Recent Issues and Resolutions

We deployed an update recently that addressed the issues experienced during the Arena Open on May 8. This update requires a client restart.

We also took steps to resolve a problem on Sunday, May 16, during the Day 2 Qualifier Weekend in which the event had been accidentally configured as a Historic event rather than a Standard event:

  • A replacement event correctly configured as Standard format was created a few hours later that most players successfully joined.
  • Players who signed up for the first event were granted 4,000 gems for the inconvenience and were able to keep any gems they had earned before the misconfigured event was deactivated.

We appreciate your patience and your participation!

Only Two Tests Remain in the College Cup

The College Cup showdown is underway as Strixhaven's colleges battle for supremacy in MTG Arena.

The Test of Knowledge has ended, and Witherbloom has swamped the point totals, holding on to the top spot. But Silverquill appears intent on writing a new chapter in this competition with their team in the lead! Keep up with the latest on Twitter @MTG_Arena.

There are just two tests remaining: the Test of Wit and the Test of Leadership. Prove your Magic prowess before the event ends on May 31 and hone your skills by playing as often as you like.

Don't forget that when you represent your college by using your college's sleeves, avatar, and pet, you earn your team extra credit points:

  • College sleeves: Take that Strixhaven quiz to get the email containing your sleeve code, then redeem it in your Wizards Account or through the Store on PC or Mac.
  • College avatar: Each college's avatar is available in the second position in the Strixhaven Mastery web.
  • College pet: Each college has a tome pet available within the first ten levels of the Strixhaven Mastery Pass rewards levels.

Get all the details on earning points in the College Cup in David McDarby's article.

When the College Cup has concluded and the point totals have been tallied, the winning college will change the face of MTG Arena itself!

College Theme

Plus, log in to MTG Arena the week following the College Cup event and you'll receive one of these college-emblem sleeves of the winning college!

Winning Sleeves

Entry: 2,500 gold or 500 gems

Rewards: Japanese Mystical Archive card styles

May 20–25: Test of Wit

Format: 100-Card Standard with Treasure Token Factory emblem

May 27–31: Test of Leadership

Format: Strixhaven Brawl—Standard Brawl, but only Strixhaven legendary creatures and planeswalkers are legal (and can be your commander)

Historic Anthology 5 On Sale May 27!

The next in the Historic Anthology series comes to MTG Arena on May 27 and will be available through August 12.

Historic Anthology 5 is exclusive to MTG Arena and adds 25 new-to-Historic cards that bring more options, strategies, and power to the format.

Elesh Norn Grand CenobiteKolaghans Command

You can get four copies of all cards for 25,000 gold or 4,000 gems. Cards in Historic Anthology 5 can also be crafted using wildcards after the release on May 27.

Want depth art card styles for your Historic Anthology 5 cards? You'll find them available in assorted bundles in the MTG Arena Store!

Strixhaven Draft Challenge

MTG Arena's expansion into high-level Limited play continues with the Strixhaven Draft Challenge. Players who like the Standard Metagame Challenge and Historic Challenge will enjoy the Strixhaven Draft Challenge with the chance to earn great rewards.

  • Dates: May 22–25
  • Format: Player Draft, Best-of-Three matches
  • Entry: 20,000 Gold or 3,000 Gems
  • Length: Play until six match wins or two match losses.
  • Rewards: Based on player feedback from the last Draft Challenge, we're shifting rewards by adding Player Draft Tokens and slightly reducing the number of packs.

Note that Player Draft tokens cannot be used to join this event but can be used for any Premier Draft or Traditional Draft.

Best-of-Three
0 winsNo reward
1 win1 Player Draft Token
2 wins1 Player Draft Token + 3 Strixhaven Packs
3 wins2 Player Draft Tokens + 6 Strixhaven Packs
4 wins3 Player Draft Tokens + 10 Strixhaven Packs
5 wins3 Player Draft Tokens + 15 Strixhaven Packs
6 wins4 Player Draft Tokens + 20 Strixhaven Packs

Return of Unsanctioned and Unstable Basic Lands to the Store

May 27 brings with it the return of Unsanctioned and Unstable basic lands to the MTG Arena Store! We'll have a bundle of each cycle available for 12,500 gold or 2,500 gems. If you already have some of these lands in your collection, the cost for these bundles will be prorated!

Unsanctioned and Unstable basic lands

Upcoming Events

FNM at Home

  • May 21: Artisan
  • May 28: Omniscience
  • June 4: Pauper

Quick Draft

  • May 14–28: Ikoria: Lair of Behemoths
  • May 28–June 10: Strixhaven

Other Events

  • May 20–25: College Cup: Test of Wit
  • May 27–June 1: College Cup: Test of Leadership
  • May 27: Historic Anthology 5 on sale

May Ranked Season

The May 2021 Ranked Season runs until May 31, 12 p.m. PT (1900 UTC)