The Minds Behind Magic: The Gathering Say They're Making It For Anyone, Not Everyone

"There's a simple mantra that permeates every interview or question and answer session conducted during the MagicCon weekend: Magic is for everyone, but that doesn't mean everyone's going to love everything the team puts out. While universal acclaim would be great, the creative teams say that this simply isn't possible. At MagicCon Atlanta, two key panels laid bare the company's short- and long-term plans for the decades-old card game."

"The Preview Panel announced all but one of the expansions coming to the game in 2026--four of which will be Universes Beyond collaboration sets--while the Secret Lair panel announced over a dozen new limited-time drops set to launch throughout the month of October, featuring names like Jaws, Furby, Iron Maiden, The Office, and multiple PlayStation franchises. While the reaction in the room for these panels was marked with excitement,"

"After speaking with many of the minds behind Magic: The Gathering design after those panels, one thing became clear: None of the reactions were unexpected. "I really understand that people want to see the game through their own lens, and that's fine," head designer Mark Rosewater said during his Q+A session. "My number one message is: what you enjoy, and how you play Magic, that just isn't everybody. You're not everybody.""

MagicCon Atlanta revealed most expansions planned for 2026, including four Universes Beyond collaboration sets, and Secret Lair announced over a dozen limited-time October drops featuring licenses like Jaws, Furby, Iron Maiden, The Office, and PlayStation franchises. Fan response combined excitement and trepidation, with some competitive players labeling collaborations negatively and creators voicing opinions online. Design and communications teams expected mixed reactions and emphasized that universal praise is unattainable. Head designer Mark Rosewater noted that players experience Magic through individual lenses, and the team listens to positive and negative feedback when planning future releases.

Read at GameSpot