Wizards of the Coast Inc., developer and publisher of game-based entertainment products, has announced the upcoming release of the Prophecy expansion, a new cardset for Magic: The Gathering that includes powerful creatures called Avatars and several new game mechanics.

Prophecy is the third expert-level expansion set in the trilogy that began with Mercardian Masques and Nemesis, and is scheduled for release on June 5. The Avatars in the Prophecy set appear in all colors and take advantage of special situations, allowing players to avoid expensive mana costs when putting them into play. In addition, players can follow the Magic storyline through the set's new mechanics, which support the premise of the Prophecy novel.

"These new creatures are really cool and have awesome abilities that will definitely enhance competitive play for Magic players," said Joe Hauck, Magic brand manager at Wizards of the Coast. "Avatars also play a role in the Magic storyline as Prophecy sets up the upcoming and exciting Invasion cycle."

Prophecy cards will be available in four 60-card theme decks; 15-card randomized booster packs; and a "fat pack" that includes six booster packs, a TopDeck magazine pull-out Prophecy insert, the Prophecy 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.

Magic: The Gathering players will have the opportunity to experience the new Prophecy set firsthand before the official release during Prerelease tournaments on Saturday, May 27. More than 35 cities across the United States have been sanctioned as Prerelease tournament sites. For a list of
cities, please contact Tod Steward at Wizards of the Coast.

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.