The Arena Open is an irregular tournament with a short duration and high skill cap featured on Magic: The Gathering Arena. The first Arena Open took place on May 30–31, 2020.[1][2]
Description[ | ]
The Arena Open is a two-day competitive event where the top players are able to receive monetary rewards in US dollars. Outside of the eligibility requirements listed in its Terms and Conditions (e.g. you must be 18 years or older to participate), there are no other prerequisites to participate.[3]
When the Arena Open was introduced, it was kept separate from Magic esports (players couldn't earn Points), although the possibility was kept open that they could qualify players for a Mythic Invitational or Players Tour qualifier event. When Premier Play was introduced in 2022, the Arena Open wasn't integrated in that system either.
Events[ | ]
The announced goal was to hold multiple Arena Opens a year. The format played varies from Sealed Deck, Draft and Cube Draft to Constructed standard or Historic.
Structure[ | ]
Day 1[ | ]
Day 1 is Best-of-One matches. The entry fee is 25,000 Gold or 5,000 Gems. You will play until seven wins or three losses (whichever comes first), with seven wins earning you qualification for Day 2. You'll be able to enter Day 1 multiple times, which means you'll have more than one opportunity to qualify for Day 2. The change in payout in December 2021 made it so that the Day 2 token came with no payout but Day 2 had a payout at all brackets, but this was reversed in May 2022 with a minor boost for Traditional Day 1.
Prizes[ | ]
| Record | Prior to 2022 | Early 2022 | May 2022 and onward prizes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 7 Wins | 2,000 gems, Day 2 Token | Day 2 Token | 5,000 gems, Day 2 Token |
| 6 Wins | 1,600 gems | 2,500 gems | 2,500 gems |
| 5 Wins | 1,200 gems | 1,000 gems | 1,000 gems |
| 4 Wins | 800 gems | ||
| 3 Wins | 400 gems | ||
| <3 Wins |
Special reward promos will unlock as soon as you join the event.
Traditional Prizes[ | ]
The October Open introduced best-of-three entries for those wishing for a more classical experience. Players stop after their first loss, playing until their fourth win, with all other conditions as above.
| Record | Prior to 2022 | Early 2022 | May 2022 and onward prizes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 Wins | 5,000 gems, Day 2 token | Day 2 Token | 6,000 gems, Day 2 token |
| 3 Wins | 5,000 gems | 5,000 gems | 5,000 gems |
| 2 Wins | 2,500 gems | 3,000 gems | 3,000 gems |
| 1 Win | 1,000 gems | 1,000 gems | 1,500 gems |
| 0 Wins |
Day 2[ | ]
Day 2 consists of Best-of-Three matches. Play until eight wins or two losses (whichever comes first), but unlike Day 1, you'll only have one opportunity to compete.
Prizes[ | ]
| Record | Prior to 2022 | Early 2022 | May 2022 and onward prizes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 8 Wins | N/A | $2,500 | $2,500 |
| 7 Wins | $2,000 | $2,000 | $2,000 |
| 6 Wins | $1,000 | $1,000 | $1,000 |
| 5 Wins | 20,000 gems | 25,000 gems | 20,000 gems |
| 4 Wins | 10,000 gems | 10,000 gems | 5,000 gems |
| 3 Wins | 6,000 gems | 7,500 gems | 2,500 gems |
| 2 Wins | 4,000 gems | 5,000 gems | |
| 1 win | 2,000 gems | 5,000 gems | |
| 0 wins | 5,000 gems |
Following feedback regarding second-day drafts for Limited Opens, the July 2022 Open changed from a single draft deck for nine rounds to two draft decks over six rounds, but with a single match loss elimination. The Sealed-only event in November 2022 also followed this two-part Day 2, but with Sealed pools. Draft 2 is restricted to a 12pm-2pm entry window. Competitors also play for qualifier invitation tokens.[4]
The late November Arena Open updated the Draft Day 2 to be less strict, but more complex: Draft 1 goes to exactly 4 rounds, with 1 loss available. If the player goes 4-0, their Draft 2 grants them 2 losses to get to another 4 wins. Otherwise, it also grants one loss. Naturally, with the easier Day 2, the payouts were lowered.
| Record | Pre-Nov 2022 Draft 1 | Pre-Nov 2022 Draft 2 | New Draft 1 | New Draft 2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 Wins | N/A | N/A | Draft 2 Token, bonus loss | $2,000
Qualifier Token |
| 3 Wins | Draft 2 Token | $2,500
Qualifier Token |
Draft 2 Token | $1,000
Qualifier Token |
| 2 Wins | 5,000 gems | $2,000
Qualifier Token |
2,500 gems | $500
Qualifier Token |
| 1 win | 2,500 gems | $1,000
Qualifier Token |
1,500 gems | 15,000 gems |
| 0 wins | 500 gems | 20,000 gems | 500 gems | 5,000 gems |
References[ | ]
- ↑ Wizards of the Coast (May 19, 2020). "MTG Arena: State of the Game – May 2020". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
- ↑ Wizards of the Coast (May 29, 2020). "The Arena Open Primer". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
- ↑ https://magic.wizards.com/en/articles/archive/magic-digital/mtg-arena-state-game-july-2020-07-15
- ↑ Wizards of the Coast (July 20, 2022). "MTG Arena Announcements, July 20, 2022". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
External links[ | ]
- Wizards of the Coast (May 16, 2023). "The Arena Open – Terms and Conditions". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.