Magic Store Challenger Series – Magic: The Gathering returns to IRL esports events

As some parts of the world begin to open their doors, physical events are starting to take place. One of the first IRL esports events will be happening in Australia this Saturday, with the World of Tanks ANZPL finals. As this part of the globe opens up, Magic: The Gathering (MTG) looks to make an impact in the Asia-Pacific region. Publisher Wizards of the Coast has announced the Magic Store Challenger Series. This is a physical world competition hosted in Wizards Play Network stores, throughout stores in the Asia-Pacific region.

Store Challenger Series

The MTG Store Challenger Series calls all Magic players, regardless of skill level. The aim of the competition is to “welcome MTG players” back in stores to play against others. Participating stores receive 32 unique foil cards to use as prizes for the competition. These cards are part of the Year of the Ox promotional series, that were released alongside Chinese New Year celebrations. The series kicks off in June and runs until early next year. So, you can expect plenty of MTG action for the rest of 2021.

The series will consist of four qualifying events each with a different format. Each event is associated with a different Year of the Ox promo card:

• Moraug, Fury of Akoum. Sealed or Draft format. June 21 to July 18
• Ox of Agonas. Modern or Standard format. August 9 to September 5
• Angrath, the Flame-Chained. Standard or Limited format. October 11 – November 7
• Tahngarth, First Mate. Standard or Limited format. December 6 – January 16

Two of the promo cards released for the Chinese Year of the Ox. Each special promo card will be associated with one of the four series. (Images provided by Wizards of the Coast)

Winners and prizes

Players who participate in the competition have the chance to score one of the limited edition promo cards for that particular series. After each qualifying event, the top two players will progress to the Store Championship. Each store will hold a Championship event to determine the best MTG player for their store. There’s no word yet on major prizes for the Store Championships.

If you live in the Asia-Pacific region and want to compete, check the Wizards Play Store locator to find your nearest shop. If you live outside of Asia-Pacific and feel left out of the Magic Store Challenger Series, don’t worry. The Wizards Play Network has announced its US-based stores are returning for play from May 28. To welcome players back, there will be exclusive store promos and events. Check out all the details on US openings via the Wizards Play Network blog.