Seven Cards Banned from Magic: The Gathering Standard in Massive Shakeup
Wizards of the Coast stuns the Magic: The Gathering community with a sweeping seven-card ban in Standard, sparking intense debate and reshaping the format's future.
Here's the TL;DR...
Seven cards banned from Standard on June 30, 2025, including Hopeless Nightmare and Virtue of Persistence.
Bans aim to diversify the metagame and address dominant strategies.
Community reaction is split, with debate raging across Reddit and social media.
The Bans: What Got the Axe and Why
In a bold move to refresh Standard, Wizards of the Coast banned seven cards as of June 30, 2025:
Hopeless Nightmare
This Town Ain't Big Enough
Cosmic Hunger
Bitter Chill
Hard-Hitting Question
Molten Collapse
Virtue of Persistence
According to ICv2 and MTG Wiki, each card was removed for contributing to an increasingly narrow metagame. Hopeless Nightmare saw bans due to its oppressive hand disruption, especially in Esper Pixies decks. This Town Ain't Big Enough had become so common it suppressed diversity across archetypes.
Cards like Virtue of Persistence and Molten Collapse were flagged for creating snowballing board states with minimal counterplay. The June 20 article from Star City Games emphasized that many of these cards locked Standard into reactive or hyper-efficient lines of play, discouraging innovation and variety.
Wizards stated the bans are data-driven, reflecting win rates, community feedback, and the need to avoid stale competitive environments.
Why This Ban List Is a Big Deal
This marks one of the most sweeping Standard bans in recent MTG history. ICv2 reports that this is the largest single-day ban since the energy deck crackdown of 2018. On Reddit's r/mtg, threads exploded with reactions. Some users called it a "well-needed reset," while others were frustrated about their now-invalid deck investments.
On X (formerly Twitter), hashtags like #MTGBanList and #StandardShakeup surged on June 30, 2025. Casual players and pros alike voiced mixed emotions—from excitement over new brewing possibilities to disappointment in lost staples.
Star City Games noted that this reset may reinvigorate paper Standard events, which have struggled post-pandemic. With dominant decks dismantled, tournament organizers and local game stores are expecting more diverse turnouts.
Economic and Community Impacts
Local stores are already seeing ripple effects. ICv2 quotes several shop owners who report spikes in sales for underplayed rares and new interest in rotation-safe sets. While some players feel burned by the loss of high-value cards, others welcome a new deckbuilding landscape.
The bans also influence the broader MTG ecosystem, with speculators shifting attention and digital marketplaces adjusting prices rapidly.
What Happens Next
According to the MTG Wiki update from June 30, 2025, Wizards will closely monitor Standard over the next quarter. They hinted at possible future tweaks if new problems emerge.
Final Thoughts
Seven-card bans don't happen often—and when they do, they redefine the format. Whether you're cheering the change or mourning your favorite list, this decision signals that Wizards is serious about restoring balance in Standard. The coming weeks will be pivotal in determining whether this gamble pays off.
Sources:
ICv2, "Seven Cards Get Banned in Magic: The Gathering's Standard Format," June 30, 2025
Star City Games, "Magic's Next Banned & Restricted Announcement," June 20, 2025
MTG Wiki, "Banned and restricted cards/Timeline," June 10 & 30, 2025
Reddit, r/mtg, June 30, 2025
X (formerly Twitter), #MTGBanList, #StandardShakeup
News compiled and edited by Derek Gibbs and Steven Bubbles on June 30, 2025. Follow us on ClownfishTV.com for more gaming, pop culture and tech news, and consider subscribing for only $5 per month to get access to exclusive podcasts and other content.