Between The Lord of the Rings: Tales of Middle-earth, the Doctor Who Commander decks, and the promised upcoming Assassin’s Creed release, MTG, as we know it, has changed a lot recently. For better or worse, there’s no sign that Wizards of the Coast’s Universes Beyond push will be slowing down. In fact, thanks to potential changes to the Secret Lair MTG product line, the fun may have only just begun.
The game’s Secret Lair division, known for its ‘drop’ structure of four to six reimagined cards and collaboration with outside – and diverse – IPs such as Fortnite and Stranger Things, is poised to evolve. Senior Business Manager for Secret Lair, Emily Floyd, unveiled in a recent interview an ambitious vision: to surprise and delight fans with larger, more unpredictable drops.
Surprise, Secret Lair Is Here
“When it comes to the bigger drops and things that are kind of outside of that structure, we want to surprise and delight people with those,” Floyd revealed.
This shift towards larger drops represents an exciting development for the players. It’s not just the scale changing; the nature of releases is becoming more spontaneous. “We want them to show up when you least expect it,” she added.
Floyd’s vision for the Secret Lair is all about pushing the envelope. Sets like ‘Secret Lair x Street Fighter’, ‘Secret Lair x The Walking Dead’, and ‘Here Be Dragons’ are just the beginning. The future promises surprise drops, more remarkable collaborations, and an ever-expanding universe that consistently surprises and delights its fans.
To ensure this level of novelty and variation, Floyd highlighted the flexible, collaborative approach of the creative team behind Secret Lair. “We have an internal team, an art director, and a producer who work together. There’s no one formula for how a Secret Lair drop gets made,” she stated. The Secret Lair can originate from a theme, a concept, or even a particular artist the team wants to work with. This not only allows for a wealth of creativity but also contributes to the unique, collectible nature of each Secret Lair product.
Floyd’s insights paint an intriguing picture of Secret Lair’s future, a promise of an evolving Magic: The Gathering experience that continues to surprise and captivate its fans. As the universe expands, so do the possibilities for what Secret Lair can bring to the table.
The Secret Lair Selection Process
Closing with Emily Floyd’s thoughts on the creative selection process behind Secret Lair drops, she emphasized the importance of innovation, expression, and experimentation in creating their unique offerings.
As the key pillars of what makes a Secret Lair, the concepts enable Wizards to create something that will be truly special to someone. “It doesn’t mean that every Secret Lair drop needs to appeal to literally every Secret Lair fan, but the goal for us is to make something that is special to someone,” she explained.
While some Secret Lair drops are destined to have a more niche appeal, there is one detail most MTG players want; value. Unfortunately for reprint-hungry players, however, this all-important factor isn’t high on the priority list, according to Floyd. “I would say that cost-effectiveness is not the driving factor.” Thankfully, however, this isn’t the end of the world, as Secret Lair isn’t a minor sub-brand anymore.
The breadth and depth of Secret Lair offerings mean that sometimes they will appeal to a wide swath of fans, and other times the drops may be more niche. This flexibility is part of their strategy; as Floyd noted, “We’re okay with that.” It underscores the brand’s commitment to both broadening the horizons of the Magic: The Gathering universe and deepening the experience for individual fans, no matter how specific their interests might be.
The Future of Secret Lair
Ultimately, the commitment to diversity, creativity, and individuality underpins all of Secret Lair’s initiatives. As such, Magic: The Gathering players can look forward to more surprises, delightful experimentation, and a never-ending array of unique collectibles to add to their decks. In Emily Floyd’s words, the future of Magic: The Gathering’s Secret Lair is all about “making something that will be special to someone” – and that’s an exciting future to look forward to.
As for when that future is going to be revealed, for now, we’re just going to have to wait and see. With all eyes on Wizards’ Gen Con presentation this month, there’s a chance more details are revealed very soon. Considering Floyd wants Secret Lair to be more surprising and unexpected, however, we may well be left in the dark. Thankfully, even if we are left waiting, it seems the future of Secret Lair is bright.
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