It looks as though we won't be getting an MTG Harry Potter crossover any time soon, because a Magic: The Gathering designer is clear that Wizarding World sets aren't on the cards right now.
Following Hasbro acquiring the rights to make toys and games based on the franchise earlier this year, there was a lot of talk about whether an MTG Harry Potter set was on the way. However, Magic head designer Mark Rosewater has made it clear on his personal Tumblr that this crossover isn't being conjured up by publisher Wizards of the Coast – and more to the point, it might not ever be a part of the 'Universes Beyond' initiative.
On Rosewater's Tumblr, a fan asked "How likely is a Harry Potter UB [Universes Beyond] product?". Rosewater's response was to the point; he simply replied "Very unlikely."
'Universes Beyond' is a name given to Magic sets that cross over with other franchises. There have been almost a dozen so far, ranging from Star Trek to Marvel. MTG The Hobbit just hit shelves, and it's currently available at Amazon (though be warned, stock is a bit limited).
While this doesn't necessarily preclude a one-off Secret Lair drop (e.g. a batch of limited cards that are only available via the Secret Lair store for a short period of time), it does seem like an open-shut case. I don't know about you, but that took me by surprise. Although Rosewater is traditionally very willing to discuss all things Magic with the community (a trait that got him in hot water when he said fans must adapt or "walk away" if they don't like Universes Beyond), it's uncommon for designers or company reps to talk so openly about potential products. With that in mind, shutting the possibility down this firmly is notable.
Indeed, everything before this has been more vague. On a reddit thread discussing whether Wizards would use Harry Potter earlier this year, the official community team noted that "The Magic Multiverse has its own school of Magic at Strixhaven with plenty of secrets still to explore. Our Universes Beyond roadmap currently doesn't have us visiting any others." The word currently left the door ajar for a future collaboration, whereas this new stance shuts it.
Even though Rosewater doesn't have final say in what products Magic produces, it's fair to assume he's entrenched in Wizards' internal politics. As such, saying a Harry Potter crossover is "very unlikely" feels telling. In a reddit thread discussing the matter, the most upvoted comment (by user Imnimo) addresses this directly: "I'm of course not surprised at the answer, but I am a bit surprised Mark is willing to actually say it, since he's previously been pretty hesitant to speculate about future UB franchises. I know this is a bit of a special case, but still." User ThoughtseizeScoop agrees, adding that "This is about as hard a no as he can give."
The 'why' of it all is a different matter, of course. While it's possible that the controversy surrounding Harry Potter due to author JK Rowling's publicly-stated views regarding the rights of transgender people is enough to make Wizards leery, we can't say for sure. It's also plausible that behind-the-scenes rights issues are getting in the way, for instance.
However, there is one thing we do know: that we won't be getting the boy wizard on Magic cards any time soon.
Magic may not be making Harry Potter-related MTG sets, but Lego is going ahead with new sets based on the HBO show.
GamesRadar+ acknowledges the role of J.K. Rowling in the creation of the Wizarding World, as well as her publicly-stated views regarding the rights of transgender people. If you'd like to offer your support to the communities affected by Rowling's rhetoric, consider donating to the National Center for Transgender Equality in the US, or Mermaids in the UK.
- See the latest offers on MTG at Amazon
