Even if you're not a Magic: The Gathering player, you've likely seen its recent video game crossovers, including Fallout, Tomb Raider, and Assassin's Creed. But get ready for one of the most exciting yet: Final Fantasy. This isn't just one Final Fantasy game either; from Terra to Y'shtola, four mainline games are represented in the preconstructed Commander decks leading this set.

Browse the image gallery below for a sneak peek at the key card and packaging for each deck. Then, read on for our conversation with Wizards of the Coast about what to expect, the game selection process, and more.

Final Fantasy x Magic: The Gathering - Commander Decks Revealed

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Launching this June, Magic's Final Fantasy crossover includes a fully draftable, Standard-legal set and four preconstructed decks (shown above). Each deck boasts 100 cards: reprints with new Final Fantasy art and brand-new cards designed for Commander. While Commander precons often center on characters, colors, or strategies, these decks uniquely focus on individual Final Fantasy games: 6, 7, 10, and 14.

“Final Fantasy games are rich with lore, beloved characters, and unique settings; choosing a single game provided ample material for a full deck,” explains Senior Game Designer Daniel Holt, Commander Lead for the set. “This approach allowed us to delve deep into each game's lore, capturing beloved moments we might have otherwise missed.”

"...we have so many passionate Final Fantasy fans in the building.”

“The team selected these four games based on gameplay desires and story recognition. While Final Fantasy VII and XIV were easy choices, VI and X required more discussion, partly due to team favorites,” Holt adds. “Everyone was invested in every development stage, as we have so many passionate Final Fantasy fans in the building.”

Even with the selections made, directional decisions were necessary. Final Fantasy VII's remake trilogy ran concurrently with this set's development. Does the Commander precon follow the original or its reimagining? Dillon Deveney, Principal Narrative Game Designer at Wizards of the Coast and Narrative Lead, clarifies: it's a blend.

“Our approach to Final Fantasy VII was to capture the original PS1 game's narrative, using Final Fantasy VII Remake and Rebirth's modern aesthetics to enhance character designs, story moments, and locations,” Deveney explains. “Where scenes existed in both, we chose between the original, the modern interpretation, or a unique fusion. Hopefully, this deck feels familiar and nostalgic to players of both.”

Nostalgia presents challenges, particularly with Final Fantasy VI's pixel art. Deveney explains their approach: staying true to fan expectations while expanding upon them. “The character designs should feel familiar, a hybridization of references and new ideas.” WOTC even consulted the Final Fantasy VI team to update character designs to Magic art standards.

“Our workflow involved concept and card artists referencing Yoshitaka Amano's concept art, original sprites, and Pixel Remaster portraits to synthesize design elements. We then collaborated with the Final Fantasy VI review team for feedback on preserving core elements and exploring new ones.”

"It's our hope that the [FF6] character designs should feel like how you ‘remember’ them..."

The game choices were made, but Commander required character selection. Cloud was an obvious choice for VII, but others needed brainstorming. Celes was considered for VI (World of Ruin focus), and Yuna for X. Ultimately, they chose "lead" characters, but Final Fantasy XIV's MMO nature presented a unique challenge.

“For Y'shtola, it was a mix of popularity and her spellcasting role. Her story offered a wide range of abilities and moments,” Holt explains, noting her Shadowbringers arc representation. A "Warrior of Light" commander was explored, but those ideas were complex. Even without leading, this deck features many Warrior of Light moments.

Fitting an entire game's story into a deck with Magic's color restrictions required careful planning. Holt notes that all four decks include White, “for both theming and to encompass the heroes.” Deck VI focuses on rebuilding your party from the graveyard. VII's red-white-green blend ties into equipment, power matters, and the Planet/lifestream. X's white-blue-green strategy mirrors the Sphere Grid system. XIV's white-blue-black identity emphasizes noncreature spellcasting.

"...fans can expect to see some of their favorite characters in the 99 of each deck..."

While Commander focuses on the leader, supporting characters are crucial. “Final Fantasy games are full of beloved characters, and including them was important,” Holt says. “While I can't reveal specifics, fans can expect to see favorite characters in the 99 cards as legendary creatures and on spells.”

Magic's Final Fantasy set releases June 13th. If your favorite game or character isn't featured (or even if it is), don't worry—Holt assures us that "all sixteen mainline games will have their moments."

Similar to the 2022 Warhammer 40,000 Commander decks, these decks will be available in regular ($69.99 MSRP) and Collector's Edition ($149.99 MSRP) versions. The Collector's Edition features all 100 cards with Surge foil.

Read on for the full, unedited interview with Wizards of the Coast’s Daniel Holt and Dillon Deveney: