Magic: The Gathering Reveals Next Standard Set Release Date

Magic: The Gathering is officially on the road to releasing its first 2021 set, Kaldheim. Wizards of the Coast announced the new expansion and its full 2021 release slate during its launch event for Zendikar Rising. Kaldheim brings players to a Viking and Norse mythology-themed plane in Magic's multiverse. It is the second of three sets to use the new modal double-faced card mechanic, joining Zendikar Rising and the upcoming Strixhaven: School of Mages. Wizards of the Coast has now announced dates for the set's prerelease, retail release, and entire play season, as well as other important dates for retailers. Those dates follow:

• Season: February 5–April 22 (11 weeks)
• Scheduling Open: October 26
• Distributor Selection Deadline: November 13
• Promo Pack Allocations Set: November 13
• Kits Delivered (North America and Latin America): December 17
• Promo Packs: January 22–28
• Bring-a-Friend Promos Delivered: January 22–28
• Prerelease: January 29–February 4
• Release: February 5
• Launch Party: February 6–February 7
• Friday Night Magic: February 5–April 9
• Commander Nights: February 8–April 15

Kaldheim kicks off what looks like an exciting year of new Magic: The Gathering releases. Strixhaven: School of Magic adds another new location to the Magic multiverse, a school for wizards across the planes.

This summer, Magic: The Gathering will get its first Dungeons & Dragons set, Adventures in the Forgotten Realms. Wizards of the Coast has previously released Dungeons & Dragons sourcebooks about Magic: The Gathering planes. Adventures in the Forgotten Realms is the first time Dungeons & Dragons appears in Magic: The Gathering. The set focuses on the most popular Dungeons & Dragons campaign setting, the home of popular characters such as Drizzt Do' Urden, Elminster, and Minsc.

Magic: The Gathering closes out the year by returning to a familiar plane for two new sets in the fall. Innistrad is a plane full of Gothic horror that is home to humans, spirits, zombies, vampires, and werewolves. Those last two creatures will be the focus of the two new sets in 2021. Magic: The Gathering introduced the plane in the original Innistrad block from 2011-2012, including the expansions Innistrad, Dark Ascension, and Avacyn Restored. Magic: The Gathering returned to the world in the Shadows over Innistrad block from 2016, made up of the sets Shadows over Innistrad and Eldritch Moon.

Are you excited about Kaldheim? What about the other 2021 Magic: The Gathering sets? Let us know what you think about them in the comments.