Magic: The Gathering has featured different kinds of fantasy worlds in its vast multiverse but what if Wizards of the Coast brings science fiction elements in the mix and create a cybepunk world for its popular trading card game? They've designed a steampunk world full of vehicles and steampunk tech with Kaladesh in 2016 but what if they mix high-tech with high fantasy and make cards featuring robots and cybernetic enchancements? Well, WotC may be already planning to develop a cyberpunk MTG plane.
In a recent MTG survey, Wizards of the Coast asked fans if they think various cyberpunk elements are appropriate for Magic, and they include things we've never seen in MTG before: drones, androids, holographic projections, cybernetic enhancements/physical augments, mecha, The Matrix, Terminators, lasers, virtual reality, artificial intelligence, neural jacks, cyborgs, and mega corporations.
So it looks like WotC is trying to gauge if fans are interested in a cyberpunk MTG world before they decide to make it, but Magic is known for its high fantasy worlds, not science fiction, so some fans might think that it's not appropriate for the card game's themes, but I think it would be cool to see a cyberpunk fantasy world like Shadowrun, a tabletop RPG set in a near-future world in which cybernetics, magic, and fantasy creatures exist, but we all know that any planeswalker could burn a Shadowrun-esque plane to the ground without breaking a sweat.
The most cyberpunk MTG artwork we've seen is "Notion Rain" illustrated by Lius Lasahido for the Guilds of Ravnica set.
There's also a custom cyberpunk MTG set designed by Carl Duzett (aka zarepath). You can check out the cards in the Imgur gallery below:
NETROPOLIS: A custom cyberpunk Magic: The Gathering set by Carl Duzett (aka zarepath).
With the cyberpunk genre on the rise again thanks to popular titles like the upcoming Cyberpunk 2077, the new Matrix film, and Taika Waititi's live-action AKIRA project, it's easy to see how a cyberpunk-themed MTG world can be marketable to fans but do you think cyberpunk elements are appropriate in Magic's multiverse? Feel free to share your opinions in the comments section below before this article gets hacked by a netrunner.
Related: MTG Play Design Admits "Oko, Thief of Crowns" Was A Mistake
Explore new topics and discover content that's right for you!
Magic: the Gathering