Secret Lair x Monster Hunter Disappoints
The recent “Monster Hunter” collab with Magic: The Gathering – via the Secret Lair program – has triggered a wave of disappointment across both the Magic and Monster Hunter communities. Released with much fanfare, the Superdrop offers reskinned reprints of existing MTG cards adorned with Monster Hunter-themed art.
For many players, the drop feels less like a celebration and more like checking an IP box and cashing the check.
Several cards are already being labeled as bulk-tier reprints, offering little gameplay impact and even less thematic cohesion. Monster Hunter is a franchise built on crafting weapons, upgrading armor, and hunting colossal beasts – and yet the Secret Lair leans mostly on basic spells and generic card choices with new skins attached. The absence of meaningful equipment or artifact designs is by far the community’s loudest complaint.
Among Reddit threads, one blunt verdict stands out:
“This is a secret lair … and I am incredibly underwhelmed. … WHERE ARE THE EQUIPMENTS, WHERE ARE THE CATS AND WHY ARE THERE NO POOGIE”
Financially, the offering doesn’t shine much brighter. Multiple bundles have reprint values that struggle to match their buy-in cost, making this drop a tough sell for collectors and players looking for meaningful long-term value.
Even editorial coverage outside social media hasn’t softened the blow. As one review put it, “Monster Hunter delivers gorgeous art – and nothing to hunt with.”
Bottom Line: A Missed Opportunity
What could have been a standout crossover, blending Monster Hunter’s brutal hunt-and-craft identity with Magic’s legendary creatures and spells, instead feels like a quick-turn licensing product. The art is beautiful – no argument – but art isn’t enough to carry a line that lacks mechanics, identity, and respect for its source material.
If you came looking for iconic gear, power-level beasts, or a true expression of the Monster Hunter gameplay loop, you’ll likely be left wanting. Maybe the next Universes Beyond entry will take a bigger swing – and actually land the hit.
Our previous review
