MTG’s Game-Changing Shift: Fewer Planeswalkers in Future Sets Discussed by CEO Mark Rosewater and Designer Gavin Verhey

By Carlton Murphy Last updated Jul 29, 2023

MTG CEO Mark Rosewater and designer Gavin Verhey discussed forthcoming developments that might permanently alter Magic at MagicCon Barcelona. Since the dawn of Magic, planeswalkers have played a significant role. March of the Machine and Phyrexia: All Will Be One offered a brand-new caveat while undergoing considerable mythology modifications.

Heroes from previous MTG tales were changed into Phyrexian Planeswalkers, and regaining them resulted in losing their “spark.” These de-sparked Planeswalkers will continue to traverse the universe, but they will encounter fresh rifts in the fabric of space-time. The implications of this are materializing at MagicCon Barcelona. While MTG’s March of the Machine: Aftermath exposed us to several desparked Planeswalkers. The following sets will cement the significant shift.

Developers of MTG want to minimize the number of Planeswalkers

The MTG head developer Mark Rosewater and senior designer Gavin Verhey have revealed that Planeswalkers would be far less frequent than in previous sets. Only Ashiok’s reappearance with his Planeswalker abilities is seen in the promos for Wilds of Eldraine and The Lost Caverns of Ixalan. Hualti, Rowan, and Will are all legendary, once ordinary beings. Since 2007, Planeswalker cards have been included in every set. Therefore, this is a significant departure from the video game’s basic mechanics. The next Planeswalker Party Commander Deck is based on the concentration on planeswalkers that War of the Spark had, with each pack including a new planeswalker.

This set features one Planeswalker card: Ashiok, Wicked Manipulator. A character who is thrilled to learn of an plane largely asleep. You will see other characters who were Planeswalkers but have been desparked. #MTGEldraine pic.twitter.com/NQSZVw7Q4o
— Magic: The Gathering (@wizards_magic) July 28, 2023

Even in constrained formats like Sealed and Draft, removing the few Planeswalkers in each set would profoundly alter the essence of the game. In these formats, players often have only one card in their deck, and by reducing the quantity. They may change the meta-balance of the game. Additionally, since the cards are often produced at a legendary rarity, it increases the overall rarity of the deck. With just one set available, the secondhand market might spin entirely out of control if incoming cards are vital in the meta. There are currently 34 Planeswalkers that are playable in MTG’s Standard format. Due to the extension of Standard’s card rotation until 2024, this will only decrease for a while.