Planeswalker Points Replace the ELO System

Mike Turian of Wizards of the Coast published an article today regarding a new rating system. The main points:

  • You earn points for each match you play.
  • You do not lose points in this system.
  • Your points are tracked in different ways: Lifetime Total, Competitive Total, Friday Night Magic Total, and Professional Total.
  • In Competitive Events, the number of points you earn can be modified by the number of players who enter, your match record, and the event itself.
  • In Casual Events, you can sanction any events. These will count only toward your Lifetime Total.
  • Based on your point total, you can “level-up.”
  • Grand Prix byes will “lock in” for the season. So if you are eligible for the byes, you will have until the end of the competitive season to use them.
  • Friday Night Magic Championship: The top one-hundred players will be invited for this championship and may be given a plane ticket.
  • This new system stops players from “sitting” on their ratings in order to qualify for high-level events.

The introduction article is here. The Planeswalker Points website is located here.

What are your thoughts?