Latest news with #Magic:TheGathering
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Everything To Know About The Magic: The Gathering x Final Fantasy Pre-Release Events
Magic: the Gathering's Universes Beyond Final Fantasy set is almost upon us, with a scheduled release of June 13, 2025. However, if you simply can't wait to collect or play with all your favorite characters and creatures from the legendary RPG series, you are in luck as this weekend, local game stores across the country are running pre-release events. If you are a longtime Final Fantasy fan jumping into the popular TCG for the first time, this guide will tell you everything you need to know about the event! As the name implies, a Pre-Release is an event that shops will run usually the week before the release of an MtG set as a way to get cards into the hands of excited players before the full release. While different sets will have minor differences, in general attendees will receive a Pre-Release kit with a number of booster packs and some additional goodies. For example, the upcoming Final Fantasy Pre-Release comes with six booster packs, an exclusive spindown (MtG's 20-sided, spindown die used as a life counter), a deck box, and a traditional rare (or mythic rare) foil card. The Final Fantasy Pre-Releases start Friday, June 6 (with some stores choosing midnight events) and technically go through Thursday, June 12, however most stores will be running them this weekend. Read More: Everything You Need To Know To Get Into Magic: The Gathering's Final Fantasy Set Players will then be given a set amount of time to open the boosters and build a limited, 40-card deck using the cards from those packs. After that, you will play three games against other participants in a 'tournament'. The tournament is Swiss Style, which means you play against other people with your record, ie: if you lose in Game 1, you play against someone who also lost in Game 1, and if you lose that too, you would play someone who lost twice in Game 3. There is usually a winner who is given a small prize such as a booster pack or sleeves or something small, but most people are there just to play some games. Given the randomness of the boosters in each pre-release as well as the the structure of the tournament, Pre-Releases are pretty casual events which make them great for FF fans coming to Magic for the collaboration. As mentioned above, most local game stores that sell Magic: the Gathering products will be holding Final Fantasy Pre-Releases. The easiest way to find stores near you, is by downloading the 'Magic: the Gathering Companion' App. You can then navigate to the 'Locator' Tab and type in your zip code and you will see a list of all the events in the area (not just the Final Fantasy Pre-Releases), as well as their date and start time. Read More: How To Pick the Right Commander Deck For Magic: The Gathering's Final Fantasy Set Choosing one will also give you more info including additional store rules including how to sign up as well as the cost of the event. It's a good idea to check a couple different events that you are interested in since pricing will vary depending on the store. In my experience, it appears that most stores are charging between $45 and $60, but don't worry about paying less as the product received is exactly the same. Once you pick a specific time-slot, if sign-up rules weren't listed on the event page in the Companion app, give the store and call and ask how you can sign up! If you have never played a TCG and have limited deck-building experience, here are a couple rules to get you started: Open all your packs and sort your cards by color. An MnG deck usually has two colors, so pick the two colors you have the most cards in as this will generally give you the most options. If you get a particularly strong Mythic Rare in your box, it could also be worth choosing that as an option. Now, any Magic deck needs Mana, and a lot of it, so your deck should have between 17-18 'Land' Cards. I wouldn't recommend using the ones contained in your boosters, because each pack only contains one, so you will be short by a lot. Your store should provide lands, so just use theirs this way you don't get mixed up on which are yours and which are the stores. That only leaves 22-23 cards to pick from your boosters. Here is a good general breakdown for a well-balanced deck: 1 Cost Cards: One or Two 2 Cost Cards: Seven or Eight 3 Cost Cards: Five or Six 4 Cost Cards: Three or Four 5 Cost Cards: Two or Three 6 Cost Cards: At Most One These are just general guidelines, and these numbers can be flexible if you think of a strategy that will work well. For example, if you want a Rush Deck to flood the battlefield with low level creatures, you will probably want less 5 Cost Cards and more 2 or 3. Play around with what you think will work, or just pick cards you like! Once you have your 40 cards selected, you should sleeve them. This is to protect your cards, and it makes them a little easier to shuffle. Your store will definitely have sleeves on sales. Dragon Shield is a popular brand as they are very well-made, affordable and have a lot of cool color options, but most likely any sleeves will do. Your store may even have Final Fantasy Sleeves for sale! If you are at all curious about Magic: The Gathering, you should definitely attend a Pre-Release. They are great for newcomers, as people are excited to play with new cards and with no real prizes, most veterans won't try to build an overpowered deck. As an added bonus, given the excitement around the Final Fantasy set, there will probably be a lot of newcomers to the game too, so you won't be alone if you are unsure about specific rules or card abilities. You also know you already have something in common with everyone who is there. Who knows? Maybe you'll meet your next FFXIV Raid Group and have a new Friday Night Hangout. . For the latest news, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
