March of the Machine (MOM) is closing in, and while characters from all walks of life are joining forces to fight against the Phyrexian invasion, you can join forces with local and regional players alike by participating in one or many of the ways to play with this new set, with events at Wizards Play Network (WPN) stores worldwide, big celebrations like CommandFest and MagicCon: Minneapolis, and much more.

Prerelease: April 14–20

Friday, April 14, is your first opportunity to crack open some Prerelease Packs of March of the Machine, and this round's got some extra goodies to make the Prerelease experience at your local game store all the more special.

Prerelease Packs for March of the Machine contain all you need to dive into the set's themes in a 40-card Sealed Deck format:

• 6 March of the Machine Draft Boosters
• A foil-stamped rare or mythic from the set
• A code for Magic: The Gathering Arena, which you can redeem for some goodies on your MTG Arena account
• And a new twist for March of the Machine: a bonus legendary creature promo will also be available in your Prerelease Pack as a commemorative extra for participating!
  • Note that this card is a promo that is legal in Commander and is part of the March of the Machine Commander set of cards but is not legal in typical Prerelease play. Think of this as a neat bonus extending the mash-ups when the stakes are raised across the Multiverse!

The March of the Machine Prerelease promos offer a special souvenir to make the Phyrexian invasion an unforgettable event and extends the unexpected team-ups not thought possible when planar legends face the dire odds of invasion and compleation.

But a Prerelease isn't just about what you get, it's about the experience! To participate in something many look forward to every set release, head over to your WPN-affiliated local game store, pick up a Prerelease Pack after entering, and then build a deck for a few rounds of games. Most stores will offer events in a traditional tournament structure with prizes that scale based on performance, but typically these are pretty light on prizes and offer incentive simply for playing all of your rounds (but check with your local store on any specifics related to entry and prizes). Some retailers may also offer a more streamlined build-and-play option, where you build a deck, play, and simply enjoy playing with some new Magic cards, so check with your local stores for all the details.

Not sure about jumping into Sealed with a Prelease Pack for in-store play? That's fine, too. WPN retailers also offer Prerelease Packs for players who want to build and play out of the comfort of their own home or with some buddies outside of the store. March of the Machine Jumpstart Boosters also provide an alternative way to engage with Prerelease. All you need are two Jumpstart Boosters, then open them, shuffle up, and you're ready to play!

Players who do play in an event at their local store may also be able to get some special 30th anniversary promo cards, made available during Prerelease. March of the Machine features the following:

Please note that the Chord of Calling promo is only available in Brazilian Portuguese for WPN stores worldwide. All other cards are English globally. Chord of Calling is also a rarer 30th anniversary promo, so limited quantities will be available at all WPN retailers. For distribution methods on this rarer 30th anniversary promo, check with your WPN retailer for more information.

And in case you haven't been to a Prerelease recently . . . or perhaps ever . . . Prereleases at WPN retailers are also your first opportunity to get any March of the Machine products, be they Set Boosters, Collector Boosters, Commander decks—take your pick—before the official release date. That's right! All WPN retailers can sell the new offerings ahead of the official global release, so there's never been a better time to check out your local game store for a Prerelease celebration!

March of the Machine CommandFests: April 14–16

Looking to celebrate March of the Machine Prerelease in the United States in a big way? Then CommandFests are your destination! These events are all about Commander play, and with these events taking place on Prerelease weekend—a set featuring some unexpected legendary mash-ups and a Prerelease Pack that hosts some of those tag-teams in the form of promos—it's a great weekend to open some boosters, play some games, and even build or tinker with new and existing commanders!

CommandFest events for this round are as follows:

• April 14–16 in Richmond, Virginia, hosted by Star City Games
• April 14–16 in Indianapolis, Indiana, hosted by Pastimes Games
• April 14–16 in Orlando, Florida, hosted by CoolStuffInc.com
• April 14–16 in Seattle, Washington, hosted by Laughing Dragon

Looking to attend a big Commander celebration like this one but not in the vicinity of these events? Well, there might be some news about that coming soon if you fancy yourself someone who enjoys a good Commander adventure or five after second breakfast.

Launch Party: April 21–23

Call it a pre-aftermath celebration or a post-Prerelease afterparty, but Launch Party is your official global release celebration for all things March of the Machine! Pick up anything you couldn't get on Prerelease at your local game store, stop in for some draft fun or more at Friday Night Magic, and keep the excitement going after days of Prerelease fun.

MagicCon: Minneapolis hosting Pro Tour MOM: May 5–7

MagicCon marches on to Minneapolis, Minnesota, after a packed weekend of exciting play in Philadelphia in February. This is a huge three-day celebration of all things Magic, and what better time to play, meet, and greet various players, artists, designers, and more than during one of the biggest set moments in Magic history?

