Direct Challenges Coming to Magic: The Gathering Arena Soon

To the surprise of many, Magic: The Gathering Arena, which has been in open beta since September 27, does not currently allow players to challenge each other to battle.

For a large portion of the player-base, smack-talking friends while blowing up lands and countering spells is one of Magic‘s primary appeals, something that is simply not possible without this feature in place.

However, as per a blog post made today, Wizards is working on the issue with Direct Challenges.

Wizards’ post outlines how Challenges will work:

1. You and your friend open the Direct Challenge option.
2. You type in each other’s username and five-digit code.
3. You hit “Battle.”
4. You play a match against each other.

Further, Wizards is “working on more robust friends list features for down the line.”

When will Direct Challenges be available? “Hopefully, November.”

As new cards and features continue to be introduced, it looks increasingly like Arena will supplant Magic: The Gathering Online as the digital platform for Standard and Limited Magic.

Now, if Wizards can just implement older constructed formats, Cube draft, and premiere events, Magic-fans may finally have a digital product that feels like it is of this decade.