WIZARDS OF THE COAST ANNOUNCES RETURN OF PIVOTAL SET IN MAGIC: THE GATHERING® HISTORY

 MIRAGE™ EXPANSION FOR MAGIC: THE GATHERING ONLINE™ TO LAUNCH MONDAY

December 2, 2005 (Renton, Wash) - Wizards of the Coast today announced that the ever-popular MIRAGE™ set will launch at 9:00 AM PST, Monday, December 5, as a new expansion for MAGIC: The Gathering® Online™, with release events scheduled to kick-off on December 7.  Originally released in 1996, the MIRAGE card set consists of some of the most memorable cards in MAGIC: The Gathering history and continues to be a fan favorite to this day. 

“The addition of the MIRAGE set to MAGIC Online is a great opportunity for us to create excitement with new and old players alike,” said Justin Ziran, brand manager for Magic Online at Wizards of the Coast.  “To help celebrate the launch of MIRAGE, we are offering all participants in Mirage League and Premier Events the Stalking Tiger avatar, with winners receiving the Frenetic Efreet avatar.”

The launch of MIRAGE™ for MAGIC Online will also welcome the debut of 4 MIRAGE™ theme decks. Though the original release of MIRAGE™ for MAGIC: THE GATHERING was made prior to the introduction of theme decks, MAGIC ONLINE users had the opportunity to create 4 MAGIC ONLINE exclusive theme decks for the release of MIRAGE during the summer of 2006. A series of online promotions and fan voting resulted in the creation of the Burning Sky, Jungle Jam, Night Terrors and Ride Like the Wind theme decks.

MIRAGE, the first base set featuring the card abilities “phasing” and “flanking”, and designed with both limited and constructed game play strategies in mind, was originally released in Fall 1996.  It was the second stand-alone MAGIC: The Gathering expansion and the largest set produced up to that time. 

For more information visit magicthegathering.com. 

Wizards of the Coast, MAGIC: THE GATHERING, Magic, Magic Online, and Dungeons & Dragons are trademarks of Wizards of the Coast Inc. in the U.S.A. and other countries.

©2005 Wizards.