Photos by Nick Wolf

MagicCon: Las Vegas 2026 was the most attended Magic event in the game's history, and stepping through the doors of the Las Vegas Convention Center, that stat was easy to believe. The lines, the noise, and the wall-to-wall crowds of people there simply for the love of the game - there was no way around it. It was going to be a busy weekend.

Friday, the event's doors opened for the first time, and within minutes the Con's floor was filled with more than 25,000 unique attendees, a record for MagicCons and putting it truly into the next tier, outdoing established hobby events like EVO Las Vegas and Origins Game Fair.

Vendor booths in the Magic Marketplace area were inundated from the moment the doors opened.

The convention floor was, like all MagicCons, divided into distinct sections like the Artist Alley, the Magic Marketplace, panel stages, and open play areas, each with its own dedicated fans and its own permanent queue. Whatever reason an attendee was motivated to purchase a badge, be that to play Magic, talk Magic, buy or sell Magic, or just otherwise vibe with 25,000 new friends, there was a spot for it.

Every section of MagicCon: Vegas was buzzing with attendees all weekend.

The highlight for many on Friday was the Preview Panel, a regular fixture at MagicCons and popular draw among attendees. And this one was no different, pulling so many Con-goers from other areas that the Mana Stage was surrounded with a standing-room-only crowd, all there to get a sneak peek at upcoming sets centered around The Hobbit, Marvel Super Heroes, and the in-universe Reality Fracture.

You can refresh yourself of all revealed cards and art here.

Thousands visited the Mana Stage to get the scoop on new sets from their designers.

And to top it off, moderator Jimmy Wong and Head Designer Mark Rosewater brought on a special guest: Paul Bettany, the actor who portrays The Vision in Marvel Cinematic Universe movies and television. Despite his hesitance at inserting The Mind StoneThe Mind Stone into the Infinity Gauntlet, he did so, heralding the upcoming Marvel Universes Beyond release.

Paul Bettany warily approaches the Infinity Gauntlet.

And speaking of Mark Rosewater ("Maro"), MagicCon: Vegas was also the place for the first hands-on reveal of a new card game designed by Maro called Mood Swings. Or, at least it was intended to be.

News came Thursday evening, before the doors opened, that due to shipping delays, Mood Swings would not be available for attendees to demo during the weekend. It was sad news, as Rosewater's excitement for the opportunity to show off the game he spent nearly three decades developing was palpable, leading up to the weekend.

Despite the issues, EDHREC editor-in-chief Andy Zupke still managed to score some one-on-one time with the legendary game designer to play one of the few copies of a Mood Swings deck that made it to the desert.

But more on that soon.

Mark Rosewater discusses Mood Swings.

The crowds were especially evident if you were a Magic artist tabling throughout the weekend. From open to close, all of the more than 60 artists in attendance were beset by fans, signing cards, selling tokens and prints, and chatting art with the people who appreciate it the most.

The roster of artists ran the full length of the game's history. Tony DiTerlizzi, whose unmistakable work defined the look of early Magic tournaments with his iconic BrainstormBrainstorm illustration, drew a line that never seemed to shorten. Mark Poole, one of the game's original artists famed for Ancestral RecallAncestral Recall and CounterspellCounterspell in addition to hundreds more, was there for anyone who wanted a signature on a piece of cardboard older than some of the attendees holding it.

Mark Poole signs for a fan.

Tony DiTerlizzi signs while his wife Angela - the original model/inspiration for the art of Brainstorm - looks on.

Also drawing a queue was the EDHRECast meet-and-greet on Saturday, with the boys meeting with fans eager to put faces to the voices they've been listening to on their commutes. Among those stopping by for a visit was Jada Star, singer-songwriter and niece of Dolly Parton. Jada delivered a signed headshot of her legendary aunt to Joey, Matt, and Dana.

Jada Star, a huge Magic fan and signer-songwriter, stopped by the EDHRECast meet-and-greet Saturday.

Joining the EDHRECast for a weekend of Magic was the larger Space Cow Media (SCM) team, with many of the company's staff participating in the Con's festivities. Some stopped by the Dragon Shield corner of the Creator area to pose with some weaponry:

A portion of the SCM crew at MagicCon: Vegas.

For SCM, MagicCon is a whirlwind of gaming, but it's also a great way to catch up with many community partners, including Women+ In Magic, who were on-hand to promote their organization with a tier board that tasked attendees with ranking their favorite female+ Magic characters. The conversations that started at a panel or a booth had a way of turning into collaborative ideas before the weekend was out.

EDHRECast's Joey teamed up with WIM+ to readjust the team's tier board.

Myrna and Lize of Women In Magic+ pose with SCM staff during the Con.

MagicCon: Las Vegas 2026 was, by any measure, a lot. The record attendance made itself known at every turn, in the lines, in the noise, in the shoulder-to-shoulder navigation of a floor packed beyond any previous iteration of the event. But for all that, many attendees who have been on the MagicCon circuit since the start shared that Vegas '26 was the best organized of the bunch.

Every area of MagicCon was rife with happy crowds all weekend long.

Were you at MagicCon: Las Vegas 2026? What was your takeaway from the event? Feel free to share your input below!