May MTG Arena Open marred by technical issues

Magic Arena went through major technical issues that affected this weekend’s competitive Arena Open.

The game had consistent server issues on day one of the Arena Open, forcing most players to restart the client after each game. Players reported being stuck on the “waiting for server” screen.

Wizards of the Coast addressed the issue yesterday, saying that players who were unable to finish their Arena Open matches will have their entry returned to use in a later event. Gems that were spent on an entry won’t be returned, however.

Many high-level professionals like Brad Nelson brought attention to the server issues, which sparked a conversation on Arena’s many technical problems, like client stability and the Arena turn timer system.

The Arena Open is one of the biggest events in Arena because it’s one of the few open-entry competitive events happening while in-store play is suspended. The event saw a boost in popularity in February when Wizards of the Coast introduced competitive Sealed to the event.

Since then, the Arena Open has been a mainstay in the Magic ecosystem as the only competitive Limited event. The tournament is generally well-received throughout the community and this weekend’s Arena Open was the first time criticism surrounded the event. 

The next competitive Arena event is the May Strixhaven Qualifier Weekend on May 15 to 16.