Magic The Gathering

What Magic The Gathering does

Magic: The Gathering is a 30+ year old trading card game franchise created in 1993 by Richard Garfield and operated by Wizards of the Coast LLC, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Hasbro, Inc. (NASDAQ: HAS), headquartered in Renton, Washington. The franchise serves a global community spanning casual players, competitive tournament participants, collectors, Commander/EDH players, and digital gamers across North America, Europe, and Asia. Its product ecosystem comprises physical card products (Play Boosters, Collector Boosters, Commander Decks, Bundles, Jumpstart Boosters, Starter Kits, Scene Boxes, Draft Night kits, Prerelease Packs) sold through mass retail, specialty TCG channels, and the Wizards Play Network of local game stores; two digital platforms (MTG Arena for PC/Mac/Android/iOS on a free-to-play model and Magic Online operated by Daybreak Game Company on a subscription/event-fee basis); and a webcam play platform (SpellTable). The Universes Beyond program extends the brand into licensed entertainment IP through crossover sets with Marvel, Marvel's Spider-Man, Star Trek, The Hobbit, Avatar: The Last Airbender, and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.

The underlying content platform spans 25,000+ unique cards across formats including Standard, Commander, Modern, Pioneer, and Limited play, with proprietary special treatments (Foil-etched, Neon Ink, Showcase, Borderless, Extended Art, serialized headliners) functioning as product differentiation and collectible value drivers. The company maintains digital infrastructure across multiple platforms — MTG Arena (self-developed), Magic Online (third-party operated by Daybreak), SpellTable, and a Companion App — supported by an online card database (Gatherer) and official storefronts.

Revenue is generated across five streams: physical card product sales (unit-priced SKUs from $5.49 to $119.99), Secret Lair direct-to-consumer premium drops, MTG Arena freemium in-game purchases, Magic Online event fees and subscriptions, and licensing royalties from Universes Beyond partners. Go-to-market is hybrid: community-led through organized play (Friday Night Magic, MagicCon, Pro Tour, Magic Academy, Magic Club), direct-to-consumer via official website and Secret Lair, and channel partner-driven through Amazon, Walmart, GameStop, Best Buy, TCGplayer, and WPN local game stores. Customer segments include Casual and Social Players, Competitive Tournament Players, Collectors, Commander/EDH Players, and Digital/Casual Gamers, addressed through a hybrid segmentation approach.

Name

Magic The Gathering

Legal name

Wizards of the Coast LLC

Website

https://magic.wizards.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1993

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Magic: The Gathering is a 30+ year old trading card game franchise operated by Wizards of the Coast (a Hasbro subsidiary), serving global players, tournament competitors, collectors, and digital gamers through physical cards, MTG Arena, Magic Online, and licensed entertainment IP crossovers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Trading Card Games

NAICS

Hobby, Toy, and Game Retailers (45912)

SIC

Retail-Hobby, Toy & Game Shops (5945)

akta.pro primary industry

Collectible Card Games (CCG/TCG) Retail (CRALAGAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Non-Sports Trading Cards Retail (TCG/Entertainment) (CRALAGAB), Collectibles & Trading Cards Distribution (CRAOAMAC)

Keywords

• Trading card games
• Collectible card games
• Digital card games
• Tabletop gaming
• Strategic card games

Headquarters

HQ city

Seattle

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Others

Revenue model

1. Physical Trading Card Products: Revenue from selling physical trading card game products including Play Boosters, Collector Boosters, Commander Decks, Bundles, Prerelease Packs, Starter Kits, Jumpstart Boosters, and specialty products. Products released in multiple waves per year with new sets.
2. Secret Lair Drop Series: Direct-to-consumer premium product line featuring exclusive artwork, special treatments, and collaborative designs sold through the Secret Lair storefront.
3. MTG Arena: Digital platform revenue through in-game purchases including card packs, cosmetics, battle passes, and mastery passes. Free-to-play model with optional paid content.
4. Magic Online: Digital platform revenue through account management, event entry fees, and digital product purchases on the MTGO platform operated by Daybreak Games.
5. Licensing Royalties: Revenue from licensing the Magic IP for Universes Beyond products featuring partner brands (Marvel, Star Trek, Lord of the Rings, etc.) and related merchandise.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels9 records

Marketing channels15 records

Core offering

Magic: The Gathering is a strategic trading card game franchise that designs, publishes, and distributes physical trading card products (Play Boosters, Collector Boosters, Commander Decks, Jumpstart Boosters, Bundles, Starter Kits, Draft Night kits, Prerelease Packs) and themed expansion sets, complemented by two digital gaming platforms (MTG Arena and Magic Online) and an online webcam tabletop platform (SpellTable). The franchise also operates the Secret Lair Drop Series premium direct-to-consumer product line and the Universes Beyond crossover program with licensed partner IPs.

