Oath of Nissa | Oath of the Gatewatch
4, Dec, 24

MTG 2024 Release Calendar - All Upcoming Sets And Products!

As Magic: The Gathering ramps up the volume of sets and products released, each new year is a new milestone. 2023 in particular was a barn-burner, bringing no less than nine fully-fledged sets. Alongside myriad Secret Lair drops and Arena-only releases. Based on the release calendar put out by Wizards, 2024 is set to match it, if not in volume then in sheer MTG goodness.

MTG 2024 Release Calendar

MTG 2024 Calendar

There are four Standard sets, two eternal sets, two Universes Beyond products, and a reprint set lined up for 2024. A feast fit for MTG’s 32nd year on our tables and shelves. That’s a lot of cardboard, though, and it can be tricky to stay on top of it all, even for a deeply invested player. If you find yourself in this position, then worry not. This article will walk you through everything coming to Magic in 2024.

Pioneer Masters

Oath of Nissa | Oath of the Gatewatch

Release Date: December 10th, 2024
Legal in: Explorer, Historic, Timeless, Brawl

Finishing off the end of the 2024 MTG release calendar, currently, we have the release of Pioneer Masters. Following the trend of Commander Masters and Modern Masters, this set is, unsurprisingly, all about After no end of questions from the community, Pioneer Masters finally has a release date. This reprint set, which exclusively launches on MTG Arena, will be available on December 10th, 2024. Considering this set completes a goal that has been two years in the making, it’s safe to say players are excited.

Comprised of 398 cards, Pioneer Masters is designed to finally bridge the gap between Explorer and Pioneer. Once released, not every Pioneer-legal card will be available, but a tournament-playable version of Pioneer should be playable. To mark this momentous occasion, the Explorer format will officially be renamed to Pioneer on MTG Arena once Pioneer Masters is released.

Following the reveal of every card in the set, Pioneer Masters looks set to do its job very nicely. While there are still a few missing cards, there’s more than enough to have genuine Pioneer matches and tournaments on Arena. Hopefully, the few missing cards that didn’t get included will be added via Anthologies before too long.

Considering that Pioneer doesn’t have any paper Regional Championship Qualifier events scheduled for 2025, Pioneer Masters may be surprisingly important. Ideally, it will allow the format to continue to flourish digitally, receiving continued tournament support. Whether or not this will actually happen, however, remains to be seen for now.

The Story So Far

Tome of Gadwick | Alchemy | Art by Maxime Minard

That’s everything in the ‘upcoming’ section of the 2024 MTG Release Calendar. Plenty to get excited about, to be sure. But it’s only half the story. What about the sets we’ve already seen, whose wonders we’ve already had the chance to sample? Fear not; we’ve gathered them below for your reading pleasure. If you’re up for a stroll down (recent) memory lane, then lace up your Lavaspur Boots, and let’s go!

Ravnica Remastered

Release Date: January 12th, 2024
Legal in: Wherever original cards are legal.

Kicking off 2024 with a bang, Ravnica Remastered was the third of Magic’s Remastered sets to make its way to paper, following Time Spiral Remastered and Dominaria Remastered before it. It brought together the very best cards from 13 different Ravnica sets. This included the three main Ravnica blocks, and cards from Commander products that were set on Ravnica. The result? A veritable smorgasbord of multicolored goodness.

Classics like Cyclonic Rift, the Shocklands, Birds of Paradise and Dark Confidant made the cut, cementing the set as a serious value proposition right out of the gate. It also incorporated the Retro Frame from past Remastered sets, to great effect.

This excellent card selection was great for eternal formats, but also for the Ravnica Remastered Draft experience. Drafting is a huge part of Remastered sets in general, and this one didn’t disappoint. Community sentiment was very positive, both on the drafts and the strong pool of reprints.

Though it lacked Commander products, one could argue that Ravnica Remastered was a full-on Commander product in itself. The sheer volume of quality reprints for the format would certainly support such a stance. It was also a brilliant celebration of all things Ravnica, ahead of 2024’s next set, which would bring us once again to those hallowed streets.

Read More: Ravnica Remastered Reprints Cause Staggering MTG Price Crash!

Murders At Karlov Manor – February 9th

Release Date: February 9th, 2024
Legal in: All Formats

The first mainline set of the year arrived in early February, with Murders at Karlov Manor. As mentioned above, this set was technically another return to the mega-popular Ravnica. In terms of mechanics and feel, however, it was like nothing Magic had seen before.

