Final Fantasy-Inspired Magic: The Gathering Collection Seems a Perfect Alignement of Two Iconic Universes
In a bold crossover move, Magic: The Gathering is diving headfirst into the sprawling world of Final Fantasy. With pre-orders already difficult to score, this 105th expansion could very well become one of the game's most profitable sets yet. But with a fanbase as rabid and dedicated as that of Final Fantasy, the pressure's on for Wizards of the Coast to deliver the goods.
These franchises have been creeping towards each other for half a decade now, ever since the existence of the Universes Beyond crossover format hit the franchise grapevine back in 2019. Zakeel Gordon, Product Architect for Magic Tabletop, explains that the collaboration required multiple trips abroad to Square Enix's doorstep for playtests, worldbuilding workshops, and Final Fantasy-focused educational sessions.
"These guys are passionate about Magic", Gordon notes, "Our main producers [at Square] are also lifelong Magic players. We would finish up our meetings, and then we'd go play Commander, or they'd talk to us about Legacy and show us their collections."
But creativity and camaraderie aside, there's an enormous mountain of content to tackle. With 16 mainline games (sorry, spinoff fans, Tactics, X-2, and Dirge of Cerberus are parked by the wayside for this set) and hundreds upon hundreds of characters, locations, and myriad storylines to draw upon, the challenge of balancing the set's cards lies not only in sheer scope but in eliminating the material that's least significant to die-hard Final Fantasy fans.
One approach Wizards took was utilizing a tier system, with evergreen 'iconic' material like Chocobos and Moogles on top, a fan-of-particular-games 'memorable' tier dropping down a level, and the deepest, quietest Easter eggs reserved for the hardcores.
There's no doubting the prestige of this collaboration—and the financial muscle behind it. The Final Fantasy set is set to make a splash when it drops on June 13th, but time will tell whether it'll please the faithful hordes of Magic and Final Fantasy devotees alike. Until then, deck-builders can add a glint of RPG to their Friday Night Magic sessions, and set collector's hearts will race as they chase after "Ragnarok Reign" and "The Nail That Smote the Deep" foils. The die is cast. Roll on, Final Fantasy!
- The future promises an encapsulating crossover between two titans of pop-culture, Magic: The Gathering and Final Fantasy, as reported by IO9 and Gizmodo.
- IO9's recent article details the extensive collaboration process between Wizards of the Coast and Square Enix, referring to multiple visits for playtests, worldbuilding workshops, and educational sessions.
- As stated by Zakeel Gordon, Product Architect for Magic Tabletop, the bond between the two teams has transcended business, with mutual passions for Magic and Final Fantasy often leading to casual gaming meetups and discussions.
- The task of creating a balanced expansion set is formidable, given the expansive world of Final Fantasy, featuring 16 mainline games and countless characters, locations, and storylines to incorporate.
- Wizards of the Coast adopted a tier system to ensure the most significant elements are included, with iconic elements like Chocobos and Moogles at the top, followed by memorable characters for specific games, and Easter eggs for the hardcore fans.
- The highly anticipated Final Fantasy set, dropping on June 13th, is poised to bring a fresh blend of sci-fi-and-fantasy and RPG elements to the world of Magic: The Gathering, attracting both die-hard fans of both franchises.
