Enter the Battlefield - Life on the Magic: The Gathering Pro Tour

Enter the Battlefield is a feature-length documentary that follows seven Magic players through a season: Reid Duke, Owen Turtenwald, William Jensen, Patrick Chapin, Shahar Shenhar, Melissa DeTora, and Chris Pikula. While their goal for every game is to defeat their opponent, their lives on the Pro Tour are about personal goals. More than anyone, they compete with themselves.
Written, produced, and directed by Shawn Kornhauser and Nathan Holt
Narrated by Wil Wheaton
Special thanks to Craig Gibson for Pro Tour photography used throughout this film.
magic.wizards.com/en/content/e...

[@themanadork6143]

Seeing Pikula say “33rd, missed” is heartbreaking.

[@RhysticStudies]

this film makes me want to succeed.

[@Tony_Xie]

if they stop cut the money for pro players， my friends and me have a dream，to be a pro

[@kennethkirk5469]

+tony xie They have reversed the changes, it's on their site.

[@luliby2309]

I have to ask. At Magic or at film? Or both? Or is it even more than that? I love your channel by the way.

[@Fiskie666]

hahaha xD Those goals are just hollow. You delude yourself if you think that being a champion in any competition will make you happy.

[@galidou99]

Any thing you see as something that will make you happy, if it requires lots of work, will make you happy if you're doing it the right way. Might it be a temporary, illusory happiness, it still is. Definition of happiness is: the state of being happy. It does not speak of length of the said joy.

[@captainchunkplays4961]

Leaving this here. Today is Tuesday, January 2nd 2024. I'm leaving this message here so that later this year, I can come back to it, hopefully having competed in my first ever professional magic tournament. As Reid Duke says so eloquently in this video, I don't want to be a local card shark, I want to be one of the best

[@truthreckoning]

how's it going?

[@MrDenim4219]

Update, boss?

[@captainchunkplays4961]

@@MrDenim4219 4 month update and I’m still sadly no closer to my goal, however there’s a big modern event here in the UK in September, so I’m hoping to go to that and whether I win lose or draw; it should be good!

[@thegatheringofcube5873]

Very well made Documentary about the greatest game in the world , Thank you Richard Garfield for creating this game , I'm 49 years old and have been playing since 1994 and i will play Magic to the day i die

[@tysonexelby3579]

Amen to that.

[@Xtoff]

I cast "Negate"

[@mdougf]

This is so cool to hear man!! I just started to get into Magic and I am SO excited to keep learning and getting better. I love how seemingly complex and strategic the game is and how you can craft decks to suit your desired playstyle. I love how it seems like the learning never stops. And even aside from the gameplay, the collecting of cards, and the appreciation of the art on the cards alone would be enough to satisfy me! And lastly, it just seems like the community is so awesome! I can't wait until this COVID stuff is over so that I can go to nearby stores and join the communities. I know I just started, but I think I want to play this game forever too! I have been looking for something like this! Cheers man

[@jantaganas8822]

SALUTE ELDER PLANESWALKER

[@DougesOnTwitch]

I watch this at least once every 3 months. I find it's just so good to write content to. The music, hearing from players how much the game means to them - it's contagious.

[@alanyuan8565]

Patrick Chapin: "second place hurts the most" I hope you win the next worlds.

[@robertmurphy3511]

You gotta love Randy Buehler's passion, he LOVES this game and you can hear it in his voice

[@anonimniprofil3816]

He also loves food. A bit too much.

[@TheSquirrelbeast]

Thumbs up for all proud and supportive parents. Rest in Peace Owen's dad. 35:32

[@85mcarnold]

Can you believe we were robbed of this for years? So glad the PT is back.

[@SirMasterMidget]

Man i feel for Chapin, from now on im definitely rooting for him. He's an awesome guy who deserves to achieve his goal

[@jonathandixson1424]

ikr

[@patrickallen6193]

they should just let him in to the hall of fame, ffs.

[@Karmakeddon_MtG]

@@patrickallen6193 Chapin is already in the hall of fame. It was Chris Pikula that isnt on the list

[@patrickallen6193]

@@Karmakeddon_MtG Thank you :)

[@PHemidall]

In my mind Reid Duke was a great guy, he is so serious about what he is doing, an this video makes me think he definetly should be called professional.

[@kylewidmar3177]

I watch this 2-3 times a year. Amazing watch.

[@Eldrahan]

My new favourite pro tour figure is Ariel Shenhar - what a great dad.

[@HellenicCatholic]

Inspiring film for not just Magic, but for life in general, as well.

[@anstytroll11]

i want a box set dvd of every single pro tour that would be awesome...

[@robertmurphy3511]

+Andrew Fackenthall I would watch the shit out of that

[@anstytroll11]

Ikr same!! I love this game and would love to see all the older pro tours in HD and everything

[@BlackBullNDN]

+Andrew Fackenthall This Wizards, pay attention to THIS.

[@kylegilbert1076]

it would be

[@arran2264]

Wizards I hope you're listening

[@rudetc]

Patrick Chapin has a face you'd expect to see on a Pixar character

[@kevinjohnson2054]

Plebchok hahahaha

[@akis6798]

hahaha so true!

[@mathewaitken938]

He’s bobby fisher

[@brianm2242]

You could be forgiven for thinking that Owen was nothing but a super-competitive jerk when, really, never giving up is the one lesson/memory he could take most from his dad. It's an interesting perspective I hadn't considered before watching this.

[@Zephyrial2]

+Brian Miller I have a lot more respect for Owen after watching this video and understanding where he's coming from.

[@rhysjones1108]

Brian Miller was Owen a dick to players in the past ?

