A new format of Magic launches online, with hundreds of new cards

On Thursday, Wizards of the Coast launched a new format of Magic: The Gathering for MTG Arena. It’s called Jumpstart, and it’s a quick way to get into the game — by removing the deck-building aspect of Magic: The Gathering, players skip the setup and jump straight into wild, themed games.

The physical version of Jumpstart was first introduced to Magic: The Gathering in February. It’s a format that uses existing cards alongside a bunch of new ones, too, to create a game that’s easy to just pick up and play. Now, players can easily hop into these games online in MTG Arena — the free-to-play digital version of Magic: The Gathering.

Once you join the Jumpstart event, which has its own landing page in MTG Arena, you’ll have to pick which themed decks you want to use. There are 46 different themes available, and you’ll pick two from a random variety shown to you. Within those themes, there are 121 “possible 20-card lists that include hundreds (literally hundreds) of cards that are available for the first time in MTG Arena,” according to the developer.

Once you make your selections, you can start playing. “You’ll be allowed to play each of your Jumpstart decks during the event as much as you like — and you’ll earn two rare Jumpstart individual card rewards for your first two wins,” Wizards of the Coast said on its blog.

The Jumpstart event will run from July 16 to Aug. 16, with an entry fee of 2,000 gold or 400 Gems.