Wizards of the Coast
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It's time for Garfield's official Magic: The Gathering crossover now
Wizards of the Coast is releasing a new Magic: The Gathering Secret Lair set called 'Cats are the Best' which features 15 Garfield-themed cards. The set includes reinterpretations of classic Magic cards with Garfield comic panels and will be available for purchase starting June 15.
New Magic: The Gathering Garfield Secret Lair Brings Lasagna and Dread of Mondays
Wizards of the Coast has announced a new Magic: The Gathering Secret Lair collaboration featuring Garfield. This crossover introduces classic cards with new artwork inspired by the iconic comic strip, divided into three distinct drops: 'As Intended,' 'Motivationally Challenged,' and 'Our Only Thought is to Entertain You.' Each drop will be available for purchase starting June 15.
Magic: The Gathering – Secrets of Strixhaven Review | A Strong Return to Strixhaven
Magic: The Gathering's Secrets of Strixhaven set is a strong return to the Strixhaven setting, offering visually appealing cards and engaging new mechanics like 'Prepared' and 'Increment'. The review highlights the set's success in making the magical school setting feel more lived-in and explores the strengths of various preconstructed commander decks, particularly Silverquill Influence and Witherbloom Pestilence.
'It nearly killed me': Why studio head James Ohlen left sci-fi RPG Exodus mid-development—and why EA crushing his Star Wars: The Old Republic reboot was the 'beginning of the end' at BioWare
James Ohlen, a veteran designer behind Baldur's Gate 2 and Knights of the Old Republic, discusses his departure from Archetype Entertainment's RPG Exodus, citing the immense pressure of studio leadership. He also reflects on his time at BioWare, detailing how EA's rejection of his Star Wars: The New Republic reboot plan marked the 'beginning of the end' for his career there.
MagicCon Q&A Reveals New Details on The Hobbit, Reality Fracture, and Commander
At MagicCon, Wizards of the Coast revealed new details about upcoming Magic: The Gathering sets The Hobbit and Reality Fracture, as well as the Commander format. The Hobbit set will focus on the second edition of the book with a whimsical tone, while Reality Fracture serves as a capstone to a long-term story arc. Principal Designer Gavin Verhey discussed the design philosophy for Commander decks, and Head Designer Mark Rosewater elaborated on the fan-requested 'what if?' nature of Reality Fracture.
"Our players are going to be pretty psyched": Hasbro CEO talks D&D, video games, and playing to win
Hasbro CEO Chris Cocks discusses the company's strategy for its intellectual properties, particularly Dungeons & Dragons, emphasizing a 'Playing to Win' approach that focuses on innovative experiences and engaging adult fans. Cocks highlights the success of Baldur's Gate 3 as an example of adapting D&D for digital platforms and expresses excitement for upcoming digital titles like Exodus, a 'D&D in space' inspired RPG.
GamesStop wants eBay, Nintendo confirms Switch 2 price hike, and union boss says EA buyout is a national security risk - Patch Notes #51
This week's gaming news roundup covers GameStop's $55.5 billion takeover bid for eBay, Nintendo's confirmation of price hikes for the Nintendo Switch 2, and concerns raised by a union boss regarding the potential Saudi Arabian buyout of Electronic Arts, citing national security risks. The article also touches on internal leadership changes at Xbox, layoffs at 2K, and the rebranding of CCP Games.
D&D launches Game Pass-style subscription system with free encounters, maps, and more
Wizards of the Coast has launched "D&D Beyond Drops," a new subscription service for Dungeons & Dragons players. This system offers weekly ready-to-play content, including encounters, maps, spells, and backgrounds, for Hero and Master Tier subscribers. Content will be themed seasonally, starting with Ravenloft: The Horrors Within in 2026, and subscribers will retain access to Drops as long as their membership is active.
Preorders Are Live For Magic: The Gathering's Reality Fracture Event
Preorders are now live for Magic: The Gathering's upcoming set, Reality Fracture, launching October 2. This set introduces an alternate reality where iconic characters and mechanics are altered, including Chandra shifting colors. Multiple product types are available for preorder, including Play Booster boxes, Bundles, and five beginner-friendly Foundations Commander decks, each costing $30.
