This project has been in the works for WotC since 2022, when they introduced the Explorer format to MTG Arena. Since its introduction, Explorer was essentially an "under construction" digital Pioneer format for MTG Arena where WotC would keep adding digital cards and their animations to the platform until they built up Explorer into an actual online version of Pioneer. Eventually, the competitive decklists on Explorer mirrored the Pioneer tabletop format, and WotC decided to give Pioneer online the green light.

Pioneer had been a primarily tabletop format, up to this point, since it first arrived in 2020 (see "'Magic: The Gathering'"). This format had been on the backburner for essentially all of 2025 as there was no Pro Tour or Regional Championships scheduled for the format this year. Pioneer has had a fairly stale metagame for a number of years now with Rakdos and mono-red decks essentially dominating the format. Hopefully, its addition as an online option will bring new life to the format.