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#Magic: The Gathering

15 Universes Beyond crossovers we want in Magic: The Gathering

Polygon RSS Feed✍ Ryan Epps📅 April 23, 2026⏱ 9 min read(4 months ago)

Overview & Key Takeaways

Magic’s Universes Beyond has exploded in scale — here are 15 crossover sets we want to see next, from Dark Souls to Diablo and beyond.

There was a time when the idea of Magic: The Gathering crossing over with other franchises felt impossible. Magic just didn’t do that. When The Walking Dead showed up as a mechanically unique Secret Lair in 2020, it sparked more debate than excitement, raising somewhat controversial questions about what Magic even was.

Six years later, Universes Beyond has evolved into essentially half of everything Wizards of the Coast prints for Magic (more than half in 2026). These crossovers are no longer limited to Secret Lair experiments, either. The three best-selling sets ever are Final Fantasy, The Lord of the Rings: Tales of Middle-earth, and Avatar: The Last Airbender. But while those all fit relatively neatly into Magic's fantasy setting, the Universes Beyond has also crossed over into immersion-breaking franchises like Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and Spider-Man, with a multi-year Marvel partnership to bring even more superheroes to Magic. By the end of 2026, we’ll even have a Star Trek set.

Is anything off-the-table for Universes Beyond? It doesn’t seem like it. According to head designer Mark Rosewater, the “Arc Planning Team” was mapping out sets into the 2030s as of October 2025. “While running out of appropriate properties might happen one day, it’s not happening soon,” he wrote on his blog. That same month, the Hasbro CEO Chris Cocks reiterated as much in an earnings call, saying, “I think if you can conceive of a collaboration that we could do with Magic: The Gathering, we probably have inked a deal or are in conversations on a deal on that."

Well, Mr. Cocks, here are 15 potential Universes Beyond collaborations that Polygon writers have conceived of. How many of them might come to fruition?

15 Invincible

invincible season 4 Image: Prime Video

The Walking Dead was the franchise that started it all for Universes Beyond. Robert Kirkman is its creator, but he’s also the creator of Invincible, the dark superhero comic series that’s become one of Amazon’s best original series. Considering the fact that we’ve already gotten a Marvel-themed Secret Lair and June’s Marvel Super Heroes is positioned as 2026’s biggest set — not to mention Spider-Man and whatever future superhero collaborations that haven’t been announced — dipping into more superheroics can work mechanically for Magic.

Kirkman even confirmed to Polygon in March that he’d be up for another collaboration with Wizards of the Coast. Here’s to hoping it comes sooner rather than later, because I want to see Mark fight the Hulk ASAP. —Corey Plante

14 Harry Potter

Chocolate frog card featuring Dumbledore

Harry Potter holding an Albus Dumbledore card from inside a chocolate frog.

Image: Warner Bros. Pictures

I almost didn’t include this one because Wizards of the Coast has denied it so passionately (and a vocal contingent of fans would revolt over the socio-political implications), but the fact remains that Hasbro inked a “multi-year licensing partnership” with Warner Bros. Discovery in February for Harry Potter-themed merchandise, mainly pinned to the upcoming HBO series. "The Magic Multiverse has its own school of magic at Strixhaven with plenty of secrets still to explore," a post from the Wizards of the Coast community team reads. "Our Universes Beyond roadmap currently doesn't have us visiting any others."

That said, considering the fact that Strixhaven: School of Mages was a top-selling set in 2021 and early previews indicate Secrets of Strixhaven make it look like the best in-universe set in years, it’s clear that players love magical schools. As one of the biggest franchises in the world, Harry Potter would be an easy sell. Thematically, it’s a very good fit: wand equipment, tons of wizards, and specific spells like Expelliarmus or Avada Kedavra. The thought has me dreaming what colors each Hogwarts house might be. Slytherin is blue-black, Gryffindor is red-white, Hufflepuff is green-white, and Ravenclaw is blue-red? —CP

13 KPop Demon Hunters

Zoey, Rumi, and Mira all face the camera, brandishing their weapons. Image: Netflix

According to its CEO, Hasbro was the first big toy company to petition Netflix for a licensing partnership related to KPop Demon Hunters. That deal was inked in October 2025. Just a few days later, Cocks said outright during an earnings call that KPop Demon Hunters would come to Secret Lair in some capacity.

