Ever since Magic’s Universes Beyond initiative began back in 2021, players have enjoyed speculating on which properties will make the jump next. Lord of the Rings was an obvious early big hitter, but beyond that pretty much anything is fair game. We’ve seen everything from traditional fantasy like Dungeons & Dragons, to bizarre curveballs like Spongebob Squarepants. In the vein of the former, it turns out MTG may be getting a Universes Beyond set based on Brandon Sanderson’s Cosmere soon.
New details revealed in a recent interview with Sanderson show that this collaboration could be real. While Cosmere hasn’t broken into the mainstream in the same way as past Universes Beyond properties, this is still an exciting prospect for fans. There’s a ton of material to work with here, from a writer who appears to be in his prime.
Sanderson Speaks
News of this possible collaboration came via a Q&A session at Dragonsteel Nexus 2024. For the uninitiated, this is an annual convention celebrating Sanderson and his worlds and works. During the nearly hour-long session, one fan asked about the possibility of an MTG/Cosmere Universes Beyond collab.
“Q: Can we ever expect a Universes Beyond: Cosmere?
A: I would be open to the idea. In fact, when they were first exploring Universes Beyond, before they kind of knew where they were going, they came to me and said ‘Hey, would you ever be interested in doing one of these?'”
The fact that Wizards has specifically reached out to Sanderson about a potential collab is very exciting for fans. It means that, at the very least, the gears could be in motion and the concept may be under consideration. That said, it’s certainly not a guarantee. Sanderson also noted that he “wrote back and said ‘yes absolutely, gimme gimme gimme!,’ maybe a little more professional, then I didn’t hear back from them.”
By Sanderson’s own admission this “isn’t unusual,” as “Wizards is a very big company.” He also theorized that Wizards may have reached out to “a bunch of people, including some very large IPs,” which may explain the radio silence. Given the pedigree of the collaborations we’ve seen so far, this is a theory that seems to hold a lot of water.
This is pretty much the shape of things for now, but Sanderson seems confident that the collaboration will come to fruition in the future: “I do think it’s probably something that will happen, assuming MTG doesn’t fall apart.” Interestingly, Sanderson has specific expectations for what he’d want out of a Cosmere Universes Beyond, too. “I would, I’ve decided, hold out for a full set,” he noted in his answer. “Not just a few cards, I would want to do a full-blown set.”
This means something like a Cosmere Secret Lair is pretty unlikely. Given the sheer scale of the world involved, however, that’s probably for the best.
What Is Cosmere, Exactly?
For those unfamiliar with Brandon Sanderson or his work, all this talk of Cosmere is likely falling on deaf ears. It’s one of the most significant properties in modern fantasy, however, with a deep well of lore and characters to draw from.
As defined by Sanderson himself on his website, “The Cosmere is the fictional universe I created for many of my fantasy novels to take place within. Currently Elantris, Mistborn, Warbreaker, The Stormlight Archive, White Sand, and anything from Arcanum Unbounded are part of the Cosmere.” That humble list sounds reasonable enough, but it really doesn’t do the Cosmere justice.
In total, the universe currently spans 14 novels, seven novellas, four short stories, and three graphic novels. This is a staggering volume of content, surpassing even the monolithic Wheel of Time series which Sanderson was drafted in to finish in the end.
Quantity isn’t everything, of course: Lord of the Rings dominated the world with just a single book. That said, Sanderson’s work has been incredibly well-received over the years. Since the early 2000s, he’s built up one of the most dedicated fanbases in the business. The most recent Cosmere novel, Wind and Truth, immediately shot to #1 on the New York Times bestseller list. Mistborn, one of the earlier entries in the series, did something similar recently, too.
That said, Cosmere doesn’t have the wide appeal of a Lord of the Rings right now, but that could very well change soon. There’s been plenty of talk in recent years about adapting the series to film and television, which could do wonders for its public perception. Basically Cosmere is a modern fantasy juggernaut, and the prospect of it coming to MTG is an exciting one.
A Recipe For Success?
Based on the IP alone, Cosmere appears to be a great choice for an MTG Universes Beyond collaboration. The world is full of magic and intrigue, with fans particularly enjoying its in-depth magic system. Seeing the designers at Wizards translate it into cardboard would be fascinating.
Lord of the Rings, Fallout, and Doctor Who have all proven that the Wizards of the Coast design team can dive deep into a property and get to the heart of what fans love about it.
The other part of the equation, Brandon Sanderson himself, is reassuring here too. During his answer, Sanderson noted that “if they ever get around to it, I will fly out to Seattle and be involved.” We don’t have much insight into how hands-on other IP representatives have been with Universes Beyond products past. That said, having the creator give input on the design could lead to great results.
It’s true that this isn’t always the case, but Sanderson is also a huge MTG fan independent of his other enterprises. He regularly talks about the game in his video content. He’s even starred in videos alongside Tolarian Community College’s Professor and the crew at Game Knights. That perspective will help him guide the design in an informed way, which will be a huge plus for the product.
We don’t have any firm dates or teases for now, but based on Sanderson’s comments I don’t think the MTG Cosmere set is too far off. Who knows, it may even be 2025’s mystery sixth set.