FlyQuest Unveils DUEL LAND: A Creator-Powered Magic: The Gathering Showdown
LOS ANGELES, June 4, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- FlyQuest is proud to announce DUEL LAND, a brand-new creator event that brings together fan-favorite Magic and gaming personalities for a high-energy, charity-driven Magic: The Gathering experience — presented by Archidekt. Hosted by Travis Gafford and Brian Kibler, Duel Land will debut with a 2v2 Two-Headed Giant format using Final Fantasy prerelease kits. Each team will build two separate decks from a shared pool of cards, then enter battle with a shared life total and one unified strategy. It's teamwork, chaos, and card-slinging at its finest. "Bringing esports and Magic: The Gathering together is a dream moment for me. I'm thrilled to be working with FlyQuest and the talented creators we've invited to Duel Land!" — Travis Gafford / Esports Host and Producer A Magic Showdown with a TwistDuel Land pairs eight Magic: The Gathering creators with eight beloved gaming personalities, combining deep card game knowledge with unpredictable gaming flair. The result? Strategy, surprises, and maybe just a little salt. The lineup will feature some of the most recognizable names in both the Magic and gaming communities. On the Magic side, veteran Jimmy Wong, co-host of The Command Zone and one of the most respected voices in the TCG world, brings expert insight and undeniable charisma. Meanwhile, the gaming world will be represented by creators like Atrioc, a former Twitch and NVIDIA marketer turned streamer, known for his sharp strategy and big-brain plays. These cross-community duos promise high-level gameplay, standout moments, and plenty of creator chaos. "The overlap between Magic players and gamers is one-to-one, and there are so many amazing gaming and esports creators who love the TCG space and vice versa. We wanted to give these fans and creators a platform to engage with the Magic community, and for FlyQuest, a competitive tournament for charity is the perfect fit." — Brian Anderson / CEO, FlyQuest The Weekend ScheduleDon't miss a moment of the action: catch the full Duel Land broadcast live on the FlyQuest Twitch channels at and all weekend long, June 14–15. From explosive matchups to unforgettable creator moments, it all goes down live. And while you wait for the event, head to sign up for a free account, and start building your own Magic: The Gathering decks today. Saturday, June 14 – 12:00 PM PTGroup Stage: Eight teams are split into two groups of four. The top two teams from each group will advance to the next round. Sunday, June 15 – 11:00 AM PTCommander Showmatch, powered by EDHREC, followed by the Playoffs Stage: The top four teams battle for the title, a cash prize, and a $5,000 donation to the charity of their choice. About ArchidektArchidekt is the go-to modern MTG deck builder. Packed with tools for stats, playtesting, and analysis, it empowers Magic players to build better decks faster with a sleek, responsive interface designed by and for the community. About FlyQuestFlyQuest is a purpose-driven esports and gaming organization on a mission to make the gaming space better than we found it. Known for bold competition and inclusive storytelling, FlyQuest creates experiences where talent and community thrive together. About Anagram CreativeAnagram Creative is a full-service agency connecting the dots between consumer brands, storytelling, marketing, and production. They specialize in delivering high-impact campaigns with cultural relevance. For media inquiries or interview requests, please contact: press@ View original content to download multimedia: SOURCE FlyQuest
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Coulee Cards to double its deck in Rochester
Jun. 3—ROCHESTER — Coulee Cards and Gaming , a Rochester sports and game cards shop, will soon more than double in size as it expands into the storefront next door. Coulee, which has seven stores in Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa and Florida, opened in Rochester in 2022 in the atrium of the Miracle Mile Shopping Center at 162 17th Ave. NW. It is by the entrance to HOM Furniture, Sylvan Learning and Gibbons Optical. The Coulee stores, owned by Kurt Lange, carry sports cards as well as Pokemon, Magic: The Gathering and Yu-Gi-Oh! game cards plus Dungeon & Dragons game materials. After three years, the shop has outgrown the original 1,600-square-foot space, so the plan is to tear out a wall and expand into the empty adjacent 1,566-square-foot spot. That was last occupied by Hangers to Hems, a dry cleaning business. "We're knocking down part of the wall and expanding into that space, so it will be one big store. Basically, we're doubling in size," said Coulee Manager Travis Peek. "The extra space is gonna be really useful for more inventory and then also having more space for players for in-store competitions." Coulee Cards has four on staff in Rochester. Peek said the plan is to add more staff once the expansion is up and running. The demolition and construction work is expected to happen this month without disrupting the store's hours. Peek said the goal is to have the space in use in early July.
