A Meeting of Worlds: Magic and Final Fantasy
For those who spent their youth duelling with Magic: The Gathering decks or traversing the lands of Gaia, Spira, and Midgar, the latest announcement from Wizards of the Coast is far more than a mere collaboration. Rather, it marks the convergence of two narrative forms that shaped the cultural fabric of entire generations.
Although Magic and Final Fantasy have long occupied separate realms—one built on tactical duels, the other on sprawling RPG sagas—they share something fundamental. Both possess a rare ability to deliver intricate stories through deeply structured systems, striking characters, and settings that, while fantastical, resonate on a personal level.
Now, with the reveal of Magic: The Gathering x Final Fantasy, under the Universes Beyond label, that boundary begins to dissolve. For the first time, characters such as Cloud, Terra, Tidus, and Lightning will enter the battlefield—not merely as nostalgic tokens, but as carefully crafted cards embodying the themes and mechanics of their respective titles.
Consequently, the set offers more than a commercial gesture. It aims to rekindle echoes of a particular past: save files on dusty memory cards, improvised decks assembled from newsstand packs, and long debates about limit breaks, side quests, and elusive endings.
While the fusion of these worlds is ambitious, it’s also deliberate. Magic’s tactical depth could very well enrich the drama and emotion of Square Enix’s heroes, offering players both strategic challenge and emotional payoff. Let’s examine closely what this union is poised to deliver—and what it may awaken in those who still carry these stories with them.
What is Universes Beyond?
For those less immersed in Magic: The Gathering, a bit of context is necessary. Universes Beyond is a curated line within the Magic ecosystem, designed specifically for crossovers with iconic franchises outside the game’s established lore. Instead of the usual planes like Dominaria, Ravnica, or Zendikar, these sets introduce characters, locations, and narratives drawn from broader pop culture—titles such as The Lord of the Rings, Doctor Who, and now, Final Fantasy.
Although the concept appears straightforward, it carries significant ambition. These expansions aim to reimagine external worlds through the mechanics and visual language of Magic, all while preserving the essence of the original material. Mechanics are not merely reskinned—they’re retooled to reflect the rhythm, symbolism, and systems of the source. Meanwhile, the artwork treads a careful line between authenticity and the established aesthetic of Magic.
These cards, it’s worth noting, are legal in specific formats, as Commander. This selective integration ensures the balance of the larger game remains intact. In essence, they’re fully playable, though rarely destined for the highest tiers of competitive play. The goal lies less in power scaling, more in thematic immersion.
However, the Final Fantasy release represents an exception. This time, the set will be legal in the Standard format—signalling not just a collaboration, but an active conversation between two game systems, each iconic in its own right.
Why Final Fantasy?
It takes little effort to see why Final Fantasy was chosen for Universes Beyond. With over 35 years of history, a multitude of mainline titles, spin-offs, and adaptations, Square Enix’s flagship franchise has etched itself into the memory of generations. For many, it served as a gateway into richer, more layered narratives in video games—stories that explored war, identity, sacrifice, and redemption, all underscored by haunting soundtracks and characters whose emotional weight defied the limitations of their pixels.
Every core Final Fantasy title builds a distinct world from the ground up. That structure aligns seamlessly with Magic’s own multiversal design, where each plane is governed by its own rules, aesthetics, and existential struggles. In Final Fantasy, players traverse kingdoms sustained by crystals, rise against dystopian empires, and call upon godlike entities to turn the tide of battle. This thematic resonance is no coincidence.
Moreover, the franchise extends far beyond its origins. It spans consoles, animation, cinema, literature—and even its own card game, the Final Fantasy TCG, which continues to enjoy a loyal community. A Magic adaptation isn’t merely a nod of recognition; it’s an act of translation. It introduces this legacy to a new format, potentially reaching audiences who missed its earlier incarnations, while inviting long-time fans to reengage through fresh mechanics and form.
Then there’s the emotional dimension. Many of today’s Magic players grew up alongside Final Fantasy. Their adolescence unfolded across turns of both RPGs and trading card battles. They remember not only drawing Lightning Bolt at the right moment, but also witnessing Cloud’s silence, Yuna’s prayer, or Vivi’s quiet tragedy. For them, this crossover feels less like a novelty and more like a reunion—two worlds, long familiar, finally speaking the same language.
Artwork
It’s nearly impossible to speak of Final Fantasy without invoking its distinct visual identity. From its earliest incarnations, the series has cultivated an aesthetic both grand and fragile—a fusion of medieval fantasy, futuristic machinery, surreal dreamscapes, and a particular strain of melancholic elegance. This sensibility, deeply rooted in Eastern approaches to art and storytelling, offers something uniquely its own.
In this Universes Beyond set, the artwork divides along two deliberate lines.
