2024 is far from over, but already 2025 is already threatening to steal the limelight. With two major Universes Beyond releases and multiple incredible-sounding planes, the 2025 release calendar is absolutely stacked. It’s just a shame we don’t know much about what’s in store yet.
Out of all the sets being released in 2025, the one codenamed Tennis is arguably the most interesting. While we don’t have this MTG set’s official name yet, we have been told it’s a “Death Race” set. Taking place across three planes, this set is easily one of the most unique in 2025. That’s saying a lot considering Magic is going to space next year as well!
While we’re still a ways away from knowing this set’s official title, we have recently received new information. This recent reveal comes courtesy of MTG’s Head Designer, Mark Rosewater, who named three sets that won’t be returning. While this still leaves a lot up in the air, it nonetheless tells us a surprisingly big deal about the set.
Sayonara Segovia
Since it was announced, Mark Rosewater has been touting that Death Race will take place across three planes. This makes it Magic’s first-ever Travelog set, which all sounds very exciting. While the planes we’ll be going to haven’t been announced, some details have been teased already.
Two of the planes Death Race travels to are already known to MTG players, according to Rosewater. The third plane, however, has only ever appeared on cards in passing, without hosting a major set. This makes it both the most mysterious, and interesting, of the three planes Death Race will visit.
From the moment the set was announced, a lot of players expected a long-overdue trip to Segovia. As seen on The Hippodrome, this plane appears to have a keen interest in colosseum-based racing. This seems to make it the perfect setting for a racing-based MTG set, right? Sadly, no.
In a recent post on Blogatog, Mark Rosewater revealed Death Race won’t be going to Segovia. This is a great disappointment since MTG players have long wanted to see this plane and its size-shrinking antics. The multi-planar concept of Death Race even seemed to solve the set’s overly blue problem.
Sadly, for whatever reason, it wasn’t meant to be in Wizards of the Coast’s eyes. If we’re pessimistic, this may mean we’ll never set foot in, or rather on, Segovia like Invasion of Segovia. As mentioned, the plane is predominantly an underwater plane, which presents major color-balancing problems. That said, it is a requested theme on Rosewater’s not-so-short shortlist.
Missing Mercadia
On top of Segovia being out of the running, Rosewater also revealed Death Race doesn’t return to Mercadia. Last properly seen in 1999, it’s definitely been a long ol’ while since we’ve seen this classic bougie plane. Despite it not being the most popular plane in existence, some players were still disappointed by this revelation.
MERCADIABROS. WE CAN RECOVER FROM THIS SETBACK
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While Mercadia may not have an entrenched racing history, it was nonetheless a somewhat fitting option. Thanks to having plenty of opulence and subterfuge, the plane could have worked well with the Death Race vibes. Sadly, this wasn’t meant to be, and the hopes of the Mercadiabros may never be realized.
Currently, Mercadia sits at a nine on the Rabiah Scale. According to Mark Rosewater, this is because “Neither the world nor the expansion set on it were popular.” Due to this, it’s incredibly unlikely that Magic will ever return to Mercadia in the future.
As much as Kamigawa: Neon Dynasty has made some past planes more viable, there are plenty more sensible choices.
The Sensible Choices
Now that Segovia is out of the running, it seems basically guaranteed we’re going back to Kaladesh. A Death Race has to start somewhere, and Kaladesh’s focus on vehicles makes it the perfect fit. While the concept art we’ve seen so far doesn’t match the filigree finery, it’s nonetheless the most sensible option.
Speaking of that concept art, the futuristic-looking car seems like something straight out of Kamigawa. Technically, this could mean it’s one of the three planes we’ll be visiting, however, it could just be a racer’s vehicle. Should Kaito reappear swiftly after Duskmourn: House of Horror and Foundations, this could be their chosen ride.
Ultimately, outside of Kaladesh, there’s very little telling what MTG planes Death Race may visit at the moment. Vryn is a fairly common suggestion from fans, however, this is wild speculation at best. As fun as racing through mage rings sounds, incredibly little information about Vryn is available so it’s unclear if it’s suitable.
The Actual Answer
Thankfully, we should finally know where we’ll be going in 2025 soon enough. On October 25th, 2024, Wizards is set to properly reveal the 2025 set lineup at MagicCon: Las Vegas. During this event, we’ll learn the names of the upcoming sets, and hopefully, the planes we’ll be visiting too. Exactly what will be revealed, remains to be seen for now.
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