For the longest while, the MTG Universes Beyond initiative was unquestionably as successful as it is controversial. Final Fantasy and The Lord of the Rings: Tales of Middle-earth smashed sales records, but it hasn’t all been smooth sailing. MTG Spider Man, for instance, feels like a black stain on the ever-expanding product line.
Between the troubled gameplay, Through the Omenpaths, and serious scalping problems, this MTG set seriously shook confidence in Universes Beyond. Despite Wizards moving full steam ahead in 2026, there have been questions about how long this could last. As much as MTG players might be lacking in confidence, Hasbro and Wizards aren’t concerned in the slightest.
Five More Years
Recently, Tumblr user Magicfan4ever took to Blogatog to ask Mark Rosewater about when Universes Beyond will run out of options. Technically, Wizards is a long, long way away from this point, but suitable options are a different story. Franchises with plenty of iconic creatures, spells, moments, and that support each of Magic’s five colors, aren’t exactly common, after all.
Despite needing to fit all these criteria, according to Rosewater, this scenario won’t happen soon. In fact, it sounds like we’ve got at least five more years of first-choice crossovers to look forward to. In their response to Magicfan4ever, Rosewater stated the arc planning team is working on the “early 2030s.”
While Rosewater didn’t confirm which sets exactly the team is planning, it’s presented to prove Universes Beyond’s longevity. Due to this, we can expect another five full years of Universes Beyond sets, at the very least. This might sound like a lot, but with the over three-year development cycle for Universes Beyond sets, it’s surprisingly not extreme.
Unsurprisingly, while Universes Beyond is apparently alive and well in the 2030s, Rosewater didn’t reveal any specific crossovers. Due to this, there’s still a good bit of concern surrounding what Wizards considers suitable. Between the recent Secret Lair drops for The Office and Furby, it’s clear that a lot is on the table.
Everything is on the Table
Worryingly, according to Hasbro CEO Chris Cocks, it’s not just that there’s a lot of suitable properties or Universes Beyond crossovers. When speaking during the latest Hasbro investor call, Cocks stated there’s basically no limit. This is supposedly thanks to Magic’s position at the top of the TCG space, which makes it incredibly enticing for franchise owners.
“I think if you can conceive of a collaboration that we could do with Magic: The Gathering, we probably have inked a deal or are in conversations on a deal on that.”
Chris Cocks
On one hand, Cock’s statement is incredibly exciting, as it suggests every potentially amazing crossover is going to happen. Sets for Dark Souls, Diskworld, and Dune might all be a matter of time away. At the same time, however, it also seemingly greenlights already shot-down crossovers like Taylor Swift and Harry Potter. For better or worse, there’s a lot that Cock’s statement is glossing over.
As much as Hasbro and Wizards might reach out, every franchise isn’t going to say yes to a crossover. Even with MTG’s position within the TCG space, crossovers aren’t for everyone. Some companies keep a tight leash on their characters and want to keep them doing their own thing. On top of that, some companies are bound to request outlandish royalties and conditions, like needing parallel digital sets. Due to this, the number of actually suitable candidates may be surprisingly small.
Risky Business
Ultimately, while Universes Beyond is reportedly planned out until the early 2030s, there’s no guarantee it gets there. If Universes Beyond sets start to falter and stop selling, Wizards might have to pivot rather sharpish. MTG Spider Man is potentially the first piece in this puzzle, given the intense reaction to the set online.
That being said, while MTG players aren’t exactly jazzed about Universes Beyond’s current position, it’s still selling. It wasn’t mentioned a great deal during the investor call, but Spider Man wasn’t called out as a flop. In fact, Magic: The Gathering’s revenue grew 55% in Q3 thanks to Edge of Eternities and Spider Man.
With this in mind, it seems like Universes Beyond isn’t really in any danger at the moment. Until we see sets really falling off and profits starting to plummet, Wizards doesn’t have much cause to change track. If this does happen, however, ditching the myriad planned sets may be the only option.
At the end of the day, there’s no telling what the future will hold for MTG. Universes Beyond feels like a real rollercoaster ride, so who knows what 2027 has in store. We’ll just have to see what gets announced during the next big MTG release calendar reveal.
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