Tickets are still available, and all the latest info can be found over at mtgfestivals.com, so if you're interested in attending, no matter where you're at or how long you've played, we'd love to see you there.

MagicCon: Minneapolis also plays host to Pro Tour March of the Machine, a three-day tournament featuring a $500,000 prize pool and hundreds of the best players around the world as they test their mettle in Standard Constructed and March of the Machine Booster Draft to see who qualifies for the World Championship and is crowned Pro Tour champion. Additionally, players who participate in a Pro Tour receive a non-foil Jace, the Mind Sculptor Secret Lair prize card simply for making it to one of the biggest stages in Magic, and the top 16 players walk away with a traditional foil copy, too!

Not qualified, or can't attend MagicCon in person to see the action as it unfolds? Tune in to twitch.tv/magic all weekend to see the latest from Magic's iconic international tournament series.

Store Championship: May 13–21

Following MagicCon: Minneapolis and Pro Tour March of the Machine, the MOM Store Championship gives aspiring players a shot at some sweet promos by competing in a local tournament run by their WPN retailer.

All WPN retailers get promo card support to run a Store Championship, but WPN Premium locations get a little something special: Top 8 and winner promos with their store's name emblazoned on the cards.

For this round, WPN retailers may run their Store Championship as either Standard Constructed or a Limited format using March of the Machine draft boosters. Participants (while supplies last) will receive this alternate-art version of Strangle:

Placing in the Top 8 of your Store Championship gets you a traditional foil Aether Channeler:

Become your store's champion, and you'll get a full-art textless version of Thalia and the Gitrog Monster. Bask in the Gitrog's full-art glory!

Want your own Thalia and the Gitrog Monster promo that, well, speaks for itself? Then plan to attend a Store Championship near you and check with your WPN retailer for all of the details about their event.

Commander Party: May 26–28

Commander Party wraps up its Phyrexian arc with a thrilling one-day experience available to WPN Premium stores!

Attend a Commander Party and enjoy an event filled with fun, a factionalized twist that layers a Phyrexian-invasion experience into the typical game of Commander and a while-supplies-last promo card featuring a Phyrexian-language Beast Within!

This event is only available at WPN Premium stores, so check with one nearest to you for more information. And in case you don't live near a WPN Premium store, never fear! Commander Parties will be available at all participating WPN retailers starting in July, so check back soon for more info on that.

Friday Night Magic (FNM): Every Friday

One of Magic's longest running brands is a true call to everyone: come play Magic this Friday! FNM continues to be one of the game's most popular events. All WPN retailers can host an FNM, and it can be whatever works best for your local community.

Some retailers run tournaments with a fixed number of rounds on Friday night, with prizes for top finishers. Some retailers host a Commander gathering for local players to hang out and gather with old and new friends alike, with door prizes and achievements. Some do both, and then some! Ultimately, your local FNM is what your community wants it to be.

FNM is typically supported with prizes at the discretion of the retailer, but commonly you may find WPN promo packs given out to players as either prizes based on a tournament finish or as door prizes for the less structured events. Aside from providing players with some rare and mythic rare cards from a curated list, as well as an MTG Arena code for an in-game pack, promo packs also contain dark-frame promo cards. The possible options you'll get in March of the Machine promo pack are as follows:

Commander Nights: Weeknights

Not sure if you can make it Fridays and just want to hang out and battle with some Commander? Well then, Commander Nights are a good option. Every WPN store can run these, and much like FNM, they are also supported with WPN promo packs as prizes, as well as whatever your local store wants to add to it or use instead of those.

There's plenty to do at your local game store, and if you're feeling competitive, the next few weeks have some sweet events coming up.

Regional Championship Qualifiers for Pro Tour 1 in 2024: April 22–August 20

The path to the Pro Tour begins at your local Regional Championship Qualifiers. Also known as RCQs, these events qualify winners (or top finishers, depending on the region and event being run) for the Regional Championship within the territory they are competing.

These events are also supported with some sweet Secret Lair promos. Participants—while supplies last—get a promo version of Unholy Heat for competing in these.

Top finishers in qualifiers right now get an Eldritch Evolution Secret Lair prize card, with those earning invitations to the Regional Championship also snagging a traditional foil copy.

WPN retailers have the opportunity to run these events, and they may be hosting one near you, so check with your local store for more details on the what, the when, and the where.

The general details on this upcoming round and subsequent Regional Championships can be found in the following article.

With so many ways to play following the release of March of the Machine, you'll be plenty busy for the next many weeks! It all starts at your local game store on Prerelease weekend, so contact your local WPN retail for all the latest info!