Magic: The Gathering Online

Magic: The Gathering Online is a video game adaptation of Magic: The Gathering, utilizing the concept of a virtual economy to preserve the collectible aspect of the card game. It is played through an Internet service operated by Wizards of the Coast, which went live on June 24, 2002. The game does not run on mobile (iOS or Android) as Magic: the Gathering Arena does, since it is only available for Microsoft Windows. Users can play the game or trade cards with other users.

As of February 2007, Magic Online has over 300,000 registered accounts; this does not represent the true number of players since people are allowed to register multiple accounts. According to Worth Wollpert in 2007, Magic Online was "somewhere between 30% to 50% of the total Magic business." In December 2021, Wizards of the Coast entered into a "long-term" licensing agreement to transfer development, operations, and publishing of Magic Online to Daybreak Games.

Magic Online is played as an electronic analogue to the physical card game. Digital artwork reproduces the look of the paper card game, and users interact with their cards to play with them on a virtual tabletop. Each game is hosted by the Magic Online servers, which apply a rules engine to enforce proper play. Though the rules set as a whole is largely accurate and works well, it occasionally suffers from bugs.

Players can set up or join casual games of their choice for free in several rooms within the Constructed Open Play area. Currently, the casual game rooms are as follows: Just Starting Out, a room for players who are new to the game and are not looking for a tough duel. Games in this room are limited to the Standard format to restrict the power of the cards being used. Just For Fun, a room designed for players to play fun, casual decks against one another. This is the most populated room and has no restrictions on what format a player can host a game in. Getting Serious, this room is provided as a step up from the Just For Fun room, but it is usually unoccupied. Tournament Practice is the most competitive room in the Constructed Open Play area, it is where the most serious players go to test their best decks before entering them into a Constructed event.

In addition to free casual play, official competitive tournaments take place around the clock. Tournament play includes 8-person constructed events (in a variety of formats), limited sealed deck and drafts (generally using the most recently released expansions), as well as larger tournaments that take place according to a regular schedule. Entering events requires an investment of sealed packs and/or event tickets, with winners being rewarded with additional product.

Up until Version 3, League play was another method of competitive play. These month-long events were sealed deck tournaments of 256 players that allowed for intermittent play over a period of 4 weeks at the pace the player desired. After 6 years, leagues returned in February 2016. Initially they were only available for the sealed limited format. Leagues last two months, and in that time window a player can usually play between 5 and 9 matches. Once a player finishes playing their league matches, prizes are awarded and they can rejoin the league if they want. Currently, leagues are available in a variety of formats, including Standard, Modern, Legacy and Limited Sealed. Sealed leagues also offer "Friendly" and "Competitive" alternatives with different prize structures. The Competitive Sealed League lasts for 5 matches and typically features higher skilled players due to the top-heavy prize structure - winning all or most of your rounds provides a lucrative prize, with the downside of no prizes being offered to those who win less than 60% of their matches. The Friendly Sealed League lasts for a total of 9 matches and caters to a larger portion of the player base and offers prizes regardless of number of matches won. In addition, after each "stage" of 3 matches, the player has the option to add a booster pack to their deck to make it stronger for the next stage (either by using one from their inventory or purchasing one within the sealed tournament window).

Leaping Lizard Software (LLS) had just completed a software product Magic Interactive Encyclopedia designed to allow Magic players to track which cards they owned and other cards that had been printed to help with online play. LLS initially approached Wizards of the Coast with an offer to create an online version of Magic: The Gathering. WotC was skeptical about whether such a system could be implemented. LLS then created a tech demo to prove to WotC that an online collectible card game could work. WotC was sufficiently convinced and contracted LLS to develop the service, which was then known as Magic Online with Digital Objects (MODO). Initially, the idea of charging for virtual goods, as opposed to a subscription model with unlimited access, was greeted with skepticism. Additionally, concerns were floated over how solid the server and trading code would be. After a period of beta-testing, the game became available to the general public on June 24, 2002. The name was changed from MODO to its final commercial title: Magic: The Gathering Online. At the time of launch, Magic Online supported Magic cards from the 7th Edition onwards.

In 2003, the Magic: The Gathering Invitational was held online for the first time. It was played on Magic Online each year from then on until 2007 when the Invitational was moved back offline.