Final Fantasy x Magic: The Gathering (Now What Happens?)
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Article Summary
- Magic: The Gathering—FINAL FANTASY arrived as a major Universes Beyond tentpole release in 2025, bringing iconic characters, summons, and worlds to the table — and into Standard-legal play.
- Four themed Commander decks (FFVI, FFVII, FFX, and FFXIV) became the headline “pick your party” entry point, alongside a beginner-friendly Starter Kit.
- The crossover didn’t stop at launch: Secret Lair drops followed, and the year closed with additional products that proved Wizards is treating Final Fantasy as an ongoing collaboration.
The long-awaited MTG x Final Fantasy crossover finally landed in 2025, and it quickly became one of those rare pop-culture moments that hits every type of fan at once — the players, the collectors, the art lovers, and the folks who hadn’t shuffled a deck since high school.
It wasn’t just a “cool crossover,” either. It was a full-on celebration of the franchise: heroes, villains, summons, iconic spells, and imagery that felt like a playable museum of Final Fantasy history.
A Legendary Collaboration Years in the Making
When Wizards of the Coast first announced that Final Fantasy would join Magic: The Gathering under the Universes Beyond banner, fans went wild — and for good reason. From Cloud Strife and Sephiroth to Tidus and Yuna, the potential roster of iconic characters made it one of the most anticipated collaborations in MTG history.
The MTG Final Fantasy Commander Decks lineup delivered on that promise with gorgeous art and solid gameplay identity. Each deck draws inspiration from a beloved title, letting players relive classic “party dynamics” through Magic’s tactical lens.
- Magic: The Gathering – Final Fantasy VI Commander Deck: Revival Trance– This card deck is themed around FFVI, and stars protagonist Terra Branford. This Terra deck specializes in reviving the cards in your graveyard.
- Magic: The Gathering – Final Fantasy VII Commander Deck: Limit Break– The iconic FFVII character Cloud Strife headlines this deck. Cloud’s special ability allows you to equip weapons and raise your creature stats to 7 or higher, breaking your limits!
- Magic: The Gathering – Final Fantasy X Commander Deck: Counter Blitz– Tidus, from the fan-favorite FFX, is featured in this deck. His ability buffs creatures with counters, and can be passed around to boost team spirit.
- Magic: The Gathering – Final Fantasy XIV Commander Deck: Scions & Spellcraft– This deck is themed around the MMO hit FFXIV. Use this mage-inspired deck to gain control of the game with card advantages.
Each set features unique cards themed around its respective game — and for fans who want a place to start, the Magic: The Gathering – Final Fantasy Starter Kit offers a great entry point into the crossover. This deck is designed for newcomers, including the most iconic characters from Final Fantasy, Cloud and Sephiroth. In this kit, there are two pre-built 60-card decks, as well as a guide booklet.
The Launch and Fan Hype
The original announcement back in 2021 set the internet ablaze. Fans debated which summons would appear (Bahamut, Ifrit, Shiva), and collectors started speculating on product value long before the first previews hit.
Once the set finally released, the demand was exactly what you’d expect from a crossover of this size: sealed products became hot commodities, and singles quickly became a daily conversation on game store counters and online marketplaces.
What really pushed the collaboration into a new tier, though, was the competitive angle.
Like other Universes Beyond releases before it (Lord of the Rings, Fallout, Doctor Who), this wasn’t treated like a one-off novelty. Wizards confirmed that the Final Fantasy set would be Standard-legal, meaning these cards weren’t just for the shelf — they were built to be used in real games, real decks, and real events.
MTG Final Fantasy Secret Lair and the Collector Wave
Beyond the main set, the crossover also tapped into collector culture in a big way. Secret Lair drops arrived with alternate-art reprints perfect for collectors— which only fueled the chase.
If you missed that first wave, it’s worth keeping an eye on how Wizards continues to use Secret Lair to keep Final Fantasy present in the conversation. That’s been a pattern across Universes Beyond sets: the main release gets everyone excited, and Secret Lair keeps the buzz going longer.
End-of-Year Release (The Story Continues)
The summer release was the big debut — and the end-of-year follow-up felt like a bonus round that kept the excitement going. Late 2025 brought additional Final Fantasy products that made one thing very clear: Wizards wasn’t done.
Without getting lost in every SKU, the big headline items were:
- Chocobo Bundle — a collector-friendly bundle centered on Chocobo-themed goodies and premium packaging.
- Scene Boxes — curated boxes built around iconic moments, using connected scene-style art (the kind of product that screams “frame me” as much as “shuffle me”).
In other words: the crossover shifted from “launch event” to “ongoing celebration.”
Looking Ahead
So what comes next?
The safest bet is: more Final Fantasy, in more forms — because the way Wizards handled this crossover is exactly how they have treated every other collab with different brands.
Here’s what we do know just based on how things have been handled so far:
- Wizards has shown they’re comfortable treating Final Fantasy as a multi-phase collaboration (not a single drop).
- Universes Beyond remains a major pillar of Magic’s release strategy going forward, which makes future Final Fantasy products (or additional tie-ins) feel more like “when,” not “if.”
- Even when there’s no brand-new tentpole set on the calendar, Secret Lair-style drops and collector products can keep the crossover active.
For fans, that’s a dream scenario: you can enjoy the set now, and still have reasons to stay excited later.
If you’ve ever wanted to tap lands and feel like you’re summoning Ifrit, casting Ultima, or gearing up your party for a boss fight — this crossover made that fantasy even more real. And based on how 2025 played out, this collaboration’s legacy is only going to get bigger.
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ABOUT AUTHOR
Nicolas Scagnelli
I'm a passionate writer who runs five blogs covering everything from pop culture to lifestyle. When I'm not working, I love spending my free time writing, reading comics, playing games, and working out. Some of my favorite series are Devil May Cry, Kingdom Hearts, Chainsaw Man, and Spider-Man. I'm always excited to dive into geek culture and share my thoughts with fellow fans!
