Magic: The Gathering's Lord of the Rings expansion receives release dates for 2023

The previously teased Lord of the Rings expansion for Magic: The Gathering finally has release dates for the legendary card game. Instead of simply being a Secret Lair, this will be a complete expansion with Set, Draft, Collector, and Jumpstart Boosters. It will also have a set of Commander decks, a Starter Kit, and more.

Lord of the Rings: Tales of Middle-earth will also come to Magic: The Gathering Arena, with the legality of Alchemy and Historic formats. This expansion for MTG will not be Standard legal. It will, however, be Modern legacy, so it will also likely be available in other Eternal formats.

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Lord of the Rings: Tales of Middle-earth has two release dates for Magic: The Gathering

Lord of the Rings: Tales of Middle-earth will have two release dates for this expansion. The first release date will be in June 2023, featuring a particular set of product launches. A holiday launch is also coming on November 3, 2023, but not much is known about what will be available then.

Lord of the Rings: Tales of Middle-earth is also the first official “Universes Beyond” expansion released for Magic: The Gathering. Wizards of the Coast relegated previous Universes Beyond releases to Secret Lair drops or Commander decks, which are smaller.

Unfortunately, no cards have been shown for this expansion yet. A first look is scheduled for March 14, which will probably boast several familiar faces from the Lord of the Rings universe. The set will debut on May 30, and the pre-release will occur on June 16. Below are all the important dates for the upcoming expansion.

Important dates for LOTR Expansion

• First Look: March 14, 2023
• Debut: May 30, 2023
• Pre-release: June 16, 2023
• MTG Arena Release: June 20, 2023
• Tabletop Release: June 23, 2023
• Holiday Release: November 3, 2023

Fans must wait to learn more about the specifics of the expansion. There will be something for all levels of Magic: The Gathering. There will be Jumpstart Boosters, with five unique Lord of the Rings themes for players that want to crack a few packs and play.

Players must mix a pair of packs and play a game. Draft Boosters, Set Boosters, and Collector Boosters will also be available. While we know there will be four Commander decks for this expansion, it’s unclear what themes they will take on. They will likely be familiar themes from the franchise, perhaps based on factions.

The first "Universes Beyond" expansion is on its way to Magic: The Gathering on June 23, 2023, and will bring a wealth of new cards based on the classic J.R.R. Tolkien novels.