MTG Foundations is a set unlike many others in the vast history of Magic: The Gathering. It may pay homage to the Core Sets of old, but this new iteration goes above and beyond what we’ve come to expect. Breaking tradition, MTG Foundations will be Standard legal for five years, which is obviously a momentous change.
During this time, MTG Foundations should, hopefully, be accessible and readily available for purchase thanks to restocks and reprints. What’s less clear, however, is if the product will ever get a refresh throughout its extended stay in Standard. Even with future release calendars looking busy, to say the least, MTG Foundation’s current success may warrant additional attention.
According to Head MTG Designer, Mark Rosewater, a refresh for MTG Foundations is possibly on the cards. We don’t have much to go off yet, but this re-release could offer a lot to be excited about.
MTG Foundations 1.5
Given the set has only just come out, currently, the future of MTG Foundations is unclear. While there’s a lot of hubbub about it now, there’s a non-zero chance it’ll fade into the background in 2025 and beyond. Unless Wizards carves out some space in the release calendar for Foundations drafts it could be a one-and-done affair.
Unfortunately, finding space may be difficult given how busy the 2025 release calendar looks. Between Innistrad Remastered and the six Standard-legal sets there’s little room for Foundations to shine. While it’s too early to tell the consequences of this busy schedule, the lack of time for Foundations isn’t ideal.
Even if it’s still available for purchase, MTG Foundations is most effective when it’s easily accessible. Sure, new players can still pick up the Beginner Box or Starter Collection but, ideally, Drafts should be accessible too. Without a set time for Foundations on the release calendar each year, stores may shy away from, running these events.
Right now, it’s unclear if Wizards has thought about this potential problem or put plans in place to remedy it. That said, it seems the idea has crossed Wizards’ mind, at least, given a recent statement from Mark Rosewater. Speaking on Blogatog, Rosewater revealed that a refreshed re-release seems to be on the cards.
Style Over Substance
Beyond providing another chance to entice new players, a re-released MTG Foundations could offer some intriguing opportunities. As Tumblr user Smurfyscott suggested on Blogatog, for instance, a re-release could allow for “a mid-cycle art refresh.” For the main set, this may not seem like the biggest deal, but it’s surprisingly important for Foundations Jumpstart.
In MTG Foundations Jumpstart, 27 new legendary creatures were printed exclusively with anime artwork. Historically, this art style has always been held in high regard in MTG, even if we have been seeing a lot of it recently. That said, the fact the new legendary creatures are only available are only available in this art style may be a misstep.
As good as it looks, anime art isn’t universally beloved in MTG. The same is true for Universes Beyond cards, which is partly why Universes Within cards exist. With this in mind, it seems sensible that Wizards may seize an opportunity to reprint these cards with more traditional artwork.
Sadly, MTG cards aren’t guaranteed to have normal variants anymore. Too many Universes Beyond cards are being printed to guarantee Universes Within variants, and this is simply an extension of that. In theory, Wizards can reprint Foundations Jumpstart legends in the future, but I wouldn’t expect all of them at once.
For better or worse, it seems we’re just living in a new age of MTG where some cards are only available in certain styles. While this may not be to everyone’s tastes, Wizards surely has the data to back up this decision. As much as there are players who dislike anime art and Universes Beyond, it’s likely that far more enjoy it.
A Reasonable Reprint
Beyond providing an early opportunity for MTG Foundations reprints, Wizards could also do well from an MTG Foundations re-release. Following on from the Lord of the Rings: Tales of Middle-earth Holiday Release, Wizards could create new Collector Boosters. Should these be loaded with serialized cards to convert new players into collectors or just fancy art treatments, they could sell like hotcakes.
On top of this potentially lucrative avenue, rereleasing MTG Foundations, even with new art, could be hugely lucrative. Even factoring in the cost of commissioning new art pieces, the lack of a development cycle would massively cut costs. Admittedly, no new cards would limit the appeal to enfranchised players somewhat, but new art for Standard staples could carry.
Ultimately, the decision to re-release MTG Foundations should come down to the wants of the players. If new players need more Foundations drafts or cheaper standard staples, then Wizards should seriously consider it. When, or if, this need will arise currently remains to be seen, so we could be waiting for a while.
For now, all we have is a very vague statement from Mark Rosewater which doesn’t confirm things one way or another. Depending on the lens you look at it through, “I believe an art refresh is not off limits,” could go either way. We’ll just have to wait and see what happens.
