Game Preserve is one of those cards players keep asking about. Here is, in plain words, what its official text says, the rulings published by Wizards of the Coast, and the combos players actually run.
Official card text
At the beginning of your upkeep, each player reveals the top card of their library. If all cards revealed this way are creature cards, put those cards onto the battlefield under their owners' control.
Complete guide
Game Preserve is a high-stakes enchantment that turns the top of every player's library into a potential biological explosion. By checking everyone's top card during your upkeep, it creates moments of pure suspense where one non-creature card can ruin the party for everyone. It is the ultimate gamble for creature-heavy decks looking to cheat massive threats into play simultaneously.
Unveiling the Wilds
Game Preserve triggers at the start of your upkeep. When the ability resolves, every player must reveal the top card of their library. The enchantment looks for a unanimous result: every single revealed card must be a creature card. If even one player reveals a land, instant, sorcery, or any other non-creature card, the effect fails and all cards remain on top of their respective libraries.
Entering the Fray
If the condition is met and all revealed cards are creatures, they are put directly onto the battlefield under their owners' control. These creatures enter simultaneously. Because this happens during your upkeep, any 'enters-the-battlefield' abilities will trigger and be put on the stack after the Game Preserve ability has finished resolving. Note that since these creatures enter under their owners' control, you might accidentally help an opponent if they also reveal a powerful threat.
Strategic Precision
To make the most of Game Preserve, you need to manipulate the top of your deck. Since the ability triggers at the beginning of your upkeep, you must have your creature ready on top before your turn begins or use instant-speed effects during your upkeep in response to the trigger. If you don't know what is on top of your opponents' libraries, you are playing a game of chance, but in a multiplayer game, the odds of success decrease as more players are involved.
Interaction examples
Sylvan LibraryDuring your draw step, Sylvan Library allows you to put cards back on top of your library. You can use this to ensure a creature is waiting for the Game Preserve trigger on your next turn's upkeep. However, remember that Game Preserve triggers at the start of the upkeep, which occurs before the draw step, so you are always preparing for the following turn.
Garruk's UprisingIf Game Preserve successfully puts creatures onto the battlefield and one of yours has power 4 or greater, Garruk's Uprising will trigger. This allows you to draw a card for each qualifying creature that entered. If multiple creatures enter at once, you get multiple draw triggers, potentially refilling your hand after your successful gamble.
Guide written with AI from the official text and rulings. Official English text prevails.
How it works : Game Preserve
Original English text — Wizards of the Coast / Scryfall
No additional ruling has been published for this card.
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Meta decks with Game Preserve
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