Blake is the content manager for DailyMTG.com, making him the one you should email if you have thoughts on the website, good or less good (or not good). He's a longtime coverage reporter and hasn't turned down a game of Magic in any format ever.

There's a list of things every player brings with them to play Magic. Their deck. Pen and paper. Some dice. Maybe some counters and tokens. A playmat.

While we aren't replacing your deck or playmat any time soon, we're about to slim down that list by packing a lot of functionality into something you already have with you—your phone.

Announcing the official Magic companion app, Magic: The Gathering Portal.

In 2018, Magic: The Gathering will launch the official, all-in-one companion app capable of tracking life and counters, managing and inviting friends to home tournaments, looking up rules, and so much more.

Whether you're new, just diving in, or a seasoned player, the app will offer a multitude of features that will complement your gaming experience, allowing you to:

Create, manage, and track home tournaments complete with pairings, invitations for friends, brackets, and playgroup stats. Want to run a massive Commander play-day at home? We've got you covered. Itching to test out eight Modern or Standard decks with friends? Set up a tournament, invite friends, and keep track of the results. All from your phone.

complete with pairings, invitations for friends, brackets, and playgroup stats. Want to run a massive Commander play-day at home? We've got you covered. Itching to test out eight Modern or Standard decks with friends? Set up a tournament, invite friends, and keep track of the results. All from your phone. Look up card information on the fly , including searchable rules databases for card rulings, keywords, and mechanics, all streamlined for showing your friends that, yes, Fungusaur is indeed a Dinosaur now.

, including searchable rules databases for card rulings, keywords, and mechanics, all streamlined for showing your friends that, yes, Fungusaur is indeed a Dinosaur now. Keep track of life totals as well as wins and losses across multiple devices to show just how you stack up against your friends. Think you're the best in your playgroup? Find out. Looking to improve your record over time? Watch as those 1-2 records turn into 3-0s. Or just claim bragging rights when you finally grab your playgroup's win-loss crown from the local ringer.

as well as wins and losses across multiple devices to show just how you stack up against your friends. Think you're the best in your playgroup? Find out. Looking to improve your record over time? Watch as those 1-2 records turn into 3-0s. Or just claim bragging rights when you finally grab your playgroup's win-loss crown from the local ringer. Stay up-to-date on Magic news with a customizable hub. You can focus your feed to read just about what you want—whether that's news from the very people who make the game, updates to the official Magic story, or results from the latest Pro Tour. As much or as little news as you like will be right there at your fingertips.

with a customizable hub. You can focus your feed to read just about what you want—whether that's news from the very people who make the game, updates to the official Magic story, or results from the latest Pro Tour. As much or as little news as you like will be right there at your fingertips. Keep in touch with your playgroup through social linking that lets you invite friends to events, simultaneously track life totals, and manage a friend list.

with your playgroup through social linking that lets you invite friends to events, simultaneously track life totals, and manage a friend list. Learn more about Magic through access to video tutorials, glossaries, and rule lookups. New players can learn together, and experienced players can settle rules disputes with a flip of their phone.

The app will be available free on iOS and Android phones in every language in which Magic publishes cards. We'll have more information as the day gets closer, but look for your new essential Magic app later in 2018. Stay tuned!