ManaNation has learned that there are changes coming down the pipe for the DCI. We had heard rumors of it for a few weeks, but just recently we were pointed to a post on the Wizards Customer Help page. The page also links to the announcement in various foreign languages.

[easybox]In Wizards of the Coast’s continuing global efforts to build strong D&D and Magic player communities in hobby stores, we are pleased to announce that we will link Wizards Play Network (WPN) levels to stores effective April 28, 2010. For details on the WPN and its levels, see www.wizards.com/wpn. This change will take effect with the Magic 2011 Core Set Prerelease event.

As a result of this change, WPN store levels (Gateway, Core and Advanced) will be calculated based on all reported organized play activity that occurs in that store. To strengthen connections between Organizers and stores, an Organizer’s level status will be determined by the highest-level WPN store with which he or she associates. For example, if a store achieves Advanced level, all Organizers associated with that store will be Advanced level. In many cases, this change means that both the store and its Organizers will rise in level.

How is Wizards of the Coast changing the WPN?

In Wizards of the Coast's continuing global efforts to build strong Magic player communities in hobby stores, we are pleased to announce that we will link Wizards Play Network (WPN) levels to stores effective April 28th. This change will take effect with the Magic 2011 Core Set Prerelease event.

Why is Wizards making this change?

Wizards of the Coast wants to build strong Magic communities in stores; attaching levels to stores creates a greater connection between players and the stores where they play the games they love.

What does this change mean for stores?

Stores will now be assigned WPN levels (Gateway, Core and Advanced). Level requirements will not change. We will calculate the store's level based on all reported organized play activity that occurs in that store. This means that for stores with multiple organizers running store events, the reported activity from all the organizers will be totaled to determine the store's WPN level. Level requirements can be found at www.wizards.com/wpn.

How will this change affect organizers?

To strengthen connections between organizers and stores, an organizer's level status will be determined by the highest-level WPN store with which they associate. For example, if a store achieves Advanced level, all organizers associated with that store will be Advanced level. In many cases, this change means that the organizers will rise in level.

Most organizers are associated with just one store (because they work there or play there). There will be little noticeable change for them. They will be able to run the same events they have run in the past at their store. These events will simply be credited to the store as well as the organizer.

In cases where an organizer is not associated with any store, is associated with multiple stores or a store has multiple associated organizers, organizers still get access to all the programs for their level. However, a store can only run one WPN program at a time. For example, once one organizer schedules a Magic Prerelease event at a given store, no other organizers can schedule a Prerelease for that store at that time. A store may alternate between organizers, but cannot host more Prereleases than its level allows. Organizers may run their own events (the ones they receive for their level) at public non-store locations (non-store venues are not eligible for WPN levels) or at Gateway-level stores.

What does it mean to "associate" with a store?

Association simply means that an organizer runs events at that store. It is at the store's discretion whether an organizer can associate with the store, or to cancel an organizer's association. But if an organizer runs events at the store or for the store, then the organizer is associated with the store. There is no limit to how many stores an organizer can associate with, nor the distance between the organizer and the store.

How will this affect the Magic 2011 Prerelease scheduling?

For the Magic 2011 and all subsequent Prereleases, we will base support on the store's level regardless of the number of organizers associated with it. This means that a Core-level store receives Core-level Prerelease support. Most stores (stores with only one organizer) will notice no change. Stores will receive product allotments based on their historic unique player totals so they will be able to serve their entire Prerelease player community. Advanced-level stores, including those that rise to Advanced due to the total player activity associated with their store, will receive the Advanced-level allotment of 2 main events.

For more information please contact your dedicated support team at Wizards of the Coast here.[/easybox]