Final Fantasy Commander Decks Revealed, Feature Cloud, Tidus, and More

Even if you're not a dedicated player of Magic: The Gathering, you've likely noticed its recent surge in video game crossovers, featuring collaborations with iconic franchises like Fallout, Tomb Raider, and Assassin’s Creed. Today, we're thrilled to unveil an eagerly anticipated crossover: Final Fantasy. This isn't just a nod to one Final Fantasy game; it spans four major titles—Final Fantasy 6, 7, 10, and 14—each represented through meticulously crafted preconstructed Commander decks that are the centerpiece of this set.

**Explore the image gallery below** to get a sneak peek at the lead cards and packaging for each deck. Dive deeper into our conversation with Wizards of the Coast to uncover what treasures await inside these decks, the rationale behind selecting these four games, and much more.

Final Fantasy x Magic: The Gathering - Commander Decks Reveal

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Scheduled for release in June, Magic's crossover with Final Fantasy will be a fully draftable, Standard-legal set, complemented by the four preconstructed decks featured in the gallery above. Each deck contains 100 cards, combining reprints with new Final Fantasy-themed art and entirely new cards tailored for the Commander format. What sets these decks apart is their thematic focus on individual Final Fantasy games, providing a deep dive into the lore and beloved moments from Final Fantasy 6, 7, 10, and 14.

"Final Fantasy games are brimming with rich narratives, iconic characters, and distinctive settings, making it easy to create a deck centered around a single game," explains Senior Game Designer Daniel Holt, who leads the Commander aspect of the set. "Focusing on one game allowed us to explore its story in depth, capturing cherished moments that might have been overlooked otherwise."

The selection of these four Final Fantasy games was a deliberate choice, balancing gameplay dynamics with the popularity of each game's narrative. Holt notes that Final Fantasy 7 and 14 were straightforward choices, while 6 and 10 required more discussion, ultimately chosen due to their popularity within the team. "This project was fueled by the passion of Final Fantasy fans at Wizards of the Coast," Holt adds.

Navigating the narrative direction for Final Fantasy 7 posed a unique challenge, given the concurrent development of its remake trilogy. Dillon Deveney, Principal Narrative Game Designer and Narrative Lead for the set, clarifies that while the deck's art incorporates elements from both the original and the remake, the story itself remains true to the 1997 classic. "Our goal was to encapsulate the essence of the original PS1 game while leveraging the modern aesthetics of the remake to enhance character designs and memorable scenes," Deveney states.

For Final Fantasy 6, the team faced the challenge of translating pixel art and limited concept art into Magic cards. "We aimed to create character designs that resonate with fans' memories, blending various references with fresh ideas," Deveney explains, emphasizing the collaboration with the Final Fantasy 6 team to ensure authenticity and innovation.

Choosing the lead characters for each deck involved thoughtful deliberation. While Cloud was a natural fit for Final Fantasy 7, other choices required brainstorming. "We considered Celes for Final Fantasy 6 due to the World of Ruin theme, and Yuna for Final Fantasy 10 as a fan favorite," Holt reveals. Ultimately, they opted for the lead characters, with Y’shtola representing her Shadowbringers arc in Final Fantasy 14.

Crafting a deck to encapsulate an entire game's narrative, characters, and themes within the constraints of Magic's color system was no small feat. "Each deck needed a distinct color identity that aligned with the game's themes and our desired gameplay mechanics," Holt notes. The inclusion of White in all four decks was strategic, allowing for a broad representation of heroes.

Final Fantasy 6's deck emphasizes rebuilding your party through graveyard mechanics, while Final Fantasy 7's deck leverages Cloud's affinity for equipment with a white-red-green strategy. Final Fantasy 10's deck, inspired by the Sphere Grid, employs a white-blue-green strategy to enhance creatures. Final Fantasy 14's deck, with its white-blue-black identity, focuses on noncreature spell casting and includes beloved characters.

While the Commander format focuses on the leader, Holt assures that the supporting casts of these Final Fantasy games will also shine. "We've included a range of characters, both heroes and villains, in each deck," he says, promising fans will see their favorites as new legendary creatures and on other exciting spells.

Magic's Final Fantasy set will launch on June 13. If your favorite game or character isn't featured, don't worry; Holt confirms that all sixteen mainline Final Fantasy games will have their moments in accompanying products. Following the successful model of the Warhammer 40,000 Commander decks, these decks will be available in both regular ($69.99 MSRP) and Collector’s Edition ($149.99 MSRP) versions, with the latter featuring a special Surge foil treatment.

For an in-depth look at the creative process behind this exciting collaboration, read our full, unedited interview with Wizards of the Coast's Daniel Holt and Dillon Deveney below.