2025 looks like an incredible year of MTG for many players… but it isn’t exactly what many were expecting. Universes Beyond has been continually taking a larger and larger part of Magic’s focus and release calendar. Now, the entire franchise is split 50/50 down the middle. Half of Magic’s new products are using the game’s original IP, while the other half invites other ideas from across the world.
Because Universes Beyond sets are taking up more time than many expected, something had to give. Sadly, the most anticipated set of 2025 for many MTG players was delayed back in October. Unsurprisingly, given what this set is, many players are still bitterly upset about this.
No Lorwyn for 2025
Originally, a revisit to Lorwyn was on the 2025 docket for Wizards of the Coast. That set has now been delayed for yet another Universes Beyond set being released at the end of the year, one which has not yet been announced. The set is confirmed for early 2026, despite finishing up its development just a few weeks ago. For Wizards of the Coast, this is a strangely small turnaround period.
When discussing the most anticipated aspects for 2025, many MTG players mentioned their disappointment at Lorwyn’s departure. With the single most exciting thing for many MTG players for 2025 being taken away, what’s left is just a stream of disappointment.
To put it into perspective, Lorwyn’s return has been so heavily anticipated that Spice8Rack made a two-hour-long YouTube video about the plane. Many MTG fans also made it abundantly clear on Blogatog that the people wanted Lorwyn to return. Instead, we have a mystery Universes Beyond set that many MTG players may not even want.
Most Anticipated MTG Elements of 2025
Despite Lorwyn’s absence, there is still a lot to look forward to for 2025. According to a recent discussion about the topic, many players are looking forward to exactly one thing left on the MTG calendar: Tarkir: Dragonstorm.
Tarkir is an incredibly memorable plane for many. First appearing in September 2014, many players who have been playing for at least a decade (including myself) look upon Tarkir with nostalgic brilliance. Khans of Tarkir is considered by many to be one of the best Draft sets of Magic’s 30-year history.
While the format feels like molasses by today’s standards, matches depended a lot more on a player’s decisions than the power level of the cards being played. This put a huge emphasis on skill that many sets simply don’t achieve in their Limited environment.
Thanks to Play Boosters, in particular, an influx of rare cards has impacted the card quality in Limited. Combine the fact that uncommons and commons force faster games nowadays, and the entire atmosphere between Limited nowadays and Khans of Tarkir Limited is completely different.
Alongside Tarkir being nostalgically charged for many, the set also introduced many cards that would turn into icons. Fetch Land reprints aside, Seige Rhino and Monastery Swiftspear are examples of two iconic cards that were released in Khans of Tarkir. Notably, Dig Through Time and Treasure Cruise were also originally released in this set.
Between big dragons, three-color clans, and loads of iconic cards, players have been begging to go back to Tarkir for some time. Fortunately, Tarkir fans will still be able to visit their favorite plane.
Comparatively, there is some excitement for Edge of Eternities thanks to its bizarre setting. Since players don’t really know what to expect with the set yet, however, there are still a lot of question marks on what Edge of Eternities will end up becoming. Tezzeret’s reappearance could be a sign that Nicol Bolas is coming back, something that Mark Rosewater foreshadowed.
Much-Maligned Universes Beyond
Unsurprisingly, in the Reddit thread, a lot of MTG players were also disappointed with the prevalence of Universes Beyond in 2025. While Final Fantasy does share a fantasy setting with MTG, Spider-Man, in many players’ opinions, feels really out of place.
While superhero stories certainly have their fictional elements, a lot of these take place in the context of the real world with a few powerful beings. This is certainly a step away from the plane-inspired MTG setting.
Despite many MTG players online not looking forward to Spider-Man, there are conversely many players who are losing their minds over it. Many Spider-Man fans are looking towards Magic, ready to try the game and collect every card in the set. Like it or not, the Universes Beyond model does work. The cross-section of players interested in both Magic and superhero stories are having the time of their lives.
My Opinion?
I have to admit, I am also looking forward to Tarkir: Dragonstorm. Khans of Tarkir was my entry point into MTG. The first real event I attended at a local game store, outside of a couple of FNMs, was Khans of Tarkir prerelease. As such, the nostalgic value of Tarkir: Dragonstorm is at an all-time high for me.
I am also interested in Edge of Eternities. The potential for the set with its unique setting is absolutely massive. I hope to see some nods to Eldrazi as well as Nicol Bolas.
While I’m neither here nor there on the Universes Beyond sets, I do have a lot of experience with the Final Fantasy franchise. Many of my friends are deeply entrenched in superhero lore and are losing their minds over the upcoming Spider-Man release. I will say that I am not looking particularly forward to a Standard format ruled over by characters that aren’t even from Magic’s universe.
Either way, while many are disappointed about Lorwyn’s delay, 2025 is still jam-packed full of MTG content. The first set, Innistrad Remastered, hits shelves at the end of this month.
