Magic: The Gathering Unveils Edge of Eternities — A Bold New World Beyond the “Hat Sets”
Magic: The Gathering is finally shaking things up! After a series of so-called “hat sets” that focused more on costumes and borrowed genres than deep storytelling, Wizards of the Coast is bringing back real worldbuilding with the upcoming Edge of Eternities set. This fresh, space opera-inspired world launches on August 1 and promises fans something truly new and exciting.
- Magic returns to in-depth worldbuilding with Edge of Eternities
- New choose-your-own-adventure story by Seth Dickinson
- Unique space factions, lore, and mechanics
- Tezzeret and possibly Karn confirmed as Planeswalkers
- Links to previous Magic lore and fresh creative risks
Magic leaves the “hat sets” behind
Over the past few years, Magic’s main storyline took a backseat. Instead, the spotlight went to Universes Beyond sets, diving into worlds like Final Fantasy, The Lord of the Rings, and Doctor Who. Even when the game revisited its own Planeswalkers, it felt more like a genre tour—think Wild West or Gothic murder mysteries—than true storytelling. This led to some fans, including fantasy author Brandon Sanderson, calling them “hat sets.” In his words, it was like watching Magic’s heroes “playacting on a Star Trek holodeck” (source).
Edge of Eternities: A new universe to explore
Now, Magic is doubling down on worldbuilding with Edge of Eternities. To introduce this new setting, acclaimed author Seth Dickinson (The Traitor Baru Cormorant, Exordia) is writing a choose-your-own-adventure story. The second chapter is already live (read it here), following Sami—a struggling spaceship captain on a desperate search for their lost cat. Their journey takes them to a mining planet that’s equal parts abandoned and unsettling.
What makes Sothera so unique?
Edge of Eternities introduces the Sothera system, which is easily one of Magic’s most imaginative worlds in years. Sothera’s sun was about to go supernova, so a federation called Pinnacle arrived to help save its people and knowledge. Instead, a religious group called the Monoists turned the sun into a supervoid—a kind of black hole that still gives off some light and heat. This sparked a holy war with the knights of the Celestial Palatinate, creating a tense, multi-faction conflict where regular folks are often caught in the crossfire.
For lore lovers, there’s even more to dig into: a Planeswalker’s Guide to Edge of Eternities explores the world’s factions, space travel, and more. The Monoists’ quest to connect supervoids and reach their prophet, the Immortal Faller, could have huge implications for Magic’s universe. There are ties to classic Magic lore, too: this world was a battlefield for the Eldrazi and the Fomori (recently introduced in Outlaws of Thunder Junction), and both Jace and Tezzeret are up to their usual scheming.
Factions, creatures, and space cats
Edge of Eternities is packed with fresh ideas: sentient Kavu (originally from Dominaria), a private research group investigating mysterious phenomena, terraforming insect-people, space angels, and androids. Weftwalking—the set’s take on faster-than-light travel—might even be a cat specialty! The world features everything from asteroid belts with giant greatwurms to a bustling space station and a planet where nearly all animals can fly.
Planeswalkers take a step back
Perhaps the most refreshing change: only Tezzeret (and possibly Karn) are confirmed Planeswalkers so far. Sami’s mysterious boss, the Metalman, could even be Karn in disguise. Instead of relying on Magic’s usual cast, Edge of Eternities is building something new—with sly nods to older sets, like Sami’s cat named Mirri (a wink to the legendary Weatherlight Saga). Slivers even show up as fictional monsters, a fun nod to sci-fi fans.
All in all, it’s been years since Magic: The Gathering offered a setting with so much rich lore and creative ambition. Edge of Eternities looks like a bold new chapter, physically separated from the Multiverse (if Tezzeret is right), and creatively setting the bar high. The next part of Dickinson’s story will switch perspectives—let’s hope the adventure stays just as fresh and unpredictable!
