Jul 18, 2026 — Magic: The Gathering® | The Hobbit™, Promos, In-Store Play, Events, Featured
Magic: The Gathering® | The Hobbit™ – Dates & Details
Plan your Magic: The Gathering® | The Hobbit™ season with key dates, event details, and new in-store experiences to engage your players.
From the comfort of Bag End to the fiery halls beneath The Lonely Mountain, Magic: The Gathering | The Hobbit invites players on a journey filled with legendary characters, storied locations, and unforgettable moments. Gather your players, ready your provisions, and set forth—we're going on an adventure!
Key Dates
| Event scheduling opens | May 1 |
| Distributor selection deadline | May 29 |
| WPN Marketing Portal availability | Early June |
| Marketing kit delivery | July 31–August 6 |
| Prerelease | August 7–13 |
| Release | August 14 |
Scheduled Events
Prerelease: August 7–13
- Unlimited scheduling within the one-week Prerelease window
Commander Party: August 21–27 and September 18–24
- One event per period, two events per season
- Commander promo: Bilbo, Luckwearer
Magic Presents: Heart of the Mountain: September 4–10
- Unlimited scheduling within the period
- Participation promo: An Unexpected Party
Season-Long Events
Two-Headed Giant Commander Night: August 14–September 24
- One event per month during the season
- Commander promo: Bilbo, Luckwearer
Standard Showdown: August 14–September 24
- One event per week
- Promo reward: Wood Elves
Magic Academy: Learn to Play and Deck Building: August 14–September 24
- Unlimited scheduling. We recommend prescheduling one Learn to Play and one Deck Building event. You can also schedule and report ad hoc events anytime you use instructional products to teach a new player.
Friday Night Magic: August 14–September 24
- Unlimited scheduling on Fridays
Events and Promo Usage
Prerelease
Scheduling: unlimited scheduling within the one-week Prerelease window, August 7–13
Prerelease is your community's first opportunity to play with the new set in a casual, fun environment. Players open Prerelease Packs, build decks from the six Play Boosters and an included extra rare or mythic rare card, and then play!
As a WPN member store, Prerelease gives you the opportunity to sell new set products a week ahead of wider release. This early access builds excitement and rewards your community for supporting their local game store.
Commander Events
Commander promos are included in the Magic: The Gathering | The Hobbit marketing kit (non-foil by default and traditional foil for WPN Premium stores).
All promos are available while supplies last. For complete promo details, refer to the Promo Usage & Policies hub.
Commander Party
Scheduling: one event per period, two events per season, August 21–27 and September 18–24
Participation promo: one Commander promo per participant, while supplies last
Commander Party is a story-inspired Commander event that immerses players in the setting of the latest set release. The vibe is fun and casual, and the events are outstanding opportunities to welcome in broad groups from your community, from new players to lore enthusiasts to Commander fans.
Commander Party physical materials will be sent to your store in English; you can find downloadable local-language versions of these on the marketing materials page.
Two-Headed Giant Commander Night
Scheduling: one event per month during the season, August 14–September 24
Participation promo: one Commander promo per participant, while supplies last
Two-Headed Giant Commander Night is a monthly Commander event in which players can earn promo cards by pairing up to battle other two-player teams. Each player has their own 100-card Commander deck, but they share a 60-point life pool. Play follows the normal Two-Headed Giant rules.
Magic Presents: Heart of the Mountain
Scheduling: unlimited scheduling within the period, September 4–10
Participation promo: one An Unexpected Party promo per participant, while supplies last
Magic Presents: Heart of the Mountain is a casual Commander event that pits players against one another as they battle for control of the Heart of the Mountain, the legendary Arkenstone. The first player to deal combat damage to another becomes the first owner of the Arkenstone. Players may then claim the Arkenstone emblem for themselves by dealing combat damage to the owner, gaining bonuses while in possession of it—and also becoming the primary target at the table!
Standard Showdown
Scheduling: one event per week, August 14–September 24
Promo reward: one Wood Elves promo card for the first-place winner of each event, while supplies last
Standard Showdown is a weekly Standard format play program where players gather to compete in tournaments using their Standard decks to win promos. The event is positioned at a strategic sweet spot for in-store play: it's engaging for competitive players while still being welcoming to casual players.
Magic Academy
Scheduling: unlimited, August 14–September 24
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.
New themed Welcome Decks will be included in your set marketing kit that are perfect to use in Learn to Play events. Each deck includes 40 cards of a single color and will be available in English, German, French, Italian, Spanish, and Japanese based on your store's region.
Stores in North America can order additional teaching brochures and pocket reference cards via the WPN Marketing Portal.
Friday Night Magic
Scheduling: unlimited on Fridays, August 14–September 24
Promo rewards: Promo Pack or additional reward at store discretion
Friday Night Magic (FNM) is a recurring, in-store event designed to bring together your community for fun Magic play. The idea of FNM is simple: on any given Friday, players of any skill level know they can find friends, fun, and battles weekly at your store.
Continue to use Secrets of Strixhaven Promo Packs as the promo reward. Your supply of Secrets of Strixhaven Promo Packs is intended to last through early September; no additional Promo Packs will be produced for the Magic: The Gathering | The Hobbit season, so please plan your distribution accordingly.
New and Notable
Magic Presents: Heart of the Mountain
The Magic Presents: Heart of the Mountain event is a special in-store play experience centered on the Arkenstone, where players compete to claim and control the legendary gem. As matches are played, control of the Arkenstone can change hands, creating a dynamic experience. This event offers an engaging way for players to connect gameplay with the story and claim a special promo card.
Start Players' Adventure with New Welcome Decks
Every great adventure begins with a first step, and for new players that can be with a new Magic: The Gathering | The Hobbit-themed Welcome Deck. Each 40-card, single-color deck is designed to help players learn Magic and begin their journey. You'll find these in your marketing kit. Decks will be available in English, German, French, Italian, Spanish, and Japanese, based on your store's region.
Box Toppers!
Opening display boxes is even more exciting with Box Toppers! Included in both Play and Collector Booster displays, these feature special artwork and treatments to be revealed at a later date.
Start Scheduling Your Magic: The Gathering | The Hobbit Season Now
Events are now open for scheduling in Wizards EventLink. The road to The Lonely Mountain awaits, and your store is the gathering place where every adventure begins.
Spread the word across your community with available Magic: The Gathering | The Hobbit digital marketing assets.
© 2026 Middle-earth Enterprises. The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit are trademarks of Middle-earth Enterprises, LLC used under license by Wizards of the Coast LLC.
