It was recently announced that Magic: The Gathering's seemingly abandoned Universes Within printings would be making a big comeback, at least in digital form. Universes Within was originally meant to be a way for Magic to print in-universe versions of Universes Beyond cards that weren't tied to outside IPs. While it initially seemed like we had seen the last of them, when Universes Beyond started taking up whole sets, Universes Within cards will apparently be coming back in a big way, though a somewhat frustrating one.

Recently, there was a subtle Universes Within reprint in a Secret Lair product, which made me think we could see more individual cards reprinted over time in similar ways. However, I didn't think we'd be seeing any major reprints of Universes Beyond sets with a Magic reskin. While it seems that's still the case when it comes to physical Magic: The Gathering releases, there is a big change coming to how Universes Beyond will appear in digital form that will be giving us quite a few new Universes Within cards.

MTG's Spider-Man Set Is Getting A Digital Replacement

Marvel Sets Aren't Coming To Magic: The Gathering's Online Platforms

In anticipation of Magic: The Gathering's Spider-Man set, it was announced that no Marvel sets would be available digitally. However, now that Universes Beyond sets will be Standard legal (and therefore legal in most formats), Magic's online platforms can't just pretend they don't exist. Otherwise, players would no longer be able to run the same builds on paper as they do online, and it would have a major impact on competitive play. So, Wizards of the Coast decided to introduce a new solution in the form of digital-only Universes Within versions for sets like Spider-Man.

I know that "on paper" is typically an expression that means "in theory." In the context of Magic: The Gathering, "paper" is slang for physical cards.

Although Wizards still uses the term Universes Within to describe these new cards in their announcement, these digital-only sets are officially being branded as Through the Omenpaths. This is a reference to the portals in Magic's universe that allow characters to travel between different planes of existence. This seems thematically appropriate, and gives Wizards of the Coast the flexibility of using card designs from across the Multiverse which best fit the original design without being shackled to a single plane or story. Still, I don't think the transition between versions will be completely seamless from a player's standpoint.

Universes Within Will Cause Confusion Over Card Names

There Will Now Be Multiple Names For The Same Card Across These Sets

The Through the Omenpaths version of Magic: The Gathering's Spider-Man set is likely to cause some confusion for players who play both on Magic Arena and on paper. Each new Magic set introduces a host of new cards that players have to learn if they want to keep up with the current meta. However, now that there will be two versions of these cards, some of which will likely have different names, it's going to be a bit harder for players to keep track of them all.

Learning card names, or coming to recognize them by their artwork is a good way to speed up the process of playing Magic: The Gathering. I know by heart what frequently used cards like Lightning Bolt, Sol Ring, and Wrath of God do, and I'm familiar with the artwork on them. When I draw the card, I instantly know what it can do and start planning, and when I see an opponent play it, I don't have to pick it up and read it.

Introducing two versions of Universes Beyond cards is going to force players to learn double the amount of names and art than they normally would. Being able to recognize cards by their art has already gotten more difficult thanks to all of Magic's new art treatments in each set, and Through the Omenpaths will just make that more difficult. Now, not every card will need a name change, some generically named spells will probably translate fine. That said, cards like The Sensational Spider-Man are obviously going to need both a new name and new art, which could cause some confusion.

Universes Within Being Digital Only Is Frustrating For Fans Of Magic's IP

I Would Prefer Paper Versions Of Universes Within Over Universes Beyond Versions

Another reason Through the Omenpaths is a less-than-perfect approach to Universes Within is because it is (at least for now) a digital-only product. Although this is a good thing when it comes to deck-building, as there won't be confusion over how many copies of a given card are allowed when it has two different names, it is frustrating for fans of Magic's unique characters and worlds. It's very possible some of the Spider-Man cards could get reskinned as a fan-favorite Magic character like Nissa or Ajani, but these versions of the cards won't seemingly be available on paper.

I don't hate Spider-Man, but if I had the choice to play with Magic: The Gathering characters instead of Marvel ones, I would prefer to keep things in Magic's unique world. I don't always feel this way with Universes Beyond sets, and I think ones set in fantasy worlds like Lord of the Rings or Final Fantasy mesh pretty well. But Spider-Man swinging through New York City feels a lot less like Magic: The Gathering, so it's going to be a bit frustrating knowing that an alternative version exists, but not in a form I can play with on paper.

Universes Within's Digital Release Could Solve One Problem With MTGO

Previous Universes Beyond Sets That Skipped MTGO On Release Could Get Added Retroactively

Although I'm a little put off by Through the Omenpaths, there is one clear benefit to this new approach to Universes Beyond cards. Previously, not all Universes Beyond sets were made available on Magic: The Gathering Online, meaning players couldn't use products like the Doctor Who Commander Decks. I'm hopeful that the addition of Through the Omenpaths won't just apply to new products, but also introduce digital versions of previous sets that had to skip MTGO originally.

Although I still think Through the Omenpaths is going to create some headaches, it's a trade I'm more willing to make if it means that at least some version of every card will be made available in Magic: The Gathering Online. Magic Arena is largely relegated to sets that were originally released in Standard, so it never bothered me that some sets skipped it, but MTGO is a different case. I'm hopeful that the platform can now include any Magic: The Gathering cards that get printed, even if it means creating a bit of confusion and frustration along the way.