In this update, WotC revealed a brand-new learn-to-play event series that is essentially a more in-depth version of Open House events. The new series is called Magic Academy, which can be scheduled as many times as a retailer wishes. The first two Magic Academy events will be Magic Academy: Learn to Play and Magic Academy: Deck Building.
Magic Academy: Learn to Play utilizes the Welcome Decks (see "Welcome Return") as well as a video demo and promotional materials to teach new players the basics. Additionally, if these new players buy a Foundations Beginner Box after learning, they will get a gift-with-purchase promo card while supplies last. Magic Academy: Deck Building is the second event in this series that guides players through deck construction for the Limited format. Players buy six packs for this event or leftover Prerelease packs, and learn to sort and identify playable cards in their pools in an effort to build a 40-card deck.
Alongside the event series, WotC also released their event schedule for Foundations:
- Distributor Selection and Prerelease Allocation Increase Request Deadline: August 30, 2024
- WPN Marketing Portal Update/New Materials Available: September 12, 2024
- Promotional Kit Delivery: Beginning November 1, 2024
- Prerelease: November 8-14, 2024
- Release: November 15, 2024
- Magic Academy: Learn to Play: November 15, 2024-January 30, 2025
- Standard Showdown: November 15, 2024-January 30, 2025
- Magic Academy: Deck Building: November 15, 2024-January 30, 2025
- FNM: November 15, 2024-January 24, 2025
Also, WotC announced that retailers that run and report at least one of each Magic Academy event (minimum of two players) will receive a sales incentive item for the next season after Foundations.
