Wizards Play Network#Judge Program

File:Dci logo.jpg

The DCI was formed in late 1993, and developed Magic's first tournament sanctioning and deckbuilding rules.{{cite web | title = How the pro tour saved magic | publisher = Channelfireball.com | year = 2014 | access-date = February 9, 2018 | url = https://www.channelfireball.com/articles/how-the-pro-tour-saved-magic/}} Over the next decades, it filled several roles in Magic's organized play. It maintained policy documents as changes were needed, addressed new questions and supported new product releases.{{cite web|title=DCI and Banned/Restricted Announcement|url=http://magic.tcgplayer.com/db/article.asp?ID=3309|date=September 1, 2003|website=TCGPlayer.com}}{{cite web|title=Archived DCI Penalty Guidelines|url=http://www.wizards.com/dci/judge/main.asp?x=judge/MTG_DCI_Judge_Penalty|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20010420031640/http://www.wizards.com/DCI/judge/main.asp?x=judge/MTG_DCI_Judge_Penalty|url-status=dead|archive-date=April 20, 2001|website=Wizards.com|publisher=The DCI}} It maintained the registration systems for both players and sanctioned tournaments.{{cite web|url=http://www.wizards.com/dci/main.asp?x=Sanctioning|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20010410165325/http://www.wizards.com/DCI/main.asp?x=Sanctioning|url-status=dead|archive-date=April 10, 2001|title=DCI Sanctioned-Event Information|website=wizards.com|publisher=The DCI}} It also developed and operated a certification program for tournament officials, known as Judges.

Over time, the roles of the DCI were gradually absorbed by other organizations, such as Wizards of the Coast itself through its Wizards Play Network (WPN) program, or through the independent Judge Program.{{cite web|url=https://magic.wizards.com/en/events/resources/judges|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141230095408/http://magic.wizards.com/en/events/resources/judges|url-status=dead|archive-date=December 30, 2014|title=What is a Judge?|publisher=Wizards of the Coast|website=wizards.com}}{{cite web|url=https://blogs.magicjudges.org/o/judge-levels/|title=Judge Levels - Official Resources|publisher=Magic: the Gathering Judge Program|website=magicjudges.org}} Part of the 2008 Wizards Play Network rebrand was "in response to feedback from organizers, particularly retailers". This also opened up Magic pre-release tournaments to participating WPN stores.{{Cite web|date=June 17, 2008|title=WotC Opens Up Pre-Release Events|url=https://icv2.com/articles/games/view/12758/wotc-opens-up-pre-release-events|access-date=2021-09-16|website=icv2.com|language=en}} Per the industry trade ICv2, the WPN was designed to include "a wider range of casual formats, including leagues, multi-player, and team play. Current sanctioned programs will remain; the new programs will be in addition to those that already exist"; previously, "the entire array of Magic organized play events was all one-on-one sanctioned tournament play". In May 2009, Wizards of the Coast announced that 138,500 active Magic players were registered in the new organized play program since launching the WPN.{{Cite web|title=WotC Boasts 138k Active 'Magic' Players|url=https://icv2.com/articles/games/view/14955/wotc-boasts-138k-active--magic-players|access-date=2021-09-16|website=icv2.com|language=en}}

