Summary
Wizards of the Coast has some big things planned in 2025, with one of the biggest being the launch of a new high-level tournament called theMagic: The GatheringSpotlight Series. There will be chances to earn some big prizes, play tons of games and matches in different cities, and see some of the best players compete at the highest level of play.
The Magic Spotlight Series might not be for every player, but it does offer a great way to see some of the biggest names in the game compete for some huge prizes. If you’ve been missing out on the extravagance of the old Grand Prix-style tournaments, then you’ve come to the right place for all your Magic Spotlight needs.
What Is The Magic Spotlight Series?
All this hype but we really haven’t covered what the Magic Spotlight Series is yet. These events are going to be huge, multi-day events that will each be designed around a different theme. The main event of the Magic Spotlight Series is going to be a massive, two-day open tournament with a $50,000 prize pool, a special promo card, and an invitation to an upcoming Magic Pro Tour event for all the Top 8 finishers.
The main event isn’t the only event going on. There are going to be a ton of side events, vendors to shop at, and even special guests. No two events are going to be the same, with different guests coming depending on the region and event host.
There are going to be nine tournaments across the world,
So far, we only know about two of the upcoming Magic Spotlight Series events.
What Do Prizes Look Like?
The tournament starts each Saturday, with players competing through nine rounds of games. Those who earn 18 or more points, generally by winning six or more matches, will move on to Sunday’s portion of the event. After six rounds on Sunday, the Top 8 will compete for their chunk of that $50,000 prize pool, as well as some other prizes.
Competing at all will get you a non-foil promo card, though exactly which one will differ depending on the tournament you are at. If you’re good enough to make the top 128 players, you will get a bonus promo card, a foil version of the promo from the event.
If you’re able to’t make it to one of these events, don’t worry. The main event from each Magic Spotlight tournament will be streamed live so you won’t miss any of the action.
What Magic Spotlight Series Tournaments Have Been Announced?
Magic Spotlight: Foundations - January 3-5 in Atlanta, Georgia, USA
The first one is starting off at the top of the year in Atlanta Georgia. This event is going to be centered around Foundations, a new type of set similar to a Core Set that is great for beginners. StarCityGames.com is hosting this Magic Spotlight Series, with the main event starting on January 4. Since we’re focusing on the Foundations set, the main eventis going to be of the Standard format.
Just competing in the main event will give you a borderlessnon-foil Terror of the Peaks Promo card, with special artwork from the legendary Richard Kane Ferguson. If you make it into the top 128 players, you’ll get a bonus traditional foil Terror of the Peaks, which is a nice little treat for doing well.
Making it all the way to the first place of the event will grant you a huge prize, a full Play Booster display case of each Standard-legal set that is going to be released throughout 2025. This prize might not happen for every first-place winner, so don’t be surprised if other Magic Spotlight Series tournaments don’t have the same prizes.
Magic Spotlight: Modern - March 15-16 in Utrecht, Netherlands
The second Magic Spotlight Series event is taking players to the Netherlands this time. Hosted by Fanfinity, the first European event will be focused on the Modern Constructed format. Starting on March 15, players will be able to compete for another $50,000 prize pool for the Top 8, a bunch of invitations to the second Pro Tour of 2025, and more. While Wizards of the Coast has yet to announce what the special first-place prize is going to be, if its anything like the Atlanta prize, it will have players eager for a chance to win.
Anyone who signs up for the Modern main event will get anon-foil borderless Kaldra Compleat promo card, with artwork from Monztre. Making it to the top 128 players will reward you with a second copy, this time with a traditional foil sheen.
What Does The Future Of Magic Spotlight Series Hold?
While the remaining seven Magic Spotlight Series events have yet to be announced, there are bound to be some amazing opportunities for players to compete. As we get closer to 2025, and once a few of these events have passed, we’re bound to get more information on what they’ll hold for players.
verify to check back in throughout the rest of 2024 and all of 2025 as we learn more about these events.
