Wizards of the Coast's Avengers Academy events run 12-18 June, but local game stores in the US and Canada have to register by close of business today (1 May) to lock in the launch goodies. If your favourite shop hasn't signed up yet, it's worth a quick nudge.
Got a regular group? Create a private community, poll for the best date, vote on games, and let your friends RSVP in one place.
Set up your group for freeThe format is Two-Headed Giant, the 2v2 team variant where partners share a life total and combine creatures across the table. Avengers Academy is built around brand-new Welcome Decks themed on Black Panther, Iron Man, Black Widow, Spider-Man and Hulk. Each Welcome Deck contains two 30-card halves designed to teach Magic alongside a more experienced friend. Attendees keep the decks at the end, so it's an unusually generous no-strings sampler event for new players.
Stores that register before today's deadline unlock a stack of attendee giveaways: themed drawstring bags and double-sided Hero // Villain tokens for Avengers Academy itself, plus wearable Loki horns for players who also sign up for the official Marvel Super Heroes Prerelease the following weekend (a separate WPN event running into the set's launch). There are no rounds, standings or ranked prizes at Avengers Academy. Wizards is treating these as casual "bring a friend" sessions ahead of the Marvel Super Heroes set hitting shelves on 26 June.
Looking for board gamers near you? Browse local communities and find your next game night.
Find events near youThe painful catch for UK readers: Avengers Academy is US and Canada only this time, with no equivalent UK roll-out announced. Given how big the Marvel set is shaping up to be (Hasbro's Q1 update has already flagged Magic as the company's main growth driver), expect plenty of UK store owners and players to be watching the response across the Atlantic and asking why Britain didn't make the cut.
If you run a UK shop or community and want to put together your own Marvel Magic learn-to-play night when the set drops, list your event free on Backseat Gamer. Any time Wizards skips a market, organisers tend to pick up the slack.
Sources: Wizards of the Coast announcement | Star City Games
