Magic: The Gathering’s Final Fantasy Collaboration: A Nostalgic Mashup & Instant Sell-Outs

The worlds of Magic: The Gathering and Final Fantasy are colliding in a much-anticipated collaboration, and the hype is real. Wizards of the Coast is bringing iconic characters, spells, and locations from the Final Fantasy universe to the popular trading card game. Get ready to cast powerful spells, summon classic creatures, and even traverse favorite locations, all through the lens of Magic. But the real question is: Can you actually find the cards?

One of the first reveals included the "Instant Ramen" artifact card, a playful nod to Final Fantasy XV's love affair with Cup Noodles.

This card allows players to draw a card or gain 3 life if sacrificed, echoing the quest in which Noctis and friends create the perfect cup of Nissin noodles. This tongue-in-cheek inclusion highlights the set's attention to detail and its ability to capture the essence of Final Fantasy's quirky charm. The set releases on June 13.

Further reveals showcased three new cards: The Strahl (overlay of Smuggler's Copter), Luka Stadium (Strixhaven Stadium), and Tidus, Zanarkand Fayth (Thrasios, Triton Hero). Gavin Verhey, principal designer for Magic’s Final Fantasy collection, explained how The Strahl made its way onto the bonus sheet, allowing Balthier and Fran to interact with their iconic ship. He emphasized the collaboration with Square Enix, highlighting their enthusiasm for Magic: The Gathering. Daniel Holt, senior game designer, shared his passion for Final Fantasy X, incorporating fan requests like the Blitzball stadium concept into the set.

Adding to the excitement, the four Final Fantasy commander decks—each themed around a different game in the series—are already mostly sold out at major retailers like Amazon and Star City Games. Limit Break, a Final Fantasy 7 themed deck, is the only one still available. The decks feature new legendary creatures, enchantments, artifacts, and pricey reprints of classic cards. They showcase new mechanics reminiscent of concepts from the regular Magic: The Gathering line, like Cloud's Limit Break functioning similarly to Outlaws of Thunder Junction's spree.

Many players are planning modifications to improve the decks using components from other sets.

The Magic: The Gathering Final Fantasy collaboration releases on June 13. However, given the speed at which pre-orders sold out, acquiring these cards might prove challenging. The collaboration highlights how the success of these 'Universes Beyond' collabs leads the card franchise to keep pushing the envelope.

What are your thoughts on this latest Universes Beyond set? Which Final Fantasy game would you like to see represented in Magic: The Gathering? Let us know in the comments below!

• Final Fantasy
• Magic: The Gathering
• Wizards of the Coast

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