At this point, it really shouldn’t be surprising to see Magic: The Gathering cross over with any given IP. With everything from The Walking Dead to SpongeBob already under the collabs umbrella, you’d think we’d all be desensitized by now. From time to time, however, Wizards drops something that proves this isn’t quite true just yet. Today, for example, saw a seemingly accidental announcement of a new MTG x Play-Doh Secret Lair drop.
While Play-Doh is a Hasbro property, and a toy brand like Transformers and Cluedo, it still feels particularly odd as a Magic crossover. Play-Doh has no characters or story, so these cards will be relying purely on visual appeal. That said, it’s still an intriguing proposition, and the fact that it’s another Extra Life charity drop is fantastic, too. Even if the drop isn’t great, it’ll likely still do a lot of good in the world regardless.
The MTG x Play-Doh Partnership
MTG players on Reddit became aware of the Play-Doh Secret Lair drop through a new graphic on the official Secret Lair website. This graphic has since been removed, and so far there hasn’t been an official article or anything for the partnership, either. For this reason, today’s “announcement” might be an accident. It’s likely that Wizards plans to announce the drop officially at some point tomorrow, possibly during Weekly MTG.
Interestingly, we may already know the title for this drop ahead of time. In a post on r/magicTCG a few days ago, GreenGhost44 shared an ad card they received in their Sonic Secret Lair. It mentioned a new Extra Life drop called “Squishful Thinking,” which matches the Play-Doh theme perfectly.
As to what the drop itself will look like, all we have to work with is the above image for now. The most likely scenario here is that we get a new five-card Secret Lair drop featuring cards using Play-Doh artwork. We’ve seen Magic dabble in diorama art before, mainly in the Diabolical Dioramas drop, so this will likely be similar style-wise. The tone will almost certainly be less spooky and more playful, mind you.
While Play-Doh doesn’t have any kind of established lore to fall back on, its distinct visuals alone will likely carry this drop for a lot of players. On Reddit, players are already getting excited. As Kroooooooo said: “I’m in, it’s a fun idea and it being charity makes it worth it regardless of card value.”
Extra, Extra, Read All About It!
However the MTG x Play-Doh Secret Lair drop ends up looking, it’s carrying on a proud tradition. Since 2020, we’ve seen a new Extra Life drop released each year. These drops are always great rallying points for the community. With half of the proceeds of each drop going to charity, they’re easy purchases for many.
This goes double since these drops are always print-to-demand, rather than the current limited-supply model. This means everyone who wants a copy of this Lair should be able to get it, as the purchase windows tend to be pretty generous. Secret Lair gets regular criticism for its janky website and poor availability, and rightly so. With Extra Life drops, however, these problems cease to be a factor.
These drops also tend to be some of the better value propositions in the Secret Lair sphere, too. Wizards has always included staples in these drops, whether it’s Craterhoof Behemoth in the 2021 version, or Fierce Guardianship last year. Even the silver-bordered My Little Pony drop from 2023 holds a ton of value, considering they aren’t viable for sanctioned events.
This combination of accessibility and genuine value makes Extra Life a bit of a no-brainer as far as MTG purchases go. The charity aspect can’t be undersold, either. While Wizards hasn’t released official figures on the amount raised by each drop, they did announce last year that MTG and Dungeons & Dragons have collectively raised over $6 million for the charity since 2013. Whether you have fond childhood memories of playing with Play-Doh or not, you owe it to yourself to keep your eyes peeled for this drop’s possible announcement this Tuesday.
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