Murders at Karlov Manor was a top-down set built around a central Murder Mystery theme. It leaned hard into the tropes that define the genre; a diverse cast of suspects, mysterious locales, Red Herrings, etc. These weren’t just lore elements, either. The new Saga-esque Case cards, and new mechanics like Cloak, Collect Evidence, and Suspect, all hammered these ideas home nicely. Investigate even made a welcome return.

Underneath this thematic veneer, the Ravnica we all know and love was still there. All ten guilds got new cards, including some absolute bangers that hit it big in different formats. Vein Ripper created a whole new Pioneer archetype in Rakdos Vampires, Leyline of the Guildpact made Domain Zoo a Modern meta contender, and Aftermath Analyst and Worldsoul’s Rage led to the powerful Temur Analyst strategies we see in Standard today.

The set was a huge success gameplay-wise, then, but unfortunately it went down less well flavor-wise. While players enjoyed the murder mystery theme, it didn’t feel very ‘Ravnica,’ which was disappointing for ling-time fans. It also felt like the most obvious example of a Magic set wearing the thematic clothes of another game since Streets of New Capenna; a set players were similarly mixed on. That said, it was still a win overall, and a nice start to the 2024 Standard suite.

Read More: Forgotten Combo Piece Sees Resurgence Thanks to Karlov Manor Phoenix!

Fallout

Release Date: March 8th, 2024
Legal in: Legacy, Vintage, Commander.

Magic took a brief break from Standard in March, as the long-awaited Fallout Universes Beyond Commander decks hit shelves. As the name suggests, unlike The Lord of the Rings: Tales of Middle-earth, this wasn’t a full-on expansion. Rather, it was a series of four Commander precon decks, each based on a different aspect of the Fallout video game series.

Scrappy Survivors covered the protagonists and NPCs; Mutant Menace delved into the weird and wonderful after-effects of nuclear radiation; Hail, Caesar gave us a glimpse into Fallout’s many militaristic factions; and Science! spotlighted the mech suits and energy weapons that can be found in the wasteland.

Mechanically, Fallout didn’t add a whole lot. Rad counters were its biggest contribution: counters representing radiation poisoning that milled cards and dealt damage. It did bring back Energy, however, for the first time since Aether Revolt. Flavor-wise, though, the decks were smash hits. Each was packed in a number of iconic characters and objects from across the Fallout series, which kept dedicated fans more than happy.

As did the new alternate card styles Fallout brought to the table. Pip-Boy frames channeled the grimy edge of the games, while the Borderless Vault Boy cards recalled the vintage propaganda images found in each title. Even the basic lands were unique, with both full-arts and isometric-view lands really capturing the series’ aesthetic.

All of these unique styles could be found in Fallout Collector Boosters; the only other product besides the decks themselves. Some of these cards ended up rather valuable, particularly the serialized Bobbleheads, but overall Fallout had a minimal impact on eternal formats. Though to be honest, that’s not super important. It got the crucial part, appealing to fans of Fallout and Magic alike, bang on.

Read More: MTG Designer Reveals Shocking Fallout Sales Success

Outlaws Of Thunder Junction

Release Date: April 19th, 2024
Legal in: All Formats

April was a major milestone month. Outlaws of Thunder Junction made history as the 100th Magic set to be released, bringing with it a strong top-down theme and an innovative focus on villains. The events of the set took place in the titular Plane of Thunder Junction, a new world that’s become a kind of hub for the post-Omenpath Multiverse.

The theming in this set was extremely strong, evoking classic Westerns in its deft use of tropes. In fact, for some players, it was too strong. Coming right after Murders at Karlov Manor, a set with a similar reliance on genre tropes, it did feel a bit like Magic was straying from its core identity.

This detail put players on edge before the launch. It looked like a disaster waiting to happen. Certainly not what you’d want for the game’s 100th set. Once players actually got their hands on the cards, however, all of those concerns melted away.

The set’s new mechanics, Crime, Outlaws, and Mounts, all played great and felt flavorful to boot. Many of the cards have had a significant impact, too, including Slickshot Show-Off and Three Steps Ahead. As if new staples weren’t enough, Outlaws of Thunder Junction had one just one, but two bonus sheets.

Miraculously crammed into packs, Breaking News and The Big Score both offered fantastic flavor and value. The latter was originally intended to be the set’s Aftermath-style micro-set, however, that was unceremoniously canned. As a result, Outlaws of Thunder Junction was one mega dese jamboree of a set!

Overall, Outlaws of Thunder Junction was a big success. It had a great Limited environment, made spicy by the Bonus Sheets, and great cards for Constructed. As 100th sets go, Magic could’ve had far worse.

