<h6 style="text-align: right;">Cloud Strife and Sephiroth Final Fantasy x MTG key art | art by <a href="https://www.instagram.com/magali_villeneuve/?hl=en">Magali Villeneuve</a></h6>
<p>According to <a href="https://www.wargamer.com/magic-the-gathering/best-selling-final-fantasy-sales">Wargamer</a>, during the Q1 earnings call from Hasbro on April 24th, 2025, CEO <strong>Chris Cocks</strong> reiterated the financial success of Final Fantasy's upcoming <em>Magic</em> release:</p>
<p>“Final Fantasy will be the best-selling set of all time on day one. It already is,” he said. Preorders for Final Fantasy products on Amazon sold out almost immediately after the initial preview stream, and most retailers are marking up Collector Boosters and Collector's Edition Commander decks to $600+ apiece.</p>
<p>Final Fantasy's new best-selling status will no doubt further entrench the decision to make Universes Beyond mainline set releases and products more frequent.</p>
<p>“It’s very clear to us that Universes Beyond as a strategy has increased the total active install base of <em>Magic</em> players, both in terms of reigniting lapsed fans as well as bringing in new fans,” Cocks said.</p>
<h2>What's behind the growth in Hasbro's MTG earnings?</h2>
<p>“It’s difficult to identify just one thing. Really what we’re seeing is an expansion of the playerbase,” Cocks explained. Many players could speculate the rise in Chaos Vault and Secret Lair drops have changed the model for MTG products in between mainline set releases.</p>
<p>As well as this, we can count on recent "nostalgia" sets like Tarkir: Dragonstorm having brought longtime players back into the fold to see fresh takes on old characters, game mechanics and settings.</p>
<p>One thing remains sure, Final Fantasy is bound to have some of the most popular Secret Lair drops of all time, leading to an even greater sales expectation for Wizards' current license of the franchise.</p>
<h3>What Makes the Final Fantasy MTG set so popular?</h3>
<p>Final Fantasy (FF) premiered in Japan in 1987, and with over 30 years' worth of game release across the world and console generations, there are legions of fans who are eager to get their hands on anything FF related. Final Fantasy's many characters and world settings also makes it a perfect fit for <em>Magic's</em> game system.</p>
<h2>When Does the Final Fantasy MTG set Release?</h2>
<p>With a scheduled prerelease date of June 6th and release date of June 13th, Final Fantasy and <em>Magic</em> fans don't have long to wait to meld their favorite franchises together with one of the world's best game systems.</p>
<p>Have you managed to preorder any Final Fantasy product yet? What games or characters are you hoping get the best representation? Let us know below!</p>


