The rally format is caught between a rock and a hard place in 2025

Summary

2025 brings new Magic: The Gathering products such as three Magic Universe sets and three Universes Beyond sets.
Universes Beyond sets, once not for Standard, are now legal in all formats starting in 2025.
Players may struggle to manage six Standard sets released in close proximity at any one time, impacting gameplay and financial investments.

2025 will bring many new products and cards Magic: the gathering fans to collect – from three Magic The universe sets (Aetherdrift, Tarkir Dragonstorm, and Edge of Eternities) in Innistrad Remastered, including three Universes Beyond sets. MTGUB sets are polarizing from a design perspective, as the crossovers don't always fit perfectly into the game's setting. More importantly, Universes Beyond comes into play Magic: the gathering may be a bit controversial, as Wizards of the Coast initially promised that these releases would not affect the regular Standard rotation or be playable in Standard, but in 2025, that will no longer be the case.

Many things are changing Magic: the gathering at the moment, and it all started in November with the launch of Foundations, the first series to enter Standard rotation for at least five years, if not semi-perpetuity. Then, Wizards of the Coast announced the change from four Magic Universe set and two UB sets on Three and Three, accompanied by the announcement that Universes Beyond will now be legal in all formats. This may throw a wrench in some fans' plans though, as UB sets being legal in Standard means that to keep up to date with the format you need to play six sets in a year instead of four.

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Two types of Magic: The Gathering cards may never be printed again

Magic: The Gathering has many card types and subtypes, but two of them are problematic enough to never get new printings.

It has to be said that six legal sets in Standard are a bit tough on players both from a news cycle perspective versus fatigue, and from a financial perspective, as Magic: the gathering has many expensive cards. This means that six Standard sets will be difficult to manage for collectors, who may be forced to choose which sets to open in boxes and displays and which to skip or limit to a few drafts. On top of that, 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 might want to stick around Magic The universe is set up for reasons of setting, design, and lore. Instead, Standard decks will inevitably have to include cards from Universes Beyond sets with the new release schedule and legalization rules, which can be frustrating if you don't want to see Spider-Man OR Final fantasy cards inside MTG. This is true for every UB set, but since they are now legal in every format and released more often, it will be difficult to do.

Because six standard sets can be difficult to handle for new MTG UB fans

On the other end of the spectrum, new players who are starting to collect Magic: the gathering cards because of their favorite IP that join the game and also intend to start playing in Standard, collecting cards from all previous expansions to recover and create a deck is not exactly easy. Likewise, these new players may dislike other Universes Beyond IPs and lose interest in Standard or the game as a whole.

Aetherdrift launches on February 14, 2025, then Tarkir Dragonstorms on April 11, Final Fantasy UB on June 13, and Edge of Eternities on August 1. The Spider-Man UB set and the unannounced UB set have not yet been assigned release dates. but they are likely to be released between September and October and between November and December respectively.

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

What follows is that, for new Standard players and veterans alike, the move to six sets in a year means it may be better to buy individual cards instead of packs or try to use decks with as few new cards from each set as possible . However, it can be difficult to keep up with six sets for Standard players given the cadence, as there will only be a couple of months between each 2025 Magic: the gathering publication. Overall, 2025 will be full of new products, but it could put a strain on players, especially in Standard.