It was announced yesterday at MagicCon Las Vegas thatMagic: The Gatheringwill be returning to not one, but two fan-favorite planes next year.Magicplayers already knew that a long-awaited return to the plane of Lorwyn was happening next year. However, the excited crowd at MagicCon erupted in applause at the announcement that we would be getting anotherStrixhavenset as well.
The upcomingSecrets of Strixhavenset was announced duringMagic: The Gathering’s Preview Panelat MagicCon Las Vegas, which was also available to watch onYouTube. The only hint given about the set by the event’s host, Riley Knight, was that players will discover new secrets about the magical school in the upcoming set. As of now, no official release date was given forSecrets of Strixhaven.
MTG’s New Strixhaven Set Comes After The Return To Lorwyn
Lorwyn Eclipsed Will Be Released On Januray 23, 2026, Strixhaven’s Release Has Not Been Announced
Although we don’t know exactly whenSecrets of Strixhavenwill be released, it is confirmed thatMagic’s return to Lorwynwill be the first Standard set in 2026.Lorwyn Eclipsedwill be released on Januray 23, 2026, a little over 18 years after the firstLorwynset was released. Although no specific cards were shown off at the preview panel, we did get a look at some beautiful new artwork by Evyn Fong and Mark Poole showing off some changes to the plane, like the less stuck-up elves and how Lorwyn and Shadowmoor now co-exist in close proximity.
Secrets of Strixhavenwill be released later in the year, though it’s unclear ifMagic: The Gathering’s 2026 releases will follow the same pattern as 2025’s.If they do follow a similar schedule,Secrets of Strixhavencould be the second set we see in 2026, with an unannouncedUniverses Beyondset following. This would mirror howAetherdriftandTarkir: Dragonstormled intoFinal Fantasythis year.
A New Strixhaven Set Could Go Beyond The Established School
The First Strixhaven Set Left Room For More Color Pairs
Strixhaven: School of Magesintroduced us to its eponymous magic school with its five different colleges, each one representing a two-color mana pair. As any long-timeMagic: The Gatheringfan knows, getting only five of the ten possible two-color pairings - in this case the enemy pairs -often signals that the complementary five pairs will get their own time to shine in the future to complete the cycle. We saw something similar most recently whenIkoria: Lair of the Behemothsintroduced five three-color factions, withStreets of New Capennaintroducing the remaining three-color groups two years later.
It’s possible thatSecrets of Strixhavencould introduce new, possibly hidden, colleges of magic practiced at the school, representing the remaining five color pairs. Alternatively, we might see more of Strixhaven’s home plane, Archavios, where people practice magic differently than at school.Magic: The Gathering’s universe was alsoshaken up by the introduction of Omenpathsthat allow travel between planes.Secrets of Strixhavenmay show how the school has grown and changed with influence from other planes. Regardless, I’m excited to find out and if the thunderous applause around me at the Preview Panel is any indication, I’m not alone.
