The Gathering format is in a quandary in 2025

Summary

2025 brings new Magic: The Gathering products such as three Magic Universe sets and three Universes Beyond sets.
Universes Beyond sets, previously not intended for Standard, will now be legal in all formats starting in 2025.
It may be difficult for players to manage six standard sets released at the same time each time, affecting gameplay and financial investments.

The year 2025 will bring many new products and cards for us Magic: The Gathering Fans to collect – from three magic Universe sets (Aetherdrift, Tarkir Dragonstorm and Edge of Eternities) for Innistrad Remastered, including three Universes Beyond sets. MTG's UB sets are polarizing from a design perspective, as the crossovers don't always fit seamlessly into the game environment. More importantly, Universes Beyond sets in Magic: The Gathering can be somewhat controversial, as Wizards of the Coast initially promised that these releases would neither impact the regular Standard rotation nor be playable in Standard, but this will no longer be the case in 2025.

A lot is changing Magic: The Gathering right now, and this began in November with the introduction of Foundations – the first set to enter standard rotation for at least five years, if not permanently. Then Wizards of the Coast announced its move from four magic Universe sets and two UB sets on three and three, which coincided with the announcement that Universes Beyond will now be legal in all formats. However, this can put a damper on some fans' plans, as UB sets' standard approval means that you have to play through six sets in a year instead of four to keep up with the format.

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Two Magic: The Gathering card types may never be printed again

Magic: The Gathering has many card types and subtypes, but two of them are so problematic that they may never see new printings.

It can be argued that six standard legal sets are a bit taxing on players from both a news cycle vs. fatigue perspective and financially Magic: The Gathering has a lot of expensive cards. This means that it will be difficult for collectors to manage six standard sets, as they may be forced to choose which sets to open in packs and displays and which to skip or limit to a few drafts. Additionally, the new total of six standard sets means it may be harder to take breaks from the format if you want to stay competitive.

This doesn't even take into account the fact that Universes Beyond sets may not be for everyone Magic: The Gathering Fans may want to stick around magic Universe sets for setting, design and lore reasons. Instead, Standard decks will inevitably have to include cards from Universes Beyond sets with the new release schedule and new legalization rules, which can be frustrating if you don't want to see it Spider-Man or Final Fantasy cards MTG. This applies to any UB set, but since they are now legal in every format and released more frequently, it will be difficult to do this.

Why Six Standard Sets May Be Difficult to Manage for New MTG UB Fans

At the other end of the spectrum are new players who are starting to collect Magic: The Gathering cards because one of their favorite IPs is becoming part of the game, and intend to play Standard as well, it's not exactly easy to collect cards from all previous expansions to catch up and build a deck. Likewise, these new players might dislike other Universes Beyond IPs and lose interest in Standard or the game as a whole.

Aetherdrift will release on February 14, 2025, then Tarkir Dragonstorms on April 11, Final Fantasy UB on June 13, and Edge of Eternities on August 1. Release dates have yet to be set for the Spider-Man UB Set and the Unannounced UB Set. However, they are expected to appear between September and October or between November and December.

Magic: The Gathering's 2025 release schedule may be too tight

It follows that the move to six sets in a year means for new Standard players and veterans that it may be best to buy individual cards instead of boosters or try to use decks with as few new cards from each set as possible . Still, keeping to six sets for standard players may be difficult given the cadence, as there will only be a few months between each set in 2025 Magic: The Gathering release. Overall, 2025 will be rich in new products, but it could take a toll on players, especially in Standard.