We are making changes to the entry requirements for Draft and Sealed events as well as to the redemption timeline for sets Kaladesh and forward. If you haven't done so already, read Worth Wollpert's article on these changes first. In this article, I'll discuss how these changes affect Magic Online events, starting with the Magic Online Prereleases.

Kaladesh Prerelease Events

The changes Worth spoke of mean we will have reduced entry for Sealed and Draft events on Magic Online, where Kaladesh drafts will be 12 Event Tickets or 120 Play Points and Sealed Deck events will be 24 Event Tickets or 240 Play points.

We are excited that this change will make Magic Online more accessible for players to join events, and let players play more. Check out the details for Kaladesh Prereleases below to see the changes in action.

As Worth noted, Prereleases will begin after the Wednesday, October 5 downtime, and Legacy Cube events will be ending prior to that downtime.

Kaladesh Sealed Prerelease League

Start Time: After the Wednesday, October 5 downtime

Closed Time: Monday, October 10, at 10 a.m. PT

End Time: Monday, October 10, at 6 p.m. PT

Product: 6 Kaladesh boosters, plus an extra premium rare or mythic rare

Structure: 5 matches, each up to 50 minutes, played at your convenience

Entry Options:

24 Event Tickets

240 Play Points

Prizes:

5 wins: 5 Kaladesh boosters + 240 Play Points + 3 Qualifier Points

4 wins: 4 Kaladesh boosters + 120 Play Points + 1 Qualifier Point

3 wins: 3 Kaladesh boosters + 60 Play Points

2 wins: 2 Kaladesh boosters

1 win: 1 Kaladesh booster

Please Note: Participating players will receive a Saheeli Rai avatar.

Kaladesh Prerelease Draft League

Start Time: After the Wednesday, October 5 downtime

Closed Time: Monday, October 10, at 10 a.m. PT

End Time: Monday, October 10, at 6 p.m. PT

Product: 3 Kaladesh boosters

Structure: Eight-player draft plus 3 matches, each up to 50 minutes, played at your convenience

Entry Options:

12 Event Tickets

120 Play Points

Prizes:

3 wins: 4 Kaladesh boosters

2 wins: 2 Kaladesh boosters

1 win: 1 Kaladesh booster

Please Note: Participating players will receive a Saheeli Rai avatar.

We also want to make sure that your first look at Kaladesh on Magic Online is also the best time to play, so we've added a booster pack for going undefeated in the Kaladesh Prerelease draft!

Finally, with the latest Leagues update, we've also improved the notifications around Leagues ending, so leagues that start during Kaladesh will have shorter closed periods, reducing the period wherein players couldn't join a League down from two days to a few hours. You can see how much time is left right above the join button, so you know exactly how much time you have to complete the League.

Kaladesh Sealed Events

Once Prereleases are over, both versions of Sealed Leagues—Friendly and Competitive—will begin with the new, lower entry options.

Kaladesh Friendly Sealed League

Start Time: Monday, October 10, at 10 a.m. PT

Closed Time: Tuesday, January 24, at 10 a.m. PT

End Time: Wednesday, January 25, at 7 a.m. PT

Structure: 3 stages, each with up to 3 matches, up to 50 minutes each, played at your convenience. Players have the option of upgrading their pool between stages.

Product: 6 Kaladesh boosters. Between stages, players may use an upgrade option to add a Kaladesh booster to their Sealed pool.

Entry Options:

24 Event Tickets

6 Kaladesh Boosters and 4 Event Tickets

240 Play Points

Upgrade Options:

4 Event Tickets

1 Kaladesh booster

40 Play Points

Stage Prizes (awarded after each stage based on results in that stage):

3 wins: 40 Play Points

2 wins: 30 Play Points

1 wins: 20 Play Points

0 wins: 10 Play Points

Additional Prizes (awarded at end of league based on results the entire course):

9 wins: 3 Kaladesh boosters + 160 Play Points

8 wins: 2 Kaladesh boosters + 160 Play Points

7 wins: 1 Kaladesh booster + 160 Play Points

6 wins: 160 Play Points

5 wins: 60 Play Points

Kaladesh Competitive Sealed League

Start Time: Monday, October 10, at 10 a.m. PT

Closed Time: Wednesday, January 25, at 1 a.m. PT

End Time: Wednesday, January 25, at 7 a.m. PT

Structure: 5 matches, up to 50 minutes each, played at your convenience

Product: 6 Kaladesh boosters

Entry Options:

