Scheduling: evergreen, available all season and beyond; use the Magic Academy: Learn to Play or Deck Building templates
Format: New Player Event
Rules Enforcement Level: Casual
Pairing method: Player List Only
Promotional material support:

• Learn-to-play brochures and pocket reference cards
• New Welcome Decks (EN only; 10 Welcome Decks for WPN stores, 20 Welcome Decks for WPN Premium stores)

Players must enroll using a Wizards Account to qualify to keep promotional materials; guest account entries are not eligible. Promotional materials are available while supplies last. For complete details, refer to the Promo Usage & Policies hub.

New Welcome Decks and Player Survey

Welcome Decks have been updated for Secrets of Strixhaven and are now 40-card, single-color decks. While they're designed for use in Magic Academy: Learn to Play, stores may give them out when a full demo isn't possible.

When distributing a Welcome Deck, also invite players to complete the optional survey using the QR code from the flier included in your marketing kit. This survey helps inform our future promotional materials.

For full details, read the New Welcome Decks, Rewards, and Player Survey section in the Dates & Details article.

What Is Magic Academy?

Magic Academy is a beginner-friendly event series that teaches new players how to play Magic: The Gathering. Through guided sessions participants get hands-on experience with support from staff or mentors in a fun, low-pressure environment.

How to Run Magic Academy Events

These instructions combine the best practices for running both Learn to Play and Deck Building events in the Magic Academy series.

For learn-to-play events, you have the option of using Welcome Decks or other beginner-friendly products to demonstrate and teach. Follow the appropriate steps below based on the demo product you use.

1. Register Players

• Direct players to create a Wizards Account at https://myaccounts.wizards.com/ if they don’t already have one. Only players registered with a Wizards Account qualify to keep physical event materials.
• Encourage players to download the Magic Companion app, which helps with event sign-up and tracking life totals.

2. Show the Introductory Video

Set the stage by showing the relevant Magic Academy video on a screen in your play space, or provide players with the link to watch on their mobile devices:

• Learn to Play Introductory Video (German, French, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese, Spanish)
• Deck Building Introductory Video (German, French, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese, Spanish)

These videos provide context and easy instructions that help simplify teaching and give them confidence to jump in.

3. Identify Staff or Mentor Support

Have knowledgeable store staff or seasoned players who are happy to help new players available to:

• Answer rules questions
• Provide encouragement
• Assist with deck building (for Deck Building events) and gameplay

4. Setup and Distribute Event Materials

Give out appropriate materials to players depending on the event.

For Learn to Play:

If using a Beginner Box for the demo:

• Set up the guided Beginner Box learn-to-play experience with the included printed guides for the new player.

If using Welcome Decks for the demo, distribute to the new player:

• 1 Welcome Deck
• Learn-to-play brochure
• Pocket reference card

For Deck Building

Distribute to the new player:

• 6 Play Boosters
• Learn-to-play brochure
• Pocket reference card

5. Guide the Activity

For Learn to Play

If using a Beginner Box for the demo:

• Run the guided learn-to-play experience according to the Beginner Box instructions.
• Then, continue play with decks from the Beginner Box.
• Give the player a Welcome Deck for participating in Magic Academy (for Wizards Account registered players and while supplies last).
• Invite the player to complete the optional survey by scanning the QR code on the flier included in your marketing kit.

If using Welcome Decks for the demo:

• Have players open their Welcome Deck and inspect their deck.
• Pair players up for their first casual match.
• Give players their Welcome Deck for participating in Magic Academy (for Wizards Account registered players and while supplies last).
• Invite the player to complete the optional survey by scanning the QR code on the flier included in your marketing kit.

For Deck Building

• Instruct players to open their Play Boosters and review their cards.
• Guide them through building their 40-card deck.
• Pair players up for their first casual match and encourage them to share their decks with each other before playing to keep the conversation going—this experience is about learning and having fun more than winning!

6. Encourage Continued Play

At the end of the Magic Academy event:

• Help players find additional opponents if they want to keep playing casually.
• Share your event calendar and invite them back for their next event such as Friday Night Magic or Prerelease.

Welcome Deck Reward Redemption

Players who receive a Welcome Deck will find a reward insert inside the box. Each insert is for either a physical or digital reward to be redeemed in-store.

To redeem a Welcome Deck reward, have the player present their reward insert and register them in the Customer Redemption section of Wizards EventLink using their Wizards Account email; if the player doesn't have a Wizards Account, please assist them with creating one. Select the appropriate fulfillment type (physical or digital) and submit to verify eligibility.

Physical rewards are fulfilled in-store, allowing the player to choose one Strixhaven-themed bumper sticker from those that were included in your marketing kit (while supplies last). The digital reward—three Secrets of Strixhaven packs—are granted in the player's MTG Arena account through a player inbox message.

You'll find complete details on the new Welcome Decks, rewards, and info on an important player survey in the Secrets of Strixhaven Dates & Details article.

Next Steps for Your New Magic Players

This is just the beginning of your players' Magic journey—let them know they're welcome to continue it at your store by suggesting other new-player friendly events such as Friday Night Magic, Prerelease, and Two-Headed Giant Commander Night.

As a next step after Magic Academy, consider introducing players to the 60-Card Theme Decks. Featuring themes like Pirates, Angels, Eerie, and Lifegain, these Standard-legal decks are ready to play out of the box and make it easy for new players to jump into regular matches.

Schedule and Promote Your Events

Schedule Magic Academy events now in Wizards EventLink. We recommend scheduling at least one Learn to Play and Deck Building event ahead of each season, but they may also be scheduled as needed for walk-in demos.

Simplify player registration by displaying the Wizards EventLink QR codes at your store.

Boost your event visibility with available marketing resources, including Secrets of Strixhaven digital marketing assets.

WPN stores in the North America and EMEA can also purchase customizable materials from the WPN Marketing Portal to level up their merchandising. WPN Premium stores in these regions also receive promotional marketing credit for use during the Secrets of Strixhaven season.