One Magic: The Gathering UB Set is Inevitable

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The upcoming Spider-Man set for Magic: The Gathering is due out in about a month, following the release of Edge of Eternities in early August 2025. There’s another set coming after that before the end of the year, with Avatar: The Last Airbender scheduled for November. The release schedule and spoiler seasons have undergone significant changes since the start of the year, largely due to the introduction of Universes Beyond sets into Standard and other non-Eternal formats of Magic: The Gathering. In 2026, it appears that there will be a similar split between in-multiverse and UB sets, although the specific sets for next year have yet to be announced. However, one thing is already clear.

Universes Beyond collections have significantly boosted the success of “Magic: The Gathering” in terms of sales. For instance, the “Final Fantasy” set generated more than $200 million on its first day alone. These sets not only drive up sales but also attract new players to the game, as they provide an opportunity for fans to see their beloved IPs intertwined with “MTG.” With at least three Universes Beyond sets expected in 2026, it’s highly probable that one of them will focus on “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.

Why Magic: The Gathering x TMNT is All But Confirmed

There are a few reasons why a TMNT and Magic: The Gathering collab is likely to happen. These are:

  • There is an official TMNT: The Last Ronin game in the works (release date TBD).
  • A movie adaptation of TMNT: The Last Ronin is in production (release date TBD).
  • A movie sequel to Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem is officially scheduled for September 2027, previously dated for 2026.
  • Nickelodeon owns the rights to TMNT, and there have been two collabs with Magic: The Gathering so far in the form of a SpongeBob SquarePants Secret Lair drop and the upcoming Avatar: The Last Airbender set.
  • The 2024 Foundations Jumpstart booster packs for Magic: The Gathering featured a creature called Taeko, the Patient Avalanche, which has the subtypes “Turtle Ninja” and a look reminiscent of TMNT.

Given that MTG’s Universes Beyond sets usually coincide with a fresh addition for the respective IP, and since Mutant Mayhem 2 was initially planned for 2026, it’s reasonable to expect that a TMNT UB set may debut at some point in the coming year. However, considering the movie has been rescheduled to 2027, there might be a delay in the release of the set. Interestingly, the Avatar set was also supposed to coincide with the new movie, which was later pushed back to 2026.

Specifically, a Last Ronin set for MTG would make perfect sense as a grittier property.

Why a TMNT Set for MTG is a Matter of When Rather Than If

As a devoted Magic: The Gathering enthusiast, I must confess that the sudden appearance of Taeko, the Patient Avalanche, has left me intrigued and questioning the future collaborative possibilities. It’s unusual, to say the least, especially given the absence of formal intentions for a full-scale Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (TMNT) crossover.

The recent Secret Lair drop and the impending launch of an Avatar MTG set by Nickelodeon and Wizards of the Coast certainly raise eyebrows, but a card reminiscent of the TMNT characters seems too serendipitous when rights and ownership are under contention. It’s as if the wind of speculation has started to blow, suggesting that something extraordinary might be on the horizon.

It can be suggested that the name “Patient Avalanche,” which belongs to the character Taeko, might be hinting at a potential collaboration between Wizards of the Coast (WotC) and Nickelodeon in the Universes Beyond set for Magic: The Gathering (MTG). Given the success of franchises like Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (TMNT) and SpongeBob SquarePants, as well as the anticipated release of the Avatar set, it seems plausible that further collaborations could be on the horizon.

Although a confirmed TMNT set has not been announced for release in the near future or as far as 2027, there is a strong likelihood that such a collaboration will take place at some point in the future. As a result, this potential collaboration may be more of a question of when rather than if it will occur.

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2025-08-26 01:17