Set Release Dates and Set Rotations

[nyth]

For those of you losing track of all the different sets and box sets being released over the next 5 months, here's a synopsis of what to look forward to.


Magic: The Gathering 2010 Core Set (M10)
Prerelease: 11th-12th July 2009
Release: 17th July 2009
Set Size: 249 cards (101 C, 60 U, 53 R, 15 M, 20 L)
Product Lineup: Five intro packs, 15-card booster pack, 6-card booster pack, fat pack


From the Vault: Exiled
Release: 28th August 2009
MSRP: $34.99
Specifications:
15 Premium foil cards, including 8 with new art (commissioned from artists including Rebecca Guay, John Avon, and Randy Gallegos.), An exclusive spindown life counter, A collector’s guide, English only, From The Vault unique foil process, Black-bordered in current card frame and tournament legal where the original printings are still legal.


Planechase
Release: 4th-6th September 2009
MSRP: $19.99
Specifications:
Four Planechase Game Packs available at launch: Elemental Thunder, Metallic Dreams, Strike Force, and Zombie Empire.
Each pack contains: 10 all-new plane cards, a ready-to-play 60-card deck, a six-sided planar die and a Planechase strategy insert with multiplayer rules.
Each 60 card deck has 8 rare cards (from throughout Magic's history) including a preview card from Zendikar
Black-bordered in current card frame and tournament legal where the original printings are still legal.
The 10 oversized plane cards comprise a planar deck. They feature all-new artwork depicting some of the more exotic realms of the Magic multiverse.


Zendikar (ZEN)
Tagline: Deadly Perils, Priceless Treasures.
Prerelease: 26th-27th September 2009
Release: 2nd October 2009
Launch Parties: 2nd-4th October 2009
Set Size: 249 cards (101 C, 60 U, 53 R, 15 M, 20 L)
Product Lineup: Five intro packs, 15-card booster pack, 6-card booster pack, fat pack


Duel Decks: Garruk vs Liliana
Release: 30th October 2009
MSRP: $19.99
Specifications:
Two 60 card decks, 8 rare cards, 6 cards with new artwork including foil alternate-art versions of Garruk Wildspeaker and Liliana Vess, Black-bordered in current card frame and tournament legal where the original printings are still legal.


Premium Deck Series: Slivers
Release: 20th November 2009
MSRP: $34.99
Specifications:
One 60 card ALL foil deck, 5 rare cards, 1 mythic rare. No alternate art versions of any cards have been announced. Exclusive spindown life counter, foil deck box, English only, Black-bordered in current card frame and tournament legal where the original printings are still legal.


Worldwake (WWK)
Tagline: A World Enraged.
Prerelease: 30th-31th January 2010
Release: 5th February 2010
Launch Parties: 5th-7th February 2010
Set Size: 145 cards (60 C, 40 U, 35 R, 10 M)
Product Lineup: Five intro packs, 15-card booster pack, fat pack


Rise of the Eldrazi (ROE)
Tagline: And Carnage Shall Follow.
Prerelease: 17th-18th April 2010
Release: 23rd April 2010
Launch Parties: 23rd-25th April 2010
Set Size: 249 cards (101 C, 60 U, 53 R, 15 M, 20 L)
Product Lineup: Five intro packs, 15-card booster pack, fat pack

ROTATION SCHEDULE
When M10 is released on 17th July 2009:
ONLY 10th Edition will rotate out of Standard
Standard will then consist of LRW, MOR, SHM, EVE, ALA, CFX, ARB and M10
[Gain 249 cards - Lose 383 cards = 1720 cards (80 Basic Lands)]
Extended will acquire M10 but nothing will rotate out of Extended
[Gain 249 cards = 6303 cards (245 Basic Lands)]

When Zendikar (ZEN) is released on 2nd October 2009:
The Lorwyn/Shadowmoor Block (LRW, MOR, SHM, EVE) will rotate out of Standard
Standard will then consist of ALA, CFX, ARB, M10 and ZEN
[Gain 249 cards - Lose 932 cards = 1037 cards (60 Basic Lands)]
The Onslaught Block (Onslaught ON, Legions LE, Scourge SC) and 8th Edition will rotate out of Extended
Extended will acquire ZEN
[Gain 249 cards - Lose 995 cards = 5557 cards (225 Basic Lands)]

All future rotations for Standard and Extended will happen yearly in October when the big first set of a new block is released.
[Hint to everyone, Mirrodin block only has till next October in Extended. Sniff...]

Hope you find all of this useful.
To Olivier: Suggest adding these dates to the website calendar as a new category of release dates rather than event dates.

[noxy]

Hope you find all of this useful.
To Olivier: Suggest adding these dates to the website calendar as a new category of release dates rather than event dates.

Nice idea! Unfortunately I'd have to delve into someone's code for the calendar.
I've added the dates in the sidebar.
edit: added a link to this post for complete info about the products.

[nyth]

Currently available products:

Irregular Non-Standard Releases:

• From the Vault: Exiled
• Planechase
• Duel Decks: Garruk vs Liliana
• Premium Deck Series: Slivers (20th November 2009)

Standard Releases:

• Shards of Alara (ALA) - Conflux (CFX) - Alara Reborn (ARB)
• Magic: The Gathering 2010 Core Set (M10)
• Zendikar (ZEN) - Worldwake (WWK) (5th February 2010) - Rise of the Eldrazi (ROE) (23rd April 2010)

Current Legal Sets in Standard - Type 2: ALA, CFX, ARB, M10 and ZEN [1037 cards (60 Basic Lands)]
Current Legal Sets in Extended: 8th Edition, Mirrodin and onwards (all new frame cards) [5914 cards (245 Basic Lands)]

No sets will rotate until next October when the set codenamed "Lights" (from the "Lights", "Camera", "Action" block) is released. When this happens we will lose the Alara block together with M10.