Are Magic The Gathering Players Tired Of Universes Beyond? Mark Rosewater And The Spider-Man Design Team Weigh In

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When I visited Wizards of the Coast in Seattle, I was immediately struck by a huge, beautiful statue of a copper dragon – Mitzy, a famous mascot for Magic: The Gathering. I spent a while admiring Mitzy and a wall filled with unopened Magic booster packs, representing thirty years of the game’s history. I was then led to what they called the dining hall, but it was more like a Magic: The Gathering showcase, with cards covering most of the tables.

All day long, I observed people searching for game cards, either in their own bags or by looking through the studio’s supply boxes. They’d then settle at a table for a few rounds. Although many of the players were members of the press like myself, it was clear that this passion for games wasn’t just a fleeting moment-it was deeply ingrained in the studio’s atmosphere.

It’s incredibly energizing to be with people who share your passion for something you love, especially when you discover their enthusiasm is as real as you imagined – a genuine appreciation for the work itself. However, as we started discussing why I was there – the Spider-Man collaboration with Magic: The Gathering – I couldn’t shake a nagging feeling.

I found myself surrounded by the creators and inspiration behind the planes and stories I love-like Liliana Vess, Chandra Nalaar, and Shivan dragons-but most of the conversation revolved around Spider-Man. I understand why; everyone’s excited about the new collaboration with Marvel, which just launched. But what about Magic: The Gathering itself?

I’ll be honest, part of my concern stems from my own reservations about Universes Beyond – the Magic: The Gathering series featuring cards based on other popular franchises like Final Fantasy, Fallout, and Spider-Man. Three out of the seven sets planned for 2025 will be Universes Beyond releases. While there’s nothing wrong with this in itself, it’s definitely caused some friction within the Magic community. Some players feel priced out by collectors, and others are disappointed that newer sets are eclipsing older, original sets like Tarkir: Dragonstorm and Edge of Eternities.

Mark Rosewater, Cory Bowen, and Sarah Wassell-key designers at Magic: The Gathering-were happy to discuss recent concerns. They also emphasized that the “Universes Beyond” sets, like the upcoming Spider-Man collection, are created with genuine enthusiasm. These sets allow them to celebrate other popular franchises while still catering to the existing Magic: The Gathering community and attracting new players. While the future of Magic: The Gathering is uncertain, our conversation confirmed that a strong passion for the game and a willingness to adapt are driving its direction.

Universes Beyond sets are selling well, but some players have expressed concern about how frequently they’re released. Does the development team acknowledge these concerns, and are there any plans to adjust the release schedule in the future?

With Magic, we always test new ideas to see what players enjoy. If a new element proves popular, we build on it. If it doesn’t resonate with players, we scale it back. This has been our core design philosophy since the game began.

Universes Beyond started as a small test to see if players would enjoy it, and because the response was so positive, we expanded it. Player enthusiasm is the main reason we’ve done so much with it. Earlier this year, the Final Fantasy set became our best-selling set ever, surpassing the previous record holder, The Lord of the Rings.

We focus on delivering what players enjoy. The success of the Universes Beyond sets proves there’s a real demand and excitement for these products. We’re simply responding to player interest. If players weren’t enthusiastic and purchasing these sets, we wouldn’t continue to produce them. Because they *are* enjoying them and buying them in large numbers, we’re continuing to expand our offerings.

Also, it’s important to remember that creating Magic cards is a very physical process. It’s not digital – the cards are made with large, industrial machines. Because of this, it’s difficult to make rapid changes once production has already begun on a set.

We constantly listen to player feedback and aim to deliver what they enjoy. Currently, players are really interested in Universes Beyond and magical settings, and we’ll continue creating those as long as that demand continues. We’ll also try to respond to trends and requests as quickly as our production schedule allows.

It seems like creating Universes Beyond sets takes a really long time, especially considering how much work goes into intellectual property. I heard the Final Fantasy set took over five years to develop, and once you start a project like that, it’s a long commitment. Does that make you consider focusing more on Secret Lair or other options instead of expanding Universes Beyond?

As a Magic fan, it’s really cool to see how Wizards approaches different product lines. They have a lot of options – from full sets to the unique Secret Lairs, and everything in between, like the Commander Decks. What I’ve noticed is they first figure out the scope of a project, then decide how to best deliver a great Magic experience with that scale in mind.

We approach Secret Lair drops with flexibility, tailoring the number of cards to fit each property. Some might only need a few cards, while others, like Marvel with its vast history, require multiple sets. We work closely with each property owner to meet their needs, and as you can see, we collaborate with a wide variety of franchises.

Do you find it at all limiting to work within the confines of an IP or the real world?

Bowen says creating Magic cards is a lot of fun, especially when blending imagination with familiar concepts. He particularly enjoyed working on the card ‘City Pigeon,’ calling it a highlight of the entire set design process.

I enjoy projects that push me outside my comfort zone and offer a change of pace. It was great working on a set that felt grounded in reality, and I appreciated the contrast it offered. While I wouldn’t want to do that all the time, it was definitely a welcome change from the usual.

When I consider the artists who’ve truly impacted pop culture, names like Kirby, McFarlane, and Romita Sr. – legendary comic book illustrators – immediately come to mind. It must have been amazing to work with the characters and imagery they created.

It was incredible to see their names on a Magic card and examine their artwork closely. We felt a real sense of responsibility to both celebrate their work and reimagine it for something new. It’s like the saying goes – with great art comes great responsibility! We were thrilled to work with it, but also determined to do it justice.

