- The Pro Tour will have a new format consisting of locally organized regionals
- Challengers will have to win regional championships to qualify for the Magic World Championship
- Regionals start on July 2 and Wizards is going to release more information about the Pro Tour soon
As restrictions around the pandemic are finally getting dropped which allows Magic: The Gathering to finally start organizing in-person events with a new format.
Live Events are Back
Fans of Magic: The Gathering have not had an in-person event in a lot of time. Not to mention the Pro Tour, the last one of which was in 2018 when it was rebranded as the Mythic Championship, then rebranded again as the Players Tour in 2020. Of course, the Corona pandemic hit in 2020, forcing many tournaments, be they Magic, esports, or even the Tokyo Olympics to be postponed.
Fortunately, as restrictions are falling, the Pro Tour is set to return, albeit with some changes. The old Grand Prix/Magicfest events will now be regional championships that will be organized by local Magic establishments.
“The past two years were not kind to Magic tabletop play—or, really, the world,” wrote Wizards of the Coast in the official announcement. “While we pivoted to digital play as quickly as we could, we, like you, eagerly awaited the time when tabletop play could return. That time is nearly here. It's time to return to the Pro Tour.”
What’s the New Format?
The new format is fairly simple – you simply win a regional tournament to qualify for a regional championship. Winning that will grant the player an invitation to both the Magic Pro Tour and the Magic World Championship. There, players will compete against 127 other participants for a chance to win a part of the $1 million pool.
These are the regions:
- U.S. – DreamHack
- Canada – Face to Face
- Europe, Middle East, and Africa – Legacy
- Australia/New Zealand – Good Games
- Chine – Beijing Kadou Culture
- Japan/Korea – Big Magic
- Southeast Asia – Oracle Events
- Taiwan – Game Square
- Brazil – City Class Games
- Mexico/Central America/Caribbean – Yellow Rabbit
- South America – Magic Sur
Players who want to participate in regionals must check where their nearest regional qualifier event will be held and what the rules will be. Regionals and Pro Tour events will have a rotation of Standard, Modern, Limited, and Pioneer formats.
Regionals start July 2, but dates for the Pro Tour have not yet been announced, however, they will most likely start in early 2023. The Magic World Championship will also be held in the USA later in 2023, with more details still to be announced.
Regionals are not the only way to qualify for the Pro Tour. Playing digital formats in Magic: The Gathering Arena and Magic: The Gathering Online will be another path for players to reach the Pro Tour and World Championship.
The return of in-person events is a long-awaited event by MTG fans and Wizards is expected to release more information next week.
