Magic: The Gathering (MTG) has never been shy about crossovers. In recent years, Wizards of the Coast (WotC) has introduced the Universes Beyond series, weaving characters and storylines from other intellectual properties into the MTG ecosystem. The collaboration with Arcane, the League of Legends animated series, was one of the most unexpected. Fans got a taste of beloved champions through a Secret Lair drop that mirrored key visuals from the show. But now, many people are left wondering: will there be another Arcane collab, or was that a one-time event?
The First Arcane Collaboration
The 2021 Secret Lair x Arcane release caught the eye of both MTG players and fans of Arcane. It landed during the height of the show’s popularity, and the timing made sense. Riot Games was riding high on Arcane’s success, while MTG was looking for fresh faces to bring into the card community. The set itself featured reprints of popular MTG cards but with Arcane-inspired art. For instance, Rhystic Study got a Piltover-themed makeover, and Command Tower suddenly sported Summoner’s Rift in the background.
Though the card choices weren’t universally applauded—some folks felt they were just random reprints with screenshots—they still sold out quickly. Resale prices spiked, especially for that Arcane Rhystic Study. People who missed the drop had to pay a premium on the secondary market. Meanwhile, League of Legends fans who didn’t follow MTG social media pages often had no idea these cards even existed. Riot didn’t do much to promote the crossover, so the collab mostly bubbled within the MTG space.
Current State of Arcane x MTG
Since that initial Secret Lair, there’s been no official announcement from either WotC or Riot Games about a second round. Riot has branched out with other projects, including more spin-off games under the Riot Forge label. But a renewed partnership with MTG? That hasn’t been on the public radar. Some fans thought Arcane season two might reignite the hype, and they’ve been crossing their fingers that WotC would produce more than just screenshot-based designs.
There’s also the question of logistics. MTG crossovers under Universes Beyond can be extensive, as we’ve seen with Lord of the Rings: Tales of Middle-earth. That set introduced brand-new cards, custom mechanics, and full product lines. It might be more complicated to work with Arcane for something that big, considering League of Legends already has its own card game, Legends of Runeterra (LoR). Yes, LoR is entirely digital, but it’s still possible that Riot might want to keep its intellectual property in-house for any in-depth card experiences.
Future Collabs in the Works
WotC has a busy schedule lined up for 2025 and beyond. Final Fantasy and Marvel’s Spider-Man are just two major names on the roster. These collaborations will likely stretch MTG’s resources. Designing sets that bridge multiple fandoms while preserving the essence of MTG can be challenging. They have to capture the tone of each universe, choose iconic characters, and figure out how to translate those characters into game mechanics.
Arcane (and the broader League of Legends universe) would be no small feat if they decided to go beyond a simple Secret Lair reprint set. If WotC aimed for a comprehensive release like they did with Middle-earth, we might see champion mechanics resembling double-faced cards that level up, which echoes LoR’s approach. That alone could be exciting. But it’s also a lot of work and negotiation. So far, no sign says it’s happening anytime soon.
Community Sentiments and Speculation
Many players and viewers still hold out hope for a bigger, better Arcane collab. The conversation on forums like Reddit reveals a few common threads. Some want to see a full product line with new champion cards. Others say a second Secret Lair would suffice, as long as it offers more unique artwork rather than the original’s screenshot style.
There’s also frustration that Arcane content showed up in MTG but never in physical form for LoR. Several fans mention that it feels odd for Riot to team up with a competitor in the card market instead of making their own premium print. But it’s worth remembering that WotC is an expert in paper TCG products, and leveraging that infrastructure allowed Riot to test the waters without dealing with printing and distribution themselves. Maybe that approach made sense as a short-term experiment.
Some folks argue that Arcane was such a breakthrough success, it deserved a more fleshed-out card set. They imagine transform cards that show Jinx before and after hitting a “level up” moment, or specific synergy between Piltover & Zaun artifacts in a brand-new expansion. But these are dreams, not realities. For now, it’s pure speculation.
Why Riot Might Hold Back
Riot has shown caution about physical merchandise for LoR. Printing full sets of real cards is risky, especially if the digital game’s user base isn’t massive. The cost of printing, packaging, and distributing physical cards can be high. If the product doesn’t sell, you’ve poured money into something that collects dust in warehouses.
Plus, expansions and patches in LoR happen quickly. If you print a set of LoR cards in paper form, you have to commit to the game’s design at a specific point in time. By the time it hits shelves, the meta might have changed drastically in digital LoR. That could make the physical set feel outdated.
In that light, a small Secret Lair drop that reuses existing MTG cards is easier to produce. You don’t worry about balancing brand-new mechanics or linking them to a digital platform that updates every few weeks. It’s basically a themed re-skin that appeals to collectors. And for fans who love Arcane, it’s a cool novelty item.
Could Another Arcane Secret Lair Happen?
Yes, it could. MTG has returned to prior crossovers before, though usually with large franchises like The Walking Dead or Stranger Things. But Arcane had enough success that WotC might think about doing another run, especially if Arcane season two draws a massive audience again.
From a purely business viewpoint, collaborations generate buzz and revenue. MTG fans often collect these crossovers even if they barely know the franchise, because Secret Lairs tend to hold value. League of Legends fans might be more likely to pick them up this time around, now that the first drop has come and gone, and they understand how it works.
On the other hand, the hype from the first season has cooled. Unless Riot invests heavily in cross-promotion for the next wave of Arcane, it could remain low-key, much like the first drop. Another issue is timing. WotC has a lot on its plate for the next few years, and Arcane season two might not align neatly with their release calendar.
What the Community Really Wants
Scrolling through fan discussions, it’s obvious that many want more than a second reprint of random cards. They want an experience that ties Arcane’s characters and lore into mechanics that actually feel like they belong to that universe. People ask for Piltover artifacts, Zaun’s undercity approach, or champion transformations. They want synergy that captures how Jinx or Vi might play.
Some players have even created their own homebrew sets, sharing custom cards that represent champions. This is a grassroots way to fill the gap. People are hungry for a deeper integration than just pictures. Whether that ever becomes official is up to negotiations between Riot and WotC.
Final Thoughts
Right now, the answer to whether MTG will have another Arcane collab is: nobody knows for sure. There’s no official statement from either company confirming anything. WotC is focusing on major Universes Beyond products with names like Final Fantasy and Marvel on the horizon. Riot seems more interested in building out LoR and other spin-off games.
In my opinion, the first Arcane collaboration was a small test of the market’s appetite. It sold well enough, but the minimal marketing and the fact that these cards were basically screenshots left some fans underwhelmed. If there’s going to be another Arcane collab, it might be tied to the release of Arcane’s next season, so that both brands can capitalize on renewed hype. If that happens, it would be nice to see more thoughtful designs that resonate with the characters and settings.
For now, any chatter about a new MTG x Arcane product is just talk. That doesn’t mean it can’t happen. We’ve learned that WotC loves to reprint beloved franchises, and Riot enjoys branching out when the opportunity makes sense. But until we see an announcement, it’s all speculation. And that’s not always a bad thing. Sometimes the hope for something bigger keeps the community engaged and excited for what might come next.
