End of an Era: Wizards is Nixing Planeswalker Points and DCI Numbers

My first Magic event seems like an eon ago. Way back in the days of Invasion block, my buddies and I trekked out one rainy weekend for the Apocalypse Prerelease. Were were young and green. Not new to the game, but new to the idea of competitve play, despite prereleases being more about fun than winning. 

As we signed up, a surly, bearded gentleman asked for my DCI#. Puzzeled, I looked over at my friends. They shook their heads in confusion. We had no idea. Like a grumpy Santa Claus, the tournament organizer placed a DCI registration card on the front desk and instructed "Memorize it, kid". 

To this day, I've never forgotten.  

On April 27th, 2020, the Wizard's Mothership released the following announcement: Starting May 27th, 2020, Planeswalker Points will no longer be earned and the use of the DCI #'s for event registration will begin to phase out. Future events will require players to use their Wizards Account. Players will have until May 27th to log into their old accounts and view personal records, but after that, well...

To a Magic oldtimer like myself, this is a true bummer. I still have my DCI card tucked away in my desk. Despite memorizing the number, I've held onto the faded slip of cardboard like a relic. And I imagine I'm not alone. 

I suppose none of us should be surprised, as Magic the Gathering is getting progressively more digital. I do wish, however, that Wizards of the Coast would've at least provided some access or ability to download one's personal record prior to shuttering the site. "Sunsetting Planeswalker Points" makes it sound like our old accounts are riding off into the horizon like "Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade". The reality is that, come May 27th, they'll simply be gone, existing only as ancedotes hence forth. 

I'm about as small-fish-in-big-pond as it gets when it comes to Magic content, so my voice doesn't carry much sway, but would it really have been such a stretch for Wizards to create some kind of archive for these records? Perhaps some form of Magic History Museum where players could view their matches, learn about old meta's, and, what the hell, even check out Bob, from Accounting? Magic's old commercials are truly something special.

If you've stories or recollections on when you first got your DCI Card, share them below!

If stories are the only way to keep the memory of Planeswalker points alive, then storytellers we shall be. 

Thanks for reading!

-Tautog-