Back in June, the entire rare sheet of Ixalan leaked online but at that time, Wizards of the Coast didn't reveal how that happened. Now, we know. While many Magic: The Gathering players were glad to see what cards will be included in the set months ahead of time, it was disappointing for fans who didn't want the cards to be spoiled too early.
Today, Scott Kelly, the vice president of creative and production studios at Wizards of the Coast, explained how the Ixalan sheet was leaked. It turns out that a former temporary employee of one of their printing facilities allegedly stole a took a stack of uncut sheets from the upcoming set, somehow evaded security, and left the facility. According to Kelly, various websites started advertising the sheets for sale, and that's where the widely-spread most-likely came from. People reached out to Wizards to inform them about the leak, and the company quickly responded and worked with investigators and local law enforcement to track down the alleged thief of the sheets and recover them in a short time. While the case is still pending, Kelly said that the suspect was arrested, in prison, and is facing major charges.
Kelly went on to thank the people who helped track down the alleged source of the theft: "As an aside, I want to thank everyone who let us know about the images and the physical sheets ending up out in the wild."
I'm sure, Wizards will tighten the security of their printing facilities to avoid this from happening again.
After revealing what happened, Wizards went on to officially reveal the 55 Ixalan cards from the sheets.
Here's the synopsis for Ixalan:
For centuries, the untamed jungles of Ixalan have hidden a coveted secret: Orazca, the city of gold. But no secret can remain undiscovered, and no treasure can be taken uncontested. Unfurl your sails, saddle up a dinosaur, and battle your rivals as you embark on a journey to claim the plane's greatest fortune for yourself!
Number of Cards: 279
Magic Open House: September 16–17, 2017
Prerelease Weekend: September 23–24, 2017
Release Date: September 29, 2017
Draft Weekend: September 30–October 1, 2017
Game Day Weekend: November 11–12, 2017
Magic Online Launch: September 25, 2017
Magic Online On Sale Date: September 29, 2017
Magic League Begins: October 2, 2017
Pro Tour Ixalan: November 3–5, 2017
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