Final Fantasy is the Best-Selling MTG Set Before Official Release Date

<h6 style="text-align: right;">Image credit: Wizards of the Coast</h6>
<p>There's always plenty to do at MagicCon events. From professional play, to panels, all the way to Commander pickup games, MagicCon is always a blast for those who join in on the fun. But now, for <a href="https://magic.gg/news/celebrating-final-fantasy-at-magiccon-las-vegas" target="_blank" rel="noopener">MagicCon: Las Vegas</a>, there is even more incentive to reserve a spot! The event will, in part, celebrate <em>Wizards of the Coast</em>'s collaboration with <em>Square Enix</em> on <em>Magic: The Gathering's</em> upcoming <em>Final Fantasy</em> set.</p>
<h2><em>Final Fantasy</em>-themed Promo Yoshimaru</h2>
<p>There is a special surprise for fans of <em>FFXVI</em>'s goodest boy. If you attend MagicCon: Las Vegas this year, you will receive a promotional copy of Torgal, Clive's Companion. Torgal is a <em>Final Fantasy XVI</em>-themed reskin of <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Yoshimaru, Ever Faithful" href="#" target="_blank">Yoshimaru, Ever Faithful</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</p>
<div id="attachment_148993" style="width: 410px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-148993" class="wp-image-148993" src="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Torgal-Clives-Companion-mtgxff.webp" alt="Torgal, Clive's Companion, a Final Fantasy XVI-themed reskin of Yoshimaru, Ever Faithful. " width="400" height="559" srcset="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Torgal-Clives-Companion-mtgxff.webp 646w, https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Torgal-Clives-Companion-mtgxff-215x300.webp 215w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 400px) 100vw, 400px" /><p id="caption-attachment-148993" class="wp-caption-text">Torgal, Clive's Companion, a <em>Final Fantasy XVI</em>-themed reskin of Yoshimaru, Ever Faithful.</p></div>
<p>Attendees of MagicCon: Las Vegas will receive their copy of Torgal alongside their entry badges, making that moment all the more special.</p>
<h2>The Making of <em>MTGxFF</em></h2>
<p>If you're attending on Friday, the convention has a panel that day detailing the behind-the-scenes efforts that allowed <em>Magic: The Gathering</em>'s latest Universes Beyond set to come to fruition.</p>
<blockquote><p>Sixteen FINAL FANTASY games spanning decades. Hundreds of beloved characters. Dozens of unique mechanics. Numerous art styles, tones, locations, animations, stories. How did the designers at Wizards of the Coast combine all of this to give us <em>Magic: The Gathering</em>—FINAL FANTASY? You can learn how at MagicCon: Las Vegas. Hear the stories from behind the scenes on how this monumental <em>Magic</em> set came to be.</p>
<p>Host: <strong>Ben Starr</strong><br />
Panelists: <strong>Daniel Holt</strong>, <strong>Gavin Verhey</strong>, <strong>Dillon Deveney</strong>, and <strong>Zakeel Gordon</strong></p></blockquote>
<h2>Pro Tour: <em>Final Fantasy</em></h2>
<p>Additionally, Pro Tour: <em>Final Fantasy</em> is at MagicCon: Las Vegas this year. Over 300 professional <em>Magic</em> players will compete in Vegas for their piece of a $500,000 prize pool. According to Magic.gg's blurb:</p>
<blockquote><p>With bragging rights, a $500,000 prize pool, and invitations to Pro Tour <em>Edge of Eternities</em> and <i>Magic</i> World Championship 31 on the line, it'll be an action-packed tournament! The formats for this event will be <em>Magic: The Gathering</em>—FINAL FANTASY Booster Draft and Standard Constructed.</p></blockquote>
<p>Players can also watch this event from home via <a href="http://twitch.tv/magic" target="_blank" rel="noopener">twitch.tv/magic</a>. There will also be periodic recaps for event coverage posted on the <a href="https://www.youtube.com/@play_mtg" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Play MTG</a> YouTube channel.</p>
<h2>Other MagicCon Attractions in Las Vegas</h2>
<p>There are several other events and attractions at MagicCon: Las Vegas this year. These include:</p>
<h3>Ticketed Play Events</h3>
<p>The ticketed play events for this convention include:</p>
<ul>
<li>a Friday Night Magic 2-Headed Giant Sealed event</li>
<li>the Pro Tour Qualifier, wherein the event is <em>Final Fantasy</em> Sealed</li>
<li>a Commander Party event for <em>Magic: The Gathering x Final Fantasy</em></li>
</ul>
<div id="attachment_148994" style="width: 569px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-148994" class="wp-image-148994" src="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/sleeves.jpg" alt="A Final Fantasy sleeve, illustrated by Toshitaka Matsuda with a design created by Tetsuya Nomura, to be sold at the Square Enix booth at MagicCon: Las Vegas. " width="559" height="559" srcset="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/sleeves.jpg 2000w, https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/sleeves-300x300.jpg 300w, https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/sleeves-1024x1024.jpg 1024w, https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/sleeves-150x150.jpg 150w, https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/sleeves-768x768.jpg 768w, https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/sleeves-1536x1536.jpg 1536w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 559px) 100vw, 559px" /><p id="caption-attachment-148994" class="wp-caption-text">A <em>Final Fantasy</em> sleeve, illustrated by <strong>Toshitaka Matsuda</strong> with a design created by <strong>Tetsuya Nomura</strong>, to be sold at the Square Enix booth at MagicCon: Las Vegas.</p></div>
<h3>A Square Enix Merch Booth</h3>
<p>According to Magic.gg:</p>
<blockquote><p>Find plushies and figurines of iconic FINAL FANTASY characters—plus, be among the first to grab card sleeves featuring official FINAL FANTASY artwork in an advance sale before their retail release later this year!</p></blockquote>
<h3>Game Knights Live</h3>
<p>This fan-favorite event will take place on the Mana Stage on Friday evening. While <em>Wizards of the Coast</em> has vowed not to spoil any surprises, at least one player in the exhibition match will, in fact, have a deck based on a <em>MTGxFF</em> commander.</p>
<h2>Final Notes</h2>
<p>Are you going to MagicCon: Las Vegas? Will you be doing any specific activities while there? If you're familiar with the area, let us and your fellow commenters know what the best haunts are in the area! Sound off below!</p>


