Wizards Play Network

The Wizards Play Network (WPN) is a website maintained by Wizards of the Coast that provides support for grassroots play on a global level, a wider variety of play formats, and broader reaching local events that go beyond events such as FNM and the Pro Tour. 
==History==
It was created in October 2008 as a follow-up to Gateway program. According to Wizards of the Coast, it is all about putting choices and direction in the hands of those who know it best, the retailers and game organizers.
===Premium Series===
In 2016, WPN introduced the Premium Series, sanctioned tournaments organized by independent tournament organizer. Like Grand Prix, these tournaments allow the organization of a Trials system.
===The new WPN===
Beginning with Core Set 2020 in 2019, the original four-level system of classifying the WPN shops and the support they received was replaced by a system based on Tickets and Engaged Players.
The first is meant to measure quantity, the second is an attempt to measure quality. 
*Tickets represent the total number of entries across all of a store's events. Any format. Commander, Modern, Ranked, Casual—everything counts. And it counts the same player multiple times. 
*Engaged players are the best indicator of the quality of experience a store offers. An Engaged Player is defined as a player who joins six events in either Standard, Draft, or Sealed per year—so, once every two months.
Promo packs are allocated based on Tickets, Engaged Players, and the length of a season. So, if a season is ten weeks long and a store receives eight promo packs per week, they'll receive a lump sum of eighty promo packs at the beginning of the season. The minimum is four promo packs per week, at five Engaged Players and 250 Tickets.
===Global Virtual WPN Retailer Summit===
On November 12-13, 2024 WPN organized the first Global Virtual WPN Retailer Summit. Alongside teams from across Wizards of the Coast, their president John Hight will be joining to talk to the retailers. The retailers will hear about upcoming products. The play and community teams will share details about in-store play and community growth, and sales, marketing, and digital tech teams will present news tailored to the retailers. All participants have to sign a Non-Disclosure Agreement.
==WPN Premium==
WPN Premium is a public recognition by Wizards of the Coast of the best stores in the world. This concept was also introduced in 2019.
Premium stores get the same benefits as all WPN members, plus exclusive events, priority and recognition in the Store and Event Locator, upgraded promo materials, MTG Arena codes for exclusive contentWizards Play Network. (October 11, 2019) "This Subtle Premium Perk Is Growing In-Store Play", etc. Less than five percent of stores qualify for premium status. To be considered for WPN Premium, a store needs to hit these metrics:Wizards Play Network. (March 12, 2019) "Your New Stats Explained"Wizards Play Network. (October 23, 2019) "WPN Premium: New Metric Requirements—Hundreds More Stores Eligible"
*40 Engaged Players (previously 60)
*2000 Total Tickets (previously 3000)
*15 Activated Players (previously 20)
Activated Players are new players that join six events in their first year of in-store play.
==Promos==
===WPN promo packs===
From Core Set 2020 onward, WPN stores receive packs of promotional cards containing the following:
# One promo-stamped rare or mythic rare from the most recent set. 
# One promo-stamped rare or mythic rare from a short public list curated by Magic's design studio. 
# One promo-stamped alternate-art basic land (later replaced with an MTG Arena code card).
# One special, season-specific card akin to an FNM promo, e.g. an alternate frame card
One in four of the packs the store receives contains all foil contents.
Starting with the second set to feature promo packs, Throne of Eldraine, the basic land was replaced by a MTG Arena code card, good for a booster pack on Magic: The Gathering Arena. The alternate art slot started to contain one of five dark frame cards.
===WPN Premium promos===
Starting in 2021, several special promos became available for WPN Premium stores, to be used as participation prizes or sales promos.
*Ampersand cards: two copies of every Rare and Mythic Rare in Adventures in the Forgotten Realms with an all-new treatment not found elsewhere in the set: the iconic D&D ampersand in a glossy, transparent overlay on the front of each card.
*The "Moonlit Lands". Given out at Innistrad: Double Feature events. 
*The Yellow Neon Ink . Given out at Kamigawa: Neon Dynasty events.
*The Yellow Neon Ink . Given out at The Lost Caverns of Ixalan events. 
====Quarterly rotating promos====
As announced at the 2023 GAMA EXPO, WPN Premium shops will receive 20 exclusive promos for submitting Point of Sale (POS) data every quarter. Each quarter, WPN Premium stores receive promos depicting a different character playing in a game store.
Quarter 	Promo
2023, Q4	
2024, Q1	
2024, Q2	
2024, Q3	
2024, Q4	
====Annually rotating Showcase promos====
Starting in 2023, in addition to the quarterly character promos, Wizards of the Coast will be sending a special promo to stores that submit their POS data on time and accurately, featuring one of their Showcase treatments. Stores will receive 7 copies of this promo each quarter. The design on this promo will rotate once a year.
*2023 and (anime borderless cards illustrated by Takuma Ebisu.)
==Gallery==
File:WPN Premium lighted sign.jpg|Lighted Magic sign, available in WPN Premium Marketing Kits.
File:WPN booster dispenser.jpg|Booster dispenser (2021 WPN Premium benefit)
File:WPN Land station.jpg|Land Station (2021 WPN Premium benefit)
File:WPN Recycling box.png|2022 recycling box for booster wrappers
File:Mabel WPN Keychain.png|2024 Premium-exclusive Sales Promo: Enamel Mabel Keychain 
==References==
==External links==
*Wizards Play Network
* 
Category:Wizards of the Coast
Category:WPN