Also in 2009, stores at the WPN Core level or higher were allowed to release Dungeons & Dragons (D&D) products before the official publication date.{{Cite web|date=December 21, 2009|title=Early Release on 'D&D'|url=https://icv2.com/articles/news/view/16530/early-release-d-d|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100106170542/http://www.icv2.com/articles/news/16530.html|archive-date=January 6, 2010|access-date=2021-09-16|website=icv2.com|language=en}} In 2010, Wizards of the Coast restricted organized play not associated with a participating store; many sanctioned Magic and D&D events were now required to be hosted at a participating store or sponsored by a participating store.{{Cite web|date=November 19, 2010|title=WotC Ends Magic Player Rewards Program|url=https://icv2.com/articles/games/view/18821/wotc-ends-magic-player-rewards-program|access-date=2021-09-16|website=icv2.com|language=en}} Wizards of the Coast began to advertise the D&D Encounters program, a D&D equivalent of Friday Night Magic, under the WPN umbrella in 2010.{{Cite web|date=November 29, 2010|title=Rolling for Initiative--WotC's Big Mistake|url=https://icv2.com/articles/columns/view/18872/rolling-initiative-wotcs-big-mistake|access-date=2021-09-16|website=icv2.com|language=en}}{{Cite web|date=June 23, 2013|title=Rolling for Initiative--Encountering New Encounters (and What SOME Retailers Think)|url=https://icv2.com/articles/columns/view/26040/rolling-initiative-encountering-new-encounters-what-some-retailers-think|access-date=2021-09-16|website=icv2.com|language=en}} From 2014 to 2016, the D&D Adventurers League could only be run at participating WPN locations.{{Cite web|date=2014-05-21|title=Dungeons & Dragons Details New Organized Play Program|url=https://www.escapistmagazine.com/dungeons-dragons-details-new-organized-play-program/|access-date=2021-09-16|website=The Escapist|language=en-US}}{{Cite web|last=Bunge|first=Nicole|date=January 14, 2016|title=Adventurers League No Longer Confined to Stores and Cons|url=https://icv2.com/articles/news/view/33478/adventurers-league-no-longer-confined-stores-cons|access-date=2021-03-29|website=Icv2|language=en}} Scott Thorne, for ICv2 in 2014, wrote that the WPN organized play is highly structured with stores expected, or at least encouraged, to run OP events, either provided by WotC itself (Friday Night Magic, Magic Game Days, the late Kaijudo Draft program, D&D Encounters and so forth and so on), or set up by the store (Magic, casual Magic, casual Dungeons & Dragons). Stores can either schedule events weeks or months in advance, with promotional materials and support often provided (sometimes hundreds of dollars worth of support), or set something up on the fly, as a group of players come in and settles down for an evening of Magic or D&D. The company has made the DCI Reporter software integral to its OP program and updates the software on a regular basis. The weekly sales tips sent out from Wizards' Customer Support usually (but not always) focus on how to enhance a store’s OP program as integral to the success of Magic and, to a lesser extent, Dungeons & Dragons.{{Cite web|date=November 10, 2014|title=Rolling for Initiative--The Importance of OP: A Tale of Two Companies|url=https://icv2.com/articles/columns/view/30154/rolling-initiative-the-importance-op-a-tale-two-companies|access-date=2021-09-16|website=icv2.com|language=en}}