Final Fantasy Celebrations At MagicCon: Las Vegas

<h6 style="text-align: right;">Header image courtesy of Wizards of the Coast</h6>
<p>The Spotlight Series is headed to Japan for the first time.</p>
<p>Wizards of the Coast announced the company’s ongoing Spotlight Series will be hosting <em>Magic: The Gathering—FINAL FANTASY </em>in Chiba, Japan this summer.</p>
<p>According to Wizards, the Magic Spotlight: FINAL FANTASY event "will feature the excitement of competitive Magic and the impact of the <em>FINAL FANTASY</em> series with a high-stakes main event and an assortment of engaging side events offering something for every type of fan." In collaboration with Japanese retailer <a href="https://mtg.bigmagic.net/top.html">BIG MAGIC</a>, Magic Spotlight: FINAL FANTASY is a three-day event running from June 27–29 in Chiba, with a two-day open field tournament where competitors will face off in Standard Constructed format for a share of a $50,000 USD prize pool. The top eight players from the event will receive invitations to the Pro Tour Edge of Eternities tournament at MagicCon: Atlanta (Sept. 26-28).</p>
<p>Each participant in Magic Spotlight: FINAL FANTASY's main event will receive a non-foil Japanese-language borderless promo card featuring a card from the upcoming Magic: The Gathering—FINAL FANTASY release. Additionally, the Top 128 competitors in the event will receive traditional foil copies of that promo card. In addition to the main event, Magic Spotlight: FINAL FANTASY will host multiple side events with a variety of formats on display.</p>
<p>This event is free to enter, however there is a maximum capacity in the venue, so fans should check for specific information about access to the venue closer to the event. Entry into the $50,000 prize pool main event will require the purchase of a ticket when registration opens, and limited seating is available. Full details will be available on the website for Magic Spotlight: FINAL FANTASY. The site goes live on Wednesday, April 16, with registration opening the next day, April 17 at Noon JST.</p>
<p>Magic: The Gathering—FINAL FANTASY launches June 13, with the set representing a rich universe with iconic elements that fans have come to love over the franchise's history. Fans will see characters from every mainline FINAL FANTASY game, each depicted through the lens of <em>Magic: The Gathering</em>. The set is available for preorder now at local game stores, online retailers like Amazon, and elsewhere <em>Magic</em> products are sold.</p>
<p>This upcoming set features the largest collection of FINAL FANTASY artwork ever in a single game, drawing from across the franchise. <em>Magic</em> artists have brought moments from FINAL FANTASY to life in their own unique style while classic FINAL FANTASY art pieces make appearances on these epic cards. Fans will see their favorite stories, characters and moments from FINAL FANTASY depicted across <em>Magic</em> cards, with these icons of the series captured on over 100 legendary creature cards across the entire release.</p>
<p><strong>What is the Spotlight Series?</strong></p>
<p>The <a href="https://magic.gg/spotlight">Magic Spotlight Series</a> is a collection of open invite events that lets anyone play high-level <em>Magic </em>to win significant prizes. The next Spotlight Series event is slated for <a href="https://scgcon.starcitygames.com/event/scg-con-indianapolis-2025/">May 30-June 1 in Indianapolis, Indiana</a>, centered around a "Secret Lair" theme, and will be organized by Star City Games. The main event will be Modern Constructed, with all participants receiving a Secret Lair Showdown Garruk Wildspeaker promo:</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Garruk Wildspeaker|SLP|42"></div></div>
<p>In addition to prize money and a Pro Tour invite, the winner of Indianapolis's Spotlight Series: Secret Lair will also consult on a future Secret Lair.</p>
<p>The main feature of each Magic Spotlight Series event is $50,000 in prize money. With the money going to the main event's top finishers, it's a great incentive to grab a deck and dive into competitive <em>Magic</em>. Additionally, the Top 8 players of each main event will receive invites to the Pro Tour.</p>
<p>For more information on Spotlight events and other places to experience Magic: The Gathering—FINAL FANTASY, keep an eye on <a href="https://magic.wizards.com/en/news">DailyMTG</a>.</p>