If I’m being perfectly honest, I would be first in line for a KPop Demon Hunters deck with the HUNTR/X trio sharing the Commander slot. While the budding franchise still feels too small to support a full set, even a smaller one, a single Secret Lair Drop won’t quite do it justice. Here’s hoping we get a big Superdrop with separate Drops for HUNTR/X, the Saja Boys, their various weapons, some different demons, and one full of on-theme spells. —CP

12 Clair Obscur: Expedition 33

Clair Obscur Expedition 33 Gustave and Sophie talking before a red and white tree Image: Sandfall Interactive/Kepler Interactive via Polygon

Magic principal designer Gavin Verhey is a huge RPG fan, and his enthusiasm for Final Fantasy is likely a major part of why that set’s design was so on point. Verhey actually told Dexerto outright in November 2025 that “Expedition 33 would be really fun to get to do.” Verhey added that gaming brands make for great collaborations with Magic since fans of both properties are already gamers.

As of right now, this one feels pretty unlikely, but if developer Sandfall Interactive and publisher Kepler Interactive get on board, Expedition 33 would make for a really interesting — and popular — Secret Lair at the very least. —CP

11 Shrek

Shrek in a mud bath in Shrek Forever After Image: DreamWorks Animation

As a trading card game, Magic has a lot of layers. You know what else has a lot of layers? Ogres…and onions. Secret Lair has already collaborated with Monty Python and the Holy Grail, The Princess Bride, and even The Office. Shrek feels not only plausible, but inevitable. But with six movies and counting in the franchise, there’s enough meat to it for at least a smaller full set.

Magic already has more than 130 ogres, but Shrek himself would obviously have to be mono green. Among the four in existence, one is a samurai, one is female, and one is a first responder. Oddly enough, Fiona’s ogre form would be fun as a Ghazbán Ogress reprint, so we might as well just have Shrek be Ghazbán Ogre. Control of both ogres shifts between players depending on certain conditions, which is a fun and odd sort of group hug mechanic fitting for two characters who always seem to be traveling on an adventure. Or you could always dream up mechanically unique green ogres for these two and make them overpowered. It doesn’t matter, because anything based on Shrek would be so much fun. —CP

10 Destiny

destiny 2 mtg crossover skins Graphic: Corey Plante/Polygon | Source images: Bungie / Wizards of the Coast

WithMagic: The Gathering jumping into Destiny 2 already, it seems only fitting to get some love going the other way — especially given Wizards’ not-so-subtle hint on X where four cards were lined up to say, “Eyes up, Guardian.” and “Imprisoned on the Moon.” Destiny may be sci-fi set in the distant future, but it’s just as much about magic and mysticism.

Some Destiny factions and story moments lend themselves wonderfully to Magic colors: The Hive are black incarnate. The OG Vanguard of Zavala, Cayde-6, and Ikora feel like a Jeskai trio of green, red, and blue. And if all else fails, give me some equipment cards like Gjallarhorn or Thorn. And just imagine how powerful Mara Sov might be as a Legendary Commander that can warp reality. —Lloyd Coombes

9 Diablo

Lorath, a mage, holds out a glowing purple hand while standing next to Captain Adreona, an Amazon warrior holding a spear in cover art for the Diablo 4 novel The Lost Horadim Image: Random House Worlds

Demons and angels are well-trodden ground in Magic, but a Diablo crossover would probably push those archetypes somewhere a lot nastier. This is a universe where “Hell” isn’t just a place or a vibe. It’s body horror and gore amidst overwhelming odds. I’m imagining Commander decks themed around Heaven and Hell, big ol’ threats like Tyrael or Diablo himself, and more treasure tokens than you can shake a goblin at. Further translating that into Magic would probably mean leaning hard on sacrifice, corruption counters, and graveyard recursion.

Side note: As much as I love Diablo, I’d love a Path of Exile 2 crossover, too. If we’re opening the gates to ARPGs, we might as well go all the way in. —LC

8 Mortal Kombat

cary-hiroyuki-tagawa-as-shang-tsung-points-two-fingers-at-earthrealm-s-defenders-in-mortal-kombat-1995.jpg

Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa as Shang Tsung points two fingers at Earthrealm's defenders in Mortal Kombat (1995)

Mortal Kombat is such a weird hodgepodge of ideas and characters that an equally scattershot card game like Magic: The Gathering in 2026 is a strangely fitting new battleground for the warriors of Earthrealm and Outworld. There’s already been a Street Fighter Secret Lair, so why not Mortal Kombat, too?

Sure, you’d have to have a Fatality card in there, but the likes of Scorpion, Sub-Zero and more could lean on the Ninjutsu mechanic, while the mind control antics of Shang Tsung feel like an ideal candidate for blue.

