Magic: The Gathering Arena Qualifier Weekend

Event Information

Last Updated: August 11, 2021

The following includes event information, rules, and policy for the Magic: The Gathering Arena Qualifier Weekend feeding the Innistrad Championship, the first Championship event of the 2021-2022 season.

Wizards of the Coast reserves the right, at its sole discretion, to suspend, modify, and change its events at any time and for any reason without notice.

Overview

The Magic: The Gathering Arena Qualifier Weekend is a two-day event in which top eligible players at the end of the event will receive invitations to compete in the Championship the event feeds.

Qualifier Weekends for the next Championship (event name, dates and formats to be announced) will run on the following weekends:

• August 7-8, 2021
  • The format for August’s Qualifier Weekend is Traditional Standard Constructed
• October 9-10, 2021
  • The format for this Qualifier Weekend is Traditional Innistrad: Midnight Hunt Phantom Sealed
• October 30-31, 2021
  • The format for this Qualifier Weekend is Traditional Historic Constructed

Qualification Paths

Qualifier Weekends are invitation-only events. Eligible players will be granted the Qualifier Badge prior to the event taking place. Players with the Qualifier Badge are granted one entry into the Qualifier Weekend Day One event.

Players who are qualified for the Championship are ineligible to compete in any Qualifier Weekend, regardless of standing in the ranked seasons that determine eligibility.

Players can see if they have the Qualifier Badge by selecting Profile once logged in. The Qualifier Badge will be displayed adjacent to the Season Rewards button on that screen.

The grant of Qualifier Badges to accounts is a manual process completed by the date listed above following the Ranked Season’s completion. Please wait to contact Customer Service until the 6th day of the month (October 12 for the September season/October 30-31 Qualifier Weekend) to confirm your eligibility.

Ranked Season – Ladder Play

Players can typically earn the Qualifier Badge by finishing in the Top 1200 (or First 500/Top 500 – see below) of either Constructed or Limited ranked play at the end of one of the ranked seasons that are tied to a Qualifier Weekend.

For the Qualifier Weekend on August 7-8, 2021, the following ranked seasons are used for determining player eligibility:

• May 2021 Ranked Season (April 30, 2021 at 12:05 PDT – May 31, 2021 at 12:00 PDT)
• June 2021 Ranked Season (May 31, 2021 at 12:05 PDT – June 30, 2021 at 12:00 PDT)
• July 2021 Ranked Season (June 30, 2021 at 12:05 PDT – July 31, 2021 at 12:00 PDT)

For the Qualifier Weekend on October 9-10, 2021, the following ranked season is used for determining player eligibility:

• August 2021 Ranked Season (July 31, 2021 at 12:05 PDT – August 24, 2021 at downtime)
  • The First 500 to reach Mythic rank in the season are invited
  • The Top 500 in Mythic rank as of August 10 at 7 a.m. PDT are invited
  • The Top 1200 in Mythic rank as of the end of the season are invited as normal

For the Qualifier Weekend on October 30-31, 2021, the following ranked season is used for determining player eligibility:

• September 2021 Ranked Season (August 24, 2021 following downtime – September 30, 2021 at 12:00 PT)

Only matches completed by the Season End time count toward the final ranking for the month.

Other Methods

Additional methods of qualification include:

• Finishing with 7 match wins during Day Two of an Arena Open held after the most recent Qualifier Weekend

• NOTE: This is a change from the 2020-2021 season

• Finishing with at least 6 match wins during Day One of the most recent Qualifier Weekend
• Competing in Day Two of the most recent Qualifier Weekend

• Competing in the Strixhaven Championship and finishing with fewer than 10 match wins (These players are eligible for all Qualifier Weekends through October 2021)

Additional ways to earn the Qualifier Badge may be available, up to and including as an award for strong placement in a Wizards-supported tournament or tournament series. Other paths for receiving the Qualifier Badge for a Qualifier Weekend are provided at the sole discretion of Wizards of the Coast.

Direct Day 2 Entry

Some players receive direct invitation to Day Two of a Qualifier Weekend event. Players who receive such an invite are not permitted to compete in Day One of that Qualifier Weekend. The method of direct invitation to Day Two is

• Finishing with exactly six (6) wins in Day Two of the most recent Qualifier Weekend
• Being a member of the Magic: The Gathering Pro Tour Hall of Fame (These players are eligible for all Qualifier Weekends through October 2021)

Other paths for receiving direct invitation to Day Two are provided at the sole discretion of Wizards of the Coast.

Qualifier Weekend Structure

The Qualifier Weekend takes place as a special event in Magic: The Gathering Arena. Players who have the Qualifier Badge on account will see the event and will be eligible to compete in one course of it during Day One. Both days of competition are best-of-three with sideboarding.