Spotlight Series: Final Fantasy Announced for Chiba, Japan in June

<h6 style="text-align: right;">Final Fantasy set cards | art copyright Wizards of the Coast</h6>
<p>With <a href="https://magic.wizards.com/en/products/final-fantasy"><em>Magic: The Gathering x Final Fantasy</em></a> less than ten weeks away, teams at Wizards of the Coast and Square Enix are gearing up for the launch of an ambitious collaboration.</p>
<p>An interview between one outlet and two major figures at Wizards gives us more insights into the process behind this collaboration and hints of what the future may bring.</p>
<p>According to the interview with <a href="https://www.gamespot.com/articles/magic-the-gatherings-final-fantasy-set-is-an-expansion-four-years-in-the-making/1100-6529866/">Gamespot</a>, Lead <em>Magic</em> Designer <strong>Gavin Verhey</strong> and Wizards Franchise Vice President <strong>Rebecca Shepard</strong> gave a few interesting anecdotes about this titanic team-up. Here are a few of the major points we gleaned:</p>
<h2>A <em>Magic: The Gathering x Final Fantasy</em> Collaboration Effort</h2>
<p><em>Final Fantasy</em> producer <strong>Shoichi Ichikawa</strong> is a big fan of <em>Magic</em>, as are many members of Square Enix Japan's team. According to Verhey, the team at Square Enix are die-hard <em>Magic</em> players. "[...] One of the team members over there owns a <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Black Lotus" href="#" target="_blank">Black Lotus</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. These are serious Magic players." Shepard corroborated this and added, "Almost every relationship we've had has been that way; Bethesda, for example, has weekly games." Naturally, Square Enix's team was thrilled to work with Wizards of the Coast.</p>
<p>During the team-up, weekly, occasionally more frequent, mid-lockdown Zoom calls allowed Wizards and Square Enix to foster their rapport. As it stands, Square Enix Japan's love of <em>Magic</em> seems to echo Wizards of the Coast's love of <em>Final Fantasy</em>.</p>
<h2>On In-Set Representation</h2>
<p>All sixteen <em>Final Fantasy</em> games have "plenty of" in-set representation, albeit with a ton of work needed to calibrate this, according to Verhey. Shepard added, "In [Square Enix's] eyes, no one installment is more important than the other."</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Jumbo Cactuar"></div></div>
<p>This proved a challenge regarding the newest Square Enix installment, <a href="https://na.finalfantasyxvi.com/"><em>Final Fantasy XVI</em></a>. <em>FFXVI</em> was going through active development simultaneously with <em>Magic: The Gathering x Final Fantasy</em>, and designers had to make promises not to give each other plot spoilers.</p>
<p>Said Verhey, "When [<em>FFXVI</em>] finally launched, there was a week when the four main designers agreed we wouldn't spoil anything for each other, but we'd post what was happening in our chat as we're going saying, 'This should be a card!'"</p>
<p>For the game attributions on the credit lines of cards, Verhey explains</p>
<blockquote><p>"We then realized that this is another fun storytelling moment--where a player can say, 'I know this, let me tell you where it's from'--and a little indicator on the card that tells you what game it's from can inspire someone to go and look up what was happening there. We thought it was a great little touch; here's the game the card is from, go find out more or ask a friend about it."</p></blockquote>
<h2>Are All The Concepts Present?</h2>
