Qualifier Weekend
Qualifier Weekends are monthly tournaments on MTG Arena, which provide access to Arena Championships and the Pro Tour. They used to be similar to the former Pro Tour Qualifiers (PTQs) from the tabletop Pro Tour tournaments. Starting with the 2022–23 Pro Tour Season they are incorporated in the Premier Play system and can be equated to Regional Championship Qualifiers.[1][2][3]
Description
Each monthly Qualifier Weekend is a two-day event in MTG Arena, using a Best-of-Three format for both days. While mostly Constructed, there has been one instance of Phantom Sealed. Top-finishing players from each Qualifier Weekend are invited to the upcoming Pro Tour.
Entering the event
Originally, only monthly Ranked Play provided access to the Qualifier Weekend, with the top 1,200 players getting an invite. Starting in 2022, the qualifying is segmented; the top 250 in either Constructed or Limited get the invite[4], whereas the other players of the top 1,200 will receive an entry's worth of a new organized play currency - 20 Play-In Points - for the new Qualifier Play-In gateway event. Play-In Points can also be earned through regular constructed and traditional limited events and can be cashed in at the player's discretion. The Play-In event can also be entered using 4,000 gems or 20,000 gold directly, and they appear shortly before the scheduled Qualifier Weekend; the Best-of-one queue appears a week prior, and the Traditional queue appears a day prior.
Once a player reaches the maximum wins in the play-in event, they can enter the Qualifier Weekend; winning 14 matches across two days with a maximum of one loss per day will qualify them for the Arena Championship and the Pro Tour.[2] However, due to the high attrition of the 7/2 splits, players on day 2 have been documented as being unable to match against an opponent in the last few hours. Some at the higher wins get discretionary invites, slotted in with the normal invitees, given that less than the expected eight per month qualify the normal fashion.
In mid-2024, the incentives were improved for players, and the leaderboard was scrapped, now that the expected numbers were clearer.[5] Firstly, the knockout condition in Day 1 was changed to three losses from two losses. As all six-win players have qualified already, six wins now wins an invite to the Arena Championship. However, not all players will gain a Pro Tour invite, but in exchange the Arena Championship is now uncapped, and 16 players will gain an invite. To reward good performance and populate the matchmaking, four and five wins on Day 2 gain a Day 2 invite for the next Qualifier, and any number of wins on Day 2 will gain entry to the next Qualifier.
Awards
| Qualifier Weekend | Day One | Day Two |
|---|---|---|
| 7 Wins | 20,000 gems
Day 2 Token |
5,000 gems Arena Championship invite |
| 6 Wins | 15,000 gems | 3,000 gems Arena Championship invite |
| 5 Wins | 10,000 gems | 2,500 gems Day 2 Token |
| 4 Wins | 7,500 gems | 2,000 gems Day 2 Token |
| 3 Wins | 5,000 gems | 1,500 gems Qualifier Weekend Token |
| 2 Wins | 3,000 gems | 1,000 gems Qualifier Weekend Token |
| 1 Win | 1,000 gems | 500 gems Qualifier Weekend Token |
| 0 Wins | 500 gems | 250 gems |
References
- ↑ Wizards of the Coast (March 31, 2022). "Return of the Pro Tour, Your Path to Playing Magic at the Highest Level". Magic.gg.
- ↑ a b Wizards of the Coast (April 21, 2022). "MTG Arena Premier Play in 2022". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
- ↑ Wizards of the Coast (April 21, 2022). "MTG Arena Premier Play in 2022 FAQ". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
- ↑ Wizards of the Coast (August 24, 2022). "Qualifier Weekend Information". Magic.gg.
- ↑ Wizards of the Coast (March 19, 2024). "MTG Arena Play in 2024". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.