When a new player joins the Magic universe, it's crucial that their initial experiences be positive. If we're going to create new players—the kind that do every Prerelease and update their decks for every Standard Showdown—first impressions are key.

That means starting them off with the right product, then ushering them toward the more intricate concepts that make Magic the deep and rewarding lifetime hobby that it is.

Each product we make occupies a certain rung on that ladder. Take a look at the ideal product path below:

Note: products listed are limited to what's currently available

By "new player" we mean "no knowledge of how to play Magic."

A player's first match is only a success if they want to play a second. Welcome Decks make that happen by getting straight to the core of how Magic works and what makes it fun.

They follow the cardinal rule of a good tutorial: only teach what's necessary to play. They're mono-colored, they're ordered to guarantee a decent mana curve in game one, and they include only evergreen keyword abilities (flying, haste, trample, etc.).

M19 brings the first Welcome Deck refresh since Amonkhet. You've got twenty of them coming in your Open House kit, and you can contact us if you need more.

An "interested player" has a basic understanding of Magic, and is ready to learn more about strategy and game play.

Welcome Deck contents are chosen specifically to prep players for Planeswalker Decks and the Deckbuilder's Toolkit. They're meant to feel like a turbocharged upgrade of the cards they got for free.

Plus, they give an easy-to-understand introduction to deckbuilding. They'll get their first glimpse at combos like Wizards Lightning and Viashino Pyromancer; they'll get acquainted with archetypes like mono-green ramp; and even complete playsets of Standard-relevant cards like Shock.

From here, players have the tools they need to engage with Magic at the level they choose, from kitchen table dabbler to PPTQ grinder.

Regardless of where a player lands on that scale, they have plenty of products to choose from.

We define "engaged players" as "competent in Magic game play, eager to invest in the game on a regular basis." Superfans are just what they sound like: dedicated to Magic for the long-term.

Your first chance to get new players started on this path comes this weekend at Open House, the first chance to send players home with the recently reimagined Core Set 2019 Planeswalker Decks. Keep this path in mind and you're having those first purchase conversations.