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My head hurts, and it's all thanks to MTG Spider-Man.
Magic: The Gathering publisher Wizards of the Coast has revealed a new plan to make sure its digital releases line up with paper expansions, and it's... well, it's pretty wild. To get around what I assume are rights issues, MTG Arena on mobile and PC will be receiving copies of sets like MTG Spider-Man with identical mechanics but totally different names and art. And I don't mean tweaks. By the sounds of it, cards are going to use the same rules but have completely different illustrations, titles, and theming. Prepare for Professor Octopi, who is in no way similar to Doctor Octopus. No sir. Spider-Man? Don't be ridiculous, this is Arachnid-Boy with his legally-distinct string-slingers. Totally different.
I'm obviously being facetious with those examples, and we don't have any idea how this could look in one of the best card games on a practical level. But judging by Wizards' blog, MTG will have to come up with its own versions of iconic characters like Spider-Man or Green Goblin. As noted via the announcement, these digital cards are mechanically identical to their tabletop equivalents but feature "unique creative treatments, different art, and different names."
These sets will be called 'Through the Omenpaths,' named after the mystical portals in Magic lore that allow passage between universes. According to Wizards, we're getting our first one as of September 23.
Not all Universes Beyond sets (e.g. releases that focus on franchises outside of MTG, such as Lord of the Rings) will get this treatment, though. Wizards of the Coast notes that Final Fantasy and Avatar: The Last Airbender will be making the journey across to MTG Arena in 2025. By contrast, MTG Spider-Man ("as well as future Marvel sets") will not.
This is all quite confusing, and it essentially means Wizards will effectively make certain sets twice. However, this isn't the first time we've seen MTG versions of cards that originally featured popular IP. For instance, Street Fighter got a fantasy overhaul with MTG Phyrexia: All Will Be One cards a few years ago. If I had to guess, we can probably expect something similar for Through the Omenpaths. Indeed, I'd be surprised if Marvel's New York wasn't turned into the planet-wide city of Ravnica for MTG Arena's Spider-Man clone.
What do you think? Sound off in the comments.
Want something new to play before MTG Spider-Man arrives? Don't miss the best board games, or the best tabletop RPGs.
