The Ultimate Guide to Magic: The Gathering’s 2024 Set Releases

The MTG release schedule is already underway and we’ve some incredible sets already on the shelves and planned for the rest of 2024. No matter the format, from Standard and Modern, to casual and Commander, there’s a lot to get excited about. There’s brand new planes, returns to fan favourite worlds, and exciting crossovers too.

Overview of the MTG Release Schedule 2024

Here’s a list of everything for the year in the MTG release schedule, from sets that have already launched to ones on the slate:

• Ravnica Remastered – January 12th
• Murders at Karlov Manor – February 9th
• Ravnica: Clue Edition – February 23rd
• Universes Beyond: Fallout – Commander Decks - March 8th
• Outlaws of Thunder Junction – April 19th
• Modern Horizons 3 – Q2 2024
• Universes Beyond: Assassin's Creed – July 2024
• Bloomburrow – Q3 2024
• Duskmourn: House of Horror – Q4 2024

Let’s delve into all of these, starting with the Standard legal sets, and then look at the non-Standard legal products.

MTG release schedule 2024: Standard Sets

Murders at Karlov Manor

Release date: 9 February

Already on the shelves, Murders at Karlov Manor was the first Standard-legal set launched in 2024. It is a return to the fan-favourite plan of Ravnica but with a twist – it’s not a ‘guild’ set focused on each two-colour pair, but a top-down murder mystery set, with all the tropes that go with it. The ‘Investigate’ mechanic made a flavourful return, along with new mechanics of ‘Collect Evidence’, ‘Suspect’, ‘Disguise’ and ‘Cloak’. It also debuted a new card type in ‘Cases’ that needed to be solved. A set that is a little different to what we’ve seen before, but very fun.

Notable reprints include two incredible removal spells in Assassin’s Trophy and Lightning Helix, while the new card No More Lies is the closest thing we’ve had to Mana Leak in a long time. Leyline of the Guildpact has been making waves in Modern thanks to a combo with Scion of Draco, while Massacre Girl, Known Killer is already a Commander favourite.

Outlaws of Thunder Junction

Release date 19 April

Magic’s first Wild West inspired world, Outlaws of Thunder Junction is a ‘villain’ set with some of the multiverse's most notorious baddies getting together for a big heist. As you’d expect, the set cares about players ‘committing crimes’, and can go on a wild ‘spree’ with a new type of modal card. ‘Outlaws’ matter, and brings together the creature types of mercenaries, pirates, warlock and rogues. Some creatures (mounts) can be ‘saddled’ in an ability similar to crew, while ‘plot’ in a new ability that’s much like foretell and suspend in that it allows players to play spells for free on later turns.

Exciting new cards include Oko, the Ringleader, who since his broken-version back in Throne of Eldraine still hasn’t found a shirt but picked up a cowboy hat instead! He’s got a lot going on – shapeshifting into creatures, drawing card and of course making elks – time will tell to see if he can have anything like the impact of Oko, Thief of Crowns (who can be found on the ‘Breaking News’ bonus sheet). Tinybones, the Pickpocket is a welcome return to everyone’s favourite diminutive skeleton, and ready to steal stuff from your opponent’s graveyards. A one mana mythic is shorthand for ‘this could be busted’, and it’s already showing up in the Four Colour Legends deck in Standard, including in the top 8 of the most recent Pro Tour. Duelist of the Mind is also worth keeping an eye on – Nathan Steuer’s World Championship card is a two-mana blue flyer with a lot going on, but it might not be until Standard’s next rotation we can see its full potential.

The main set has incredible reprints like Archangel of Tithes and one of the scariest dragons ever printed in Terror of the Peaks, and there’s even more on the ‘Breaking News’ and ‘Big Score’ bonus sheets including Thoughtseize, Leyline Binding, Reanimate, Dust Bowl and even Mana Drain!

Bloomburrow

Release date 2 August 2024

The most hotly anticipated Standard legal set of the year, Bloomburrow is a world filled with super cute animals; even Planewalkers travelling there appear to take on animal form (we’ve already been teased with what appears to be a foxy Jace!). From what we know, The Great Night Owl and other ‘Calamity Beasts’ threaten everything in the plane and a ragtag group of adventurers must get together to stop them! It’s also the first story in the new ‘Dragon Storm’ arc. Expect lots of cute rodents, from mice to squirrels, and at least one big bear…

Lumra, Bellow of the Woods, is that bear – a green, six mana */* with power and toughness equal to the number of lands you control, and with the incredibly powerful ability of milling four cards when it enters the battlefield and then returning all land cards from your graveyard to the battlefield. The only other creature we’ve seen is Mabel, Heir to Cragflame – a legendary mouse lord who creates a sword when she enters the battlefield, and looks like the protagonist of the story. Aside from that we’ve also seen that each full art basic land will have four versions, one for each season. I think I’m in love, time to pre-order now!

