Fallout's Magic: The Gathering Crossover Is A Landmark Video Game Moment For The TCG

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's crossover is a huge moment for the Wizards of the Coast TCG. Universes Beyond previously introduced IPs like but this is the first time video games have properly arrived in the larger UB design space. The timing, of course, couldn't be better — with the brand as relevant as its been in a long time with its successful Amazon Prime television adaptation, there's an appetite for more of its quirky, post-apocalyptic humor and survivor narratives.

's Universes Beyond, for those unfamiliar, is a broad umbrella term that applies to its partnerships with other IPs — while the set is perhaps the most memorable and visible of previous efforts, projects have also included and as successful implementations within Commander. Video games have previously appeared in smaller scale moments, like Secret Lair drops, but is the first larger scale UB project for the genre. It's also pivotal to future success — with and on the way, nailing the right tone here goes a long way.

recently had the opportunity to interview Annie Sardelis, Senior Game Designer at Wizards of the Coast (and Lead Designer on this set), to discuss how the Universes Beyond set came to be. We chatted about what it means for to crossover with video game IPs as big and beloved as, which characters to be included, and more.

Screen Rant: What sort of unique design opportunities are presented by doing Universes Beyond with video game properties?

Annie Sardelis: Adapting video game properties like Fallout to Magic’s gameplay is a bit different than adapting a story-based property like The Lord of the Rings, for example. The Lord of the Rings is a linear narrative where everyone reads the story and interacts with all of the same characters in a particular order. Video games, and especially open-world RPGS like Fallout, are something you experience that’s personal to you as a player.

Adapting something for a game-based property is more about capturing the universal experience of playing the game than it is