Magic The Gathering Will Issue InUniverse Reprints of the Limited Edition Walking Dead Cards

Magic: The Gathering will receive in-universe reprints of the limited-edition The Walking Dead cards following their controversial reception.

Wizards of the Coast announced that it will be reprinting in-universe versions of Magic: The Gathering's Secret Lair crossover with The Walking Dead.

An update shared on the official Magic: The Gathering blog confirmed that the developers were bringing sweeping changes to Universes Beyond, the section dedicated to crossover events. "Our goal with new Universes Beyond card designs that release through Secret Lair is to create fun and collectable expressions of your favorite characters from other, well, universes," reads the post. "The goal is not, however, to hold back mechanical expressions and game pieces from players who don't purchase through our direct-to-consumer channel. In other words, we want to give you options for finding the game pieces you want to use."

While the specific cards bearing The Walking Dead art won't make a return, Wizards of the Coast is offering players who didn't pick up the Secret Lair a chance to use the mechanics specific to those limited-edition cards with original, in-universe versions. When the set was first revealed, fans expressed concern that players who managed to acquire the Secret Lair would be given an intrinsic advantage over those who failed to purchase the bundle. The announcement came as a surprise to many since Wizards of the Coast initially stated it would not be offering reprints of the cards once the Secret Lair drop concluded, a policy it changed for its recent Stranger Things crossover.

The policy will apply to all future Universes Beyond sets. While Wizards of the Coast hasn't yet provided any in-depth information on the Secret Lair drops that will follow Stranger Things, we do know what themes fans can expect. Lord of the Rings, Warhammer 40K, Street Fighter and Fortnite crossover have already been confirmed, although when they will arrive is unknown. Given the policy change, it's also likely that players will be able to use reprinted versions of the Godzilla set launched in 2020, a few months before The Walking Dead crossover.

While Magic: The Gathering fans look forward to new versions of these Secret Lair cards, a whole new expansion is on the horizon. Innistrad: Crimson Vow is the next major set for the game, introducing a variety of new mechanics themed around sinister vampires. Players can expect the new collection to arrive on Nov. 19.