In March 2020, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Wizards of the Coast suspended in-store events in North America, Europe, and Latin America.{{Cite web|last=Carpenter|first=Nicole|date=2020-03-20|title=Weekly Friday Night Magic events go online amid coronavirus pandemic|url=https://www.polygon.com/2020/3/20/21188305/friday-night-magic-fnm-at-home-coronavirus-pandemic|access-date=2021-09-15|website=Polygon|language=en}}{{Cite web|date=March 24, 2020|title=Magic: The Gathering Officially Suspends All In-Store Play|url=https://comicbook.com/gaming/news/magic-the-gathering-coronavirus-paper-magic-cancelled/|access-date=2021-09-16|website=ComicBook.com|language=en}} In response to the in-person suspension, Wizards of the Coast launched the Friday Night Magic at Home program utilizing the online game Magic: The Gathering Arena. Then in October 2020, Wizards of the Coast announced a new ongoing ticketed series for Dungeons & Dragons called D&D Virtual Play Weekends which are organized by Baldman Games. This monthly event includes the option of either Adventurers League legal games or non-AL games.{{Cite web|last=Hall|first=Charlie|date=2020-10-27|title=Dungeons & Dragons organized play moves online with five months of scheduled events|url=https://www.polygon.com/2020/10/27/21535076/dungeons-dragons-organized-play-online-adventurers-league-baldman-discord-price|access-date=2021-09-22|website=Polygon|language=en}}{{Cite web|date=April 13, 2021|title=Dungeons & Dragons Announces New Campaign Set in Ravenloft|url=https://comicbook.com/gaming/news/dungeons-dragons-ravenloft-campaign-adventurers-league/|access-date=2021-09-22|website=ComicBook.com|language=en}}{{Cite web|date=2020-10-22|title=Dungeons and Dragons Confirm Virtual Play Weekends|url=https://www.tabletopgaming.co.uk/news/dungeons-and-dragons-confirm-virtual-play-weekends/|access-date=2021-09-22|website=Tabletop Gaming}} In May 2021, the in-store suspension was lifted in the United States, Japan and Africa but not in Latin America or Europe.{{Cite web|last=Hall|first=Charlie|date=2021-05-07|title=Magic: The Gathering will allow in-store play again starting this month|url=https://www.polygon.com/22424587/magic-the-gathering-resumes-in-store-play-friday-night-magic-pandemic|access-date=2021-09-15|website=Polygon|language=en}}{{Cite web|date=April 15, 2021|title=Wizards of the Coast Lifts 'Magic: The Gathering' In-Store Play Suspension for Japan|url=https://icv2.com/articles/news/view/48107/wizards-coast-lifts-magic-the-gathering-in-store-play-suspension-japan|access-date=2021-09-16|website=ICv2|language=en}}

In 2024, WPN started a pilot program called "Avalon Hill Game Nights" which focuses on "evergreen titles that WotC is increasing availability for to WPN stores via distribution. These titles include the HeroQuest line, Betrayal at House on the Hill, The Yawning Portal, and Risk and Risk Strike".{{Cite web |last=Dohm-Sanchez |first=Jeffrey |date=June 10, 2024 |title=Wizards of the Coast Launches Avalon Hill Game Nights |url=https://icv2.com/articles/news/view/57089/wizards-coast-launches-avalon-hill-game-nights |access-date=June 16, 2024 |website=ICv2 |language=en}} The pilot program is scheduled to begin in July 2024 at "200 WPN stores in the U.S. and Canada".

In order to play in sanctioned events, players must register for membership. Previously, players would receive a DCI number. This number is up to 10 digits long, and uniquely identifies a competitor in a sanctioned tournament. In 2017, players were encouraged to create a Wizards Account which would include a player's DCI number.{{Cite web|last=Ullman|first=Alex|date=March 21, 2017|title=Memorize your DCI Number - Updated|url=https://www.coolstuffinc.com/a/alexullman-news-03092017-memorize-your-dci-number|access-date=2021-09-16|website=www.coolstuffinc.com|language=en}} Starting in 2020, there was a transition to sanctioned events requiring a player to have a Wizards Account instead of a DCI number.{{Cite web|title=Sunsetting Planeswalker Points|url=http://magic.gg/news/sunsetting-planeswalker-points|access-date=2021-09-16|website=MAGIC: THE GATHERING {{!}} ESPORT|language=en}}{{Cite web|date=2020-04-29|title=Magic: The Gathering is Making a Big Change and Fans Aren't Happy|url=https://gamerant.com/magic-the-gathering-dci-number-system-change/|access-date=2021-09-16|website=Game Rant|language=en-US}}