General Structure – Day One

Each Qualifier Weekend will be available to enter starting at 6 a.m. PT on Day One. The event will be visible to eligible competitors on the Thursday before the event begins; players who do not see the event but have the Qualifier Badge granted to them on their profile page should contact Customer Service for assistance.

For Constructed formats, the event will allow a player a select their deck prior to any match play, but once a deck is chosen, it cannot be changed for the remainder of the Day One event.

For Phantom Sealed formats, players will have access to six Limited boosters of the corresponding Magic set and must build a deck with a minimum of 40 cards. Other cards that were opened and available in the Sealed pool will be available in that player’s sideboard between games of each best-of-three match. Additionally, players may modify their 40-card deck between matches during this event after initially submitting a deck. Cards opened will not be added to players’ collections.

Day One Entry Window

Players will be able to join the event on Day One no earlier than Saturday at 6 a.m. PT and no later than 8 a.m. PT. Late entries cannot be accommodated. The Entry Window is in place to ensure lower matchmaking times and to permit players enough time to complete all Day One matches.

Players can participate in Day One until they receive either 7 match wins or 3 match losses. If a player earns 7 match wins, an in-game notification will appear and a Day 2 Token will appear on the top-right corner of the player’s Home screen inside the game.

General Structure – Day Two

For Day Two, players will only be able to participate if they earned 7 match wins on Saturday or they were directly invited to Day Two as mentioned above. Eligible players should receive a Day 2 Token that appears in the top-right corner of the Home screen. That Token will appear in eligible players’ accounts by the Thursday prior to the Qualifier Weekend (direct invitees) or as soon as the 7-win Day One course ends. Players who expect to be able to join Day Two but cannot do so should contact Customer Support for assistance.

Players who are eligible to participate on Day Two can play in one course that ends when they receive either 7 match wins or 3 match losses.

For Constructed formats, players are permitted to enter with the same deck as Day One (if applicable), the same deck but with changes, or a different deck. Once a player begins their Day Two course, no further deck changes are permitted.

For Phantom Sealed formats, like Day One, players will have access to six Limited boosters of the corresponding Magic set and must build a deck with a minimum of 40 cards. Other cards that were opened and available in the Sealed pool will be available in that player’s sideboard between games of each best-of-three match. Additionally, players may modify their 40-card deck between matches during this event after initially submitting a deck. Cards opened will not be added to players’ collections.

Due to the Day Two event being available to many fewer participants than Day One, competitors are strongly encouraged to complete all of their games as soon as possible. As the event nears its completion, matchmaking times may take longer than normal.

Prizes

Players will receive gems based on the number of match wins they earn in Day One as follows:

Additionally, players who earn 6 or more match wins on Day One will ensure their eligibility to participate in the next Qualifier Weekend regardless of their monthly ranked season performance. The Qualifier Badge will be granted to those players in the first 3-5 business days following the start of a new monthly ranked season.

Players will receive their gem awards once they have completed their event.

Players who qualify for and compete in Day 2 will receive gems based on the number of match wins they earn in Day 2 as follows:

All players who reach 7 wins on Day Two will receive invitations to compete in the Innistrad Championship, provided they are eligible to participate in the event. Seven-win players will be contacted within 3-5 business days by esports@wizards.com to provide the following information to confirm eligibility:

• Full Name
• Age (all players must be 18 years or older in order to participate in the Championship and all subsequent events that feed the Championship)
• DCI Number (an account can be created at accounts.wizards.com if a player does not have one)

If a player has not received an email by the Friday following the Qualifier Weekend in which they earned 7 wins on Day 2 should contact Customer Service for assistance.

All players who reach 7 wins must respond to the email they receive from esports@wizards.com no later than 14 days upon receipt of email. Players who do not respond by then will have their invitations to the Championship rescinded. Players should ensure that the email address associated to their Magic: The Gathering Arena account is active and up-to-date.

All players who reach 6 wins but not 7 wins will be eligible to participate in the next Qualifier Weekend and will receive automatic entry into Day 2.

General Rules

Players are expected to compete under the implemented rules for Magic: The Gathering Arena.

Participation

Participation in the Qualifier Weekend and Championship, or any events supported by Wizards of the Coast or the Magic Pro League LLC is contingent on players having accounts that are in good standing for Magic: The Gathering Arena and competitive tabletop Magic: The Gathering. Players suspended from participation in Magic: The Gathering Arena or in sanctioned tabletop tournaments are ineligible for any prizes and subject to additional action.

Players in Magic: The Gathering Arena events are required to follow the Wizards Terms and Conditions.

Connectivity and other Issues

Players should review known issues in Magic: The Gathering Arena prior to participation in the Qualifier Weekend and Championship. Wizards is not responsible for impact on the game as a result of players experiencing known issues.

Wizards of the Coast is not responsible for the results of any disconnection or network problems experienced by players.

