Rocket Launcher

Released in March 1994, Rocket Launcher was part of Antiquities, the fourth expansion set for the collectible card game Magic: The Gathering. As the first expansion to focus on a cohesive narrative theme—the war between the brothers Urza and Mishra—it introduced a variety of artifacts that reflected the industrial and arcane conflicts of the set's setting. The design team, led by Christopher Rush and others at Wizards of the Coast, utilized the set to experiment with mechanical complexity and localized flavor, with Rocket Launcher serving as a representative artifact of the set's aggressive, resource-draining style.

The card was illustrated by Quinton Hoover, a prolific artist whose distinct, expressive style became iconic during the early years of the game. Hoover’s artwork for the card captures the brutalist aesthetic of the brothers' war, depicting a stationary, heavy-duty weapon consistent with the artifact-heavy theme of the expansion. While the card is often cited by players for its high mana cost and unique activated ability, it remains a sought-after piece for historians of the game due to its status as a Rare from one of the earliest expansion sets.