Read More: Top Five Most Expensive MTG Outlaws of Thunder Junction Cards

Modern Horizons 3

Release Date: June 14th, 2024
Legal in: Modern, Legacy, Vintage, Commander.

Despite reassurances that the product line had finally learned its lesson, Modern Horizons 3 is supremely powerful. The set is packed with powerful new cards, including retrains of classics like Necropotence and Recurring Nightmare. It also features many striking new designs, such as the Flare cycle, and plenty of excellent reprints, like the Allied Fetchlands. There’s something for everyone in here, particularly if you play Modern or Commander.

Modern Horizons 3 also features a nice range of card styles, with Retro Frame and Showcase Profile cards making a comeback. Borderless and Extended cards, naturally, also return. If you’re lucky, you could even find a serialized Eldrazi Titan card in your Collector Booster, and instantly cover your rent for a month or two.

Like most new MTG products, Modern Horizons 3 also comes with a line of Commander precons. All four of these are interesting, based on popular Modern decks of the past. If all the great Commander cards in the main set aren’t enough for you, you can always pick one or two of these up.

Read More: The Most Expensive Modern Horizons 3 Cards

Assassin’s Creed

MTG-2024-Release-Calendar-Assassins-Creed

Release Date: July 5th, 2024
Legal in: Modern, Legacy, Vintage, Commander.

Released on July 5th, 2024, Assassin’s Creed is the latest Universes Beyond crossover in MTG. While Modern Horizons 3 undoubtedly packed a punch, this set may be the most important in 2023. This is due to Assassin’s Creed being a brand-new kind of MTG set.

Comprised of only 100 cards, the Assassin’s Creed set is an evolution of the micro-set concept. As a Universes Beyond set, this leaves it positioned between a full Tentpole Set and a collection of Commander decks. While Assassin’s Creed is not Draftable, the set’s cards are legal in Modern, so there’s a fair bit of interest.

Much like Assassin’s Creed’s twisty lore, it’s all very confusing. Look beyond that, however, and the set looks quite spicy indeed. It brings the iconic assassin protagonists from the series to Magic on legendary creatures like Ezio Auditore da Firenze, as well as their signature weapons and tools, such as Hidden Blade. The famous historical figures you can encounter throughout the games are present, too, including Leonardo Da Vinci.

You’ll be able to grab these new cards in what Wizards is calling ‘Beyond Boosters.’ These are scaled-down versions of regular Play Boosters. They’ll feature seven cards each, with a guaranteed foil and the potential for three Rares or Mythics. In terms of Showcase styles, regular Borderless cards are back, along with new ‘Borderless Scene’ cards, some of which can connect to form a larger picture. You’ll also be able to find ‘Memory Corridor’ variants of some cards, which channel the Animus sections of the games nicely.

Read More: The Edward Kenway MTG Assassin’s Creed Commander Deck Guide!

Bloomburrow

MTG-2024-Release-Calendar-Bloomburrow

Release Date: August 2nd, 2024
Legal in: All Formats

Bloomburrow is a brand-new setting for Magic and the game’s first all-animal Plane. Rather than the usual conflicts between Humans and other humanoid factions, Bloomburrow will spotlight the struggles of Mice, Lizards, Badgers, and more. This is a bold departure from the norm, but first impressions from the community have been hugely positive so far.

Being a mainline Standard release, Bloomburrow is getting all the usual bells and whistles. We’re talking a full-sized set, multiple Showcase styles, and new Commander precons. For fans of bling, Woodland and Field Notes cards join the usual Borderless options. There are even Anime Borderless versions of some cards, continuing a trend that’s been developing the past few years.

As expected, Bloomburrow is an exceedingly flavorful adventure that’s been a delight to new fans and old. Despite being comprised of rather tiny critters, the set has also proven to be rather powerful. Following the set’s release in early August, myriad new archetypes have appeared and proven dominant.

The release of Bloomburrow also triggered rotation in both Alchemy and Standard. This has seriously mixed up the formats providing a breath of fresh air into the competitive landscape.

Read More: Players Clamor For Secret Lair Featuring Stunning Bloomburrow Dioramas

Mystery Booster 2

Glimpse, the Unthinkable | Mystery Booster 2
Glimpse, the Unthinkable | Mystery Booster 2

Release Date: August 19th, 2024
Legal in: Wherever original cards are legal | Excluding Playtest Cards and Acorn Cards

Out of the blue, Wizards of the Coast announced Mystery Booster 2 during Gen Con 2024. The same day as it was announced, MTG fans at the event were able to play with this reprint and playtest card-filled set. Everyone else, however, had to wait until the Festival in a Box released on August 19th, 2024.

