Netflix is still playing catch-up after the runaway success of its animated musical KPop Demon Hunters, and that means a lot of the merchandising and collaboration deals that should probably have been in the works a long time ago are still trickling in. We’ve gotten a Fortnite crossover, cast appearances on late-night, and a limited theatrical run for people to sing along to all the movie’s bangers. But now, some of the bigger toy manufacturers want in on that Huntr/x hysteria, including Hasbro. Yeah, that probably means dolls, but it also very likely means Magic: The Gathering is about to get another Secret Lair drop in the coming months.
Hasbro and Netflix announced their new partnership yesterday, October 21, and say they plan to release “toys, collectibles, games, role-play products and more” featuring Rumi, Mira, and Zoey. The announcement goes on to say that Hasbro is working on “dolls, action figures, accessories, collectibles, playsets, [and] collaborations with co-brands.” That last one is interesting, considering Hasbro also notes a few of its brands, and says it will be “leveraging the strength of its iconic portfolio” for more KPop Demon Hunters products. That portfolio includes Hasbro Games (which is making a Monopoly board game featuring the characters and iconography from the film), Wizards of the Coast, Nerf, and…Furby. Pushing the image of a Rumi-themed Furby from my mind with the strength of the Honmoon, the brand that is the most interesting in that line-up is Wizards of the Coast, the company behind Dungeons & Dragons and Magic: The Gathering. The trading card game has essentially become Fortnite: The Card Game with its myriad crossovers and collaborations bringing characters and artwork from properties like Sonic, PlayStation Studios’ portfolio, and Final Fantasy to its booster packs.
While the actual Magic: The Gathering community is pretty split on WOTC’s focus on crossovers, people who don’t play the game, like myself, are more likely to get in a digital queue for a Secret Lair drop if it has characters we know. I have the Shadow the Hedgehog card sitting on my shelf right now. Would I throw down some cash for cards of my demon-slaying queens? Yeah, fucking probably. I played Fortnite for the first time so I could skydive to “How It’s Done” and headshot some fools. You think I won’t pay money for a high-quality card? I’m a mark. I can complain about the crossover slop all day, but I’m just as bad as anyone. I’ll clap and cheer for cards with bespoke holographic patterns made to look like the Honmoon. You think you’re better than me? I can’t hear you over the sound of me ordering tickets to my third sing-along showing next week.
