Magic: The Gathering Coverage Improvements Are Coming

Wizards of the Coast recently announced the upcoming changes for the future of Magic: The Gathering esports but fans are still wondering if coverage for tabletop Magic and Grand Prix events will improve in the 2020-2021 season.

Elaine Chase, the current VP of Esports at Wizards of the Coast, recently spoke to DOT Esports about the future of Magic esports, and it turns out that Wizards of the Coast is well aware of the criticism regarding the current coverage of Magic esports, and there are a number of potential improvements they're working on. According to DOT Esports, Chase and Wizards of the Coast are working to improve the viewer experience and they are considering changes "that may even stretch as far as the stream overlay". Chase notes that part of the challenge is that Magic Arena is still in open beta. They are considering to add features like replays and spectator modes to improve the viewing experience for the game.

Credit: Wizards of the Coast

Chase considers Arena as the superior platform for Magic viewership, saying that "It's the centerpiece," and that the "Mythic Invitationals are the best way to watch Magic esports."

Coverage of Magic Grand Prix tournaments has hit an all-time low. Earlier this week, Mage Market co-founder made a prank tweet claiming he made it Top 8 of Grand Prix Minneapolis last weekend, and the publicity stunt was meant to be a statement for the tabletop events' lack of coverage. In the interview with DOT Esports, Chase responded to this prank by citing Twitch viewership numbers, which have doubled in 2019, and the creation of various partnerships for Arena events such as Twitch Rivals, Fandom Legends, and Red Bull Battle Grounds.

While it's good to hear that they're planning to improve coverage for Magic Arena, Chase didn't mention how they plan to improve coverage for Grand Prix events and other tabletop tournaments. Hopefully, Wizards of the Coast and CFB Events (the current organizer of Magic Grand Prix events) have plans to improve coverage for Grand Prix events next year.

Related: Lack of Magic: The Gathering Grand Prix Coverage Leads To Top 8 Prank