MTG dev teases Mystery Booster 2 and Festival in a Box at GenCon

Let the chaos begin.

Jace walking in Magic shiining blue lights through clouds in MTG card
Image via WotC

Principle Magic: The Gathering designer Gavin Verhey dropped a bomb of a teaser at GenCon on Aug. 2, announcing a second Mystery Booster and Festival in a Box through an upcoming Secret Lair drop.

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A returning MTG product called Mystery Booster 2 will debut at MagicCon Vegas from Oct. 25 to 27. Designed for drafting, the first Mystery Booster was released in 2019, containing over 1,500 reprints and test cards. All types of tournaments are featured at MagicCon events, with Chaos Draft using Mystery boosters being a popular option. Announced by Verhey at GenCon on Aug. 2, all attendees at MagicCon Vegas will get a chance to play with Mystery Booster 2 packs.

A Mystery Booster 2 box with MTG cards that have a question mark on them for Festival in a Box MTG product
Booster packs included in Festival in a Box are WOE, Commander Masters, and LCI. Image via WotC

The Mystery Booster 2 has “a bunch of new wacky stuff, even wilder than the first time around,” according to Verhey. The second Mystery Booster is part of the festival experience and will be at other MagicCon events throughout 2025. 

In addition to Mystery Booster 2 news, Verhey also teased the return of Festival in a Box. A previous version of Festival in a Box was released as a Secret Lair drop and at MagicCon Minneapolis. According to the WotC teaser article, Festival in a Box will return as a Secret Lair drop—and I suspect a version of it will also be available in Vegas. 

Reactions to the Mystery Box 2 news are positive, especially those who have already purchased passes for MagicCon Vegas. The 2023-2024 Magic World Championship is also taking place in Vegas from Oct. 25 to 27. 

No details have been announced at time of writing, but cards and Festival in a Box specifics are expected to drop on Aug. 6 through the MTG Weekly show on Twitch. 

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Danny Forster
Danny has been writing for Dot Esports for over five years, first as a freelancer and now as a staff writer. He is the lead beat writer for Magic: The Gathering and Teamfight Tactics. Danny is also a solid Monopoly GO player, having beaten every main event without spending a dime. When Danny isn't writing or gaming, he's chilling by the water in Spacecoast Florida with his family and friends. He's always got a tan, because touching grass is important, and loves playing strategic digital and tabletop games. Past outlets Danny has written for include TheGamer and ScreenRant.