Magic: The Gathering Designers Talk Universes Beyond, Marvel, Final Fantasy, and More
Wizards of the Coast's Magic: The Gathering design team discusses their approach to the Universes Beyond sets, including partnerships with properties like The Lord of the Rings, Final Fantasy, and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. They detail the vetting process for thematic and mechanical fit, how these collaborations can inspire new game mechanics, and their strategies for balancing established Magic lore with external IPs to appeal to both veteran and new players.
MonsterVine Goes to MagicCon Las Vegas – The Hobbit, Marvel, and Reality Fracture Revealed
MonsterVine attended MagicCon Las Vegas, covering previews for upcoming Magic: The Gathering sets including The Hobbit, Reality Fracture, and a Marvel Super Heroes set. The event featured interactive Strixhaven-themed puzzles, artist alley, merchandise, and panels revealing new card art and mechanics.
Magic: The Gathering's Hobbit Is Now Available to Preorder
The Hobbit, a new Universes Beyond set for Magic: The Gathering, is now available for preorder and will release on August 14. This set follows the success of The Lord of the Rings: Tales of Middle-Earth and will feature cards faithful to J.R.R. Tolkien's world. Unlike previous expansions, The Hobbit set will not include preconstructed Commander decks.
MTG Secrets of Strixhaven Commander decks, ranked
This article ranks the Commander decks from the Magic: The Gathering Secrets of Strixhaven set, highlighting the strengths and weaknesses of each. Silverquill Influence is ranked first for its synergistic gameplay and political elements, followed by Lorehold Spirit, Prismari Artistry, Witherbloom Pestilence, and Quandrix Unlimited.
Unleash Your Inner Goblin With The New Secret Lair Commander Deck: Goblin Storm
Wizards of the Coast announced the Secret Lair Commander Deck: Goblin Storm, a 100-card deck designed by Carmen Klomparens and Eli Rice. Featuring artwork by Wizard of Barge, the deck focuses on goblin-themed attacks and the Storm mechanic, including 12 borderless foil cards. It will be available for $149.99 starting May 18th, 2026.
We Played Mood Swings, A New TCG From Wizards of the Coast 28 Years In The Making
Wizards of the Coast is preparing to release Mood Swings, a new trading card game prototype developed over 28 years by Magic: The Gathering's head designer, Mark Rosewater. Rosewater discussed the game's development journey and its focus on emotions during MagicCon Vegas.
How Reality Fracture Will Push The Boundaries Of Magic The Gathering (And Its Printers)
Wizards of the Coast is pushing boundaries with Magic The Gathering's upcoming set, Reality Fracture, set to release on October 2, 2026. Head designer Mark Rosewater revealed that the set will explore a "What If" scenario where Jace creates a mirrored Echoverse, rewriting world-defining events. A key feature will be mirrored card pairs in every booster pack, showcasing familiar and Echoverse variants of characters, a manufacturing challenge the company has developed a 100% solution for.
Business and Finance
MindsEye, the studio behind the game rated as the worst for 2025, has been affected by new mass layoffs. Separately, Wizards of the Coast and its parent company Hasbro missed a deadline to voluntarily recognize a workers' union.
Wizards of the Coast and Hasbro miss deadline to voluntarily recognise workers' union
Wizards of the Coast and Hasbro missed the May 1 deadline to voluntarily recognize the union formed by Magic: The Gathering Arena developers, UWOTC-CWA. The union expressed disappointment but remains committed to collective bargaining, citing concerns about layoffs, remote work, AI, and transparency. They are urging continued player support until an election petition filed with the National Labor Relations Board is resolved.
"They responded only to the press": Wizards of the Coast miss deadline for recognising Magic: The Gathering Arena union
Wizards of the Coast has missed a deadline to voluntarily recognize the union formed by Magic: The Gathering Arena developers. The union, United Wizards of the Coast—CWA, claims management has only responded to press inquiries and is now awaiting a National Labor Relations Board petition. The union aims to address issues like layoffs, return-to-office mandates, and generative AI adoption.
Wizards of the Coast declines to voluntarily recognize game worker union
Wizards of the Coast and its parent company Hasbro have declined to voluntarily recognize the United Wizards of the Coast—CWA union, despite a request from employees by May 1, 2026. The union, seeking increased staff wellbeing through layoff protections and generative AI guardrails, plans to proceed with a National Labor Relations Board election.
