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Explorer Qualifier Weekend Starts Saturday On MTG Arena

Check out the new events coming soon to MTG Arena

Cavalier of Thorns illustrated by Jehan Choo

Wizards of the Coast (WotC) has released its weekly update article for MTG Arena, highlighting this week’s premier play options, the ongoing summer sale, future events, and more.

Qualifier Weekend Starts Saturday

August’s Qualifier Weekend is set for this weekend, with the Best-Of-Three Qualifier Play-In on Friday. The format of choice is Explorer. The Play-In queue opens at 6 AM PT/13:00 UTC and entry fee is 20,000 gold, 4,000 gems, or 20 Play-In Points. Players can enter as many times as they wish. Reach four match wins before a loss to reach the Qualifier Weekend.

Qualify for the Qualifier Weekend to have a chance to reach the Pro Tour or Arena Championship 4. The Qualifier Weekend event is Best-Of-Three Explorer. More details on Play-In events and the Qualifier Weekend can be found here.

Summer Sale Continues

The MTG Arena Summer Sale rolls on for another week. The sale features bundles, card sleeves, stickers, pets and more. The fan-favorite April Fools’ card sleeve is the headlining item.

Other items include like Astrology basic lands and the Pool Party sticker bundle. The sale runs through August 15.

Khans Of Tarkir Coming In Late 2023

The Magic 30 preview video showed off all the things coming to Magic: The Gathering and MTG Arena for the coming years, including Khans of Tarkir to MTG Arena later this year.

Here are just some of the things coming to the client in the not-so distant future:

  • Before the end of 2023, the entire Khans of Tarkir set will be released on MTG Arena. This will help get Pioneer on the platform and allow players to relive or experience the draft format for the first time. It will not be a Remastered set.
  • Improved duplicate protection will be implemented with the release of Wilds of Eldraine.
  • A new achievement system will be coming to provide rewards that go beyond wins and losses.
  • Shadows Over Innistrad Remastered will be the last remastered set for a while.
  • Modern Horizons 3 will be on MTG Arena in its entirety for drafting and cards will presumably be legal in Historic.
  • The MTG Arena team has a goal to have all of “tournament Pioneer” on the client by the end of 2024. Pioneer Masters will have an influx of cards deck’s need to make the move from Explorer to Pioneer and will be draftable. Cards needed for tournament-level Pioneer play should be on MTG Arena. Casual play will still be supported by Explorer Anthologies and having format-legal cards show up on bonus sheets for upcoming sets.
  • There are plans to further integrate tabletop play with MTG Arena. Tabletop matches will have in-client rewards, like XP for mastery pass.

Check out more from the video here.

Upcoming Format Rotation And Renewal Rewards

While Standard is not going to rotate any sets this year after the announcement earlier this year that the format would only rotate every three years, Alchemy will have a rotation. With the release of Wilds of Eldraine on September 8, Alchemy will lose four Standard sets and four Alchemy-only expansions.

  • Innistrad: Midnight Hunt
  • Innistrad: Crimson Vow
  • Alchemy: Innistrad
  • Kamigawa: Neon Dynasty
  • Alchemy: Kamigawa
  • Streets of New Capenna
  • Alchemy: New Capenna
  • Alchemy Horizons: Baldur’s Gate

After the rotation, Alchemy will consist of the following sets:

  • Dominaria United
  • Alchemy: Dominaria
  • The Brothers’ War
  • Alchemy: The Brothers’ War
  • Phyrexia: All Will Be One
  • Alchemy: Phyrexia
  • March of the Machine
  • March of the Machine: The Aftermath
  • The Lord of the Rings: Tales of Middle-earth™
  • Wilds of Eldraine

Renewal rewards will still be awarded to players with the Renewal Egg that will appear in the MTG Arena client soon. The Renewal Egg will show how much time remains for set rotation for Alchemy. It will also contain awards for players, which in the past have been packs and Individual Card Rewards (ICRs) from sets still legal in Standard.

Full details on rotation and renewal season can be found here.

Event Schedule

Midweek Magic

  • August 8–10: Slow Start
  • August 15–17: Historic Pauper
  • August 22–24: Brawl
  • August 29–31: Momir

Quick Draft

  • August 1–15: Dominaria United
  • August 15–29: The Lord of the Rings: Tales of Middle-earth
  • August 29–September 15: March of the Machine
  • September 15–26: Wilds of Eldraine

Other Events

  • July 25–August 3: The Brothers’ War Premier Draft
  • August 3–14: Magic 30: Mixed-Up Premier Draft
  • August 14–21: Throne of Eldraine Premier Draft
  • August 21–September 5: Arena Cube Draft
  • August 26-27: Arena Open (Arena Cube Draft)

Premier Play

August

  • Qualifier Play-In (Best-of-Three)
  • August 11, 6 AM PT–August 12, 3 AM PT
    • Format: Explorer
  • Qualifier Weekend
  • August 12, 6 AM PT–August 13, 4 PM PT
    • Format: Explorer

August 2023 Ranked Season Rewards

The August 2023 Ranked Season begins July 31 at 12:05 p.m. PT and ends on August 31 at 12 p.m. PT (UTC-07:00)

  • Bronze Reward: 1 The Lord of the Rings: Tales of Middle-earth pack
  • Silver Reward: 1 The Lord of the Rings: Tales of Middle-earth pack + 500 gold
  • Gold Reward: 2 The Lord of the Rings: Tales of Middle-earth packs + 1,000 gold + Reprieve card style
  • Platinum Reward: 3 The Lord of the Rings: Tales of Middle-earth packs + 1,000 gold + Reprieve card style + Display of Power card style
  • Diamond Reward: 4 The Lord of the Rings: Tales of Middle-earth packs + 1,000 gold + Reprieve card style + Display of Power card style
  • Mythic Reward: 5 The Lord of the Rings: Tales of Middle-earth packs + 1,000 gold + Reprieve card style + Display of Power card style

Read the original article from WotC.