Summary
The belovedFinal Fantasyseries has helped another game break a new record on Steam, and it involvesMagic: The Gathering’s player count.Magic: The Gatheringhas evolved from its 1993 debut from Wizards of the Coast to become one of the most popular collectible and tabletop card games, as well as encompassing a successful digital variant of the hobby.MTGis known for being one of the most complex tabletop games to master, inspired by other fantasy RPGs likeDungeons & Dragons.
Released as part ofMTG’s Universes Beyond series, theFinal Fantasyset celebrates the franchise’s 16 mainline games, debuting for the first time back in 1987. The recent collaboration has spoiled card collectors and gamers alike, and someFinal Fantasyfans thinkMTG’s commander decks offer a perfect shortlist for future remakes, followingFinal Fantasy 7’s path.
Posted by kananishino on Reddit, a screenshot was shared on the “magicTCG” subreddit, showing the Steam player count over the last seven days inMagic: The Gathering Arena, a free-to-play digital version of the game. The original poster noted thatArenarecently surpassed its all-time peak player count only one hour after the release of the digitalFinal Fantasyset. The game’s all-time peak was 12,000 previously, before jumping up to 17,261.Game Rant’s preview ofMTG’sFinal Fantasysetdeclared it was a love letter to fans, and the new record set in the tabletop’s mobile arena is a testament to both games’ popularity.
Magic: The Gathering’s New Final Fantasy Set Helped Break Arena’s Player Count
Ahead of the set’s full physical release on July 15, 2025, theFinal Fantasycommunity has spotted brilliant references to the game series, especially through the tabletop’s Land, Artifact, and Instant cards, and fans are confidentMTG’s numbers will continue to rise during the set’s full launch. One Redditor noted the 5,000-player count jump was impressive but only relevant to Steam users, emphasizing that a lot more players use the iOS or Android apps to bump that count up even higher. Additionally, the hype thatFinal Fantasyhas created aroundMTGcaused players to guess how many other franchises could achieve the same excitement, with some examples includingXenoblade ChroniclesandMortal Kombat.
Not only has the new fantastical set provided fans with a healthy dose of nostalgia, but some thought oneMTGSephiroth card offered aFinal Fantasy 7 Remake Part 3tease. Presenting the original 1997 game’s final boss, the “Sephiroth, One-Winged Angel” card showcases what appears to be a new design for Safer Sephiroth, which could potentially make an appearance in the anticipated third remake from Square.
