Magic: The Gathering Fans May Be in For a Bittersweet Surprise With the 2026 Release Schedule

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In 2025, Magic: The Gathering has rolled out an impressive series of releases. January saw the debut of Innistrad Remastered, followed by Aetherdrift in February, Tarkir: Dragonstorm in April, and June brought us Final Fantasy. Edge of Eternities is set to launch on August 1. After Foundations in November 2024, the game has experienced some significant changes, including alterations to its release schedule and how certain formats function. One of the most noteworthy adjustments is that Universes Beyond sets can now be played in Standard and all other formats. This decision, which has been both praised and criticized, has sparked debate among fans, with some viewing it as a potentially detrimental move for the game, while others support WotC’s stance as it encourages more players to engage with the community.

It appears that Universes Beyond sets are holding strong in popularity, as evident by the staggering $200 million earned by the Final Fantasy set on its first day alone. This success suggests a robust demand for these types of products, which may explain why they seem to be a permanent fixture. In fact, Wizards of the Coast’s Mark Rosewater has publicly stated that the debated 50/50 split between multiverse sets and Universes Beyond sets will continue in the immediate future.

Magic: The Gathering’s 50/50 Set Split for 2026 is a Controversy Waiting to Happen

It appears that Mark Rosewater’s explanation indicates that the release schedule for the upcoming year will likely resemble that of 2025, though it’s not definitive for 2026 specifically. With Magic: The Gathering‘s Avatar set scheduled for November 2025, Wizards of the Coast plans to end the year with a grand finale and kick off 2026 with a bang by introducing the highly anticipated return to Lorwyn as the first set of the new year. According to current information, there are three main sets slated for release in the following year.

  • Lorwyn Eclipsed, scheduled for January 23, 2026
  • Secrets of Strixhaven (TBD, probably Q2, 2026)
  • A set codenamed “Ziplining” (TBD, probably Q3, 2026)

In the ongoing narrative, Ziplining is expected to be a significant game update, possibly released around the same time as Edge of Eternities or Spider-Man in 2025. What’s more intriguing is that this is part of a trilogy within the multiverse, which suggests we might see at least three more “Universes Beyond” sets in 2026. This means players could be looking forward to not just three Magic sets and three UB sets, but a minimum of six sets throughout the entire year.

Predicting Magic: The Gathering’s 2026 Release Schedule

In the world of Magic: The Gathering, I found myself excited last January when Wizards of the Coast unveiled the Innistrad Remastered set. Given this pattern, it’s reasonable to anticipate a similar release in 2026. However, with Lorwyn Eclipsed scheduled for January, there might be a shift in the usual schedule, potentially leading to a seventh non-Standard legal MTG set being released at an unexpected time, or maybe not at all. As of now, based on available information, we could speculate about a potential 2026 schedule for new sets, but it’s important to remember that plans might change.

  • Lorwyn Eclisped – January
  • Unannounced UB set 1 – February
  • Secrets of Strixhaven – April
  • Unannounced UB set 2 – June
  • Ziplining – August or September
  • Unannounced UB set 3 – November

The Gathering’s UB sets, one could potentially be released in between them. Regardless, fans can anticipate three Universes Beyond releases in the upcoming year.

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2025-07-24 17:37