"Final Fantasy Commander Decks Unveiled: Cloud, Tidus Featured"

Even if you're not an avid player of Magic: The Gathering, you might have noticed its frequent video game crossovers in recent years, featuring titles like Fallout, Tomb Raider, and Assassin’s Creed. However, we're excited to unveil an exclusive first look at a thrilling new collaboration: Final Fantasy. This crossover isn't limited to just one game; it spans four mainline Final Fantasy titles, from Terra to Y’shtola, each represented in the preconstructed Commander decks that headline this set.

**Explore the image gallery below** for an initial glimpse at the lead card and packaging for each deck, and continue reading for an insightful discussion with Wizards of the Coast about what to expect from these decks, the rationale behind choosing these four games, and much more.

Final Fantasy x Magic: The Gathering - Commander Decks Reveal

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Set to launch this June, Magic's Final Fantasy crossover will be a fully draftable, Standard-legal set accompanied by four preconstructed decks showcased in the gallery above. Each deck contains 100 cards, a mix of reprints with new Final Fantasy art and brand-new cards tailored for the Commander format. These precons, themed around specific characters, colors, or strategies, uniquely focus on a single Final Fantasy game – namely, 6, 7, 10, and 14.

“Final Fantasy games are brimming with rich flavor, beloved characters, and unique settings, providing ample material to craft a comprehensive deck centered on a single game,” explains Senior Game Designer Daniel Holt, the Commander Lead for the set. “Focusing on one game allowed us to delve deeply into its lore, capturing cherished moments that might have been missed otherwise.”

“The selection of these four Final Fantasy games was influenced by both gameplay considerations and the overall recognition of their stories,” Holt adds. While Final Fantasy 7 and 14 were straightforward choices, the inclusion of 6 and 10 required more discussion but were ultimately chosen due to their popularity among the team. “With so many passionate Final Fantasy fans at Wizards, everyone was deeply invested in each phase of development.”

When it comes to direction, particularly with Final Fantasy 7, its ongoing remake trilogy posed a unique challenge. Dillon Deveney, Principal Narrative Game Designer at Wizards of the Coast and Narrative Lead for the set, explains that while the deck's art will incorporate elements from both the original and the remake, the narrative will stay true to the 1997 classic. “Our goal was to evoke the original PS1 game's narrative while leveraging the modern aesthetics of the Final Fantasy VII Remake and Rebirth to enhance character designs, story moments, and iconic locations,” Deveney says. “This approach allows us to present scenes in a way that feels both familiar and fresh to fans of both the original and the modern series.”

Final Fantasy 6 posed a different challenge due to its reliance on pixel art and limited concept art. Deveney emphasizes their commitment to capturing the essence fans remember while expanding upon it. “We collaborated with the Final Fantasy 6 team to update the characters to meet Magic’s art standards. Our artists synthesized elements from Yoshitaka Amano’s original concept art, the original FFVI sprites, and the FFVI Pixel Remaster character portraits to create a new yet nostalgic design.”

Choosing the lead characters for each deck involved some creative decision-making. While Cloud was a clear choice for Final Fantasy 7, other selections required more thought. For Final Fantasy 6, Celes was considered due to the deck's focus on the World of Ruin, but they ultimately chose Terra as the lead. Yuna was a contender for Final Fantasy 10, but Tidus was selected instead. As for Final Fantasy 14, Y’shtola was chosen for her popularity and spellcasting abilities, particularly during her Shadowbringers arc. The concept of a customizable “Warrior of Light” was explored but deemed too complex for this set.

Crafting a deck that encapsulates an entire game's story, characters, and themes within the constraints of Magic's five colors was another challenge. “We needed to decide on the color identity for each game and the desired gameplay,” Holt explains. All four decks include White to cover a wide range of heroes. The deck for Final Fantasy 6 focuses on rebuilding your party from the graveyard, while Final Fantasy 7’s deck leverages Cloud’s equipment-focused strategy with a white-red-green color identity. Final Fantasy 10’s deck, inspired by the Sphere Grid, uses white-blue-green colors to empower creatures, and Final Fantasy 14's deck, with its white-blue-black colors, emphasizes noncreature spell casting.

While the Commander format centers on the leader, RPGs are about the entire party, and Wizards of the Coast ensures the supporting casts are well-represented. “Final Fantasy games are filled with both lovable and villainous characters, and including them in these decks was crucial,” Holt says. “Fans can look forward to seeing their favorite characters as new legendary creatures and in action on other exciting spells within the 99 cards of each deck.”

Magic’s Final Fantasy set is set to release on June 13. Even if your favorite Final Fantasy game or character isn't featured here, Holt assures that “all sixteen mainline games will have their moments in the accompanying products.”

Echoing the successful model of the Warhammer 40,000 Commander decks from 2022, these Final Fantasy decks will be available in both a regular version (MSRP $69.99) and a Collector’s Edition (MSRP $149.99), the latter featuring all 100 cards in a special Surge foil treatment.

*For a comprehensive insight, read the full, unedited interview with Wizards of the Coast’s Daniel Holt and Dillon Deveney below:*