Nauctis: The Sunken Realm

The setting

Illustration of a sunken city beneath deep water, light shafts falling from the surface and something large waiting in the dark

Original TurnZero illustration — no official art for Nauctis: The Sunken Realm has been released yet.

Nauctis is a new plane and a new starting point — Wizards described it as the opening of a multi-year story arc, which makes this the set to be there for if you like getting in on the ground floor of a story. The pitch is a journey that starts in calm shallows and gets more dangerous the deeper it goes, with something described as an apocalyptic danger waiting at the bottom.

The cast is the deepest merfolk-adjacent lineup Magic has put in one place: merfolk, homarids, sharkfolk, squidfolk, seals, humans, and deities who rule over the plane. The plot hangs on two warring kingdoms and a group of unlikely heroes caught between them.

What we actually know

The one mechanical detail we have

Nauctis will not use flying. Wizards confirmed the keyword is being replaced by a different evasion mechanic — and specifically that it is not a reskin of flying the way horsemanship or shadow were. That is a genuinely unusual move for a Magic set, and it means Limited here will play unlike anything you have drafted before.

What hasn't been announced

This set was announced roughly a year out, so most of the interesting questions are still open. Here's the honest state of things as of July 2026.

The evasion mechanic

We know flying is out and something replaces it. We do not know the keyword's name, how it works, or which colors get it.

Set code and card count

No three-letter code has been assigned, so the set is not on Scryfall and cannot be tracked by set yet.

Commander products

Commander decks are confirmed, but the count, themes, and face commanders are all unannounced.

Cards

Zero spoiled. A worldbuilding trailer aired at the announcement, but no card images have followed.

Where it lands in Magic's 2027 schedule

Six tentpole sets ship in 2027 — three in-universe and three Universes Beyond releases that have slots but no names yet.

3 announced (Magic Multiverse) 3 unannounced (Universes Beyond)

Feb 5, 2027 Nauctis: The Sunken Realm You are here Magic Multiverse Magic's first fully underwater plane. Opens a multi-year story arc.
April 2027 Universes Beyond — unannounced Universes Beyond Slot confirmed, partner IP and exact date not revealed.
Jun 4, 2027 Kamigawa: Titanbreach Magic Multiverse Ikoria's kaiju crash into Kamigawa. Mechs versus monsters. Read the set guide →
August 2027 Universes Beyond — unannounced Universes Beyond Slot confirmed, partner IP and exact date not revealed.
Oct 1, 2027 Zhalfir Magic Multiverse Afrofantasy plane of five suns and spirits. Teferi Akosa returns. Read the set guide →
November 2027 Universes Beyond — unannounced Universes Beyond Slot confirmed, partner IP and exact date not revealed.

Common questions

When does Nauctis: The Sunken Realm come out?

Nauctis: The Sunken Realm releases worldwide on February 5, 2027, with prerelease events beginning January 29, 2027. It is the first of Magic's six tentpole sets for 2027.

Is Nauctis really removing flying from Magic?

For this set, yes. Wizards confirmed Nauctis will not use the flying keyword and is replacing it with a different evasion mechanic — and specifically that it is not a renamed version of flying the way horsemanship or shadow were. The replacement keyword has not been revealed. Flying is not going away from Magic as a whole; this is a set-level design choice fitting an underwater plane.

What creature types are in Nauctis?

Wizards named merfolk, homarids, sharkfolk, squidfolk, seals, and humans, plus deities who rule over the plane. The story centers on two warring kingdoms and an apocalyptic danger at the bottom of the ocean.

Will Nauctis have Commander decks?

Yes. All three of Magic's 2027 in-universe sets ship with dedicated Commander decks. The number of decks, their themes, and their face commanders have not been announced — four per set has been the recent pattern.

Are there Nauctis spoilers yet?

No cards have been spoiled. As of July 2026 the set has a name, a premise, a release date, and one confirmed mechanical detail. Expect a First Look a few months ahead of release and full spoiler season in the weeks before the January 29, 2027 prerelease.