Magic: The Gathering - Standard Showdown: Kaladesh

New Set, New Prize Program


Published: November 14, 2016 3:45 PM /

By:


eternal-masters-artwork

Wizards of the Coast has just announced a new pilot prize support program for the Standard Magic: The Gathering format. Called "Standard Showdown: Kaladesh", the new prize support program aims to get more players in for Standard by distributing special kits to be used on four consecutive Saturdays between November 26, 2016, and December 7, 2016.

Each kit contains forty "Standard Showdown Booster Packs", each of which contains three cards: one "premium" foil from a Standard legal set as well as Zendikar Expeditions and Kaladesh Inventions, and two non-foil cards which are either a rare or mythic rare from a Standard legal set. There are some exceptions to what can be found in a Standard Showdown: Kaladesh Booster Pack; players won't be able to find any double-faced cards from Shadows Over Innistrad and Eldritch Moon, and the non-foil cards won't include Oath of the Gatewatch.

Ten Standard Showdown: Kaladesh Booster Packs will be used per week, with Wizards of the Coast recommending the following prioritization for pack distribution:

  • Undefeated players.
  • Returning players from previous weeks.
  • New players.
  • Players who brought a friend.

Reaction to this announcement on the reddit Magic: The Gathering subforum has been mixed to negative, with comments citing that Standard attendance is historical low near the holiday shopping season (making this a poor period to test out a pilot program), and that outside of Game Days, pre-releases, and other competitive events Saturdays have struggled with low Standard format attendance.

Favorable comments have drawn comparisons between this program and the recent "Treasure Chests" on Magic: The Gathering Online.

What are your thoughts on this new prize support program? Do you think it indicates anything about the current health of Magic: The Gathering and Wizards of the Coast? Let us know in the comment section below.

Have a tip, or want to point out something we missed? Leave a Comment or e-mail us at tips@techraptor.net


TechRaptor Default Logo
| Former Staff Writer

Brandon is a former TechRaptor Staff Writer, who primarily covered news and Tabletop - especially Magic the Gathering.

More Info About This Game
Learn more about Magic: The Gathering
Release Date
August 5, 1993 (Calendar)
Purchase (Some links may be affiliated)