<p>The answer to the question " Will everyone be present in the set?" comes with some disclosure-based baggage at this time. "I'm not going to say who is or isn't there, but it's pretty safe to guess that if you're a major hero or antagonist from a game, there's a good chance you have a spot in the set," said Verhey when asked about what characters would show up. However, the set doesn't necessarily have all the series' party members.</p>
<p>That said, many super-obvious nods will likely be in <em>MTGFIN</em>. Triple Triad (the in-universe collectible card game) is unconfirmed, but Verhey has mentioned his team's awareness of its popularity.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Summon: Shiva"></div></div>
<p>Summons, a major <em>Final Fantasy</em> series conceptual staple, proved less of a challenge to the design team. Summon spells were originally designed with vanishing, but were later turned into Sagas with the team's unanimous agreement.</p>
<p>Five double-faced "Sidequest" cards exist within the set, according to the interview.</p>
<h2>On Further Design Innovations</h2>
<p>Wizards of the Coast also spoke on their "Through The Ages" subset of cards. This is comprised of all reprints from Magic's history. Beyond this, the subset will depict concept art and scenes from Final Fantasy's history. Square Enix personally provided these concept images to Wizards.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Ancient Copper Dragon|FCA|12"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Yuriko, the Tiger&#039;s Shadow|FCA|60"></div></div>
<p>Another major win for the set came in the form of <strong>Yoshitaka Amano</strong> and <strong>Tetsuya Nomura</strong>'s involvement. The two were even involved with this set's creation, according to Gamespot.</p>
<p>However, those involvements will largely remain a surprise for now. Amano did the art for Dragon of Mount Gulg (<span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Ancient Copper Dragon|FCA|12" href="#" target="_blank">Ancient Copper Dragon</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>) while Nomura did the art for Yuffie Kisaragi (<span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Yuriko, the Tiger&#039;s Shadow|FCA|60" href="#" target="_blank">Yuriko, the Tiger&#039;s Shadow</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>).</p>
<h2>What Does The Future Hold?</h2>
<p>As for the future, Square Enix collaborations may indeed happen. This may be the first time the two sides have collaborated, but it may not be the last.</p>
<p><em>Universes Beyond</em> partnerships can be upwards of seven years long. "Universes Beyond partnerships can be five-, six-, sometimes seven-year relationships depending on the pipeline," according to Shepard. With the two teams just four years in, we may get even more Square Enix <em>Universes Beyond</em> cards in <em>Magic</em>.</p>
<p>Furthermore, does this mean we are getting something like a <a href="https://www.square-enix-games.com/en_US/games/chrono-trigger"><em>Chrono Trigger</em></a> or <a href="https://dragonquest.square-enix-games.com/"><em>Dragon Quest</em></a> set? We couldn't possibly say. However, with the way Shepard spoke on the collaborative effort, it doesn't appear to be out of the question.</p>
<p>So, these are the main points we've learned from Gavin Verhey and Rebecca Shepard's interview with Gamespot. As it stands currently, <em>Magic: The Gathering x Final Fantasy</em> is shaping up to be one heck of a cool set. Hopefully, players will be able to be just as hyped for it when it launches on June 13th!</p>


final fantasy

Final Fantasy is the Best-Selling MTG Set Before Official Release Date

Final Fantasy Celebrations At MagicCon: Las Vegas

Spotlight Series: Final Fantasy Announced for Chiba, Japan in June

Final Fantasy Set A Four-Year Endeavor. Is There More To Come?