Magic: The Gathering’s newest set, Ikoria: Lair of Behemoths, is all about monsters and mutations. But in a special crossover with the world of Godzilla, one card is particularly poorly-suited to be launched during the coronavirus pandemic: Spacegodzilla, Death Corona.
So, it’s getting a new name.
All future printings of this version of Void Beckoner will feature Spacegodzilla, Void Invader instead. This includes it’s presence in Magic Arena, as well as Magic Online.
The reasoning given for this seemingly tone-deaf card was explained in a special statement on developer Wizards of the Coast’s website.
Months ago, when Ikoria: Lair of Behemoths was finalized, the world was a very different place. As we all adjust to a world altered by the spread of COVID-19, the word “corona” has taken on a new meaning.
In context, the card we’re about to show you made sense when it was originally conceived—”the Corona Beam” is Spacegodzilla’s traditional breath weapon. However, we were unable to change our printing in time to address the new meaning of corona. The initial printing of Ikoria will arrive on shelves soon and this card will be part of the set, but we are taking steps to remove or change the card where possible.
Wizards of the Coast
Awkwardly, this decision will make the initial print run of Spacegodzilla a rarity. Some websites, like TCGPlayer, already have this printing listed at $500.