24 Event Tickets

6 Kaladesh Boosters and 4 Event Tickets

240 Play Points

Prizes:

5 wins: 6 Kaladesh boosters + 360 Play Points + 3 Qualifier Points

4 wins: 3 Kaladesh boosters + 240 Play Points + 1 Qualifier Point

3 wins: 1 Kaladesh booster + 120 Play Points

Kaladesh Draft Events

Draft Leagues have taken Magic Online's most popular event type and ratcheted up the excitement. Players are often finding matches in well under a minute, and at their own schedule and convenience.

Most of this success, however, has been in the 6-2-2-2 League. When they were queues, players were split pretty evenly between the Pack/Win and the 6-2-2-2 queues, but since the launch of Leagues the 6-2-2-2 has been dominant. As a result, we'll be ending support for the Pack/Win League with the Kaladesh release and consolidating Draft Leagues play into the 6-2-2-2 League.

We're aware that this change may not appeal to everyone, but the experience created by the low population in the Pack/Win league is not one that is sustainable long term. Finding matches there currently takes much longer than in the 6-2-2-2 equivalent, so we're going to prioritize players playing Magic over waiting to play Magic.

Our goal is to offer the 6-2-2-2 as the Friendly Draft League option and create a Competitive 8-4 Single-Elimination League. While this is not currently possible, the team is actively working on an update that will allow more League structures, including single elimination. Having two Draft Leagues with more distinct prizes and structures should do a better job of segmenting drafters than the structures currently offered.

Kaladesh 6-2-2-2 Draft League

Start Time: Monday, October 10, at 10 a.m. PT

Closed Time: Wednesday, January 25, at 3 a.m. PT

End Time: Wednesday, January 25, at 7 a.m. PT

Structure: 3 matches, up to 50 minutes each, played at your convenience

Product: 3 Kaladesh boosters

Entry Options:

12 Event Tickets

3 Kaladesh Boosters and 2 Event Tickets

120 Play Points

Prizes:

3 wins: 6 Kaladesh boosters + 1 Qualifier Point

2 wins: 2 Kaladesh boosters

Kaladesh 8-4 Draft Queue

Start Time: Monday, October 10, at 10 a.m. PT

End Time: When we can convert it to an 8-4 Draft League! (Details to be announced)

Structure: Drafting, deckbuilding, and up to 3 matches, up to 50 minutes each

Product: 3 Kaladesh boosters

Entry Options:

12 Event Tickets

3 Kaladesh Boosters and 2 Event Tickets

120 Play Points

Prizes:

1st Place: 8 Kaladesh boosters + 2 Qualifier Points

2nd Place: 4 Kaladesh boosters + 1 Qualifier Point

Constructed Changes

Along with the changes to Limited, we're adjusting our Constructed events at the same time by introducing a new prize you can earn! For more information, including how to get Kaladesh Inventions, check out my companion article today: "Announcing Magic Online Treasure Chests!"

Other Draft Changes

Currently, Magic Online offers Draft support for all Standard-legal sets. Moving forward with Kaladesh, we're only going to offer the current Draft and the previous Draft blocks. So on October 10, the Dragons of Tarkir, Magic Origins, and Oath of Gatewatch-Battle for Zendikar Draft formats will no longer be offered. The Eldritch Moon-Shadows over Innistrad Draft Leagues will be replaced with a single 6-2-2-2 Draft queue. This draft will use the current entry-option structure: 14 Event Tickets; or 140 Play Points; or 2 Eldritch Moon booster packs, 1 Shadows over Innistrad booster pack, and 2 Event Tickets. Flashback, Cube, and special drafts will continue to be offered as normal.

Times Are Changing!

We're excited for what these changes will mean for growing the Magic Online community and enabling many players to play more. If you have any feedback on these changes or other issues related to Magic Online events, please do not hesitate to reach out to @MagicOnline or @mtg_lee on Twitter, or email MagicOnlineFeedback@wizards.com. Thanks!

—Lee Sharpe

Digital Product Manager, Magic Online