Final Fantasy’s MTG Commander Decks Have One Glarring Omission if Remake Rumors are True

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Back in the early months of this year, I was thrilled when Square Enix and Wizards of the Coast revealed a groundbreaking first-ever collaboration: the iconic Final Fantasy series would be intertwining with the timeless strategy game, Magic: The Gathering. This extraordinary crossover is slated for release in June and brings to life more than 100 unique cards inspired by the cherished characters from the sprawling Final Fantasy universe. These exclusive cards will form part of a draftable, standard-legal set, complemented by four pre-constructed Commander Decks that each draw inspiration from one specific game within the Final Fantasy franchise.

Recently, Wizards of the Coast announced that ‘Final Fantasy 6’, ‘Final Fantasy 7’, ‘Final Fantasy 10’, and ‘Final Fantasy 14’ will each receive exclusive Commander Decks as part of their collaboration. The company’s team explained their choices for these four games. They selected ‘Final Fantasy 14’ and ‘Final Fantasy 7’ due to their widespread recognition within the series, while ‘Final Fantasy 6’ and ‘Final Fantasy 10’ were chosen because they are personal favorites among the employees. Despite the excitement over the character cards in these games, one notable ‘Final Fantasy’ title appears absent from this ‘Magic: The Gathering’ crossover event.

Final Fantasy 9 is Surprisingly Not Getting its Own MTG Commander Deck

Rumors Suggest that a Final Fantasy 9 Remake is in Development

Over the past few years, there’s been talk that Square Enix might be developing a remake for the classic RPG game, “Final Fantasy 9” which was originally released on PlayStation 1. Known as one of the most cherished games in the series, alongside “Final Fantasy 7”, despite receiving a remastered version recently, the previous version didn’t undergo any significant changes from its original release. The anticipated remake is rumored to bring about a massive graphical upgrade, possibly matching the quality of the “Final Fantasy 7 Remake” trilogy.

Recently, discussions about the remake of Final Fantasy 9 have heated up once more following Square Enix’s launch of a dedicated website marking the 25th anniversary of FF9. Currently accessible only in Japanese, this site hints at upcoming projects centered around FF9, scheduled for release over the next few months, including merchandise, collaborations, and other special items to celebrate the game’s July 7, 2000 debut. Some of these planned releases include a picture book, an anniversary lottery, a pair of themed glasses, and a vinyl soundtrack for FF9. However, it appears there are no plans for any Magic: The Gathering crossovers with the game at this time.

The Lack of an MTG Commander Deck for FF9’s Rumored Remake Seems Like a Missed Opportunity

If Square Enix is indeed developing a remake of Final Fantasy 9, one might expect them to capitalize on this collaboration with Wizards of the Coast by creating a Magic: The Gathering Commander Deck inspired by the game, given that it’s their 25th anniversary this year. Yet, it appears that Square Enix has no plans for such a deck, which is somewhat disheartening.

Given the celebrations Square Enix is holding in Japan for the 25th anniversary of Final Fantasy 9, many fans might expect the release of its remake to be imminent. However, there’s been no indication that the game is nearing completion. In fact, reliable source NateTheHate stated back in February that the Final Fantasy 9 Remake won’t likely launch until 2026, with a possible announcement this year being the best fans can hope for. Square Enix is set to attend Summer Game Fest next week, so there’s a chance they could unveil the game for the first time during that event.

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2025-06-02 13:05