MTG Spotlight Series aims to bridge the gap in competitive play – and players are cheering

Organized game in Magic: The Gathering is bringing back third-party events through the Spotlight Series, revealed by Director of Play Programs William “Huey” Jensen on the August 20 MTGWeekly Twitch stream.

Competitive MTG has evolved since Huey became Director of Play Programs, bringing back the revamped forms of organized play that players have been steadily asking for. It started with the return of tabletop to major events and the return of the Pro Tour. In early 2025, a revamped version of GP events will return via the MTG Spotlight Series.

The Spotlight Series features eight open tournament events that players do not need to qualify for to participate. Rewards for the top finishes include a share of the $50,000 total prize pool, standard tickets for a year, and an invitation to a Pro Tour event.

Here’s an overview of what players can expect from a MTG Spotlight Series Tournament:

• Eight open tournaments per year
• $50,000 prize pool
• A theme for every event with promotional cards that match that theme
• Eight invitations to the next Pro Tour
• Broadcast reporting provided by external host
• Kicks off with the first tournament in Atlanta from January 3-5 at SCGCon
• The winner will earn six Play booster boxes from that year’s Standard releases

Events may have a player limit based on the third-party host’s facilities. Players are encouraged to contact the host for more information. Five MTG Spotlight Series events will take place in the United States, hosted by StarCityGames. Two will be in Europe via Fanfinity, with the second Spotlight Series in the Netherlands. And one event will take place in Japan via Big Magic.

The first MTG The Spotlight Series Atlanta event will feature Foundations Standard Constructed, while the Netherlands event will feature the Modern format. Players can expect more details from WotC and the hosts closer to the tournament event dates.