A World of Warcraft-themed Magic: The Gathering set is likely on the way for 2027.

Wizards of the Coast recently revealed at Gen Con that it’s expanding the Universes Beyond concept from Magic: The Gathering into the realm of Dungeons & Dragons, kicking things off with a crossover into Azeroth for Dungeons & Dragons: World of Warcraft. This is exciting news for tabletop RPG enthusiasts and the Magic community alike, as it strongly suggests that a Magic set based on World of Warcraft is on the horizon for next year.

At MagicCon: Amsterdam in July, Wizards unveiled three Magic Multiverse sets, but they’re likely holding back the Universes Beyond announcement for MagicCon: Atlanta in November. One of these sets is expected to be linked to Marvel, part of a multiyear collaboration that will see Marvel’s Spider-Man in 2025 and Marvel Super Heroes in 2026. This leaves two more sets, with the first one set to drop on April 9.

While some players are against the Universes Beyond concept, the most criticism has come from sets that stray too far from Magic’s fantasy roots, such as Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and the upcoming Star Trek set. During a recent earnings call, Hasbro CEO Chris Cocks mentioned that the 2027 Universes Beyond partners would be more aligned with fantasy themes.

World of Warcraft fits that bill perfectly. It shares many design elements with Magic, featuring familiar creature types like elves, zombies, and dragons, along with a vast array of spells and equipment. The diverse zones of Azeroth could easily translate into Magic’s five colors, from the red banners of the Horde in Orgrimmar to the gleaming white marble of Stormwind and the shadowy depths of Undercity. Even before the Dungeons & Dragons tie-in was announced, World of Warcraft was already a top contender for a future Universes Beyond set.

Wizards of the Coast would be remiss to overlook this synergy, especially since it could save costs on artwork by utilizing the same assets across both games. They have a history of merging these brands, as seen with the Adventures in the Forgotten Realms Magic set and D&D sourcebooks like Mythic Odysseys of Theros, Strixhaven: Curriculum of Chaos, and Lorwyn: First Light.

“I love all our Magic products like Strixhaven, Lorwyn, and Theros,” said D&D creative leader Laura Hohman during a virtual press conference. “We will continue figuring out the best timing and strategies for each release on our roadmap. I can’t confirm any overlap, but we’re focused on World of Warcraft coming in Q4. We’ll always do what’s best for each partnership.”

The World of Warcraft Trading Card Game has been out of print since 2013, replaced by the digital collectible card game Hearthstone. Wizards primarily focuses on physical card sales, and Blizzard likely isn’t concerned about losing players to Magic: The Gathering Arena.

However, D&D’s second Universes Beyond collaboration, Star Wars, set for release in 2027, could present challenges. Fantasy Flight launched Star Wars: Unlimited two years ago and is gearing up for its ninth set in October, with plans extending through 2028 and a competitive scene supported by events like the Galactic Championship tournament in Las Vegas. There were rumors in April about Magic working on a Star Wars set when some Secrets of Strixhaven cards featured foil stamps with an X-wing design, but that seems to have been a factory mix-up.

It’s possible that Wizards only secured the TTRPG license for Star Wars, which remains a valuable asset. If they can argue that a Magic set wouldn’t compete with Fantasy Flight’s ongoing game, Star Wars could also fit the fantasy-adjacent category. It would leverage the spacecraft rules introduced in Edge of Eternities and offer a wealth of intriguing creatures, legends, and equipment. Next year’s Universes Beyond sets are likely to include Marvel and World of Warcraft, with a strong possibility that Star Wars will join the lineup.

World of Warcraft will kick off a new series of licensed settings.