MTG’s Lead Designer addresses Universes Beyond fatigue: “We have to be careful”

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Magic: The Gathering has gained a lot of attention recently with its ‘Universes Beyond‘ sets, which feature collaborations with other popular franchises. However, these sets haven’t been universally loved. We talked to Gavin Verhey, a lead designer for Magic: The Gathering, to get his thoughts on the most debated parts of these collaborations.

If you’re new to them, Universe(s) Beyond are Magic: The Gathering sets that combine the game with popular franchises from video games, TV, and movies. After the huge success of the Lord of the Rings set, Wizards of the Coast has been releasing more of these crossover sets each year.

The 2025 Final Fantasy collaboration was incredibly successful, becoming the fastest-selling and most popular set ever released for the trading card game. However, some players are starting to feel there are too many of these special collaboration sets.

I got to chat with Gavin Verhey, one of the main designers behind Magic: The Gathering, at PAX Australia! It was amazing. We talked about everything – how he actually applied for his job when he was only eleven years old, and even some fun speculation about a potential collaboration with MTG X Expedition 33. Of course, I had to ask about the big question everyone’s been wondering about with the Universes Beyond sets – you know, the one everyone’s avoiding!

Why is there backlash to MTG’s Universes Beyond?

Generally, Magic: The Gathering players on platforms like Reddit and X have a positive reaction to Universes Beyond. However, there are a few concerns people have.

Many fans worried about Universes Beyond feel that Magic: The Gathering isn’t focusing enough on its own established worlds and characters.

Players who have enjoyed Magic: The Gathering for years first discovered the game through iconic characters like Jace Beleren and Liliana Vess, and the exciting worlds they explored, such as Innistrad and Lorwyn.

With characters from franchises like Spider-Man, Doctor Who, and Assassin’s Creed now appearing in the game, some players might feel like it’s straying too far from its roots. Considering that five more sets featuring these outside universes are already planned for next year, it’s understandable why fans who want more traditional Magic: The Gathering content might feel a bit disappointed.

MTG Principal Designer defends Universes Beyond

We asked Gavin Verhey, a lead designer and developer on the game, for his thoughts on the future of Universes Beyond and how the team views these collaborations.

We’ve discussed this extensively,” Verhey shared. “Those first Magic worlds are central to everything we do, so developing those worlds and the characters within them is a major priority for us, particularly as we look to the future.”

He explained that Wizards of the Coast is working to bring the world of Magic: The Gathering to more people through movies and TV shows. These projects will all be set within the established Magic universe.

Players can also look forward to new trading card game sets revisiting familiar worlds like Strixhaven and Lorwyn. Despite these exciting releases, Wizards of the Coast’s James Verhey effectively argued for continuing the Universes Beyond series.

Universes Beyond lets us explore exciting new worlds within Magic – it’s not just about collectible cards like the Sephiroth ones, but a great way to draw people into the game. We recognize that with 32 years of history, Magic can sometimes feel daunting to newcomers.

Honestly, when a trading card game is based on something I already love – like a video game or show – it just feels way more welcoming. Wizards of the Coast actually has numbers to back that up, but the guy explaining it admitted remembering the exact stats after a long weekend of talking and signing cards was tough! He did say they’ve seen a lot of people get into it because it’s based on stuff they already know and enjoy, which makes total sense to me.

I’ve noticed that most new Magic players start with a Universes Beyond set,” he said. “Whether it’s based on Warhammer, Fallout, Doctor Who, Final Fantasy, or Lord of the Rings, that’s usually how they first got interested in the game.

Verhey explained that Universes Beyond isn’t just attracting temporary visitors; it’s building a loyal fanbase for Magic: The Gathering. He noted that many people are discovering Magic through these crossover sets, like the Lord of the Rings collaboration. Data shows these new players aren’t just trying it out – they’re becoming dedicated Magic players, saying things like, ‘I love this, and now I’m a Magic player!’

Honestly, it’s not just those team-up Magic sets that could get new people hooked. Wizards could still totally win us over with a really cool and engaging theme, even with a standard set. Flavor is still a huge deal!

According to Verhey, both Universes Beyond and Bloomburrow were successful at attracting new players to Magic: The Gathering. Bloomburrow, in particular, resonated with people who don’t usually play the game thanks to its broad appeal.

The charming, animal characters from Bloomburrow really resonated with players, including me, and helped attract a lot of new people to the game. Now, Wizards of the Coast is discussing how to best integrate these original creations with the content developed through the Universes Beyond program.

Look, we’re walking a tightrope here. As a long-time Magic player myself, I totally get that we need to make sure the core experience – the worlds we already love – still feels great. But honestly, these Universes Beyond sets? When they’re done right, they’re awesome, and players are really digging them. It’s all about finding that sweet spot.

As a Magic player, it seems like Universes Beyond is here to stay as long as it keeps bringing new people to the game and keeps existing fans happy. It’s good to see Wizards is listening to those of us who aren’t quite as thrilled with all the crossovers, too – they seem to be taking our feelings into account.

The next Magic: The Gathering Universes Beyond set, featuring characters and locations from Avatar: The Last Airbender, will be released on November 21, 2025. It’s unclear if this set will be as popular as the recent Final Fantasy collaboration, but given the strength of the Avatar franchise, it has a good chance of success.

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2025-11-18 02:20