WPN Play Metrics were suspended starting in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic—ever since, WPN stores have been in a grace period, where promo and product allocations were based on live metrics or the Q1 2020 metric snapshot, whichever was higher.

Starting this week, we will provide current metrics to WPN stores, which you can find at the bottom of the weekly WPN newsletter. On March 1, 2024, the snapshot metrics will no longer be in effect; only your live metrics will be used to determine promo and product allocations. That means that we will no longer be using Theros: Beyond Death Prerelease numbers when determining your store's Prerelease allocation.

Now is the time to ensure you're reporting every event, including all Commander play, to secure the most promo support for your store.

What Are Play Metrics?

Your play metrics are data collected and used by the WPN team to help track the growth of your in-store play. All Magic events reported through Wizards EventLink, including Webcam and At-Home events, will count towards play metrics: Tickets, Engaged Players, and Activated Players.

Here's a breakdown of each component of Play Metrics:

• Tickets. Tickets are the total number of entries across all your Magic events in a rolling calendar year; all manner of play counts, and one player can count as multiple Tickets across multiple events.
• Engaged Players. This refers to players who register for your events with their official Wizards Account and have played at your store six or more times in the past rolling calendar year, regardless of format.
• Activated Players. Primarily used by stores on the Path to WPN Premium, Activated Players are players that register for your events with their official Wizards Account, are in their first year of in-store play, and have joined six events at your store, regardless of format.

There are a few strategies you can use to help improve your overall Play Metrics:

• Make sure you're using Wizards EventLink. Without EventLink, your Play Metrics will not be accurately captured. Use it to report all play, from official events on your calendar to casual play you see in your space.
• Encourage players to sign up for events with their individual Wizards Accounts using the Magic: The Gathering Companion App. It streamlines the process for both you and them, and over time helps you grow repeat play: your Engaged Players.
• Advertise your events as much as you can across all your social media platforms—whether you're posting on Twitter, Facebook, or keeping your community updated via Discord, sharing your event schedule often helps build your audience, extending your reach to entice new players to visit your store.

About WPN Minimum Metrics Requirements

All WPN members must meet a baseline metric requirement to remain part of the network—currently, the minimum requirements are 250 Tickets and 5 Engaged Players annually; that means your store must host events with a minimum of about five players per week on average.

WPN Premium retailers must achieve 1,500 Tickets, 30 Engaged Players, and 10 Activated Players annually. Your metrics will be checked once annually beginning in October 2024—more details about WPN Premium Metrics will be communicated soon.

The WPN team will inform you via email on November 1, 2023 if your store does not meet these minimum requirements. This will give you 90 days before March 1, 2024 to attain those metrics. If you're unable to, your store will be removed from the WPN. Our retail support teams can provide suggestions for methods to boost in-store play attendance if you need additional support.

In the event your store is removed from the WPN, don't worry—you can re-apply after a 6-month period.

For now, focus on getting acquainted with your metrics found at the bottom of the weekly WPN newsletter, and if you have any questions or concerns about your metrics, please reach out to Retail Support.