Magic World Championship has prize pool cut by $750,000

Olivia Richman Published 18/06/2021

The Magic World Championship XXVII will have a prize pool of $250,000. And while this may sound sort of impressive for a card game tournament, it should be noted that this amount is only a quarter of what was rewarded at previous championship tournaments. The prize pool was cut by an astonishing $750,000. 

Wizard of the Coast published a Magic Esports post-season update that discussed the new prize pool update. Previously rumored to be $1 million by an article published August 14, 2019, the Magic World Championship XXVII will have less of a prize pool than the first-place winner took home last year.

Last year, Damo da Rosa took home $300,000 for taking first place at the championship in Honolulu, Hawaii. That’s $50,000 more than the total amount of prize money available for players this year.

Trading card game community reacts to reduced Magic World Championship prize pool

Professional World of Warcraft player Ondrej Strasky, an MPL member, expressed disappointment with the prize pool cut. Strasky, one of the first four players to qualify for the upcoming championship, said that the prize pool was “gutted” by $750,000. And while he expected it, he was still “kinda sad” by the update. 

Another MPL member, Austin Bursavich, also shared the unfortunate news to his Twitter. Bursavich is no stranger to pointing out his frustration with the pro Magic scene. He also said that the change was “expected,” blaming ongoing economic issues around the world. 

A lot of Magic community members noted that it’s a bigger issue for top players since most of the prize pool cut will affect the payout for the winners. They blamed Wizards of the Coast, pointing out how “cheap” the company was for “screwing over the competitive scene once again. 

Olivia Richman

About Olivia Richman

Olivia has worked in media ever since graduating from college, with her coverage ranging from traditional newspaper reporting to digital coverage of all things gaming, online betting, and nerd culture. She has traveled around the world pursuing that coverage, from the far coasts of the United States to the busy downtown core of Tokyo, Japan. Olivia’s favorite games include Overwatch and Super Smash Smash Bros, and she has been published at Esports Illustrated, Inven Global, EsportsInsider, Upcomer, and elsewhere.

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