in one fortunate player obtaining a $2 million version of the card.

Why Magic: The Gathering’s Headliners May Break The Game Like LotR’s The One Ring

The Lord of the Rings set from MTG generated controversy due to the incorporation of a rare, one-of-a-kind card known as The One Ring. This wasn’t just a single version of the card but rather a singular print of it, leading to soaring booster pack prices as collectors chased after this exclusive item. The situation was complicated by MTG’s scalper issue and genuine demand for the product, making it challenging to acquire regular cards. Consequently, the idea of headliners might evoke excitement while also bringing to mind the precarious nature of the elusive One Ring.

In every collection or set, headliner cards are individually numbered from 1 to 500, with a maximum production of only 500 copies per card. This setup provides collectors more opportunities compared to The One Ring in Magic: The Gathering, but given the limited supply, it’s expected that headliner prices will be relatively high, particularly for the first one, Edgar Markov. As a costly card even in its standard version, the dedicated print of Edgar Markov for Innistrad Remastered may increase the headliner’s value to several thousand dollars.

Beyond this, the star attractions and pursuit of these rare cards could potentially boost sales for every collection, resulting in similar problems experienced with the Lord of the Rings set and its pricing. The collector booster packs for Magic: The Gathering might escalate in value even further, given their higher initial odds of containing valuable cards. Consequently, headliners could become less common from these boosters compared to regular ones. Additionally, early editions of headliners from each set could fetch astronomical prices due to the allure of a low-numbered copy and the urgency felt by some collectors to acquire them as soon as they’re available.

What to Expect From MTG’s Headliner Cards in 2025

Currently, just two main acts have been confirmed for 2025, and they will be part of the first performances of the year. This implies that each remaining set in 2025 could feature one headliner as well. Edgar Markov is expected to be quite costly, given his popularity as a top card in Magic: The Gathering’s Commander format. The other headliners are likely to be priced according to their power level.

From the upcoming Standard-legal Magic: The Gathering set in 2025, Aetherdrift, emerges a headliner card named The Aetherspark. This card appears to be connected to the story’s events and seems to possess Planeswalker properties based on its card frame. Its impact on the game, regardless of its meta position, is expected to cause a price surge in Aetherdrift products immediately post-launch, potentially leading to debates similar to those surrounding the notorious Lord of the Rings set in the early sets of 2025.

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2024-12-09 00:34