Goro in Gruul (red-green) is too easy, and Shao Kahn in Jund (black-red-green) would need to be a fearsome force to match a Bant (green-white-blue) version of Raiden… —LC

7 DC Comics

Miles Morales Spider-Man, with his Spidey Sense activated, talks with Superman Image: Sara Pichelli/Marvel Comics, DC Comics

How come Marvel gets to have all the fun? After the middling Spider-Man set, it would be fair to say there’s a lot riding on this summer’s Marvel Super Heroes, but should it go well I’d be keen to see the Justice League take on the Avengers.

Batman in Dimir (blue-black), Flash in mono red, Aquaman in (red-white-blue), Cyborg in Azorius (white-blue), Wonder Woman in Gruul (red-green), and Superman in all five colors? Make it happen, Wizards, even if just for a Secret Lair. Give us an official way for us to play a Marvel and DC face-off. —LC

6 Dark Souls

If there is any video game series that already feels like it exists somewhere in Magic’s multiverse, it’s FromSoftware’s Dark Souls series — and tangentially related games like Bloodborne and Elden Ring. There are crumbling kingdoms, gods long past their prime, and a world held together by a fading flame. Even gamers who aren’t Dark Souls fans would still enjoy the lore and vibes. And there’s enough meat for a full-sized Magic set.

What about Gwyn, Lord of Cinder as an overpowered white legendary that grows weaker over time? In fact, that could make a great theme for the set: powerful creatures that are cheaper to cast, but they pick up a blight counter every turn. It would be incredible to see other Souls bosses like King Allant, Darkeater Midir, and Artorias as Magic cards. This kind of set could also be very equipment-heavy with iconic weapons and pieces of armor from the series — maybe even trick weapons and prosthetic tools if it dabbled in Bloodborne or Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice. —Ryan Epps

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NBA 2K’s Best Mode Is Even Better This Year