Universes Beyond is great because it lets us work with properties that are truly meaningful to people – the ones that shaped who they are. For me, that’s comics! I’ve always loved them – I even wear superhero t-shirts all the time. Being able to create cards based on these stories, and for people who feel the same way I do, has been incredibly enjoyable – it’s just endless fun. I could spend forever analyzing Spider-Man, for example, and brainstorming how to capture those perfect, little details.

I recall working on the descriptive text for the cards and noticing one mentioned Spider-Man’s webs dissolving in half an hour. I pointed out that wasn’t quite right – the comics actually specify a different timeframe – and we updated it. I believe it’s important to get these details accurate, both for those who know the source material and to create the highest quality Magic and Spider-Man sets possible for the fans.

Could you talk about how you combined the new artwork you commissioned with existing pieces? Did you aim to match the style of the original artists, or did you take more risks and try something different?

From the start, we were really enthusiastic about capturing the different visual styles of comic books throughout the years. We intentionally focused on specific eras – like the Golden Age and the darker styles of later periods – and how modern Marvel art differs from those earlier looks. We carefully chose where to use each style to reflect those changes.

Although Spider-Man features fantastical themes, and shows like Doctor Who sometimes feel surprisingly down-to-earth, this set feels truly realistic. A big part of that is its New York setting. What difficulties did you face when designing cards for a world that’s essentially an alternate version of our own, and making it fit alongside the other planes in Magic: The Gathering?

From a design perspective, this was tricky. Some parts were simpler, though. Since we often create bird cards in Magic, making the pigeon was straightforward. We already had food tokens, so incorporating food-related elements felt natural. However, representing ‘Taxi Driver’ as a creature was a bit unusual.

Creating things like vehicles, food, and landscapes – and even specific creatures – felt surprisingly manageable. While it initially seemed difficult, the more we did it, the more we realized Magic: The Gathering actually *has* the language to describe those elements. In fact, designing those environmental details was often easier than depicting Spider-Man’s actions – things like punches and flips were harder to convey effectively. Magic excels at world-building, and that strength gave us a lot of tools to represent the game’s world.

As a long-time Magic player, it’s amazing to see the game celebrating 32 years! What’s really cool is that after all this time, the designers have *so* many resources and ways to build worlds. This set felt a bit different though – it really focused on our world, everyday life, instead of the usual fantasy. It was fun seeing things like a hot dog as a card, which is definitely a change of pace from dragons and spells! They’ve got the skills to pull it off, it just *felt* different because Magic is usually about escaping into a completely fantastical place.

There were times during the creative process that felt more straightforward. Having spent time in New York City, I’m familiar with the details. So when we’d get a sketch featuring something like a bodega or the back of a rental truck, I could offer helpful feedback. For example, if the truck looked too clean, I’d point out that a vehicle driving around New York City would definitely show some wear and tear. Those moments – getting into the specifics of the world and making everything feel authentic – were the most enjoyable parts of the process, whether it was about buildings, vehicles, or even animals.

Bowen explained that the details really draw you into the world of the game, which is New York City. He compared it to how they create a completely new world for players to explore, aiming for the same level of immersion.

When creating something entirely new, like a fictional world, we have complete freedom. We can build it however we imagine, without anyone questioning its accuracy because it’s something that hasn’t existed before. But when working with a real place like New York City, it’s different. People already have a strong sense of what it should look and feel like. We’re used to inventing everything from scratch, so it’s challenging to work within the established reality of a place that already exists. We can’t simply create our own version of New York; it is what it is.

Designing gameplay around superheroes is tricky. They’re naturally very powerful, and we want players to *feel* that power. But we also need to make sure they aren’t so strong that they ruin the game or become unbalanced. How did you find that balance?

Magic allows for both broad, creative freedom and precise detail. While our characters are fantastical, they still need to be fun and effective to play. Ultimately, how well a character *plays* is the most important thing. Not every Spider-Man character will be incredibly powerful, but they all need to feel good to control and work well within the game’s environments.

We use rarity to highlight the Spider-Man characters we consider the most impressive. For example, Cosmic Spider-Man feels like a truly exceptional, top-tier character. It’s a way to show how different Spider-Men compare to each other in terms of power and coolness.

It’s definitely strange to think about a taxi driver fighting Spider-Man, but that’s part of what makes Magic: The Gathering fun. The game isn’t about realism – fifteen squirrels *can* defeat a powerful ancient being! You just have to be willing to accept the fantastical nature of it all.

As a huge Magic and Marvel fan, it’s so obvious why these two worlds work together! When the Magic designers are creating cards, they’re always looking for cool effects and things that *happen*. And Marvel? It’s all about superheroes and villains with incredible powers and amazing costumes. That visual flair and those fantastic abilities just naturally translate into really fun and powerful Magic cards. It makes perfect sense – fantastical stuff makes for awesome cards!

Wizards of the Coast said they were bringing back suggested retail prices last year, and a lot of people were happy to hear that. However, that price is just a suggestion, not a requirement. Since then, prices for products have actually gone up, and it seems like the increased production of Universes Beyond sets might be contributing to that. Are there any plans to address these rising prices, or is this something Wizards doesn’t have control over?

Regarding rosewater, as we discussed, we don’t have the power to dictate prices. That’s simply how a free market operates – sellers can set their own prices, which makes it a difficult issue for us. Ultimately, it’s beyond our influence.

Bowen: People in this room are not in the conversations of pricing, I’ll say that.

This interview has been lightly edited for brevity, clarity, and readability.

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2025-09-26 18:14