Press Start may receive a commission when you buy from links on our site at no extra cost to you.
Wizards of the Coast kicked off the first Magic: The Gathering set of 2026 with Lorwyn Eclipsed, marking a return to the plane of Lorwyn Shadowmoor, a world where day and night have merged featuring stunning artworks representing both light and dark with new and returning mechanics reflecting the plane.
During the pre-release, Press Start was treated to a memorable night on Sydney Harbour, complete with incredible views of the Harbour Bridge while playing a few rounds of Magic. Each table of four players received a Lorwyn Eclipsed Draft Night Box, setting the stage for a social yet exciting drafting experience.
I’ve been to my fair share of drafts and I’m far from an expert when it comes to building decks on the fly without a guide, but the Lorwyn Eclipsed Draft Night Box made the experience especially welcoming for casual players. The box includes 12 Lorwyn Eclipsed Play Boosters designed for a Pick-2 draft format, where players select two cards from each pack before passing it on. This adds a sense of urgency and excitement to each pick, and I found myself having a lot of fun deliberately leaving tempting cards behind just to see who would grab them later.
The overall experience feels almost Commander-esque. A group of friends can crack open a single box and enjoy a full night of drafting without pressure. The added incentive of a Collector Booster as a prize caps off the night nicely, adding just enough challenge while keeping the focus on fun.
Press Start was also sent out some of the latest product from the set from a Lorwyn Eclipsed Bundle, 1 of the 2 commander decks available and some loose boosters including some Collectors Booster Packs to chase some of the high rarity cards. For me, the bundle is always a great starting point to each set giving you enough packs to kick off the collection and start building your decks.
We cracked open the packs to see what we got. There’s always a converted Collectors Booster Pack chase for the set and in Lorwyn Eclipsed, you have the Bitterbloom Bearer Serialised card as its the only serialised one with a special incredible art from Rebbeca Guay. Unfortunately, we didn’t get the big card but there’s plenty of excellent chases from the set. The two notable pulls were an anime showcase Winnowing and a full-art Bloom Tender.
For the commander deck, we got Dance of the Elements featuring Ashling, the Limitless as the face commander. The pre-con (pre-constructed deck) is a 5 colour elemental deck that focuses on ETB and synergy. I have never played a 5 colour deck before so it was kinda all new to me but I’m curious to see if I can run it.
Overall, Lorwyn Eclipsed nails it with some seriously impressive art and a strong theme, making it a great way to kick off the Magic year. I’ve always got time for original Magic sets, especially when the release calendar is packed with Universes Beyond releases that aren’t always everyone’s thing. That said, I’m already looking forward to the upcoming Strixhaven set. The Strixhaven set is what got me back into Magic: The Gathering, and it looks like the Draft Night Box is making a return too.
Magic: The Gathering Lorwyn Eclipsed is available in stores now. Press Start was invited and sent out a media kit by Wizards of the Coasts to cover the set.