Exciting Launch and Collaboration Overview

Pre-orders for the upcoming Magic: The Gathering – Final Fantasy crossover set have already surpassed expectations, with many packs and bundles sold out ahead of the official release. The set is scheduled to hit shelves on June 13. Today, at IGN Live 2025, Principal Designer Gavin Verhey and Executive Producer Zakeel Gordon shared insights into this highly anticipated collaboration, giving fans a behind-the-scenes look at how the iconic characters made it onto Magic cards.

The Inspiration Behind the Crossover

While Magic has previously partnered with other major intellectual properties, the team at Wizards of the Coast was especially excited about Final Fantasy. Verhey emphasized, “It’s Final Fantasy! That really helps!” He also revealed that they’ve been working on this project for approximately five years. The long development period underscores their dedication to creating a truly authentic and comprehensive set.

Both Verhey and Gordon expressed their admiration for Final Fantasy, noting that many team members have been fans of the series longer than they’ve played Magic itself. This personal connection fueled their passion and dedication to capturing the essence of the beloved franchise in the cards.

Character Selection Process

The team aimed to include a wide array of characters from all 15 Final Fantasy games—an effort that expanded to 16 titles during development. Their meticulous approach involved creating detailed spreadsheets cataloging characters, items, and story elements from each game. They then categorized potential inclusions into three tiers:

• Primary Tier: The most iconic and beloved characters, considered “must-have” elements.
• Second Tier: Cool side characters that add flavor and depth.
• Third Tier: Deep cuts and obscure figures, like Guy speaking beaver, that surprise and delight fans.

Verhey highlighted their goal of representing everything from the franchise, ensuring that both main characters and lesser-known gems found a place on the cards. “Every game is represented, from the most iconic to the hidden treasures,” he explained.

Designing Themed Commander Decks

The set features four Commander decks inspired by Final Fantasy X, XIV, VI, and VII. Verhey assured fans that “everything except the lands is themed to the specific game,” providing an authentic experience. Playing the Final Fantasy VII deck, for example, is described as “seeing the entire game unfold before your eyes.”

Gordon added that these decks were carefully chosen to represent different eras of the franchise, aiming to encompass the vast breadth of Final Fantasy’s history. Their objective was to create a product that captures the franchise’s evolution and diversity.

Challenges and Artistic Inspirations

Despite their extensive efforts, Gordon acknowledged that they couldn’t include every character or element from the series, due to the limitations of card count. “The main challenge was covering the entire mainline series,” he said. They focused on core titles, which meant leaving out some great characters by design.

Another highlight was the inclusion of “Through the Ages” cards featuring classic artwork from renowned artists Yoshitaka Amano and Tetsuya Nomura. Gordon explained that inspiration for these cards emerged midway through development, driven by their admiration for the artwork, which they felt was so stunning that it deserved a place on the cards.

Fan Reactions and Exclusive Previews

At the IGN Live event, lucky fans received pre-release decks showcasing iconic characters such as Sephiroth from Final Fantasy VII and Rosa from Final Fantasy IV. Verhey noted that one of the unique appeals of the set is the chance to see characters from different Final Fantasy worlds brought together in one game—characters that would never meet in their original stories now sharing a space on Magic cards.

Alex Hunter

Alex is a passionate gamer with over a decade of experience exploring everything from AAA blockbusters to indie gems. He specializes in uncovering hidden secrets, mastering complex mechanics, and creating in-depth walkthroughs. Whether it’s a challenging boss fight or a puzzling questline, Alex breaks it all down in a way that’s fun, clear, and engaging for readers of all levels.