Product overview

Magic: The Gathering is a trading card game ecosystem comprising physical card products and digital platforms. Physical products include Play Boosters, Collector Boosters, Commander Decks, Jumpstart Boosters, Bundles, and Starter Kits available across themed sets like Strixhaven, Tarkir, and Edge of Eternities, plus Universes Beyond crossovers with Marvel, Star Trek, The Hobbit, and other franchises. The company operates two digital platforms: MTG Arena for PC/Mac/Android/iOS, and Magic Online (operated by Daybreak Games) for classic formats. SpellTable enables online tabletop play. The Universes Beyond program extends the brand through licensed crossovers including Marvel Super Heroes, Star Trek, The Hobbit, Marvel's Spider-Man, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, and Avatar: The Last Airbender.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• MTG Arena: Digital collectible card game platform available on desktop and mobile (PC, Mac, Android, iOS).
• Magic Online
• Secret Lair
• SpellTable
• Magic.gg

Products and services

• MTG Arena
• Magic Online (MTGO)
• SpellTable
• Play Boosters
• Collector Boosters
• Commander Decks
• Jumpstart Boosters
• Bundles
• Starter Kit
• Draft Night
• Prerelease Packs
• Magic: The Gathering | Marvel Super Heroes Universes Beyond crossover set featuring Marvel Super Heroes and Villains as playable cards.
• Magic: The Gathering | Star Trek Universes Beyond crossover set featuring Star Trek crews, starships, and worlds with LCARS frame cards and Klingon Script cards.
• Magic: The Gathering | The Hobbit Universes Beyond crossover set featuring The Hobbit themes including Dwarvish language cards, Dragon Hoard frames, and approximately 500 serialized Gleaming Gold Smaug cards.
• Magic: The Gathering | Marvel's Spider-Man Universes Beyond crossover featuring Spider-Man themes and characters.
• Magic: The Gathering | Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Universes Beyond crossover featuring Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles characters and themes.
• Magic: The Gathering | Avatar: The Last Airbender Universes Beyond crossover featuring Avatar: The Last Airbender themes and characters.
• Aetherdrift Multiversal racing set featuring 10 unique racing teams with two-color gameplay styles. Includes 500 serialized Aetherspark cards available exclusively in Collector Boosters.
• Tarkir: Dragonstorm Return to the iconic Tarkir plane featuring dragon/clan gameplay with five clans and powerful new dragons. Includes 500 serialized Mox Jasper cards in Collector Boosters.
• Edge of Eternities Space-fantasy set in the Sothera system featuring alien factions, artifact/robot mechanics, and Singularity foil treatments.
• Reality Fracture Multiverse set featuring Jace Beleren as 'The Theorist' creating the Echoverse, with echoed pairs showing characters in parallel realities. Includes 500 serialized Bloodline Recollector cards.
• Secrets of Strixhaven Return to the magical school Strixhaven featuring five colleges with themed mechanics and real-world academic themes.
• Secret Lair Drop Series Direct-to-consumer specialty product line featuring unique card treatments, exclusive artwork, and collaborative designs sold through the Secret Lair storefront.
• Companion App Mobile application to assist Magic players with events, deck building, and gameplay support.

