It was recently announced thatMagic: The Gathering’s seemingly abandonedUniverses Withinprintings would be making a big comeback, at least in digital form.Universes Withinwas originally meant to be a way forMagicto print in-universe versions ofUniverses Beyondcards that weren’t tied to outside IPs. While it initially seemed like we had seen the last of them, whenUniverses Beyondstarted taking up whole sets,Universes Withincards will apparently be coming back in a big way, though a somewhat frustrating one.
Recently, there was a subtleUniverses Withinreprint in aSecret Lairproduct, which made me think we could see more individual cards reprinted over time in similar ways. However, I didn’t think we’d be seeing any major reprints ofUniverses Beyondsets with aMagicreskin. While it seems that’s still the case when it comes to physicalMagic: The Gatheringreleases, there is a big change coming to howUniverses Beyondwill appear in digital form that will begiving us quite a few newUniverses Withincards.
MTG’s Spider-Man Set Is Getting A Digital Replacement
Marvel Sets Aren’t Coming To Magic: The Gathering’s Online Platforms
In anticipation ofMagic: The Gathering’s upcomingSpider-Manset, it was announced thatno Marvel sets would be available digitally. However, now thatUniverses Beyondsets will be Standard legal (and therefore legal in most formats),Magic’s online platforms can’t just pretend they don’t exist. Otherwise, players would no longer be able to run the same builds on paper as they do online, and it would have a major impact on competitive play. So, Wizards of the Coast decided to introduce a new solution in the form ofdigital-onlyUniverses Withinversions for sets likeSpider-Man.
I know that “on paper” is typically an expression that means “in theory.“In the context ofMagic: The Gathering, “paper” is slang for physical cards.
Although Wizards still uses the termUniverses Withinto describe these new cards in their announcement,these digital-only sets are officially being branded asThrough the Omenpaths. This is a reference to the portals inMagic’s universe that allow characters to travel between different planes of existence. This seems thematically appropriate, and gives Wizards of the Coast the flexibility of using card designs from across the Multiverse which best fit the original design without being shackled to a single plane or story. Still, I don’t think the transition between versions will be completely seamless from a player’s standpoint.
Universes Within Will Cause Confusion Over Card Names
There Will Now Be Multiple Names For The Same Card Across These Sets
TheThrough the Omenpathsversion ofMagic: The Gathering’sSpider-Manset is likely to cause some confusion for players who play both onMagic Arenaand on paper. Each newMagicset introduces a host of new cards that players have to learn if they want to keep up with the current meta. However, now thatthere will be two versions of these cards, some of which will likely have different names, it’s going to be a bit harder for players to keep track of them all.
Learning card names, or coming to recognize them by their artwork is a good way to speed up the process of playingMagic: The Gathering. I know by heart what frequently used cards like Lightning Bolt, Sol Ring, and Wrath of God do, and I’m familiar with the artwork on them. When I draw the card, I instantly know what it can do and start planning, and when I see an opponent play it, I don’t have to pick it up and read it.
Introducing two versions ofUniverses Beyondcards is going to force players to learn double the amount of namesand art than they normally would. Being able to recognize cards by their art has already gotten more difficult thanks to all ofMagic’s new art treatments in each set, andThrough the Omenpathswill just make that more difficult. Now, not every card will need a name change, some generically named spells will probably translate fine. That said,cards like The Sensational Spider-Manare obviously going to need both a new name and new art, which could cause some confusion.
Universes Within Being Digital Only Is Frustrating For Fans Of Magic’s IP
I Would Prefer Paper Versions Of Universes Within Over Universes Beyond Versions
Another reasonThrough the Omenpathsis a less-than-perfect approach toUniverses Withinis because it is (at least for now) a digital-only product. Although this is a good thing when it comes to deck-building, as there won’t be confusion over how many copies of a given card are allowed when it has two different names, it is frustrating for fans ofMagic’s unique characters and worlds.It’s very possible some of theSpider-Mancards could get reskinned as a fan-favoriteMagiccharacterlike Nissa or Ajani, but these versions of the cards won’t seemingly be available on paper.
I don’t hateSpider-Man, but if I had the choice to play withMagic: The Gatheringcharacters instead of Marvel ones,I would prefer to keep things inMagic’s unique world. I don’t always feel this way withUniverses Beyondsets, and I think ones set in fantasy worlds likeLord of the RingsorFinal Fantasymesh pretty well. But Spider-Man swinging through New York City feels a lot less likeMagic: The Gathering, so it’s going to be a bit frustrating knowing that an alternative version exists, but not in a form I can play with on paper.
Universes Within’s Digital Release Could Solve One Problem With MTGO
Previous Universes Beyond Sets That Skipped MTGO On Release Could Get Added Retroactively
Although I’m a little put off byThrough the Omenpaths,there is one clear benefit to this new approach toUniverses Beyondcards. Previously, not allUniverses Beyondsets were made available onMagic: The Gathering Online, meaning players couldn’t use products like theDoctor WhoCommander Decks. I’m hopeful that the addition ofThrough the Omenpathswon’t just apply to new products, but also introduce digital versions of previous sets that had to skipMTGOoriginally.
Although I still thinkThrough the Omenpathsis going to create some headaches, it’s a trade I’m more willing to make if it means that at least some version of every card will be made available inMagic: The Gathering Online. Magic Arenais largely relegated to sets that were originally released in Standard, so it never bothered me that some sets skipped it, butMTGOis a different case. I’m hopeful that the platform can now include anyMagic: The Gatheringcards that get printed, even if it means creating a bit of confusion and frustration along the way.
