Launching in January 2026, Magic's new 60-Card Theme Decks make jumping into Constructed play simple and exciting for players of just about any level. Each ready-to-play deck delivers a flavorful and fun experience built around one of two fan-favorite themes: Angels or Pirates.

Senior Game Designer Michael Hinderaker knows these decks well, because he helped lead their design. "These decks give players who are interested in 60-card play but aren't sure where to start an easy way in," Michael says. "They show off synergies you can put together in a Constructed format and give you a dynamic play experience."

Opening the Door to 60-Card Magic

60-Card Theme Decks are Standard legal and offer stores a versatile product for a range of players.

New players and those who are early in their Magic play experience will find the decks accessible and a lot of fun. "They're great for people going from, 'I've bought some booster packs, I sort of know how the game works,' to, 'I want to play more regular Magic,'" says Michael.

Commander decks have often been a go-to entry product for many players, so many players might not know what other Constructed formats exist. "Commander is fun, but it can also be complex," says Michael. Building a 100-card deck may be intimidating to a new player, which is why preconstructed Commander decks work so well. The 60-Card Theme Decks offer stores and players an easy way into Constructed play that is approachable and affordable.

These decks can also appeal to established Commander players. For some players—particularly those who learned through Commander decks—Commander is Magic, and they may not realize how many other ways there are to play. 60-Card Theme Decks can open a whole realm of new play options. With no deck building required, they can pick up a Theme Deck and start playing 60-card Constructed games right away—a new experience with few barriers.

Themes That Resonate with Players

Each 60-Card Theme Deck release will include two decks, starting with Angels and Pirates in Lorwyn Eclipsed. Future sets will introduce more themes, building a growing collection of decks for players to choose from.

"I wanted to lean into themes that could be summed up in more typal than mechanical ways for this first set," Michael explains. "Themes like Angels and Pirates are easy to understand and broadly appealing."

As more decks are released, players will have a wider range of options to suit their interests. "The goal is to get a backlog of different themes that can appeal to different players' tastes and play styles and give them an on-ramp to 60-card casual with a Standard card pool," he says.

A Growing Lineup with Long-Term Playability

Designed for longevity, 60-Card Theme Decks are products players can use in Standard matches for as much as a year or more. "The vast majority are legal for at least one year," says Michael. "The Angels deck, for example, has cards from Foundations. Those will be legal for the foreseeable future."

That extended Standard legality gives the decks a reliable shelf life, making them easy recommendations and steady performers for your store across multiple set releases. Each deck also includes fifteen to twenty rare cards, so players have a satisfying level of power in a build that holds its own in casual play. "They're firmly above where we aimed lower-priced decks in the past," Michael says.

Lorwyn Eclipsed will feature the first two decks, and more are planned with upcoming Magic releases. "When there are four or six of them out in total," Michael says, "they'll cover a breadth of colors and themes, so there will be more to appeal to even more players."

Deck-Building Tips That Encourage Repeat Visits

In each deck, players will find a QR code linking to an online article written by Michael that offers players upgrade suggestions and strategies for expanding and improving the decks.

"One of the main things we want to do is make deck-building a little more approachable," Michael says. "The hardest part of Magic is going from, 'I think this game is fun,' to, 'I can build this and make it my own.' These articles give a couple of directions and make card suggestions, so players start feeling ownership of their decks."

For stores, that built-in motivation to expand a deck coupled with a readily available guide to do it means more opportunities to engage customers when they return for singles, booster packs, and advice on their next upgrade.

A Digital Bonus That Supports Store Growth

During the Lorwyn Eclipsed season, players who participate in Magic Academy: Learn to Play events also unlock a digital 60-Card Theme Deck in MTG Arena. When a player registers using a Wizards Account, they'll automatically receive a digital copy of either the Angels or Pirates deck at random.

At the end of their Learn to Play session, consider recommending a physical 60-Card Theme Deck to go with the digital deck. Purchasing a deck makes them eligible for the gift-with-purchase promo reward, giving them a taste of in-store event promo rewards, plus they'll have both a physical and digital Theme Deck to play with. The digital deck lets players develop their knowledge and skill at their own pace, while keeping them engaged with Magic between store visits. As they experiment with cards and strategies in their digital theme deck, their confidence grows—confidence that will prompt them to return to your store for singles and boosters to expand and play with their physical 60-Card Theme Deck.

A Product You Can Build On

The 60-Card Theme Decks were created with retailers in mind: affordable, easy to explain, and built to stay relevant on your shelves for longer with more decks forthcoming. For players, they're a path to discovering more of what Magic has to offer. For stores, they're dependable products to help you develop your player base, encourage repeat engagement, and make new fans into lifelong Magic players.