Magic: The Gathering's next expansion will be called Throne of Eldraine, and looks to bring back Faeries as a major focus based on images that were announced at the  San Diego Comic Con Hasbro breakfast. Magic: The Gathering has had Faerie-focused sets before in the Lorwyn block, which saw various fairy tale-inspired tribes of creatures move to the fore while also introducing Planeswalkers as a concept for competitive play - the historical precedent of sets with this focus, then, is obviously quite large.

Although Lorwyn had plenty of tribes to choose from, it was the Faeries tribe that became the darling of Magic players worldwide. Faeries were a dominant archetype the last time they were in Standard, with many eternal format staples like Bitterblossom and Vendilion Clique emerging from the format's most powerful deck and remaining key players years afterward. Faeries are frequently mentioned as something that Magic: The Gathering fans want more of when they discuss potential options with Mark Rosewater, head designer of the game, on his Blogatog. Rosewater had previously confirmed he had been testing a set that involved Faeries last year.

Related: What Magic: The Gathering's Animated Series Needs to Do to Succeed

Still, it's a complete shock that Magic: The Gathering will have another Faeries-focused set. The new Magic: The Gathering expansion, Throne of Eldraine, doesn't specify what plane it is located on, and lore-wise, there's not much to go on based on the set name. All that's indicated in the invitation image below is that prerelease will begin in late September and Faeries will obviously be a central aesthetic based on the design - they're the only creature that appears on the invitation.

Throne of Eldraine Invitation 1
Throne of Eldraine Invitation 2

The invitation invites players to the "royal courts of Eldraine," which could mean fans will finally get to see the follow-up to Oona, Queen of the Fae's story. Previously, Oona was defeated after attempting to gain control over the plane of Lorwyn, losing her power and needing to bide her time to become whole again. It's possible the Throne of Eldraine is Oona's next grab for power - or something entirely different, on a new plane that simply has Faeries as well. It seems likely that Magic would want to continue the story it has had dormant for over a decade, however.

It's not much to go on, but Throne of Eldraine could be exactly the sort of set that brings back many of Magic: The Gathering's lapsed players to give the game another shot. It represents an archetype that many people have fond memories of, and would provide a nice bridge from old-school Magic into something new like Magic Arena. It's a wise move from Wizards of the Coast, and it's likely fans will get much more information regarding the new set when Mark Rosewater hosts his Magic: The Gathering SDCC panel this Saturday at 6pm PDT.

Next: Magic: The Gathering is The World's Most Complex Game