NBA 2K has long been the standard-bearer for high-quality sports games. It's the pinnacle that other series like Madden, FC, and even the oft-beloved MLB The Show aspire to emulate in whatever ways their respective sports allow. That's not to say it gets everything right, but it often feels like the team at Visual Concepts is competing against itself. It creates trends; it doesn't chase them. That's always been most obvious in The City, the series' social PvPvE hub and the lifeblood of the game's community. Though some other parts of the game are more uneven with this year's entry, The City proves that if you only plan to play one sports game this year, NBA 2K27(https://www.gamespot.com/games/nba-2k27/) is the way to go. The City is where players can meet up for basketball games of varying sweat levels, buy cosmetics, and complete live-service challenges--it is the center of NBA 2K27's solar system. This hub is thoughtfully attached to the single-player MyCareer mode at the proverbial hip, and this pairing offers more enjoyable and immersive things to do as a tandem than most other sports games taken in their totality. This year, The City makes several smart changes. At the core of it all is the long-awaited ability to import custom women characters into the mode. Aesthetically, this is a nice change that lets the hub world better reflect real-life streetball communities--it's always been true that women have existed in these spaces in real life, so they should be included in NBA 2K, too. However, this positive change does come with a frustrating caveat: The MyCareer mode doesn't account for them, thereby siloing these women avatars into The City exclusively. Plus, this requires anyone who wants to run around in The City as a woman to create a second avatar as a man if they want to go into MyCareer's story mode. So as awesome as this all is to see, it also feels like a frustrating half-step forward. !(https://www.gamespot.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/NBA-2K27-The-City-Female-MP-Gameplay.jpg?w=636) Finally bringing women avatars into The City makes for a more diverse and dynamic social space. New landmarks in The City, Casual Corner and Crew HQ, build out the virtual world to be much more inviting and social. In Casual Corner, beginner-friendly pick-up games, including some that are co-op PvE against rather lowly bots, are happening whenever you want to queue for them. Meanwhile, NBA 2K's clan-like "Crews" system gets a big upgrade in Crew HQ, a space for you and your crew to meet up, practice, play crew-only games, and socialize. These two additions will better onboard new players and, by being tied to the Learn 2K suite added in recent years, speak to the team's commitment to not feel so dizzying to new players. They also become two more diverse ways to play in a hub world already full of so many different offerings, from ultra-sweaty Proving Grounds games that ditch the shot meter to The Rec's full-length 5v5 games. There's always The Park too, where some players spend the entire year building out their in-game legend and dominating on a particular court as though they actually live in the neighborhood. In more than one corner of the game's social world, these various modes feel big enough to allow you to commit to any of them exclusively and still find a lot to love. My favorite of The City's modes, Street Kings, is akin to Mortal Kombat's Towers: PvE games against boss-type ballers that escalate in challenge with every match, and where a hype man and an energetic crowd of NPCs cheer you on like a classic And 1 game. Since it first appeared in the series two years ago, it's become my favorite way to play multiplayer in NBA 2K because it allows me and my brother to make lots of progress in The City's various progress bars, like player and season XP, without bumping into players who disrupt the more casual vibe we're aiming for. Of course, every year I'm compelled to shine a spotlight once more on the over-monetized aspects of The City. Visual Concepts is extremely adept at partnering with authentic-feeling brands that create aspirational cosmetics to purchase and unlock in The City, and that's fine with me, even in its abundance. Personally, I loved getting to walk around in a Portland Fire jersey for the first time, as my home city recently rejoined the WNBA. !(https://www.gamespot.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/NBA-2K27-The-City-Female-MP-City.jpg?w=636) It's past time for returning players to keep their in-game cosmetics year to year. 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This year's game accidentally shines a light on a related topic, too. With The City taking on the same look (albeit with some added landmarks) as last year's, it serves as a more overt reminder that your purchases don't carry over, even if the virtual world's layout does. I really liked my avatar's Celtics hoodie last year, but seeing it in the shop again for a price, rather than just being available to me for free, felt especially annoying this year. The scenery is nearly identical, but the hoodie was apparently just a rental. There's so much for sale and new things are added frequently; it feels like it's time for NBA 2K to go the way of Fortnite and just let me keep my in-game purchases forever. The City is normally the social aspect of the custom avatar you'll build in the game, with MyCareer being the solo portion, but this year's game has built co-op into the MyCareer experience. However, it's a half-measure for now, and not as exciting as I once hoped when it was revealed. The narrative of MyCareer is much longer than usual this year, and the co-op portion of play only becomes available after several hours. At that time, the G League team you've landed with in the game's branching saga introduces a new teammate of yours in Trace Miller, a fake player invented for the story and meant to be the Player 2 of the story mode. This leaves your co-op friend feeling side-saddled. You can create your own avatar with your own intricately designed player build, even using your own face, but Miller is who he is, for the most part. Though you can choose his starting size and position, the build design tools are much simpler from there. The best version of co-op MyCareer would let both players fully customize their athletes, rather than leaving one feeling like merely the sidekick unlocked after many hours, as this first iteration does. !(https://www.gamespot.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/NBA-2K27-MyPLAYER-MP-Builder-2.jpg?w=636) Building your custom player is a richly detailed experience that many in the community treat like a science. The good thing is NBA 2K has long been great at taking an idea and building on it over time, rather than scrapping it if the first year or two don't satisfy players. It's an attribute that has separated this series from some other sports games, and I expect that North Star may affect this mode soon, hopefully for the better. There's a third way to live out the life of your avatar this year: MyCareer Eras. Borrowing the same remarkably deep Eras feature from the team-based MyNBA mode, MyCareer Eras lets you drop your fake player into any decade from the 1980s Bird vs. Magic era onward, thereby time-traveling to the NBA of yesteryear. In any era, you'll see period-specific presentation elements, rules, uniforms, rosters, and even audience attire. Eras were introduced in NBA 2K a few years ago, and they remain the coolest way to play Franchise-style. Though you could drop your avatar into MyNBA Eras last year, that was the extent of it. You were just a player on a team like any other. This year's version is a bespoke narrative experience that puts the spotlight on your player in a bygone era, full of challenges and emergent stories. 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For one, The W, its solo avatar analog to MyCareer, doesn't allow you to import your woman avatar from The City, which, like the lack of a truly customizable Player 2 in MyCareer, feels like a half-measure. But in MyWNBA mode, where you take on seasons of a single team, there's a lack of the same care the men's league gets. I'm sure the WNBA modes are played less, but I've always found it commendable how NBA 2K is a hub for all things basketball; only now I'm better able to see some of what's missing, like a robust halftime show and arena-specific ceremonies, the likes of which do exist in the real WNBA but only exist in the 2K version of the NBA. I'm hopeful that, as the league continues to grow, 2K's WNBA modes can grow with it. It's great to see women in the game more, like in The City or in MyTeam, where they first arrived last year, but in their own bespoke game modes, some of the details this studio is otherwise so great at building into the experience are lacking. 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There's room to grow in the WNBA side of the game, though with The City, MyCareer, and Eras modes, it's not short on deeply immersive experiences already. I have enough fun with NBA 2K each year that I tend to delete it from my console after the new year; otherwise, I risk never playing anything else. It can be that good. But just as I was ready to commit to the game for the full year, with my heightened fandom in tow, it's given me an installment I feel more comfortable walking away from--right after I delete the Jordan dynasty and beat all the Street Kings.

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