Wizards of the Coast announced on Monday that effective today, March 24, 2020, all in-store events are cancelled for North America, Latin America, and Europe until at least May 10, 2020, in response to the continued spread of the COVID-19 novel coronavirus. This announcement effectively pauses all organized paper Magic: the Gathering play across the three continents.
According to Wizards’ statement, the cancelled events include “all Ikoria: Lair of Behemoths events, except for At-Home Prerelease.” Wizards further announced they have “partnered with Discord to create a template that stores can use to create a community hub with one click.” That resource is available here. The announcement also provides flexibility to stores in selling Promo Packs and Buy-a-Box promos.
The following weeks and months promise to be challenging for the Magic community across the world. Local game stores will struggle during this period of social distancing and state-wide stay-at-home orders. Check with your local store to see if you can purchase products or provide other support to help preserve your local Magic communities.
