Magic: The Gathering x Final Fantasy – How the Ultimate Crossover Was Built

The long-awaited Magic: The Gathering x Final Fantasy crossover is finally arriving on June 13, and fans are buzzing.

At IGN Live 2025, Principal Designer Gavin Verhey and Executive Producer Zakeel Gordon gave an inside look at the five-year journey to bring these two legendary franchises together.

“It’s Final Fantasy!” Verhey exclaimed, explaining why this collaboration was particularly special among Magic’s many IP crossovers. According to him, most of the team at Wizards of the Coast had been fans of Final Fantasy long before they picked up Magic cards, making this project a passion-driven endeavor from the start.

To ensure they captured the essence of the Final Fantasy universe, the team aimed to incorporate elements from every one of the 15 mainline games – and eventually included the 16th as it released during development. They meticulously cataloged characters, items, and stories, ranking them in three tiers: the “must-haves” like Cloud and Sephiroth, beloved side characters, and deep-cut fan favorites (yes, even Guy who speaks beaver).

Four Commander decks are being launched, themed around Final Fantasy VI, VII, X, and XIV. Verhey assured fans that everything in the decks – apart from the lands – is deeply themed, and playing the FFVII deck will feel like reliving the iconic game. “It’s like watching the story unfold card by card,” he said.

Gordon emphasized they aimed for broad representation of the franchise’s timeline. “We picked decks from different eras so players could connect with their favorite moments,” he noted. However, they couldn’t include every beloved character due to card limitations. “We had to focus on the core titles, which meant leaving out some amazing elements – by necessity, not choice.”

One standout feature is the Through the Ages cards. Featuring timeless artwork from legends like Yoshitaka Amano and Tetsuya Nomura, these cards emerged mid-development when the team realized the art itself was too stunning not to use. “The art was so beautiful, we just had to put it on cards,” Gordon said.

With nostalgia, detail, and reverence woven into every card, this crossover promises to be a true celebration of both Final Fantasy and Magic: The Gathering history.