The WPN previously maintained a global player ratings database (formerly based on a variation of the Elo rating system; then based on "Planeswalker Points", earned for participating in events as well as for each win{{cite web|url=https://www.wizards.com/Magic/PlaneswalkerPoints/Information#WhatIsPlaneswalkerPoints|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110923154026/http://www.wizards.com/Magic/PlaneswalkerPoints/Information#WhatIsPlaneswalkerPoints|url-status=dead|archive-date=September 23, 2011|title=What is Planeswalker Points|website=wizards.com|publisher=Wizards of the Coast}}) and members had access to their entire tournament history online. However, in 2020, both the database and "Planeswalker Points" were retired.{{Cite web|date=2020-04-27|title=DCI and Planeswalker Points are retiring, here's how you can save your history|url=https://www.newsweek.com/magic-gathering-retires-dci-planeswalkers-points-players-chagrin-1500475|access-date=2021-09-16|website=Newsweek|language=en}} Newsweek reported that "your DCI number and the website that lets you track your tournament process back decades will be taken offline [...]. Players have been responding on reddit and Twitter to the removal of the archival with either disdain or acceptance". Epicstream commented that the "move to remove the old Planeswalker Points system is understandable. The Wizards Account and Companion app will simplify everything, and due to privacy laws, local game stores can no longer store local databases so each player will need to type the event into the app or give the organizer their Wizards Account email address".{{Cite web|last=Vyper|first=Jake|date=April 27, 2020|title=Magic: The Gathering DCI Numbers, Planeswalker Points & Grand Prix Byes Will Be Removed Soon|url=https://epicstream.com/news/JakeVyper/Magic-The-Gathering-DCI-Numbers-Planeswalker-Points--Grand-Prix-Byes-Will-Be-Removed-Soon|access-date=2021-09-16|website=epicstream.com|language=en-US}}

If a member commits frequent or flagrant rules infractions, their membership can be suspended for variable amounts of time depending on the severity, from one month to lifetime.{{cite web|url=http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dci/suspended|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20030409093827/http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dci/suspended|url-status=dead|archive-date=April 9, 2003|title=Suspended DCI Memberships|website=wizards.com|publisher=Wizards of the Coast}}{{Cite web|date=January 16, 2016|title=On The Grind With The Women of Magic: The Gathering|url=https://www.vice.com/en/article/the-women-of-magic-the-gathering/|access-date=2021-09-16|website=Vice|language=en}}{{Cite web|date=2017-12-08|title=Wizards Of The Coast Bans Bullies|url=https://www.kotaku.com.au/2017/12/wizards-of-the-coast-bans-bullies/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171209234333/https://www.kotaku.com.au/2017/12/wizards-of-the-coast-bans-bullies/|url-status=dead|archive-date=December 9, 2017|access-date=2021-09-16|website=Kotaku Australia|language=en-AU}}

The WPN outlines various rules participating stores must follow along with various metrics they must meet in order to stay in the WPN network.{{Cite web|date=March 17, 2009|title=WotC's 'Retailer Rewards' Program|url=https://icv2.com/articles/games/view/14525/wotcs-retailer-rewards-program|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100106193800/http://www.icv2.com/articles/news/14525.html|archive-date=January 6, 2010|access-date=2021-09-16|website=icv2.com|language=en}}{{Cite web|date=December 9, 2015|title=WotC Tightens WPN Requirements|url=https://icv2.com/articles/news/view/33244/wotc-tightens-wpn-requirements|access-date=2021-09-16|website=icv2.com|language=en}} {{As of|2018|January|since=y}}, Wizards of the Coast has required participating stores to pay for background checks (where legal) on employees or others involved in the administering of WPN events. Additionally, Wizards of the Coast made an explicit "requirement that WPN stores not employ staff or engage others whose names appear on a sex offender registry 'and/or have been convicted... for a violent sexual offense or a crime against children'." Milton Griepp, for the industry trade ICv2, commented that this change occurred after recent social media coverage on a Magic judge who "was discovered to be listed on a sex offenders registry. To make things worse, the situation had been reported to an email address maintained by Magic Judges, 'an independent community-run organization that operates and manages the judge community and the Judge Conduct Committee,' way back in July 2017".{{Cite web|date=January 18, 2018|title=Wizards of the Coast Requiring WPN Stores to Do Background Checks|url=https://icv2.com/articles/news/view/39386/wizards-coast-requiring-wpn-stores-do-background-checks|access-date=2021-09-16|website=ICv2|language=en}}

