Last updated on February 8, 2025
Chandra, Spark Hunter | Illustration by Devin Elle Kurtz
The Dragonstorm Arc is in its third instalment. We started by getting fuzzy and cute with Bloomburrow, then took a sharp left turn into ‘80s horror with Duskmourn. And now, we’re off to the races with Aetherdrift!
The first Standard set of the 2025 calendar year is a multi-planar racing adventure spanning Amonkhet, Avishkar, and Muraganda. I’ll let you brush up on the story if you want to know the outcome of the second Ghirapur Grand Prix, but as players, our first taste of the action comes during Prerelease week.
Racers, start your engines! And may the best competitor win.
(Blame the designers; they’re the ones that made “start your engines” a mechanic.)
What Is the Aetherdrift Prerelease?
Sita Varma, Masked Racer | Illustration by Kai Carpenter
The Aetherdrift Prerelease is a weeklong event in anticipation of the set’s official release on February 14, 2025. As with all prereleases, it’s our first chance to get our hands on the boosters and cards from Magic’s newest set.
What Format Is Prerelease?
Prerelease events are played in a Sealed format with a pool of six Aetherdrift Play boosters.
What Comes in a Prerelease Kit?
An Aetherdrift Prerelease kit comes with the six Play boosters needed to make an Aetherdrift Sealed pool. It also contains:
- 1 Deck Box
- 1 Spindown Die
- 1 Foil mythic or rare date-stamped card
Note that prerelease kits no longer come with Arena code cards, starting with Aetherdrift. Instead, participating in an Aetherdrift prerelease using the Companion App will automatically send rewards to your MTG Arena player inbox.
When Is Prerelease Week?
Aetherdrift Prerelease Week is February 7th to February 13th, 2025. Sealed events for prereleases are typically held on Fri-Sun (Feb 7-9).
Where Is the Prerelease?
Prerelease mainly takes place at WPN game stores. You can find the nearest one to you by using Wizards’ Store Locator tool. And of course, we’ve got a helpful guide to finding stores and players near you, too!
To use the store locator:
- Access the Wizards’ Store Locator website at https://locator.wizards.com.
- Input your location information. You can use city and state, but even just your ZIP code works.
- For best results, use filters to select “Prerelease events.”
If you need to, you can also filter your search results by event date using the calendar.
Who Goes to Prereleases?
You’ll find Magic players of all skill and experience levels at Prereleases. Since it’s our first opportunities to play with the cards, long-time and dedicated Magic fans often make a point to attend Prerelease events.
Since Prerelease events are Sealed format events, the playing field is more level, and the environment is more accessible for newer players. Everyone is playing from randomized pools of cards made up of cards from the set (and sometimes its Special Guests). And when sets introduce new mechanics, everyone’s experiencing them for the first time.
Prerelease events are also a good place to meet players who prefer Limited formats over Constructed formats.
Is Going to Prerelease Worth It?
Yes! Although as always, with the caveat of, “if it’s an environment for you.” Prerelease kits are usually priced so that you’re roughly paying the price of six Play boosters of their respective set, so you can expect to pay $35 for an Aetherdrift Prerelease kit. You also get a spindown life counter, a date-stamped promo card, and you’ll receive an MTG Arena reward if you register for an event using the Companion App.
The experience itself is also valuable, especially if you enjoy meeting new people, playing Magic, and supporting your Local Game Store!
Aetherdrift Sealed Simulator
Draftsim’s Aetherdrift Sealed Simulator should be available around January 31, 2025 after the set is fully spoiled. Sporting the full set’s card list, this trusty tool can help you to get up to speed and develop a strategy ahead of Prerelease week.
Be sure to follow the Draftsim blog feed and our social media platforms as we bring you our full Aetherdrift Limited Set Review and Aetherdrift Sealed Guide ahead of Prerelease.
Victory Lap
Murganda Raceway | Illustration by Brian Valeza
And that’s our test lap on the Aetherdrift Prerelease!
If you’re more of an Arena Sealed player, make sure to check out Draftsim’s Arena Tutor for additional insight while you play and to keep track of your stats, and don’t forget to check back in the week ahead of Prerelease to access Aetherdrift on our Sealed Simulator.
Which cards or archetypes are you hoping to play during Aetherdrift Prerelease? Let me know in the comments below or over on the Draftsim Discord.
Now go out there and Race for the Prize!
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