Wizards of the Coast Inc., developer and publisher of game-based entertainment products, has released Invasion, the base set for the new block of cards for Magic: The Gathering.

Invasion the first expert-level expansion set in this newest trilogy of cards that follows the block that began with Mercardian Masques and included Nemesis and Prophecy. Skirmisher has to admit to being a bit surprised by the contents of this new set. Keep your eye on this URL for our take on this exciting new cardset.

Magic: The Gathering players will have the opportunity to begin experiencing the new Invasion set firsthand at tournaments on Sunday, October 8 in cities worldwide, and members of the Skirmisher staff will be among those taking part in those first games. Players can follow the Magic storyline through the set's new mechanics, which support the premise of the Invasion novel.

Invasion cards are available in 75-card tournament packs, four 60-card theme decks; 15-card randomized booster packs; and a "fat pack" that includes six booster packs, a TopDeck magazine pull-out Invasion insert, the Invasion novel, and two premium cards. The set will be released worldwide and will be available in eight different languages, including Chinese Traditional, English, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Portuguese and Spanish.

With an estimated fan base of more than six million players, Magic is played in social and competitive settings, including the prestigious $1 million Magic: The Gathering Pro Tour circuit. Played in more than 52 countries worldwide, Magic is supported by the DCI players' organization, the governing authority for all officially sanctioned Magic tournaments. The DCI tracks the rankings of both amateur and professional Magic players, and currently sanctions more than 60,000 Magic tournaments around the world per year.

Wizards of the Coast, a subsidiary of Hasbro Inc. (NYSE:HAS), is the worldwide market share leader in the trading card game and tabletop roleplaying game categories. A leading developer and publisher of game-based entertainment products, as well as the owner and operator of one of the nation's largest specialty game retail chains, the company holds an exclusive patent on the play mechanic of trading card games (TCGs) and produces the world's best-selling Pokemon and Magic: The Gathering TCGs. Headquartered near Seattle, Washington, Wizards of the
Coast has international offices in Antwerp, Paris, Milan, London and Beijing. For more information on Wizards of the Coast, visit the company's Website.