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

Even if you're not a dedicated player of Magic: The Gathering, you've likely heard about its recent video game crossovers, including Fallout, Tomb Raider, and Assassin’s Creed. Now, we're thrilled to offer an exclusive first look at one of the most anticipated collaborations yet: Final Fantasy. This crossover isn't just featuring one game, but four iconic mainline Final Fantasy titles—6, 7, 10, and 14—each represented in a unique preconstructed Commander deck.

**Flip through the image gallery below** to get a sneak peek at the lead card and packaging for each deck. Continue reading for an insightful discussion with Wizards of the Coast about what you can expect from 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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Set to launch on June 13, Magic's Final Fantasy crossover will be a fully draftable, Standard-legal set, accompanied by the four preconstructed decks showcased above. Each deck contains 100 cards, a mix of reprints with new Final Fantasy art and brand-new cards tailored for the popular Commander format. These decks are uniquely themed around a single Final Fantasy game, providing a deep dive into the lore and beloved moments of each title.

“Final Fantasy games are rich with flavor, beloved characters, and unique settings, making it easy to design a full deck around a single game,” says Senior Game Designer Daniel Holt, the Commander Lead for the set. “Focusing on one game allowed us to capture even more cherished moments from the game’s storyline.”

The selection of Final Fantasy 6, 7, 10, and 14 was driven by a balance of gameplay considerations and the popularity of each game's story. While Final Fantasy 7 and 14 were straightforward choices, 6 and 10 required more discussion but were ultimately selected due to their popularity among the team. “This project was a labor of love for our passionate Final Fantasy fans at Wizards of the Coast,” Holt adds.

For Final Fantasy 7, the deck's narrative follows the 1997 classic, though it incorporates modern aesthetics from the Final Fantasy VII Remake and Final Fantasy VII Rebirth. “We aimed to capture the original game’s narrative while enhancing it with modern visuals,” explains Dillon Deveney, Principal Narrative Game Designer and Narrative Lead for the set. “We hope this deck feels both nostalgic and fresh to fans of both the original and the remakes.”

Final Fantasy 6 presented a unique challenge due to its older art style. The team worked closely with the original Final Fantasy 6 team to update the character designs while staying true to the pixel art and limited concept art. “We synthesized elements from Yoshitaka Amano’s original concept art, the FFVI sprites, and the Pixel Remaster portraits to create a new yet familiar look,” Deveney notes.

Choosing the lead characters for each deck involved careful consideration. While Cloud was an obvious choice for Final Fantasy 7, other selections required brainstorming. For Final Fantasy 6, Celes was considered but ultimately, Terra was chosen to lead the deck focused on the World of Ruin. Yuna was a contender for Final Fantasy 10, but Tidus was selected to represent the Sphere Grid system. For Final Fantasy 14, Y’shtola was chosen due to her popularity and spellcasting abilities, particularly during her Shadowbringers arc.

Each deck's color identity was chosen to reflect the game's themes and desired gameplay. The Final Fantasy 6 deck, centered on the World of Ruin, focuses on rebuilding your party from the graveyard. Final Fantasy 7's deck, led by Cloud, incorporates equipment strategies with a white-red-green color identity. Final Fantasy 10's deck, led by Tidus, uses a white-blue-green strategy to represent the Sphere Grid system. Final Fantasy 14's deck, with a white-blue-black color identity, emphasizes noncreature spell casting.

While the Commander format focuses on the leader, RPGs are about the entire party. Holt assures fans that each deck will include a variety of beloved and villainous characters from the respective games, appearing as new legendary creatures and in action on other spells.

Magic’s Final Fantasy set will be available on June 13, with each of the four decks offered 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. Holt reassures fans that all sixteen mainline Final Fantasy games will have their moments in the accompanying products.

For a deeper dive into the creation of these decks, read on for the full, unedited interview with Wizards of the Coast’s Daniel Holt and Dillon Deveney.