Magic: The Gathering is about to cross paths with one of Marvel’s most iconic heroes. The upcoming Marvel’s Spider-Man set brings the world of Peter Parker and his allies into the card game for the first time. With a confirmed release date, new draft formats, exclusive collectibles, and unique card treatments, this is a release that stands out even among past Universes Beyond collaborations. Here are the top things you need to know before it lands.
1. Key Dates and Events
The set officially launches on September 26, 2025. Wizards of the Coast has lined up a detailed schedule leading into release:
- Debut Stream: August 29, 2025.
- Previews: September 1–5.
- Full Card Image Gallery: September 5.
- Prerelease Events: September 19–25.
- Magic Academy Events: September 26 to November 13.
Alongside prerelease events at local stores, larger programs will be hosted at MagicCon Atlanta and other spotlight locations. This ensures that both local players and convention attendees will have a chance to engage with the set early.
2. Play Formats and Legality
Unlike some past crossovers, Spider-Man cards are Standard-legal. The main set code is SPM, and two additional codes—SPE and MAR—make specific cards playable in Eternal formats such as Commander, Legacy, and Vintage. This gives the set unusual flexibility, appealing to competitive deck builders as well as collectors.
3. The Full Product Line-Up
Marvel’s Spider-Man is being released across nearly every product type Magic fans are used to seeing:
- Play Boosters: Designed for draft and casual play, containing commons, uncommons, rares or mythics, and spiderweb-themed basic lands.
- Collector Boosters: Premium packs with multiple rares, extended-art and textured variants, and foils.
- Bundles: Standard boxed sets with boosters, foil and non-foil basic lands, a promo card, reference cards, and a spindown die.
- Gift Bundles: Expanded bundles featuring an exclusive promo (Gwenom, Remorseless) and a Collector Booster.
- Scene Box: A specialty product with borderless scene cards, art cards, boosters, and a display easel.
- Prerelease Packs: Available at early events with Play Boosters, a foil stamped rare or mythic, a die, and a deck box.
- Welcome Decks: Entry-level half-decks with spiderweb basic lands, intended to help new players learn the game.
Each product type has a clearly defined audience, from competitive players to collectors and newcomers.
4. Unique Card Treatments
This set is packed with distinctive card designs that combine Marvel’s comic art with Magic’s mechanics:
- The Soul Stone: Printed in three versions—standard art, a borderless Gauntlet-themed frame, and a rare cosmic foil textless edition.
- Classic Comic Borderless Cards: Showcase major characters in vintage comic book style.
- Costume Change Spider-Man: Seven alternate Spider-Man versions appear in textured foil, plus one in the main set.
- Scene Cards: Panoramic borderless artwork formed when cards are placed side by side.
- Source Material and Panel Cards: Magic staples reimagined with Marvel-inspired art.
- Spiderweb Lands: A full-art land cycle with thematic web designs.
- Extended-Art Versions: Collector Boosters include 33 rare and 7 mythic rare extended-art cards.
These treatments are expected to be a major draw for collectors and players who value alternate artwork.
5. No Digital Release on Arena
One of the biggest differences with this set is its absence from MTG Arena and Magic Online. The Spider-Man set will only be available physically. Instead, a digital companion product titled Through the Omenpaths will appear on September 23, 2025. It will include re-skinned cards that bring the Marvel theme to digital play but without the direct Spider-Man set release.
6. A New Draft Experience
The set introduces a new Pick Two Draft format. In this version, four players draft together, but each player takes two cards per pick instead of one. Wizards has framed this as a more casual and fast-paced way to enjoy Limited play. While it offers something different, some competitive players have voiced concerns about the depth of strategy and card pool balance.
7. Cross-Promotions with Action Figures
Hasbro is expanding the crossover beyond cards. A line of Marvel Legends action figures tied to the release will include bundled foil Magic cards. Confirmed characters include Spectacular Spider-Man, Iron Spider Mary Jane Watson, Man-Wolf, and Anti-Venom. These products combine Magic’s collector appeal with Marvel’s strong merchandising history.
8. Community Response
The community’s reaction has been a mix of excitement and caution. Many fans are eager for Spider-Man’s arrival and impressed by the creative card treatments. At the same time, there are concerns over high prices for Collector products and frustration over the lack of MTG Arena support. Wizards’ head designer, Mark Rosewater, has emphasized that Magic remains flexible: players can engage with the parts of the game that appeal most to them.
Final Thoughts
Marvel’s Spider-Man marks one of Magic’s most ambitious Universes Beyond releases to date. It blends Spider-Man’s popularity with Magic’s mechanics in a way that is designed to appeal to a wide audience—casual players, competitive deck builders, collectors, and Marvel fans alike. With a Standard-legal set, creative treatments, new draft options, and cross-promotional products, it represents both an opportunity and a test of how far Magic can stretch.
For players, the key takeaway is simple: if Spider-Man or Marvel’s storytelling resonates with you, this set offers a new way to enjoy it within Magic’s framework. And if you prefer the game’s more traditional side, you can continue to engage with formats and sets that align with your style. Either way, September 26, 2025 will be a milestone date worth watching.
Obsidian Games is your local source for Magic: The Gathering. Whether you’re chasing new sets like Marvel’s Spider-Man or picking up classics, stop by and see what’s in stock.