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Magic: The Gathering Unveils Three New ‘Final Fantasy' Cards, Wizards of the Coast Team Breaks Down Collection (EXCLUSIVE)
Magic: the Gathering has unveiled three new cards from its upcoming 'Final Fantasy' set and Variety has the exclusive first look at the preview images from Hasbro's Wizards of the Coast. The three new cards part of the collection made in collaboration with 'Final Fantasy' game developer Square Enix include: The Strahl (an overlay of Smuggler's Copter), Luka Stadium (Strixhaven Stadium), and Tidus, Zanarkand Fayth (Thrasios, Triton Hero). The will be released with the rest of the set on June 13, which is now available for preorder. More from Variety Magic: The Gathering Unveils First Look at Two New 'Foundations' Cards (EXCLUSIVE) Marvel's Magic: The Gathering Cards Featuring Wolverine, Iron Man, Storm and More Revealed; Spider-Man Set Coming in 2025 'Magic: The Gathering' Netflix Series Taps Terry Matalas as New Showrunner 'The Strahl, a.k.a. Smuggler's Copter. During the previews, we showed you Balthier and Fran, and they care about vehicles, that's kind of their mechanic,' principal designer and set design lead for Magic's 'Final Fantasy' collection Gavin Verhey told Variety. 'And the Strahl is their ship, and we wanted to get the Strahl somewhere in the set. But it wasn't really making sense with what the main set was trying to do, we couldn't quite get it in there. But we thought, let's put it on this bonus sheet, so that way you can have Balthier and Fran and the Strahl side by side with each other, interacting. So that was kind of a fun little nod for us. Smuggler's Copter, of course, is a Magic card with a lot of pedigree. So that's pretty cool.' 'Gavin was so polite when he was like, people were trying to find a place in the main set — that was me,' principal game designer Dillon Deveney said. 'Every day I was like, 'I think we have to have this somewhere. It's so iconic to 'Final Fantasy.' People love these sky pirates in the game, they do this legendary shit. And so eventually, Gavin was like, I think I found the perfect spot on the bonus sheet and then it could be Smuggler's Copter. And honestly, it's even better at this point in time that we found that connection back to Magic. Smuggler's Copter is obviously a very famous card in Magic history, but also just the flavor of Smuggler's Copter being, in the original set, for a pair of sky pirates. I was just like beside myself. You found my dream, Gavin.' 'Thrasios is a really fun example of a card that we really collaborated with Square Enix on,' Verhey said. 'We were working out what cards we might want to use, and we sent Square Enix over an initial list of some ideas to show them. And they were really excited about Thrasios, right? I want to really emphasize, it's not just us going to them, they love Magic tons and tons. And we have weekly calls with them where they play tons of Magic, tells about what they think about Magic. And when we were over there playing with them and hanging out at the Square Enix offices doing work, after hours, we'll play a commander or play Magic together. So they love cards, too. And we mentioned Thrasios, they got really excited. So OK — we love it, they love it, let's put it in the set.' 'So this was just all encompassing passion of, 'Final Fantasy X' is my favorite game of the series, my personal favorite game,' senior game designer Daniel Holt said. 'Everybody asked, 'Is there going to be Blitzball? Is there going to be the laughing scene?' etc. But Blitzball just kept coming up over and over on 'Fantasy 10,' which, you will get some of that in the commander deck. But a lot of fans, once they learned we were doing this collaboration, were like, 'What about Strixhaven Stadium as Blitzball stadium?' People asked for this specifically, and I designed the original Strixhaven Stadium, too. So I designed this card. We got to apply it to my favorite game with this overlay. And it goes in the deck because it uses counters, so like Tidus in the deck and everything, it'll just slot right into the deck. It was just a perfect fit in every way possible.' Releasing June 13, Magic: The Gathering's 'Final Fantasy' collection will include cards based on the sixteen mainline games in the video game franchise. Per MTG's description for the collection, 'Cast powerful spells, call upon classic summons, and even visit your favorite locations on the back of a chocobo. Countless elements from the games are here for you to weave together your own story!' 'Magic has existed in Japan since 1995,' executive producer Zakeel Gordon said. 'We've had a lot of positive market signals and excitement from our Japanese community for distribution and retailers for this IP. There are a couple of special promotions that we will be doing in Japan as a celebration of this moment. So as a whole, I would say it's obviously very good for Japan, but more than anything, it's just trying to lean into the authenticity of what it represents to that market — what the history is with respect to video gaming culture in that region, and making our players globally excited.' Best of Variety New Movies Out Now in Theaters: What to See This Week Emmy Predictions: Talk/Scripted Variety Series - The Variety Categories Are Still a Mess; Netflix, Dropout, and 'Hot Ones' Stir Up Buzz Oscars Predictions 2026: 'Sinners' Becomes Early Contender Ahead of Cannes Film Festival
Technical.ly
5 days ago
- Business
- Technical.ly
June Data Visualization Meetup
Event Description Our next meetup is June 18, 2025 at Guru. Hosted by Ben Garvey and Ben Kates. Doors open at 5:30pm and talks begin at 6pm. Our format consists of 2-3 talks on data visualization and all tangentially related subjects (data engineering, tools, analytics, etc.). AI Dashboard Reporting & Considerations Adam Morrissey, Strategic Planning Analyst, Lincoln Financial Group An Analytical Investigation of Why my Wife Won't Play Magic: The Gathering with Me Jim Roddy, Sr. Director of BI
