Magic: The Gathering Universes Beyond: Warhammer 4,000, Lord of the Rings, Dr. Who, and more

Wizards of the Coast CEO Chris Cocks revealed Universes Beyond, a Magic: The Gathering product that will feature IPs such as Warhammer 4,000 and Lord of the Rings. 

The Universes Beyond products are a “brand within MTG,” according to WotC, “existing in addition to and alongside” present products. Additional details were released during the 2021 Magic Showcase, revealing that Warhammer 40,000 Commander decks are slated to release in late 2022, along with Lord of the Rings and Doctor Who during the third quarter of 2023.

Universes Beyond Warhammer 40,000

An official statement was released by Warhammer 40,000 in early spring, noting that the decks will contain “the mighty heroes, twisted villains, and fearsome Xenos races of the 41st Millennium to glossy cardstock.” The Magic Showcase revealed that there are a total of four preconstructed Commander decks and that Secret Lair drops would coincide with the MTG Warhammer 40,000 release. 

Here are the four Precon Commander decks for the Universes Beyond Warhammer 40,000 set.

• Necron Dynasty: Black
• Forces of the Imperium: Black, Blue, and White
• Tyranid Swarm: Red, Blue, and Green
• The Ruinous Powers: Red, Black, and Blue

The original release date for the Warhammer 40,000 Universes Beyond set was slated to take place in August but was delayed. A new release date has been scheduled for Oct. 7. All four Commander Precon decks are available for preorder.

Universes Beyond The Lord of the Rings: Tales of Middle Earth

The MTG Lord of the Rings full set is scheduled to launch during the third quarter of 2023. Legal in Modern, the Universes Beyond set will release via tabletop, Magic Online, and Magic Arena via the Alchemy format. It will also include Commander decks and Secret Lair drops. The Lord of the Rings: Tales of Middle Earth set will even feature gameplay in the Limited format through Sealed and Draft. 

“[We] knew that the immense size, the iconic nature of the stories, and the devotion fans have to The Lord of the Rings meant that we couldn’t do the set justice without creating a full product lineup to give as many players the opportunity to play with these classic characters as possible,” WotC said. 

An official Universes Beyond holofoil stamp will set apart the brand from other Magic brands, along with a distinct frame. Already seen within the game’s community, the holofoil stamp was on the Secret Lair The Walking Dead cards, according to WotC. 

New images for The Lord of the Rings: Tales of Middle Earth Universes Beyond MTG set were released during Wizard’s Presents, showcasing Frodo and the Balrog fighting Gandolf. It was also revealed that a new booster fun treatment was getting applied to epic battles and moments throughout the trilogy’s history.

Universes Beyond Doctor Who

Joining the IP roster of MTG Universes Beyond during 2023 is Doctor Who, with the BBC celebrating 60 years of the series. The set is slated to contain four preconstructed Commander decks that contain every Doctor over the course of the last 60 years, along with companions and villains. In conjunction with the Commander decks, WotC will also sell Doctor Who collector boosters containing alternative art treatments.

More information regarding the Universes Beyond Doctor Who collaboration will get released closer to the set’s 2023 third-quarter launch date. Multiple images showcasing what players can expect from the set were released during Wizard’s Presents.

Tips to know about MTG Universes Beyond

Universes Beyond contain a collaboration of IPs and are not the same as a normal MTG set. Some are full sets, like LOTR, while others like Doctor Who and Warhammer 40,000 are packed into Commander Precon decks.

• Universes Beyond products will be sold via most Magic channels.
• Wherever WotC sells Commander decks, players can also find the Warhammer 40,000, Doctor Who, and Lord of the Rings decks. 
• Universes Beyond products are not limited to Secret Lair drops, but will on occasion be “associated with Secret Lair products,” similar to the Secret Lair Godzilla lands from IKO. 
• It will also be offered as an “occasional standalone product,” just like recent The Walking Dead Secret Lair drops. 
• Universes Beyond cards are not Standard-legal. Most are Eternal legal while The Lord of the Rings: Tales of Middle Earth is Modern legal.
• WotC is “reserving the Universes Beyond branding for worlds outside those built by WotC,” for now.
• Dungeons & Dragons: Adventures in the Forgotten Realms are not “canonically a part of the Magic Multiverse,” for now. 

Cards within Universes Beyond will feature a “variety of treatments,” according to WotC. The Warhammer 40,000 Commander decks are slated to release on Oct. 7 while The Lord of the Rings: Tales of Middle Earth and Doctor Who are slated to drop during the third quarter of 2023.