Lorwyn is coming back, though some would say that it's a bit of an oddity.
In early 2026, Magic: The Gathering is set to return to the plane of Lorwyn-Shadowmoor. Heavily based on Celtic/English/Welsh/Scottish mythology, it was last seen through the Lorwyn-Shadowmoor block, which lasted roughly a year (from the fall of 2007 until around the fall of 2008).
While popular with some, the drastic shift in tone, as well having to follow up the acclaimed Time Spiral block, meant that the block was niche at best. Sales at the time, though, were atrocious.
According to Mark Rosewater "Lorwyn is the worst-selling large set (in contrast to its time) in the history of the game."
And that's quite the statement.
On the Rabiah scale, it always got a 6-7, meaning it would be unlikely to be returned to. Arcavios, where the set Strixhaven took place, always had between 3-4. The recently-introduced Bloomburrow has an incredible 2.
The plane of Lorwyn, though, always seemed out there. So why is it coming back, especially if sales the first time around were amongst the worst ever?
For one, Lorwyn was a sleeper hit. Years after the release, it was seen as more than just a cult classic. At least one cosplay contest asked for contestants not to dress from a character in that block because there had been so many signed up for them. The 2026 release already comes with this built-in fan base.
Two, Kamigawa: Neon Dynasty showed that a return could be successful if the first didn't do so well. Especially if significant changes were made. According to Rosewater, "Returning there is not just doing 100% what we did last time. That doesn’t mean 0% either. Think of Kamigawa: Neon Dynasty. It will use modern design technologies, but still have nostalgia for what people loved about the world."
Three, Bloomburrow hit a nerve. While a return to Lorwyn was announced beforehand, Bloomburrow proved that 'cute sets' could do really well, especially if story and flavor were on point. Lorwyn also attracted a lot of women into the game, something Bloomburrow did on a larger scale. Kids as well. They want another set with that kind of appeal, and Lorwyn fills that.
But so far, not much is known - we probably won't get art previews or card previews until the 2025 Las Vegas MagicCon. It is known that it will be the final set in the who Metronome storyline, which means a lot of things will come to a head there. And it is known that there with be a Kamigawa: Neon Dynasty twist to change it up since last time. But ever since it was teased at the 2023 Gen Con, not much else has come out about it.
But, after what will likely be a tumultuous 2025 for Magic, going back to previous planes early on in the year will be a big check for the collectible card game, with the return to the plane of Lorwyn being the big test.