Stores were previously divided into levels (Core, Advanced and Advanced Plus) and received different benefits based on their store level.{{Cite web|date=August 12, 2013|title=WotC Adds Gateway to Core Program|url=https://icv2.com/articles/games/view/26452/wotc-adds-gateway-core-program|access-date=2021-09-16|website=icv2.com|language=en}}{{Cite web|date=April 1, 2014|title=WotC's New 'Advanced Plus' OP Level|url=https://icv2.com/articles/games/view/28279/wotcs-new-advanced-plus-op-level|access-date=2021-09-16|website=icv2.com|language=en}} {{As of|2019||since=y}}, stores are divided into WPN Stores and WPN Premium Stores ("about 5% of all WPN stores").{{Cite web|date=March 18, 2019|title=Rolling for Initiative--What a Week! CMON and the WPN|url=https://icv2.com/articles/columns/view/42737/rolling-initiative-what-week-cmon-wpn|access-date=2021-09-16|website=ICv2|language=en}}{{Cite web|date=March 25, 2019|title=Rolling for Initiative--The Shape of Stores to Come?|url=https://icv2.com/articles/columns/view/42791/rolling-initiative-the-shape-stores-come|access-date=2021-09-16|website=ICv2|language=en}} Metrics are measured by what WPN calls Tickets and Engaged Players. Tickets are "the total number of entries across all of a store’s Magic: The Gathering events" and Engaged Players are "players who join six events, in either Standard, Draft, or Sealed, per year".{{Cite web|date=March 18, 2019|title=WotC Revamps Wizards Play Network|url=https://icv2.com/articles/news/view/42735/wotc-revamps-wizards-play-network|access-date=2021-09-16|website=ICv2|language=en}} To stay in the WPN Network, stores must reach a minimum of 5 Engaged players and 250 Tickets per year. Stores will also receive player incentives, such as promo packs, based on their exact metrics.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, these metrics were suspended. However, Wizards of the Coast began encouraging WPN stores to run events again by resuming metric counts in July 2021. Jeffrey Dohm-Sanchez, for ICv2, highlighted that this metric rollout was limited to the US region with other regions to follow in the future. He wrote that "retailers will have an entire year to build up their metrics for allocations as a grace period, and during this time, allocations will either be based on the Q1 2020 or live metrics. After the grace period ends, the live metrics will determine allocations. It is also to be noted that all formats will now count towards the Engaged Players portion of the metrics. Prior to the pandemic, only Standard, Booster Draft and Sealed events counted towards this metric. Now, any form of Magic played in a retailer's community can contribute to the number of Engaged Players".{{Cite web|date=June 17, 2021|title=Wizards of the Coast Will Relaunch the Use of WPN Play Metrics|url=https://icv2.com/articles/news/view/48608/wizards-coast-will-relaunch-use-wpn-play-metrics|access-date=2021-09-16|website=ICv2|language=en}} Also in 2021, Wizards of the Coast required participating stores to transition from the Wizards Event Reporter (WER) to the Wizards EventLink system in order to stay in the WPN network as the WER was being decommissioned.{{Cite web|date=February 10, 2021|title=Wizards of the Coast Threatens to Remove Stores From the WPN for Not Switching to Wizards EventLink|url=https://icv2.com/articles/news/view/47562/wizards-coast-threatens-remove-stores-from-wpn-not-switching-wizards-eventlink|access-date=2021-09-16|website=ICv2|language=en}}{{Cite web|date=July 17, 2017|title=Rolling for Initiative--The Number One Way WOTC Could Improve Pre-releases (and Friday Night Magic)|url=https://icv2.com/articles/columns/view/37968/rolling-initiative-the-number-one-way-wotc-could-improve-pre-releases-friday-night-magic|access-date=2021-09-16|website=icv2.com|language=en}}

