After the back-to-back releases of Alchemy Horizons: Baldur’s Gate and Double Masters 2022, Wizards of the Coast has been taking a moment to relax. Since those releases, Wizards has only announced language changes and that the much-requested Explorer Anthology 1 is finally real. While at least one of these announcements is something to look forward to, Wizards of the Coast has otherwise been suspiciously quiet. Especially quiet considering the blockbuster lineup of launches scheduled over the next few months.
Thankfully, that veil of silence is being lifted after what’s felt like an eternity. Soon, we will have new details to digest and enjoy.
A Sneak Peak at Dominaria United!
Eleven months after it was first announced, Dominaria United is finally being appropriately revealed this week. In a Twitter post, Wizards of the Coast proclaimed they’d showcase the set in a Livestream this Thursday at 2:30 PM PT. For reference, that’s July 21st at 5:30 PM for EST folk and 10:30 PM for those in BST! This Livestream is set to give us a “sneak peek” at what awaits us on the plane of Dominaria.
Outside of the promise of a sneak peek, Wizards of the Coast is typically coy with details. Thankfully we don’t have to wait long to find out more, but that will not stop us from speculating!
Currently, very little is known about Dominaria United. All Wizards has told us so far is that Dominaria United “kicks off an epic story arc spanning four sets where the fate of Dominaria—and the Multiverse—is set to unravel.” Alongside this, we’ve also been given a glimpse at some of the set’s characters via booster box packaging. These characters include the Planeswalkers Karn, Ajani, and Lilliana, as well as Jodah, Archmage Eternal, and Shanna, Sisay’s Legacy.
Due to the story-focused nature of Dominaria United, we’d expect Wizards to focus on the set’s characters in the Livestream. This means we’ll likely be shown a Planeswalker or two, or perhaps a few legendary creatures. Wizards will also likely delve into the set’s lore and story, hopefully giving us a better idea about what’s going on.
Thanks to a recent Amazon listing, we also know that Dominaria United will follow in the footsteps of Dominaria 2018. This means every Dominaria United pack will feature at least 1 Legendary Creature. This should allow for an exciting draft environment, with potentially plenty of value on the table. A higher density of Legendary Creatures will also be excellent news for Commander players after a new commander. This may also lead to multiple Rares being in a pack, but we do not know for sure.
Where’s Everything Else?
With Historic Anthology 6 and Explorer Anthology 1 recently announced and confirmed for a “summer” release, we’re surprised to see Dominaria United take the spotlight. It is likely the most anticipated set after a trio of supplemental releases. We’re still bemused, however, at how soon it’s being teased.
Recently, we wrote that Wizards of the Coast probably needs to slow things down after months of nonstop releases. However, it doesn’t seem that Wizards has heeded our advice, as they’re now headed toward a very crowded spoiler season. With Arena’s Anthologies penned for some time this summer, and Dominaria United’s entire spoiler season likely starting late August, there’s bound to be some overlap. Especially if Dominaria United is demanding the spotlight a month ahead of schedule.
This will make August needlessly busy, as it’ll presumably be packed with spoilers for not one set but three. After the double release of Double Masters 2022 and Alchemy Horizons: Baldur’s Gate, this is going to be too much. Arena’s Anthologies may be smaller sets; however, being for different formats will only confuse things.
What Can Wizards Do?
WIth the Dominaria United reveal stream already announced, Wizards, unfortunately, can’t do much of anything anymore. The Dominaria United hype train is already out of the station, and there’s no stopping it now. For better or worse, we’re destined for almost two months of slow leaks and spoilers for the next set, regardless of what’s released in the interim.
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