Duskmourn: House of Horror 

Release date: Q4 2024

The final Standard-legal set of the year is a spooky one no doubt timed for Halloween, taking place on a plane that’s entirely indoors, in a scary mansion. It’ll be interesting to see how that works, and how they keep the horror theme distinct from Innistrad, but I’m expecting lots of horror movie tropes, maybe even references to or even a tie-in with Resident Evil… I think we’re due a new game in that franchise? That’s wild speculation, but we do know Universes Beyond loves a computer game tie-in, from Fallout to Assassin’s Creed, and would be amazing if true. Maybe a ‘Jill Sandwich’ Secret Lair?

MTG release schedule 2024L Other MTG releases

While Standard remains the biggest focus for a large number of players, there are a number of other exciting sets scheduled for the year for other formats and casual players, featuring both new cards and reprints. It’s also worth noting that these are the sets we know about, a few extra ones often sneak into the schedule too.

Ravnica Remastered

Release date: 12 January

Ravnica Remastered was the first set of the year and the latest in the ‘remastered’ range. Featuring some of the most beloved cards from a fan-favourite plane, Ravnica Remastered is a ‘best of set’ and provided a bit of balance to the fact Murders at Karlov Manor was also set on Ravnica but didn’t focus on the usual ‘guild’ theme. There’s a lot to love in this set – Dark Confidant (finally at an affordable price!), Birds of Paradise, Chord of Calling, Guardian Project, Deathrite Shaman, Teferi, Time Ravler. There’s even borderless shock lands, and both old border and manga variants! A fantastic revisit to one of Magic’s favourite worlds.

Ravnica: Clue/Cluedo Edition

Release date: 23 February

The third element of the Ravnican trilogy for Q1 was Ravnica: Cluedo Edition, a curious standalone product that’s a mixture of Cluedo and Magic: The Gathering. Setting aside the fact it’s an obvious opportunity for Hasbro to cross promote Cluedo using MTG, it’s a fun new way to play the game, with a few new unique cards too. It works by shuffling together two packs found in the box to make a deck, similar to Jumpstart. If you’re a fan of both games, it’s surely a must-buy.

Universes Beyond: Fallout – Commander Decks

Release date: 8 March

Without a doubt one of the products of the year, the new Universe Beyond: Fallout Commander decks bring the 1950s-esque post-apocalyptic world from Fallout to Magic: the Gathering with four precon decks featuring both new cards and reprints, along with Collector Boosters too. No doubt boosted further by the new Fallout series on Prime, this Commander set is already looking like one of the most successful Wizards has ever made. Whether it’s Dogmeat and auras and equipment, The Wise Mothman and radiation with mutants, Dr. Madison Lee and energy or Caesar, Legion's Emperor with ‘token sacrifice’, you’re bound to have a lot of fun with these new decks.

One of the new cards that’s got a lot of attention is Nuka-Cola Vending Machine, allowing all kinds of token shenanigans. Crucible of Worlds, Guardian Project, Heroic Intervention and Tarmogoyf (or should I say Scrounging Deathclaw) are among the notable reprints.

Modern Horizons 3

Release date: 14 June

The third instalment of Modern Horizons, Modern Horizons 3, is sure to make waves. A set designed to skip Standard and go straight into Modern, MH3 is going to be fully loaded with powerful new cards that’ll reshape Modern, and beyond, from Legacy to Commander. With double-sided Planewalkers, Eldrazi, fetch lands, and plenty of powerful reprints hitting Modern for the first time, Modern Horizons 3 is going to have a huge impact and could easily be the best-selling set of the year.

Universes Beyond: Assassin’s Creed

Release date: 5 July

The second Universes Beyond of the year takes us to the world of Assassin’s Creed. Featuring beloved characters from the game and even historical figures, all found in Beyond Boosters and Collector Boosters, and Secret Lairs to follow too.

Planning Your Year In MTG: Tips of Players

With so many sets on the horizon, it can be hard to know which ones are for you; but that’s also the beauty of the MTG release schedule, there’s something for everyone. Standard players will of course focus on the Standard releases, especially post rotation that’s coming soon. Those playing Modern and beyond will have a keen eye on Modern Horizons 3, which is also going to contain some of the year’s most fun, interesting and no doubt powerful cards for casual and Commander players too. Universes Beyond products are always going to appeal most to fans of the specific franchises, but as they are loaded with powerful new cards and reprints, again there’s a lot of love for players of eternal formats. Fortunately, players wanting a little bit of everything can simply buy the singles they are after.

For those managing a budget, drafting can be a fantastic way to both build up your collection for new and experienced players alike, while having a fun play experience – and if you open anything good, you can even sell-it to pay for the draft or trade for what you need. Players can also consider pre-orders for cards or product they know they want, avoiding potential price spikes at launch, or alternatively wait to buy singles after the initial launch price bump (but remember, as we saw with Sheoldred, the Apocalypse card prices can go up as well as down!).