Despite fears of a lightning-fast sale, Festival in a Box, and Mystery Booster 2 by extension, bucked expectations. The Festival in a Box: Las Vegas 2024 is still available on the Secret Lair website. Unless it ends up selling out, the sale will only finish on Monday the 28th of October.

While it was definitely unexpected, it’s great news that the Festival in a Box didn’t sell out immediately. After all, while it is expensive, Mystery Booster 2 looks absolutely fantastic. Not only are there plenty of expensive reprints, but even brand-new printings. Thanks to the unusual nature of this set, Wizards has printed previously MTG Arena-exclusive cards on paper for the first time. This includes the ultra-powerful Oracle of the Alpha, although they do have an acorn security stamp.

Alongside the myriad cards that are getting normal reprints, Mystery Booster 2 also brings back White Borders and the Futureshifted frame. Last seen in 2006 and 2007 respectively, both these card treatments are incredibly nostalgic. What they’ll do to the price of the reprinted cards, however, remains to be seen.

Last but not least, Mystery Booster 2 also features Playtest cards. Full of memes, in-jokes, and wild new mechanics, these cards push MTG to the limits. Thanks to their striking simplistic art that you can see above, you really can’t miss them. Sadly, while these cards are a lot of fun, they’re not playable in any MTG format.

Read More: Mystery Booster 2 Is Basically Free, Fuelling Worrying Demand

Duskmourn: House of Horror

MTG-2024-Release-Calendar-Duskmourn

Release Date: September 27th, 2024
Legal in: All Formats

September presented a complete tonal 180 as we went from the positively twee Bloomburrow to the gruesome slasher horror of Duskmourn: House of Horror. Well, it’s 80’s inspired slasher horror at least, which means it’s also surprisingly full of references. While this did cause some controversy, it nonetheless set us up nicely for Halloween and spooky season.

Following its release, Duskmourn: House of Horror has proven to be a lot more than just an interesting facade. The set is absolutely loaded with powerful cards that have quickly proven to be multiformat staples. Between the Overlord cycle, the insane new dual lands, and bombs like Abhorrent Oculus, there’s been a serious competitive shakeup.

On top of breathing life into multiple competitive metagames, Duskmourn: House of Horror also rejuvenated a long-forgotten casual format. Through the set’s preconstructed Commander decks, the Archenemy format has been given a new lease of life. With new cards and rules to suit Commander play, this format has effectively been brought back from the dead.

Like all premier sets in 2024, Duskmourn: House of Horror features Play Boosters, Collector Boosters, and Commander decks. On top of all these expected products, there will also be a special edition “Nightmare Bundle,” released on October 18th. This unique extra product contains unique movie poster-themed cards that look absolutely spectacular.

Read More: MTG Designer Defends Duskmourn’s Seemingly Overused Tropes

Magic: The Gathering Foundations

MTG Foundations

Release Date: November 15th, 2024
Legal in: All Formats

Announced during MagicCon: Amsterdam, MTG Foundations is a set that no one saw coming. Launching on November 25th, 2024, this new set is fully Standard legal and won’t rotate until “at least 2029.” For better or worse, MTG Foundations appears to mark a major shift in philosophy surrounding Standard and its metagame.

As the name somewhat suggests, Magic: The Gathering Foundations is aimed at new players first and foremost. Offering a new entry point into MTG, Foundations aims to provide exciting new and reprinted cards to players new and old. To ensure the set is as accessible as possible, Wizards is even creating two new-player-focused products: The Beginner Box and Starter Kits. 

Unsurprisingly, following the release of MTG Foundations, the set has had a noticeable impact on multiple formats. Returning staples like Llanowar Elves have supercharged some decks, sharking up the competitive order. While Standard hasn’t been completely inverted, there’s nonetheless been a lot of exciting developments.

Notably, unlike most sets, Magic: The Gathering Foundations does not have any preconstructed Commander decks. Thankfully, there is still something for Commander players to look forward to Foundations Jumpstart. While primarily geared towards new players, this set has plenty of exciting Commander-focused cards including awesome typal-supporting legendaries.

Read More: MTG Foundations Spoilers Include New Blood Artist And Adorable Cats

2025 and Beyond

Wren's Run Packmaster | Lorwyn
Wren’s Run Packmaster | Lorwyn

While 2024 has more than enough content to gawp at, MTG is far from finished. Wizards of the Coast has already revealed a great deal of information about the 2025 release calendar. There are even some details about what players can expect in 2026! More information about what’s to come is expected to be released later this year in October.

For now, if you want to look even further into the future, have a gander at the article below that will tell you all you need to know!

Read More: MTG 2025 Release Calendar

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