Wizards Play Network Change

~
Happy Monday MTG peeps,

As MTG Realm is a casual Magic the Gathering fan site, we know that your fav game may take you to a great number of varied locations such as your kitchen table, your school cafeteria, your work's lunchroom or even on-line. We also know from your eMails and correspondence that a great number of you also participate in a number of Wizards Play Network (WPN) sanctioned events, whether it is the very popular Friday Night Magic (FNM), a booster draft or Elder Dragon Highlander (EDH) at a variety of locations. WPN sanctioned events are excellent because you get a chance to win some cool, alternate art foil card or other excellent prize.

The three main programs in WPN (Gateway, Core, and Advanced) had just recently changed on Friday, 15th October - and perhaps not for the best according to some players. In the past, Wizards of the Coast, through the Wizards Play Network provided stores, schools, libraries, and organizers everything they need to set up and maintain vibrant gaming communities. It has now changed to just stores with some qualifiers . . .

For organizers not associated with a store, Wizards will offer an Event Support Kit starting with the next set, Mirrodin Besieged. This kit will be identical to the Gateway Support Kit for Magic 2011 and will refresh with each new Core Set. Organizers not associated with a store will also have access to rated and casual sanctioned events. Why? Thihs straight from WoTC :

"Wizards of the Coast wants to build strong ... Magic communities in stores; attaching WPN levels and programs to retail venues creates a greater connection between players and the stores where they play. This change allows Wizards to better leverage the strengths of the WPN and our programs, maximizing their impact for stores and promoting the formation of vibrant player communities."

So, essentially, Organizers will no longer have WPN levels, and organizers will no longer receive WPN programs. Both these will be given exclusively to store locations.

We here at MTG Realm want to know if this may affect you and where you play. Do you have a club at school, in the armed forces, at your local library that formerly enjoyed WPN programs or does this affect you at all - perhaps you only play at a local games store - drop us a line in the comments below.

~

Speaking of WPN promos, here are / were the latest FNM and Gateway promos . . .

FNM
September 2010: Qasali Pridemage
October 2010: Rift Bolt
November 2010: Gatekeeper of Malakir

Gateway
Magic 2011: Sylvan Ranger, Fling
Scards of Mirrodin: Golem's Heart, Plague Stinger








































~