<h6 style="text-align: right;">Image credits: Hasbro &amp; Disney</h6>
<p>On Thursday, April 24th, Hasbro announced that it renewed its longstanding licenses with The Walt Disney Company for Disney's Marvel and <em>Star Wars</em> properties. The license extension spans multiple years and will allow Hasbro to continue producing toys, games, and collectibles related to these properties. How will this affect <em>Magic: The Gathering</em>? Read on, and we will explain how this could affect <em>Universes Beyond</em>.</p>
<h2>Hasbro's Dealings With Disney</h2>
<p>According to the press release made on April 24th, Hasbro has historically produced many kinds of toys and games for the <em>Star Wars</em> and Marvel brands. They have made Lightsabers and a plethora of <em>Star Wars</em> action figures, while on the Marvel end of things, they've produced <em>Marvel Legends</em>, preschooler toys based on <em>Spidey and his Amazing Friends</em>, and, of course, <em>Universes Beyond</em>. Under this new extension, Hasbro will continue to be able to produce these toys and games for years to come.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Wolverine, Best There Is"></div></div>
<h2>Statements From Hasbro and Disney Executives</h2>
<p>The <a href="https://newsroom.hasbro.com/news-releases/news-release-details/hasbro-extends-long-running-strategic-relationship-disney">press release</a> continues with some quotes from execs at Hasbro and Disney Consumer Products:</p>
<blockquote><p>"It’s an honor to be able to deepen our relationship with Disney Consumer Products to create even more magical play experiences for consumers across the globe," said <strong>Tim Kilpin</strong>, Hasbro's President, Toys, Board Games, Licensing and Entertainment. “<em>Star Wars</em> and Marvel provide an extensive array of captivating content that gives us an unlimited trove of fresh ideas to create from. Our collaboration spans more than half a century, and we look forward to strengthening our relationship by bringing consumers everywhere brand-new play experiences tied to the exciting universes and characters of <em>Star Wars </em>and Marvel.”</p>
<p>"We look forward to continuing to collaborate with Hasbro to evolve our expansive portfolio of <em>Star Wars</em> and Marvel toys that bring these iconic adventures into daily life,” said <strong>Paul Gitter</strong>, Executive Vice President of Global Brand Commercialization at Disney Consumer Products. "From must-have collectibles to Lightsaber toys, we aim to push the boundaries of creativity to deliver innovative products and engaging play experiences that bring our fans closer to their favorite stories and characters.”</p></blockquote>
<h2>Hold Your Horses, <em>Star Wars</em> Fans!</h2>
<p>This licensing extension looks extremely promising for <em>Universes Beyond</em> fans, especially with <em>Edge of Eternities</em> looming on the horizon. However, it is extremely unclear whether <em>Star Wars</em> will receive any <em>Universes Beyond</em> treatments. Yes, <em>Edge of Eternities</em> is a space opera setting, just like <em>Star Wars</em>. However, this extension is fresh. We also know Wizards of the Coast works approximately 2.5 years in advance, sometimes longer, on <em>Magic</em> sets. As such, getting a <em>Universes Beyond</em> license is a tricky prospect. Furthermore, with the <em>Star Wars Unlimited</em> card game gaining traction and popularity, <em>Magic</em> may not get a collaboration with Lucasfilm Ltd., even if this license allows Hasbro to produce <em>Star Wars</em> toys.</p>
<p>Nonetheless, Marvel's continued collaboration with <em>Magic</em> is full steam ahead. As such, we are excited for the upcoming <em>Spider-Man</em> set and all that will entail!</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Sensational Spider-Man"></div></div>
<p>And now, let's open the floor to you, dear readers. How do you feel about this continued rendezvous between Hasbro and the House of Mouse? Are you excited to see what could come of this license extension? Sound off below!</p>