Prizes and Eligibility

Players who are part of the Magic Pro League or Rivals League for the season in which the Championship takes place (or have earned League invitations for seasons not yet begun) are ineligible to participate in Qualifier Weekends.

Qualification to the Championship does not specifically make a player ineligible to participate in all subsequent events that feed the Championship. That player can continue to compete in Magic Online Premier Play or in third-party events (tabletop or digital) offering invitations to the Championship. However, qualification to the Championship does make a player ineligible to participate in other Qualifier Weekends that feed the Championship. Players who qualify for the Championship will have their Qualifier Badge removed if they otherwise would receive it via monthly ranked season performance.

All prizes are awarded “as is” and without warranty of any kind, expressed, or implied (including without limitation, any implied warranty or merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose). This is a contest of skill and, therefore, there are no odds of winning as is the case with a game of chance. All applicable taxes, fees, duties, tariffs, passport or visa costs, and any license, destination, entry, exit, and/or delivery charges are the sole responsibility of each player. Taxes on prizes (including, without limitation, income taxes), if any, are the sole responsibility of any player winners.

Invitations to the Championship is contingent on signing a waiver and consent form. These documents will be provided to all competitors who will receive invitations so that they can sign and submit prior to attending the event.

Players may be disqualified from the Qualifier Weekend or from participation in the Championship if they are suspended from Magic: The Gathering Arena or sanctioned Magic: The Gathering tabletop play for any reason, including without limitation, a violation of the Magic: The Gathering Arena End User License Agreement.

Although players may have multiple accounts qualified for the Qualifier Weekend, players are not permitted to have more than one of their accounts entered in any single event at one time. Players are not permitted to have any accounts entered in events played by other players for any reason. If a player is discovered to have more than one account playing in the Qualifier Weekend before, during, or after the event, Wizards may take action against that player’s account(s), up to and including disqualification, suspension of the offending account(s), and/or termination of the offending account(s). Using an account other than your own, allowing any other player to use your account, selling your account, and other similar actions are all violations of the Magic: The Gathering Arena User Agreement.

Wizards of the Coast reserves the right to reschedule and/or restart tournaments, matches, extend timers and/or games as needed.

To be eligible to participate in Qualifier Weekend and the Championship, the following requirements must be met:

• All players must be at least 18 years of age or older.
• Players must have Internet access.
• Players must have access to a personal computer.

Players must have an Organized Play Account holders in good standing and in compliance with the Wizards Terms and Conditions.

Legal Information

Release

By entering (or consenting to the entry of a person under the age of eighteen) the Qualifier Weekend and Championship, each participant and the invited players thereby release Wizards, Hasbro, and each of their respective parent companies, subsidiaries, affiliates, directors, officers, employees, and agencies from any liability whatsoever and waive any and all causes of action related to any claims, costs, injuries, losses, or damages of any kind arising out of or in connection with the Qualifier Weekend and Championship or delivery, misdelivery, acceptance, possession, or use of or inability to use any prize (including, without limitation to, claims, costs, injuries, losses, and damages related to personal injuries, death, damage to or destruction of property, rights of publicity or privacy, defamation, or portrayal in a false light, whether intentional or unintentional), whether under a theory of contract, tort (including negligence), warranty, or other theory. Except where prohibited, you agree that any and all disputes, claims, and causes of action arising out of or connected with this contest or any prize awarded shall be resolved under the laws of the State of Washington, without respect to any conflict of law issues, and participants agree that such shall be resolved properly, without resort to any form of class action, and exclusively by the US Federal and State Courts of King County, Washington, USA. All of Sponsor's decisions regarding the application and interpretation of the Rules are final.

Disclaimer of Liability; Certain Risks

Wizards, Hasbro, and each of their respective parent companies, subsidiaries, affiliates, directors, officers, professional advisors, employees, and agencies will not be responsible for: (a) any late, lost, misrouted, garbled, distorted, or damaged transmissions or entries; (b) telephone, electronic, hardware, software, network, Internet, or other computer- or communications-related malfunctions or failures; (c) any event disruptions, losses, or damages caused by events beyond the control of Sponsors; or (d) any printing or typographical errors in any materials associated with the Qualifier Weekend and Championship.

Wizards of the Coast reserves the right to modify, reschedule, and/or delete any tournament for any reason, including without limitation, if in its sole judgment that tournament's integrity has been compromised by an unforeseen technical issue and/or error in that tournament's administration.

Participation in a Qualifier Weekend or Championship event is void where restricted, taxed, or prohibited by law.

Players who qualify for a Championship agree to have their usernames and/or provided names as what is associated to their Wizards Account or Organized Play account posted on magic.gg and Wizards of the Coast social media channels. Players who participate in the Qualifier Weekend agree to have their usernames and selected deck posted on magic.gg and Wizards of the Coast social media channels.