Magic: The Gathering x LOTR Journey to Middle Earth

In an extraordinary collaboration that took fans by storm, Magic: The Gathering journeyed into the hallowed realms of J.R.R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings this past summer. Now, the enchanting fusion of these two iconic worlds is back with a holiday special edition, set to make its way to stores on November 3, 2023.

​

This monumental collaboration was created in close partnership with Middle-earth Enterprises, the firm that holds the rights to The Lord of the Rings. As the parent company of Wizards of the Coast, Hasbro, had previously ventured into Middle-earth with a board game, the synergy between these two storytelling giants is nothing short of magical.

​

This collaboration with The Lord of the Rings is not Wizards of the Coast's first venture into Tolkien's realm. Hasbro, the parent company of Wizards of the Coast, previously introduced a board game based on this beloved franchise. Now, with Universes Beyond, the fusion of these two incredible worlds brings forth a new dimension of storytelling.

​

The set itself is a tapestry of representations of iconic characters, delving deep into the complexities of their stories and transformations. To visually convey the power struggles and internal conflicts associated with the One Ring, the set features a circular showcase ring treatment. This design pays homage to the profound influence of the Ring on various characters in the story.

​

One remarkable aspect of this set is the nine distinct pieces of art created for the single card named Nazgûl. These relentless creatures allow you to play up to nine copies of themselves, a subtle nod to the nine terrifying Nazgûl from The Lord of the Rings. In various booster types, these nine Nazgûl cards are distributed evenly.

​

In terms of legendary creatures, the set abounds with them. Arwen, Elrond, Eomer, Eowyn, Faramir, Frodo, Gimli, Gollum, Legolas, Merry, Pippin, Saruman, and Sam all make appearances, each having two legendary creatures. Aragorn, Gandalf, and Sauron, key figures in Tolkien's epic, boast three representations. Many characters, even those with only one card in the main set, are further explored in other products, such as Commander decks.

​

As a true collector's item, The One Ring takes centre stage. This serialized variant of the Mythic Rare card features a raised gold foil treatment and text inscribed in the Black Speech of Sauron using Tengwar letterforms. Serialized as 001/001, this unique card represents the only one of its kind globally. It was found in a single English-language Collector Booster, with the notable purchase by Post Malone for a staggering $2,000,000, adding to the lore of this extraordinary collaboration.

​

For those eager to delve deeper into this magical fusion, there's a special holiday release slated for November 3, 2023. It includes four Scene Boxes that showcase iconic moments from The Lord of the Rings, Jumpstart Volume 2, and a Special Edition of Collector Boosters. These special Scene Boxes contain six Scene cards, three Set Boosters, six Art cards, and a paper display easel. However, the Serialized Ring cards are not included in the Special Edition Collector Boosters. The holiday release also introduces 24 mechanically unique cards among the scene cards, adding even more depth to this enchanting collaboration.