Hasbro Renews Licenses With Disney For Marvel And Star Wars

<p>For a few years now, <em>Universes Beyond</em> has been hit or miss regarding integration into digital <em>Magic</em> gaming. Whether it was <em>Magic: The Gathering Online</em> or <em>Magic Arena</em>, some sets in <em>Universes Beyond</em> didn't release for the digital interface. This left many players pining for a more paper-like play experience in these interfaces. However, on Monday, April 21st, Wizards of the Coast announced <em>Through the Omenpaths</em>, a new digital-only release that sates those needs. <em>Through the Omenpaths</em> will serve a similar purpose to <em>Universes Within</em>, bringing in <em>Universes Beyond</em> cards into digital <em>Magic</em> spaces with an in-universe aesthetic.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Arvinox, the Mind Flail"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Deadpool, Trading Card"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Forge, Neverwinter Charlatan"></div></div>
<h2>Wizards of the Coast's Statement on <em>Through the Omenpaths</em></h2>
<p>In their announcement on <a href="https://magic.wizards.com/en/news/announcements/through-the-omenpaths-and-digital-universes-beyond-updates">DailyMTG</a>, <strong>Blake Rasmussen</strong> had this to say about the initiative for the digital playspaces:</p>
<blockquote><p>We will not be creating <em>Through the Omenpaths</em> sets mirroring every <em>Universes Beyond</em> set, only the ones that will not be coming to digital platforms. This lets our formats remain mechanically at parity with one another digitally without having to create patchwork solutions here or there. We are also currently only planning to create <em>Through the Omenpaths</em> releases for full sets that are legal in all formats.</p>
<p>For the remainder of 2025, two <em>Universes Beyond </em>sets will be coming to <em>MTG Arena</em> and <em>Magic Online</em>:<em> Magic: The Gathering</em>—FINAL FANTASY and <em>Magic: The Gathering </em>|<em> Avatar: The Last Airbender</em>.</p>
<p>One 2025 set, <em>Magic: The Gathering</em> | <em>Marvel's Spider-Man</em> (as well as future Marvel sets) will not be coming to digital <em>Magic </em>platforms. Instead, we will release our first <em>Through the Omenpaths</em> set on September 23. We'll have more information on that set as we get closer to the release date.</p></blockquote>
<h2>The Implications For <em>Universes Within</em></h2>
<p>The announcement of <em>Through the Omenpaths</em> brings some hope for players who want in-universe versions of powerful <em>Universes Beyond</em> cards. Because these newly in-universe cards will have new art and aesthetics paired with mechanics that exist in paper <em>Magic</em>, this is a recipe to bring cards like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Orcish Bowmasters" href="#" target="_blank">Orcish Bowmasters</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Dino DNA" href="#" target="_blank">Dino DNA</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, or <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Celestine, the Living Saint" href="#" target="_blank">Celestine, the Living Saint</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> to <em>Universes Within</em> as well.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Dino DNA"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Orcish Bowmasters"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Celestine, the Living Saint"></div></div>
<h3>The Potential Financial Impact</h3>
<p>Previously, many members of the <em>Magic</em> community who were critical of the licensing issues behind <em>Universes Beyond</em> have stated that printing mechanically-unique cards in a licensed release makes a pseudo-Reserved List. However, with this new initiative and the hope behind it, this complaint may soon become a much smaller issue. As a result, some <em>Universes Beyond</em> cards may stop carrying as much value on the secondary market. That said, players still need proof of concept from <em>Through the Omenpaths</em> before that idea is proven to hold water.</p>
<h2><em>Universes</em> Within The Digital Playspaces</h2>
<p>The implications of <em>Through the Omenpaths</em> are massive, but the proof that they're effective will have to wait for a few months from now. Nevertheless, it's an exciting prospect for fans of in-universe <em>Magic</em>. It's timely, too, as just three days earlier, <a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/mark-rosewater-in-multiverse-sets-should-feel-like-magic">we reported</a> on <em>Magic</em> Head Designer <strong>Mark Rosewater</strong>'s statement that in-Multiverse aesthetics need to feel distinctly like <em>Magic</em>. This statement has sparked some discussion about what that means, both for <em>Magic</em>'s Multiverse and for <em>Universes Beyond</em>.</p>
<p>What do you think about <em>Through the Omenpaths</em> as a concept? Do you hope for in-Multiverse versions of <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="The One Ring" href="#" target="_blank">The One Ring</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Great Unclean One" href="#" target="_blank">Great Unclean One</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, or <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Megatron, Tyrant" href="#" target="_blank">Megatron, Tyrant</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>? Sound off below!</p>


through the omenpaths

Hasbro Renews Licenses With Disney For Marvel And Star Wars

Through The Omenpaths Introduced For MTGO, Arena