Summary
2025 is going to be a pivotal year forMagic: The Gathering, as Wizards of the Coast decided to shift to three Magic Universe sets instead of the usual four and three Universes Beyond sets from the usual one or two, with the latter going through another massive change that makes them now Standard-legal. This is a polarizing point in the release schedule ofMagic: The Gathering, as some fans are upset about this change and others welcome it. Regardless, it’s true that UB sets inMTGare and have been successful from a revenue standpoint, and it’s likely one of the reasons why the game is welcoming more of them.
The biggest example that Wizards of the Coast usually makes is thatLord of the Ringsproducts sold extremely well and were equally well-received by the community at large, partly because of thechase for The One Ring card, partly because of the natural fit of the IP intoMagic: The Gathering. Not all Universes Beyond IPs are as much of a good fit from a theme and setting point of view, though, and that’s why some fans are unhappy with the change to legality and schedule. Still, oneMTGproduct is perfect for UB sets of all kinds, and a recent comment by Head Designer Mark Rosewater makes it all the more likely to be available for this year’s releases.
Why Magic: The Gathering’s 2025 UB Sets Are Likely to Feature Commander Decks
It may not come as a surprise to many fans, but Commander isMagic: The Gathering’s most popular format. This is likely due to the more social nature of the format as well as the pre-constructed decks that typically come out with new releases, as they make getting into Commander much easier overall. On his personal blog, Mark Rosewater recently replied to a fan by saying that some of the most successful UB products were theCommander decks forFalloutandWarhammer 40K, as well as UB-themed Secret Lair drops.
Magic: The Gathering’s 2025 Release Schedule Makes For The Perfect Shot at UB Commander Decks
As such, it seems only natural that WotC invests more in Commander products, and since UB Commander decks have done so well in the past, it’s a logical progression to see more of them throughout 2025. As it stands, the only announcedUniverses Beyond 2025 sets forMagic: The Gatheringinclude Spider-Man andFinal Fantasy, with a third yet to be revealed. It’s unclear ifFinal Fantasywill include Commander products, but it seems quite likely based on the appeal of the IP and how well they have done in the past.
TheSpider-Man set forMagic: The Gatheringis most likely to have featured Commander products, given the nature of the format’s rule regarding Legendary Creatures being commanders and how well that lends to Marvel heroes of all kinds. On top of that,Magic: The Gatheringand Marvel have already had some crossover products, such as the Secret Lair drop at the end of 2024, and it seems all but confirmed that Spider-Man Commander decks will appear on local game stores' shelves and online.
What Final Fantasy and Spider-Man MTG Commander Decks May Look Like
Final Fantasyfollows a similar principle, though, and with the set containingMTGcards based onFinal Fantasymainline gamesfrom the first toFF16, there would be quite a lot of iconic heroes and villains to use as commanders for new decks. There could be Commander decks based onFinal Fantasy 7’s remake trilogy, for example, as much as there could be decks based on Spider-Man himself and some of his allies and rogue gallery members, such as Venom. With so many characters to draw from within these IPs, sets of new Commander decks seem like the perfect fit for the lineup of products in 2025, especially given how successful they have been, according to Rosewater.
