As 2025 concludes, Magic: The Gathering continues to captivate players with its blend of original Multiverse content and Universes Beyond crossovers. On his popular Blogatog Tumblr, head designer Mark Rosewater recently addressed player perceptions surrounding preview schedules and the performance of recent releases, particularly the Avatar: The Last Airbender Universes Beyond set.
Rosewater's comments responded to discussions about the timing of previews for upcoming sets, emphasizing that Wizards of the Coast treats all products with equal promotional vigor. He pointed out that Universes Beyond sets, such as Avatar: The Last Airbender, naturally generate amplified social media excitement due to their established fanbases from television and other media. Released on November 21, 2025, the set brings the elemental world of bending to Magic's card game, featuring mechanics inspired by air, water, earth, and fire bending, alongside legendary creatures representing Aang, Katara, Zuko, and other key figures. Cards incorporate Avatar State triggers and spirit interactions, creating dynamic gameplay that fits into Standard, Pioneer, and Commander formats.
Defending the set's quality amid subjective critiques, Rosewater shared positive feedback and sales data. “'Worst' is subjective, but Avatar: The Airbender has been getting rave reviews, even from some admitted Universe Beyond sceptics. From the little market research I have seen, it’s one of the most popular sets of 2025.”
This assessment aligns with the set's innovative design, where bending counters allow players to chain elemental effects, fostering combo potential and flavorful Limited environments. Collector Boosters and themed Secret Lair drops have contributed to its commercial success, marking it as a highlight in a year that saw diverse releases like Edge of Eternities.
Rosewater also clarified the preview timeline for Lorwyn Eclipsed, the next original set returning to the enchanting plane of Lorwyn with its eclipsed, dual-natured twist blending light and shadow elements from Shadowmoor. He noted that holiday periods dilute attention, leading to a post-holidays start:
We have experimented in the past with doing previews during the holidays and have found it doesn’t work as well as people’s attentions are elsewhere, so we now tend to wait until after the holidays. That’s what’s going on with Lorwyn Eclipsed . The same would happen if the first set was Universes Beyond .
This strategy ensures maximal engagement, as evidenced by the extensive coverage at MagicCon: Atlanta in September 2025, where Lorwyn Eclipsed dominated the preview panel despite Avatar: The Last Airbender being the imminent release. The set promises tribal synergies among elves, faeries, giants, and merfolk, with eclipse mechanics that transform cards and board states, offering deep strategic layers for draft, sealed, and constructed play
Rosewater further clarified that preview timings are influenced by various factors, including production lead times and external events. For instance, Universes Beyond sets sometimes require earlier "first looks" due to partnerships with franchises, but this is not exclusive to them—in-universe sets like Lorwyn Eclipsed receive comparable treatment. The set's debut panel at MagicCon Atlanta in 2025 dedicated significant time to Lorwyn Eclipsed, even as Avatar: The Last Airbender was the next release. This balanced strategy reflects Wizards' commitment to both original content and crossovers, aiming to sustain the game's growth by appealing to a broad audience.
As Magic: The Gathering continues to expand its horizons, Lorwyn Eclipsed promises a fresh take on a fan-favorite plane, with cards emphasizing lore-rich interactions and strategic depth. The set introduces eclipse counters, allowing for dynamic board states that shift between light and shadow themes, enhancing replayability in formats like Standard, Commander, and Limited.
Lorwyn Eclipsed is scheduled for release on January 23, 2026, with Prerelease events kicking off on January 16 at local game stores worldwide. Players can look forward to diving into draft and sealed events, exploring the set's tribal archetypes and mythic rarities. Previews for the set are set to begin on January 5, 2026, providing an in-depth look at its cards and story.
Looking ahead, Universes Beyond enthusiasts can eagerly await an action-packed 2026 lineup, including Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles on March 6, Marvel Super Heroes in June, The Hobbit in August, and Star Trek later in the year, each bringing fresh mechanics and nostalgia to the Magic multiverse.