Quantifiable outcome

• Commander is Magic's most popular format
• +1 more outcomes

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Middle-earth Enterprises (The Tolkien Estate)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 14 August 2026Universes Beyond collaboration bringing The Hobbit themed Magic products featuring characters like Smaug the Magnificent, Gandalf, and Bilbo. Products include Play Boosters, Collector Boosters, Bundles, Scene Boxes, and special treatments like Dwarvish Language cards, Dragon Hoard frames, and approximately 500 serialized Gleaming Gold Smaug headliner cards.
• Gen ConminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 25 July 2026Magic: The Gathering featuring The Hobbit will appear at Gen Con from July 30-August 2, 2026, with early Prerelease events and special appearances by designers.
• Wizards Play Network (WPN) Local Game StorescoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 25 July 2025Global network of local game stores that serve as retail outlets for Magic products and hosts organized play events including Friday Night Magic, Prerelease events, Store Championships, and Commander events.
• Marvel EntertainmentcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 14 February 2025Universes Beyond collaboration bringing Marvel Super Heroes and Spider-Man themed Magic products to the market. Includes Play Boosters, Collector Boosters, Commander Decks (We are the Borg, Landing Party, Klingon Fury, Federation Fleet), Draft Night, Bundle, and Collector's Edition products featuring iconic Marvel characters and themes.
• CBS Studios (Star Trek)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Universes Beyond collaboration bringing Star Trek themed Magic products featuring iconic crews, fleets, and armies. Includes Play Boosters, Collector Boosters, Commander Decks themed around the Borg, Klingons, Federation, and landing parties, plus Scene Boxes depicting Kirk's Enterprise and Divergent Timeline stories.
• Nickelodeon (Avatar: The Last Airbender)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Universes Beyond collaboration bringing Avatar: The Last Airbender themed Magic products to the market, expanding the Universes Beyond program into animated series IP.
• Nickelodeon (Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Universes Beyond collaboration bringing Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles themed Magic products, continuing the program's expansion into popular entertainment franchises.
• Daybreak Game CompanycoreTechnology or Integration · 1 January 2025Daybreak Games operates Magic Online (MTGO), the original digital platform for fans of Legacy, Modern, and other classic Magic formats. The platform is available on PC with system requirements specified for Windows 10/11.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Konami Digital Entertainment: Owner of Yu-Gi-Oh! and a broad gaming and entertainment portfolio. Comparable as an established publisher operating a flagship TCG alongside digital adaptations and competitive esports infrastructure, with similar product cadence and global distribution.

Emerging players

• Shadowverse: Evolve: Cygames' physical TCG based on its Shadowverse digital franchise. Comparable as a newer TCG combining digital-to-physical play with tournament infrastructure, though at a smaller scale and focused primarily in Asian markets.
• Cardfight!! Vanguard: Bushiroad's flagship TCG with anime tie-in and competitive circuit. Comparable as a booster-driven CCG targeting hobby and competitive players, but with significantly smaller North American player base than Magic.
• Digimon Card Game: Bandai's anime-licensed TCG with growing organized-play presence. Comparable as a booster-driven CCG with a tournament circuit and licensed-IP narrative, but smaller scale and narrower audience overlap with Magic.

Direct peers

• One Piece Card Game: Bandai Namco's anime-licensed TCG launched 2022, one of the fastest-growing TCGs. Comparable in booster-driven physical product model, organized tournament play, and licensed-IP-driven collector appeal, competing for hobby store and tournament-organizer mindshare.
• Yu-Gi-Oh! Trading Card Game: Konami's flagship TCG, one of the original "Big Three" TCGs alongside Magic and Pokémon. Directly comparable as a long-running, anime-driven CCG with competitive tournament circuits, booster products, and digital counterparts (Yu-Gi-Oh! Master Duel, Duel Links).
• Disney Lorcana: Ravensburger's collectible card game built on Disney IP, launched 2023. Directly competes with Magic for hobby store shelf space, tournament organizers, and adult-collector dollars, using a simpler-onboarding design philosophy and major entertainment IP.
• Star Wars: Unlimited: Fantasy Flight Games / Asmodee's Star Wars-licensed TCG. Comparable in major-entertainment-IP-driven crossover model (similar mechanic to Universes Beyond), booster-based product structure, and organized tournament play competing for similar collector and competitive-player segments.
• Pokémon Trading Card Game: The Pokémon Company's flagship collectible card game and the largest TCG by global sales. Directly comparable to Magic in physical booster product model, tournament infrastructure, and collector/player dual-audience, but appeals more to younger and mass-market players.
• Flesh and Blood TCG: Legend Story Studios' hero-fantasy TCG founded by former Magic designers. Directly targets Magic's competitive tournament players with a more streamlined ruleset, competing for the same organized-play and high-end tournament infrastructure.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat7 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/wizards_magic
• YouTubeyoutube.com/playlist?list=PL3rP64NRtmbjdg_j75RqbTu5Ffpc-Q_9s
• Facebookfacebook.com/MagicTheGathering
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/wizards-of-the-coast
• Instagraminstagram.com/magicthedathering

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Magic The Gathering