Event guidelines, including changes to pre-release setup, due to pandemic

[WWolfe]

https://magic.wizards.com/en/articles/archive/news/event-guidelines-and-accommodations-2020-03-11

Wizards of the Coast is recommending WPN stores pay close attention to the situation and follow the guidelines of local health authorities with regards to holding their events. For Ikoria Prereleases, stores may sell Prerelease Packs and Commander Decks for players to take home without participating in an in-store event and stores may also enroll players in at-home Prerelease events. Check with your local store for more information.

ETA- more info about what they're calling "at home pre-release events"

https://wpn.wizards.com/en/article/accommodation-health-uncertainties-ikoria-prerelease-and-beyond

Take-Home Prerelease Packs

For Ikoria Prerelease, we'll lift restrictions to allow stores to sell Prerelease Packs and Commander Decks for customers to take home, without participating in an in-store event.

If players do choose to take home a Prerelease Pack without participating in the main event, organizers may enroll those players in an "At-Home Prerelease" in Wizards Event Reporter so that their attendance will count toward future allocations.

[MonteTribal]

at-home Prerelease events.

That would be strange.
I can imagine some stores doing a large Skype even where games are played digitally. I've seen people do it between friends before, but a paper event purely online sounds wild

[WWolfe]

I just updated the original post to include more information on that. To me it just sounds like a way to count attendance for the stores towards future allocations of products towards events.

[ApothecaryGeist]

It sounds like WotC is permitting the sale of packs and/or prerelease kits during the prerelease event, so that individuals can go home and play with them.

[WWolfe]

Yea so people that don’t want to stay out with everything going on can still participate.