Convention - SDCC 2025 : Magic: The Gathering Weaves a Web with Marvel’s Spider-Man at the Hasbro Booth

By Mulder, San Diego, Convention Center, 25 july 2025

San Diego Comic-Con 2025 proved once again that the magic isn’t confined to the show floor—it spills into every corner of the city. This year, Hasbro and Wizards of the Coast transformed the Hard Rock Hotel San Diego’s Legends Ballroom into a fully immersive slice of Spider-Man’s New York City for the highly anticipated Magic: The Gathering | Marvel’s Spider-Man showcase. Running from July 24–27, the space blended the tactile thrill of card play with the cinematic energy of Marvel’s most beloved wall-crawler, creating a destination that attracted both veteran planeswalkers and curious newcomers. The room was alive with comic book-inspired set pieces, from brick-lined back alleys to rooftop vantage points, while themed music and ambient soundscapes made attendees feel like they had stepped right into Peter Parker’s world. For many, it wasn’t just an exhibition—it was the first time they could physically touch the cards and experience the mechanics that would define the set launching globally on September 26, 2025.

One of the most memorable elements was the balance struck between accessibility and depth. First-time players were welcomed into a “friendly neighborhood game store” environment, where staff guided them through their very first Magic: The Gathering duels using simplified welcome decks. Across the room, experienced players dove into early matches featuring preview cards from the Spider-Man set, testing new mechanics inspired by Spidey’s agility and strategic prowess. Fans were able to handle cards featuring Spider-Man, Miles Morales, Gwen Stacy, and a rogues’ gallery that included Venom, Green Goblin, and Doctor Octopus, each illustrated with original art that reimagined Marvel’s characters through Magic’s rich visual style. Attendees spoke with reverence about the attention to detail—dynamic foiling effects reflected webs glistening in the city lights, while card frames incorporated subtle nods to New York architecture.

The excitement extended beyond the hotel walls to one of SDCC’s most charming outdoor activations: the Magic: The Gathering Cabbage Cart, a crossover with Avatar: The Last Airbender at Petco Park’s Lexus Premier Lot. Here, the iconic Cabbage Merchant himself posed for photos with fans, who left with an exclusive Katara, the Fearless promo card, a limited-run SDCC tote bag, and, true to the joke, an actual cabbage. Supplies were restocked daily but vanished quickly, creating a small frenzy among collectors eager to secure the crossover keepsakes. The event even sparked a wave of #MTGxATLA posts across social media, with fans showing off their prizes alongside street food and convention cosplay.

The core of the Magic: The Gathering | Marvel’s Spider-Man debut came during the official First Look panel on July 25 in Room 5AB. Hosted by Mark Rosewater, C.B. Cebulski, Aaron Forsythe, and Sarah Wassell, the session pulled back the curtain on the creative collaboration. Mark Rosewater discussed the challenge of blending Marvel’s character-driven storytelling with Magic’s established mechanics, while C.B. Cebulski reflected on the responsibility of bringing Spider-Man to a new medium without losing his emotional core. Aaron Forsythe dove into gameplay innovations, teasing how new keyword mechanics would reward quick thinking and adaptive play—mirroring Spider-Man’s tendency to turn the tide of battle through clever improvisation. Sarah Wassell walked the audience through the art process, revealing early concept sketches and the decision to set the cards in a stylized New York that felt timeless yet distinctly Marvel.

What made the Hasbro Magic presence at SDCC 2025 so compelling was its layered approach: it was part product reveal, part fan festival, and part storytelling experience. It rewarded diehard collectors with exclusive early looks and limited swag, while also converting onlookers into potential lifelong players through engaging demos. Conversations overheard in the ballroom told the story of Magic’s adaptability—how it could host an Avatar photo-op one moment and plunge you into a tense web-slinging showdown the next. The crossover with Marvel wasn’t just a novelty; it was a fully realized union of two worlds, each bringing its own narrative gravitas and visual dynamism to the table.

By the time the convention wrapped, the Legends Ballroom had become one of SDCC’s most talked-about offsite experiences, a place where fantasy and superheroics didn’t just coexist—they amplified each other. Fans left with cards in hand, stories to tell, and the shared thrill of having been part of a historic first in both Magic and Marvel’s histories. As the September release of Magic: The Gathering | Marvel’s Spider-Man draws near, the buzz generated at SDCC 2025 ensures that anticipation will only grow. In a year packed with cinematic reveals and gaming announcements, Hasbro’s Magic booth proved that when worlds collide—especially worlds as beloved as these—the result can be nothing short of spectacular.

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Photos and video : Boris Colletier / Mulderville