A prerelease is a relaxed event at a local game shop where you play with a brand-new set before it goes on general sale. Everyone gets sealed product at the table, builds a deck from what they open, and then plays a few games against other people doing exactly the same. Nobody arrives with a finely tuned deck, so it is one of the most level playing fields in the hobby and a gentle first event for newcomers.
Both Magic: The Gathering and the Pokémon Trading Card Game run prereleases for their main sets. Magic prereleases usually begin a week before release day (Reality Fracture prereleases started on 25 September 2026, ahead of its 2 October release). Pokémon prereleases run at Play! Pokémon stores using a Build & Battle Box. In both games, the cards you open are yours to keep.
Magic: The Gathering prereleases
Find shops near you on our Magic: The Gathering page, or browse a busy city such as Leeds.
What is in a Prerelease Pack
When you register, you receive a Prerelease Pack. Wizards listed the Reality Fracture pack as containing:
- 6 Play Boosters
- 1 traditional foil promo card
- 1 deck box
- 1 spindown die (handy as a life counter)
The box design and promo change from set to set, so it is sensible to read the official prerelease guide that Wizards publishes for each new set. Those guides also cover the key cards and the colour pairs the set is built around.
Building a sealed deck
Your deck must be at least 40 cards, made from the cards you open plus any number of basic lands. The shop supplies the basic lands, so you do not need a collection of your own. A simple way to build:
- Open all six boosters and sort the cards by colour, with separate piles for multicoloured cards, colourless artifacts and lands.
- Find your strongest cards, usually your rares and mythic rares. One or two strong cards in a colour is a good reason to play it.
- Pick your two best colours. Three colours is possible, but two keeps your mana steady.
- Add removal, meaning spells that deal with your opponent’s best creatures.
- Balance your costs and add lands.
Wizards suggests a starting shape (the “mana curve”) for a typical sealed deck:
- 1 mana: 1 to 2 cards
- 2 mana: 7 to 8 cards
- 3 mana: 5 to 6 cards
- 4 mana: 3 to 4 cards
- 5 mana: 2 to 3 cards
- 6 mana: 0 to 1 card
- 17 lands
Treat this as a template rather than a rule. Faster decks lean on cheap creatures, while slower decks can carry a few more expensive spells. If Magic is completely new to you, our guide on how to play Magic: The Gathering covers the basics of a turn.
How the day runs
Wizards says most prereleases last four to five hours, including deckbuilding, pairings and breaks between rounds. After building, you are paired against a different player each round and play through your games. Wizards recommends that shops give out prize support of two Play Boosters per player, and each shop decides how to share those out, so ask at the start.
Two-Headed Giant
Some shops run Two-Headed Giant prereleases, where you team up with a friend and share a life total against another pair. From Reality Fracture onwards, Wizards recommends one Prerelease Pack plus two Play Boosters per team, with the combined pool used to build two 40-card decks. Shops can still offer two Prerelease Packs per team if their players prefer, so check how your shop runs it. It is a lovely way to bring a friend to their first event.
Booking a place
Prereleases now take place in shops: the At-Home Prerelease option has been retired from Reality Fracture onwards. Use the Wizards Store and Event Locator to find participating shops, then book with the shop directly, as many sell places in advance. If a shop runs out of Prerelease Packs, it may seat extra players with six Play Boosters instead. Those players play in the same event but do not receive the promo card, so booking early helps.
If you prefer Commander, some shops also run a Commander Box League during prerelease week. You pick up a Play Booster box, build a 60-card Commander deck from its contents and play against other league decks through the week.
The next set is Magic: The Gathering | Star Trek, with prereleases from 6 to 12 November 2026 ahead of its 13 November release. Dates and promos change with every set, so check the Wizards site and your shop for the latest details.
Pokémon prereleases
Find Play! Pokémon venues on our Pokémon page, or look at cities such as Manchester and Exeter.
The Build & Battle Box
Pokémon prereleases use a Build & Battle Box for the new set. For the Mega Evolution expansion, each box contained:
- A 40-card ready-to-play deck, including 1 of 4 foil promo cards
- 4 booster packs from the set
- A code card for Pokémon TCG Live
The idea is to open your packs and improve the deck with the new cards you find. Contents can differ from set to set, so check the official product page for the set you are playing. Prerelease decks are 40 cards, which is smaller than the 60-card decks used at League Challenges and other tournaments, so games are quicker and easier to follow. Our guide on how to play the Pokémon TCG explains the basic rules.
Player ID and age groups
Play! Pokémon events use a Player ID attached to a free Pokémon Trainer Central account. Setting this up before your first event saves time on the day, and the Play! Pokémon website explains how to get one. Where possible, Play! Pokémon pairs players within age divisions. For the 2027 season these are Junior (born 2015 or later), Senior (born 2011 to 2014) and Masters (born 2010 or earlier).
Finding an event
The Event Locator on the Play! Pokémon website lists events at stores near you, and your local shop will also announce its prerelease dates. At the time of writing, Play! Pokémon has announced that Build & Battle Boxes for the Mega Evolution series set Delta Reign will be available early at participating stores. Places can go quickly, so contact the shop to book.
What to bring
Everything you need to build and play comes in your pack or from the shop. A few extras make the day smoother:
- Your booking confirmation and payment
- Your Pokémon Player ID, if you are going to a Pokémon prerelease
- Pen and paper for keeping score in Magic (your spindown die also works)
- Card sleeves, if you like to protect new cards
- A bag or box to carry your new cards home
- Water and a snack, as the day can run for several hours
Etiquette
Prereleases are friendly, and a few habits help everyone enjoy them:
- Arrive 15 to 30 minutes early so registration runs calmly.
- Ask for help with deckbuilding. Staff and other players expect lots of questions.
- Shuffle well and offer your opponent the chance to cut your deck.
- Say what you are doing as you play, especially when a card has a new mechanic.
- If you disagree about a rule, call the organiser or a judge and keep it light.
- Keep your table tidy and thank your opponent after each match.
Your first prerelease checklist
- Pick a game and set, then find a shop through our Magic or Pokémon pages.
- Book your place early.
- For Pokémon, set up a Pokémon Trainer Central account and Player ID.
- Read the official prerelease guide for the set if you want a head start.
- Pack sleeves, a pen, water and a snack.
- Arrive early, ask questions and enjoy opening something new.
Common questions
Do you keep your cards after a prerelease?
Yes. Everything you open at a Magic or Pokémon prerelease is yours to take home, along with any prize packs you win. Many players see it as a fun way to start a collection of the new set.
How many cards are in a prerelease deck?
Both games use 40-card decks at prereleases. In Magic you build at least 40 cards from your six Play Boosters plus basic lands, and in Pokémon the Build & Battle Box is built around a 40-card deck.
Do I need to bring my own lands to an MTG prerelease?
No. The shop provides the basic lands you need, so you can use as many as your deck wants. You are welcome to bring your own favourite basics or use any you open in your packs.
Can a complete beginner go to a prerelease?
Yes, and Wizards of the Coast says no prior collection is needed. Prereleases are casual events full of new and returning players, so staff and other players are usually happy to help you build a deck and learn the new cards.
Do I need a Player ID for a Pokémon prerelease?
Play! Pokémon events use a Player ID attached to a free Pokémon Trainer Central account. It is a good idea to set one up before the day, and if you are unsure the store can help you get started.
How long does a Magic prerelease last?
Wizards says most Magic prereleases run for four to five hours, including deckbuilding, rounds and breaks. Pokémon prereleases vary by shop, so check the start and finish times when you book.