{{more citations needed section|date=September 2021}}{{See also|Magic: The Gathering formats|Magic: The Gathering#Tournaments}}

Until September 2011, the WPN maintained rules and assigned players ratings for three basic categories in Magic: Constructed, Eternal, and Limited. These categories recorded a player's ranking based on their records of wins and losses. A fourth rating category, Composite, was the average of a player's Constructed and Limited ratings. Starting in 2010, the WPN introduced a new rating category, called Total rating. This rating replaced most of the existing individual ratings. While the other ratings were still published, Total replaced the other categories for rating-based invitations and byes.{{cite web | title=Ask Wizards - November 4 | last=Labaree | first=Scott | date= November 4, 2008 | access-date= December 8, 2008 | url = http://www.wizards.com/Magic/Magazine/Article.aspx?x=mtg/daily/askwizards/1108| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20081106062814/http://www.wizards.com/Magic/Magazine/Article.aspx?x=mtg/daily/askwizards/1108| url-status = dead| archive-date = November 6, 2008}}

The rating system was discontinued in 2011 in favor of a points-based system, known as Planeswalker Points, administered by Wizards of the Coast. This system awarded points for participating in a tournament, as well as additional points for each win during the event. This system replaced the rating system for invitations and byes.{{cite web|title = Planeswalker Points|publisher=Wizards of the Coast|year=2011|access-date=September 14, 2011|url=http://www.wizards.com/Magic/PlaneswalkerPoints/Information|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110923154026/http://www.wizards.com/Magic/PlaneswalkerPoints/Information|url-status=dead|archive-date=September 23, 2011}}{{cite web|url=https://www.channelfireball.com/articles/an-open-letter-regarding-planeswalker-points/|title=An Open Letter Regarding Planeswalker Points|website=channelfireball.com|publisher=Channel Fireball|last=Scott-Vargas|first=Luis|date=October 17, 2011}} In 2020, Planeswalker Points were retired.

{{main|Magic: The Gathering Judge Program}}

The WPN was also the home of the Judge Program. Early in Magic's competitive history, the event's organizers needed a system for training and certifying qualified tournament officials. To have a measure of capability of the judges the WPN introduced judge levels.{{cite web|year=2016|title=Judge Levels - Redefinition|url=http://blogs.magicjudges.org/o/judge-levels-redefinition/|access-date=May 31, 2016|publisher=MagicJudges.org}} Over time the Judge Program grew and transformed, and is now an independent organization.

{{Main|Friday Night Magic}}

"Thousands of games shops" participate in Friday Night Magic (FNM),{{Cite news|last=Duffy|first=Owen|date=July 10, 2015|title=How Magic: the Gathering became a pop-culture hit – and where it goes next|language=en-GB|work=The Guardian|url=https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2015/jul/10/magic-the-gathering-pop-culture-hit-where-next|access-date=July 9, 2019|issn=0261-3077}} an event sponsored by the WPN; it is advertised as "the event where new players can approach the game, and start building their community".{{Cite book|last=Troilo|first=Gabriele|url=https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/966560595|title=Marketing In Creative Industries : Value, Experience and Creativity.|date=2015|publisher=Palgrave Macmillan|isbn=978-0-230-38023-3|location=Basingstoke|pages=110–112|oclc=966560595}} FNM offers both sanctioned tournament formats and all casual formats.{{cite web|last=Rosenberg|first=Mike|title=Friday Night Magic changes|url=http://magic.wizards.com/en/events/coverage/ptktk/friday-night-magic-changes-2014-10-14|access-date=23 May 2015|publisher=Wizards of the Coast}}{{Cite web|last=Smith|first=Kendra|date=May 1, 2019|title=It's Time to Sanction Pauper|url=https://www.coolstuffinc.com/a/kendrasmith-05012019-its-time-to-sanction-pauper|access-date=2021-09-15|website=www.coolstuffinc.com|language=en}} In 2018, The New Yorker reported that "even as it has grown in popularity and size, Magic flies low to the ground. It thrives on the people who gather at lunch tables, in apartments, or in one of the six thousand stores worldwide that Wizards has licensed to put on weekly tournaments dubbed Friday Night Magic".{{cite magazine|last=Jahromi|first=Neima|date=August 28, 2018|title=The Twenty-five-year Journey Of Magic: The Gathering|url=https://www.newyorker.com/culture/culture-desk/the-twenty-five-year-journey-of-magic-the-gathering|access-date=February 27, 2020|magazine=The New Yorker}} FNM tournaments can act as a stepping-stone to more competitive play.{{cite web|date=June 2009|title=Friday Night Magic|url=http://www.wizards.com/Magic/TCG/Events.aspx?x=events/magic/fnm&dcmp=ILC-MTGNTOP|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080923113049/http://www.wizards.com/Magic/TCG/Events.aspx?x=events/magic/fnm&dcmp=ILC-MTGNTOP|url-status=dead|archive-date=September 23, 2008|access-date=June 14, 2009|publisher=Wizards of the Coast}}

