Wizards of the Coast have had a pretty rough year so far, with fans turning on the company quickly due to the serious Magic: The Gathering-related Pinkertons scandal. Despite the furious backlash, however, the company hasn’t stopped pouring products and content every which way, so much so that fans began targeting parent company Hasbro with their displeasure. Obviously, tensions are high, but Wizards of the Coast is looking to turn the tide back in their favor the only way Wizards of the Coast know how: by pouring more content at a specific fandom. This time around, the targets are the fans of the classic British sci-fi show Doctor Who.
Doctor Who fans already know the show has an extremely rich history, spanning across almost 60 years. I say “almost” because this October marks the show’s 60-year-anniversary, which just-so-happens to coincide with Magic: The Gathering’s newest Secret Lair dedicated to Doctor Who, which Wizards of the Coast already confirmed will be released on October 13 It will encompass all 60 years of the iconic time-traveling hero in the form of four ready-to-play commander decks. Three of the decks will feature Doctors from different eras, with the last one being dedicated to the show’s notorious evil-doers. Here is a short list of the decks and what they will encompass:
- Blast from the Past – featuring the first eight Doctors
- Timey Wimey – featuring Doctors Nine, Ten, and Eleven
- Paradox Power – featuring Doctors Twelve and Thirteen
- Masters of Evil – featuring iconic villains, their minions, and monsters from the show
Special Boosters, Epic Card Arts and More
To make the occasion even more special, Wizards of the Coast will also release special boosters for the occasion, dubbed Collector Boosters. They will include special versions of specific cards in the decks. What makes it especially exciting is that the Secret Lair will feature the work of renowned Magic: The Gathering artists Luisa J. Preissler, David Auden Nash, Pauline Voss, Lenka Šimečková, Simon Dominic, and Syd Mills. Wizards of the Coast are pulling out all the stops on this one.
The popular and chaotic Planechase mechanic will also make a return in the upcoming SecretLair, featuring various iconic locations from across the Doctor Who universe that fans are sure to recognize. The new decks will feature the flexible Partner mechanic, reimagined in the Doctor Who universe. Dubbed “Doctor’s Companion”, it lets you have a second commander, provided one is a Doctor, and the other a Doctor’s Companion. Judging by past Secret Lair releases, we will have a lot of classic Magic the Gathering cards reimagined in a fun and unique Doctor Who way.
Wizards of the Coast has set the first look of the new Doctor Who Secret Lair on July 28, with the official debut set for 3 October, and the global launch – on October 13. Fans of the franchise have a lot to look forward to in the coming months as the official dates draw closer.