In case you’ve missed the balloons and bunting, this year is Magic: the Gathering’s 30th anniversary. Originally launching in 1993 with Limited Edition Alpha, it’s safe to say MTG has come a long way since then. Having created hundreds of new mechanics and over twenty-eight thousand new cards, there is plenty for Wizards to celebrate. Despite this momentous anniversary event drawing ever closer, however, Wizards has been surprisingly coy about their party planning in 2023.
During 2022, it seemed Wizards certainly didn’t have this problem. In fact, it seemed like there was no stopping Wizards, despite their anniversary year having only just begun. Between Magic 30, 30th Anniversary Edition, and Dominaria Remastered, Wizards was undoubtedly celebrating in style. As we’ve moved further into 2023, however, it seems Wizards is all partied out as the anniversary announcements have dried up. That is, at least, until recently. After months of nothing, Wizards has finally announced what might be the biggest and best event of the year.
An Event to Remember
Typically, the year’s biggest event in the MTG world is the Wizards Presents presentation. As the name suggests, this WotC-hosted event debuts the sets that players can be excited about in the next year. There are also typically plenty of reveals for Dungeons & Dragons, for fans of that Wizards-owned franchise too! This year, however, it seems this event might not be the momentous occasion it has been before.
Since it’s only May, admittedly, it is still entirely possible that Wizards will announce and host Wizards presents as usual later in the year. Since this event typically takes place in August, there’s undoubtedly plenty of time to still do that. Saying that, however, in 2023, it seems Wizards has been favoring a different approach. Namely, Wizards has been announcing an awful lot during panels at MagicCon events.
Most recently, during the Preview Panel at MagicCon: Minneapolis, Wizards of the Coast did exactly that. Spoiling art and cards for the Doctor Who Commander decks, Wilds of Eldraine, and Lord of the Rings: Tales of MIddle-earth, Wizards effectively replaced the monthly announcement Livestream. During the upcoming MagicCon: Barcelona, which runs from July 28th to 30th, it seems Wizards is doing the same again.
While we’d be confident in our prediction, that’s not just our guess at what’ll happen in July. Instead, Wizards has already explicitly stated that they’ll be showing off plenty of upcoming details.
“We’ll have a look at the next few months of Magic set releases brimming with preview info, and Secret Lair returns to the main stage for more reveals on upcoming drops.”
Wizards of the Coast
Acting as the First Look for Wilds of Eldraine, this preview panel should have a smorgasbord of interesting information for fans. As exciting as it may be, however, this event won’t be the year’s biggest draw. Instead, that honor falls upon a newly announced anniversary presentation.
Gen Con 2023, Now With More MTG!
During the latest Weekly MTG Livestream, predominantly focused on the upcoming Standard rotation changes, Host Blake Rasmussen revealed quite a tantalizing tidbit. Namely, as the subheading somewhat gives away, Wizards of the Coast will be attending Gen Con 2023. Considering Gen Con is the largest tabletop convention in North America, Wizards attendance is hardly a surprise. This year, however, Wizards seems to be going all out.
Scheduled to take place from the 3rd of August to the 6th, Gen Con 2023 coincides with the MTG’s actual 30th Anniversary. This date is, of course, the 5th of August, 2023. Thanks to these dates coinciding, Wizards has something special in store, according to Rasmussen.
“We are gonna be at Gen Con this year, which happens to fall on Magic’s 30th Anniversary, and we’ll do a panel there that is going to look forward maybe for like three years. We’re gonna talk about sets, and we’ll walk about a little bit of that scaffolding, but we won’t get into too much detail. But we’re going to take that long look into the future at Gen Con this year.”
Blake Rasmussen
By Rasmussen’s own admission, Wizards obviously won’t be spoiling up to eighteen new sets during one preview panel. Instead, all we’re likely to learn are names and potentially some themes of these upcoming sets. While this might not seem like much, this is still a whole lot more than MTG players are usually privy to. WotC is revealing its plans for the next three years, after all!
Just compare this massive announcement to last year’s Wizards Presents presentation. During this blockbuster event, Wizards unveiled almost all of 2023’s content calendar. Giving a rundown of the year’s premier sets, as well as the Warhammer and Doctor Who Commander decks, players had plenty to be excited about. As far as details go, however, it’s safe to say that concrete information was sparse. Outside of Dominaria United, which had its debut, the other sets were barely given a few sentences.
Considering that it’s hard to say much less about a set, it seems the Gen Con panel will be absolutely jam-packed with information. That’s the assumption, at least, as it’s important to note that nothing has been confirmed just yet.
The Waiting Begins
Currently, while Rasmussen has revealed Wizards will be attending Gen Con with this massive presentation, the exact dates have not been confirmed just yet. Considering that Gen Con 2023 overlaps with Magic’s 30th Anniversary, however, it seems likely any event will take place on August 5th, 2023. The exact dates or precise details of this presentation, however, have not yet been confirmed just yet.
Additionally, at the moment, it is unknown whether or not Wizards will also host as Wizards Presents presentation as usual. If they do, it’s possible the focus will predominantly be on Dungeons & Dragons, however, there’s no telling right now. Ultimately, at the end of the day, we’re just going to have to wait and see what’s in store. At the moment, it’s only May, so there’s still a long way to go will either of these events take place.
In the meantime, thankfully, MTG players can look forward to the somewhat sooner MagicCon: Barcelona. As we stated in this article, this event should contain plenty of details about 2023’s upcoming sets. The Preview Panel will also be the official First Look at Wilds of Eldraine. With a behind-the-scenes look at The Lord of the Rings: Tales of Middle-earth, as well as an unusual immersive experience, this MagicCon should have plenty for players to get excited about. So long as they don’t mind the sweltering summer heat, that is.
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