{{main|Magic: The Gathering Organized Play}}

Pre-release tournaments are held in hundreds of locations around the world several days before each new expansion, or set, is available for sale in stores. The pre-release provides a casual play atmosphere and a preview of new cards and sets. Before 2008, pre-release tournaments were limited to those with Premier Tournament Organizer status; it was then opened up to WPN stores.{{Cite web|date=August 7, 2007|title=Steven Olsen of A Little Shop of Comics on CCG Pre-release Events|url=https://icv2.com/articles/comics/view/11074/steven-olsen-a-little-shop-comics-ccg-pre-release-events|access-date=2021-09-16|website=icv2.com|language=en}}

Friday Night Magic (FNM) tournaments and Arena Leagues (currently defunct) are offered in many stores and clubs, allowing players to compete for special foil promo cards and other prizes (rarely involving a cash top prize). These tournaments are mostly for amateurs and first-time players seeking a start in professional play. The WPN will also run other regional tournaments such as the 2021 Store Challenger Series for participating WPN stores in the APAC region.{{Cite web|last=Smart|first=Karl|date=May 18, 2021|title=Wizards of the Coast announces Aus/NZ Store Challenger Series|url=https://www.theouterhaven.net/2021/05/wizards-of-the-coast-announces-aus-nz-store-challenger-series/|access-date=2021-09-16|website=The Outerhaven|language=en-US}}

Many other stores, school clubs, and community groups hold WPN-sanctioned events on a regular basis. Events are also held at almost all gaming conventions, such as Origins and Gen Con. In addition, some companies hold tournament series for Magic: The Gathering at locations across the US outside of WPN regulation.

Hecatomb was supported by the DCI over its short lifetime.{{Cite web|date=2 January 2006|title=HECATOMB DCI FLOOR RULES|url=http://www.wizards.com/dci/downloads/HEC_FLR_2jan06_EN.pdf|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090604001619/http://www.wizards.com/dci/downloads/HEC_FLR_2jan06_EN.pdf|archive-date=June 4, 2009|access-date=September 16, 2021|website=Wizards of the Coast}}{{Cite web|date=March 17, 2005|title=WotC Announces New TCG|url=https://icv2.com/articles/news/view/6591/wotc-announces-new-tcg|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100117185950/http://www.icv2.com/articles/news/6591.html|archive-date=January 17, 2010|access-date=2021-09-16|website=icv2.com|language=en}} In August 2006, it was announced that the game would no longer be produced by Wizards of the Coast, and the DCI ceased to support it.{{cite web|title=The End of Hecatomb|url=http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=ht/article/20060525|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070213130100/http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=ht%2Farticle%2F20060525|archive-date=February 13, 2007|access-date=2007-07-01}}

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Category:Magic: The Gathering

Category:Year of establishment missing