Magic: The Gathering is releasing crossover decks with Lord of the Rings, Warhammer 40K

Play cards featuring Gandalf, Frodo and more.

Steph Panecasio Former Editor

Steph Panecasio was an Editor based in Sydney, Australia. She knows a lot about the intersection of death, technology and culture. She's a fantasy geek who covers science, digital trends, video games, subcultures and more. Outside work, you'll most likely find her rewatching Lord of the Rings or listening to D&D podcasts.

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Steph Panecasio

Aug. 24, 2021 10:33 a.m. PT

The new Lord of the Rings decks will feature all your favorite characters.
Wizards of the Coast/Dmitry Burmak

Magic: The Gathering has always had a rich tapestry of lore for all its decks, but now it's tapping into a brand new font of existing fantasy history. Two upcoming decks are set to combine existing MTG gameplay with fan favorites Lord of the Rings and Warhammer 40K.

The crossover decks were announced Tuesday as part of the Magic Showcase 2021. First to be released will be the Warhammer 40,000 Commander Decks, arriving in the third quarter of 2022 and featuring new art, new cards and reprints.

Some of the Warhammer artwork.
Wizards of the Coast/Dmitry Burmak

Then in 2023, we'll see the release of The Lord of the Rings: Tales from Middle-earth, and if you think there's too much content to fit into one deck, you'd be right -- they're making an entire booster set around it.

Not only will you be able to play cards featuring fan favorites like Gandalf, Frodo and even Gollum, players will also be able to reenact key moments from the series in their gameplay, from battling alongside Aragorn to journeying to the very top of the fearsome Mt. Doom.

In good news, the expansion will be playable not only on tabletop, but also Online and in Magic: The Gathering Arena. The Magic Showcase also included a release window for the upcoming animated series for Netflix, featuring the voice talents of ex-Superman Brandon Routh.