What the Heck Is MTGA’s Player Inbox?

Bloodletter Quill | Illustration by Dan Scott

MTG Arena players got mail from WotC containing six The Brothers' War Alchemy packs in December 2022. Yay, free stuff! Those packs showcased the new MTGA inbox feature, so it’s a good time to take an extensive look at this feature.

What’s the new system like and what is it for? Does this mean we’re finally getting packs to improve MTGA’s economy? Let's dive in and find out!

What Is the Player Inbox in MTGA?

The player inbox in MTGA is a new feature that shows the most recent messages sent from WotC to all players. It was implemented in the client as of December 2022.

What’s Its Purpose?

The Player Inbox’s purpose is to create a direct connection between players and WotC. According to the release notes, it was built “to improve communication, info on updates and to send gifts to players without the need of code redeeming. Also, there will be reminders of upcoming tournaments and qualifiers on Arena.”

What Did the Inbox Replace?

The Player's Inbox doesn't replace anything! It didn’t exist in the first place. It’s not replacing promotional codes we get with new sets or anything else.

Are There Still MTGA Codes? Do They Still Work?

Yep, the MTGA codes still work. WotC gave their word that the inbox messages aren’t replacing MTGA codes, nor they will reduce the frequency. It’s most likely that we’ll get compensation when the Arena client bugs through here rather than via a compensation code, but we’ll have to wait and see.

Where Did My Inbox Messages Go?

The messages expire and are removed from your inbox after a certain time. Unlike your email inbox, the messages will be removed. The messages sent in December 2022 were set to expire in January 2023, giving you a month to read them.

Do I Lose Packs and Bonuses if I Miss the Messages?

You won’t lose packs/bonuses if you miss messages. The bonuses will be added to your collection even after the message expires. It’s still better to open messages so that you know what rare cards you’ve opened in the packs and you don’t need to wait a month to get the reward.

Can You Send Messages to WotC with the Inbox?

No, you can’t send WotC messages. It's a one-way channel from WotC to you. You can contact WotC through the support email and other channels.

Example Messages

You can see above that I’m not keeping up with my messages (I took a vacation from Arena on my holidays). Up on the top right side there are four messages that I didn’t read. The messages with the attachment icon contain prizes. You can also see the orange alert on unread messages.

There’s also a message with no attachment that's just an update from WotC.

Here’s a message with an attachment. WotC sent 1,000 XP to players for free! As you can see, even if you don’t claim the attachment it’s added to your collection. The other messages with attachments have different bonuses.

After I opened all the messages I got free XP, six boosters from The Brother’s War Alchemy set, and a custom Wastes from Explorer Anthology. Messages aren’t “Arena notification orange” anymore.

Wrap Up

Finale of Devastation | Illustration by Bayard Wu

MTG Arena is always criticized for a bunch of things, notably the economy, but there’s always room for praise. The inbox and communications are a step in the right direction, as is the addition of prizes. Slowly but surely Arena players will get things to improve the experience. The bonuses don’t hurt either!

Do you like the new mailing system? Where do you expect WotC to take this feature? Let me know in the comment below or over on the official Draftsim Discord. And if you’re an MTGA player, you’ve got to check Draftsim’s Arena Tutor.

Stay safe, folks!