On one side, we see illustrations rendered in the traditional Magic: The Gathering style. These reinterpret key characters, summons, and landscapes through the card game’s established visual language—realistic detail, dramatic light, and compositions tailored to the rectangular frame of a card. The result borders on the astonishing. Magic’s artists, already among the most accomplished illustrators in the industry, deliver reinterpretations that feel at once fresh and faithful.
Alongside these, alternative versions pay direct homage to the franchise’s visual heritage. Some emulate the ethereal linework of 天野喜孝/Yoshitaka Amano; others echo the stylised drawing of 野村哲也/Tetsuya Nomura. The collection becomes, in essence, a curated gallery—one that spans decades of design evolution and reverence.
What emerges is not merely a beautiful set of cards, but a respectful one. It’s a visual tribute, crafted with care, to a legacy that lives vividly in the memories of so many.
Mechanics
This set introduces a suite of mechanics—some entirely new, others thoughtfully revisited—that reflect key themes from the Final Fantasy series. Each one captures a different facet of the franchise’s identity, from its job systems to its cinematic spellcasting.
Job Select
Inspired by the iconic class system that defines much of Final Fantasy, Job Select appears on Equipment cards and represents the tactical versatility of heroes assuming different roles throughout their journeys. When an Equipment with Job Select enters the battlefield, it creates a 1/1 colourless Hero creature token and attaches itself to it immediately.
It’s as though a new companion is summoned—already equipped, already ready for battle. A sword-bearing Warrior, a staff-wielding Mage. Even if the Equipment leaves the battlefield before the ability resolves, the token is still created. It’s a mechanic that feels simple yet resonant, elegantly embodying the franchise’s emphasis on adaptability and role-swapping.
Tiered
Spells with Tiered offer three modes of casting, each with a progressively higher mana cost and a correspondingly greater effect. Think of it as a spell that “levels up” based on how many resources you choose to commit.
The mechanic is a direct nod to Final Fantasy’s spell hierarchy—Fire, Fira, Firaga—and operates on the same principle: one card, multiple intensities. The flexibility it offers means players can respond to the state of the game with more nuance, choosing between efficiency and impact.
Saga Creatures
Perhaps the most novel addition, Saga Creatures blend the sequential storytelling of Sagas with the interactivity of combat-ready creatures. Each one represents a classic summon—Ifrit, Shiva, Bahamut, Leviathan—and progresses through a series of chapters as the game unfolds.
Unlike traditional Sagas, these are fully-fledged creatures. They can attack, block, and engage with the game state in every way. They are not merely historical—they are present forces, just as they appear in the RPGs: summoned entities with evolving influence.
Transforming Double-Faced Cards (TDFCs)
These familiar cards take on renewed meaning in the context of Final Fantasy. Many characters in the series undergo dramatic transformations—of form, role, or destiny. TDFCs reflect these arcs. A card may begin modestly, but under certain conditions, it transforms to reveal its true nature.
The transformation is seamless: the card retains counters, attachments, and effects. Mechanically, it’s smooth; narratively, it mirrors the journey of a protagonist discovering their full power. Think of Terra in Final Fantasy VI.
Meld
The Meld mechanic appears in a single card pair—two halves of a legendary whole. When specific conditions are met and both cards are on the battlefield, they combine into one powerful entity.
Each card bears a fusion symbol in the top-left corner, and the reverse sides together form a single, panoramic illustration. When the fusion occurs, it’s not just mechanically potent—it feels momentous. The sort of transformation that punctuates a boss battle or turning point in the narrative.
Kicker
You can pay an extra cost when casting a spell to get an additional or improved effect. It’s a flexible mechanic that fits well with Final Fantasy’s idea of powering up abilities.
Flashback
This lets you cast an instant or sorcery from your graveyard by paying its flashback cost. It represents magic that can be used more than once, fitting the theme of revisiting the past.
Towns as Lands
Several iconic Towns from the games appear as Land – Town cards. They provide mana but also bring a sense of place familiar to fans.
Adventures (on Lands)
These lands can first be cast as a spell from your hand, usually with a quick effect, then enter the battlefield as a land from exile. This mechanic reflects the idea of events happening before arriving in a new location.
Landcycling
You can discard a card to search your deck for a land of a specific type. This helps smooth mana in multicolour decks and fits the variety of environments in Final Fantasy.
My thoughts about Final Fantasy
Crossovers often raise expectations but risk feeling forced or purely commercial. In the case of Magic: The Gathering – Final Fantasy, the opposite is true. There is evident care in honouring the identity of both universes. The mechanics go beyond mere fan service — they engage with recurring themes of Final Fantasy, such as class changes, epic journeys, and the balance between magic and technology. At the same time, it remains unmistakably Magic. No card feels like it exists simply to showcase a famous face. Ultimately, this set is a meeting of languages — and perhaps that is why it succeeds so well.
