Wizards of the Coast is on a spending spree. Lately, it feels like every major intellectual property on the planet has landed on a Magic: The Gathering card. We’ve seen Fallout, Warhammer 40,000, The Lord of the Rings, and even Marvel is stepping into the ring. But there is one massive, dragon-sized hole in the Universes Beyond lineup that keeps players awake at night: George R.R. Martin’s Westeros. An MTG Game of Thrones set seems like the most obvious slam dunk in the history of trading card games, yet the table remains empty.
It’s weird, right? You have a game built on Five Colors of mana and a book series built on warring Great Houses. The symmetry is almost too perfect.
The complicated reality of an MTG Game of Thrones crossover
Honestly, the biggest hurdle isn't a lack of interest. It's the tangled web of licensing and brand identity. While Wizards of the Coast (WotC) has mastered the art of the crossover, Game of Thrones is a beast with many heads. You have the original A Song of Ice and Fire book rights, which George R.R. Martin guards closely. Then you have the HBO television rights, which include the likenesses of actors like Peter Dinklage and Emilia Clarke.
If WotC wants to make an MTG Game of Thrones product, they have to decide which version they are adapting. Do they go with the book descriptions? That’s what they did for The Lord of the Rings: Tales of Middle-earth, and it worked beautifully. It allowed for creative freedom without being beholden to the New Line Cinema film aesthetic. However, the HBO "look" is what the general public associates with the brand.
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There's also the "grimdark" problem. Magic is a game for ages 13 and up. Game of Thrones is... not. Reconciling the brutal, often explicit nature of Westeros with the more PG-13 vibes of a standard Magic set takes some serious finesse. WotC managed it with Warhammer 40k, which is notoriously violent, but the sexual politics of Westeros present a different kind of PR minefield.
What would the colors even look like?
If we ever actually get our hands on MTG Game of Thrones cards, the color pie philosophy would be the most debated topic on Reddit for a decade. Imagine House Stark. They are clearly Selesnya (Green-White) or perhaps Naya (Red-Green-White). They value loyalty, tradition, and the harsh reality of nature. "Winter is Coming" is a very Green sentiment—it’s about the inevitable cycle of the seasons.
Then you have the Lannisters. They are Mono-Black or Orzhov (Black-White) through and through. It's all about "paying debts," maintaining power, and the ruthlessness required to keep that golden lion flying high.
- Daenerys Targaryen: She’s almost certainly Jeskai (Blue-Red-White). You have the passion and fire of the dragons, the white-aligned desire to liberate slaves, and the blue-aligned destiny/prophecy elements.
- The Night King: Simple. Dimir (Blue-Black) or Mono-Black zombies. He’s the ultimate control deck player. He doesn't just kill your creatures; he brings them back under his own side of the board.
- Tyrion Lannister: Mono-Blue or Izzet (Blue-Red). He’s the smartest guy in the room. He wins through card advantage and political maneuvering, not through combat damage.
Why Universes Beyond changed the game
Before 2020, the idea of an MTG Game of Thrones set was a pipe dream. Magic was strictly about its own Lore. Jace, Chandra, and Nicol Bolas were the stars. But the "Universes Beyond" initiative changed everything. Now, the floodgates are open.
The success of the Lord of the Rings set—which became the best-selling Magic set of all time—proved that fantasy fans want to see their favorite stories translated into Magic’s deep mechanics. It also proved that WotC can handle a massive fantasy IP with respect. They didn't just slap Legolas on a card; they built mechanics like "The Ring Tempts You" that actually felt like the books.
A Westeros set would likely use the "Council's Dilemma" or "Monarch" mechanics. In fact, the Monarch mechanic (first introduced in Conspiracy: Take the Crown) feels like it was practically built for a MTG Game of Thrones environment. It creates a sub-game where players fight over a literal crown to draw extra cards. If that isn't the "Game of Thrones" in card form, I don't know what is.
The existing "alternatives"
Since there is no official MTG Game of Thrones product yet, fans have been getting creative. You can find thousands of "proxy" cards online where artists have taken existing Magic cards and given them a Westeros skin.
For example, many players use Kenrith, the Returned King as a stand-in for Robert Baratheon or Aegon the Conqueror. The Draconic Dissension Commander deck is often used as a base for Targaryen-themed builds. There is also a dedicated Game of Thrones Living Card Game (LCG) produced by Fantasy Flight Games. While it’s a great game, it doesn't have the massive player base or the mechanical complexity that Magic offers. This leaves a persistent itch that only a true crossover can scratch.
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Facing the "Fatigue" Factor
There is a loud contingent of the Magic community that hates these crossovers. They call it "Burger King Magic" or "Fortnite-ification." They worry that seeing Jon Snow block a Transformer will ruin the game's internal logic.
But the numbers don't lie.
Universes Beyond brings in new players. It keeps local game stores alive. For every veteran player who grumbles about immersion, there are three new players who started playing specifically because they could put a Fallout Power Armor on a Warhammer Space Marine. An MTG Game of Thrones set would likely be the only thing capable of rivaling the sales of the Lord of the Rings set.
Moving forward with your own Westeros build
If you're tired of waiting for Hasbro to sign the check, you don't actually have to wait. The beauty of the Commander format is that you can build "theme decks" right now using existing cards that flavorfully match the world of Ice and Fire.
Start by picking a Commander that represents a specific house leader. If you want to play as the Night’s Watch, look at Isildur, Heir of Elendil or other cards that reward you for "watching the wall" (defensive playstyles). If you want to go full Targaryen, Miirym, Sentinel Wyrm lets you copy dragons, which feels very much like the "Blood of the Dragon" vibe.
Actionable Steps for Fans:
- Research the "Monarch" mechanic: If you're building a GoT-themed Cube or Commander deck, prioritize cards like Palace Jailer or Custodi Lich. These mechanics simulate the political backstabbing of the show better than anything else.
- Look into Secret Lair: House of the Dragon: While not a full set, Wizards has done small-scale drops. Keep an eye on the secondary market for these limited-run cards that often feature art styles reminiscent of the series.
- Proxy with care: If you're making custom cards for your kitchen table, use sites like CardConjurer to apply GoT art to existing Magic templates. Just remember these aren't legal for official tournament play.
- Monitor Hasbro’s investor calls: These sound boring, but they are where the big IP reveals happen. If a MTG Game of Thrones partnership is inked, it will be mentioned to shareholders months before a public trailer drops.
Westeros is a world of debt, betrayal, and sudden death. Magic: The Gathering is a game of resource management, hidden information, and ruthless plays. They are two sides of the same coin. It isn't a matter of if we see Ned Stark on a card—it’s a matter of when. Until then, we keep our mana open and our eyes on the horizon. Winter, and the inevitable crossover, is coming.