MTG March of the Machine: Aftermath is coming to Arena earlier than expected

Confusion on the release date for the March of the Machine: Aftermath set has resulted in the Magic: The Gathering mini-set arriving early on May 9 to digital platforms. 

The original March of the Machine: Aftermath (MAT) release date was scheduled for May 11, featuring a total of 50 cards as a supplemental set to MOM. A date change may, or may not, have occurred sometime after the initial first look of the set, with the MTG Arena announcements saying the digital release date of MAT was on May 10. 

Related: All prices MTG Aftermath March of the Machine cards

WotC chose to respond to the confusion today, updating the MTG Arena client with Aftermath at around 2:30pm CT. A post was published minutes later from the Arena Twitter account, announcing the early release of MAT, as long as the post received one “like.” 

The update is slated to last until around 5:30pm CT at the latest, unless something goes wrong with the client. Players can log in to collect and compete with MAT cards following the completion of the May 9 update. The three free booster packs that come with each set launch on the MTG Arena client won’t become available until the original release date of May 11, however. 

WotC took a risk with the MAT set. It’s the first time the company is attempting to release a mini-set that is connected to an already released Standard-legal set. The contents of the booster packs are smaller and prices are slightly less than a normal Standard-legal set. There are no cards with an Uncommon rarity in the MTG Aftermath set. 

Product prices were at one time much higher and only dropped days prior to the May 11 MAT release date. And content creators were left unprepared to hype up the new cards on their platforms.

Both of these issues may affect overall sales for March of the Machine: Aftermath products, in conjunction with players feeling like the mini-set didn’t add anything of value to the MOM set that launched on April 21.