[@mariahanover9335]

Owen was booted from the pro tour for sexually menacing female players.

[@rhysjones1108]

Maria Hanover what counts as sexually menacing lmao, but that sucks he’s a good player.

[@JonSteitzer]

Really bittersweet to watch this now.

[@ikazantsev]

Most inspiring video about Magic. Every time i loose and feel devastated i would remember about Pikula or Chapin to keep growing on my mistakes and looking forward for new opportunity to evolve. These are men of honor! Thank you guys, this hour was incredible!

[@UMotivo]

Awesome! Congrats, Wizards!

[@cabrita1384]

manda um salve umotivo !!!

[@Surfe99]

Poe legenda pra nós!! Vou até Floripa te dar uma surpresa

[@1762435]

Manda legendar Andre, kk

[@Robertsilveira1]

Legennndaaa!

[@alejandrogabrielpereira9719]

ausdhaushduahsd momento que entro e de cara vejo um ícone que conheço já penso... justo, é um lugar pra se ver o André comentando asduhausdhaushdad

[@gjacks898]

i love this documentary. i would love to see more like this!

[@kuroshinko427]

I've watched this again and the one thing that strikes me the most is that how much Owen's family support him in playing Magic. This resonated with me as a guy whose parents consider Magic or any other card game for that matter a "worthless distraction". I hope that more parents will be more open minded and be supportive of whatever their child is into as long as it isn't something destructive like bad drugs or crime.

[@Ranxior55]

Yay they reactivated comments! This was extraordinary and the filmmakers did an incredible job! Amazing shots and great work documenting the drive the players have!

[@rowanandhastings]

thanks for these words!

[@cglebel]

I want to see these guys again Wizard! I love watching them all play and even tho some folks may have been more in the light than others these years, I value all of their input. They are people we look up to, thanks for the insightful documentary.

[@PeterHaderlein]

Fantastic job! As a longtime player and follower of the Pro Tour this was a delight, thank you.

[@TheHive616]

Melissa Del Tora taught me three things. How to not tip your hand. How to build a terrifying green-white enchantment deck. And that your smile is about a billion times more effective if you almost never do it.

[@ericgroenewald1323]

Thank you. This is a great documentary on the greatest game ever made. It is my passion.

[@infusionscap4942]

I miss this era of Magic.

[@niknameismynicname]

Better times when modern was still a pro tour format... This documentary made me actually care about the pros.

[@steakmcc]

Amazing job Shawn, Nathan, and all who were involved!

[@cargriguez5686]

This film got me back into mtg lowkey

[@emoralesmusicmovie]

Incredible work! Moving stories! Congratulations to everyone involved.

[@horsebones727]

What an intimate and beautiful documentary. Thank you!

[@darkritualpass]

Fantastic documentary. Great job by Wizards and everyone involved. Really enjoyed it.

I just can't stop to watch this. I already lost the count on how many times I watched it!

[@luliby2309]

This is an awesome documentary Wizards! It really highlights the extreme talent that can be found in the Magic community. Always remember to support your community Wizards.

[@Jo-ks1nl]

just wow! Moved by every one of those stories and feeling lil sad

[@douglas2437]

This is absolutely amazing. What a fantastic documentary!

[@hugoshah-jones3536]

I have such a deep appreciation for all of this

[@Darksiderz85]

I started playing in 1997, man what a good time!

[@SpiteBellow]

It still boggles my mind how much success this game still has when WOTC could do so much more to make it better. It really speaks volumes for how good of a game it is. As far as the documentary is concerned, I am surprised there wasn't even so much as a mention of how the other mainstay greats of the game have shaped it into what it is today.

[@xraphael777777]

What could they do to make it better (legitimately asking your opinion)?

[@SpiteBellow]

I think most of their shortcomings lie in Wotc being old fashioned. In the end, they are a toy company subsidiary that focuses on selling product, specifically, paper cards. They could have been HUGELY successful if they allowed for a larger budget in their online platform. The latest iteration of Modo is still in the stone age. Forget every other online game that competes for their audience's attention (FPS, MMOs), Hearthstone for crying out loud is now hosting tournaments with larger prize pools. Wotc thought they weren't even a competitor a few years ago! How shortsighted and alien to games do you have to be to come to that conclusion?! They also really struggle in promoting in my opinion. Live coverage has come a long way but there are many many ways to improve in that regard as well. I mean for starters, you should not have hired people who don't play the game to do coverage in the first place but hey that's just my two cents. Magic could have been giant on twitch and instead now barely gets on the map in viewership for a freaking pro tour. CSGO is being aired on TBS now. Remember when magic was on ESPN? They could have taken the torch and ran with it but instead Wotc fell on their faces. In the end, Hasbro really just wants to peddle cardboard even though they are sitting on more of a gold mine than they realize. Also, the restricted list is bullshit and they should have cut off their secondary market more efficiently, etc. I could go on for days.

[@antonyquigley5219]

it's disgusting practice how WotC don't print all the old "rare" cards. As only scalpers and fucking rich people get to have and play with those cards. It's gross. Same with the fucking Nintendo Toys. They don't release enough. And the scalpers buy them and sell them at 2-3 times the price. Nintendo don't make any more money from this, the cunt's buying them in bulk do. They just don't give a shit basically.

[@davidalvaradoda]

Andrew Fackenthall couldn't you just get a proxy?

[@legendofeon]

I found myself watching this almost every week... lol It's just so well produced. I like the story behind the professional players. There is like special connection between these players and people like you and me. I think it's because we can relate to them in someway or another. And I really believe that is why this video is so amazing. Anyway, I'm just rambling ^_^

[@phillipberenguer7884]

I throughly enjoyed this. Hope there is more like this to come in the future!

[@johneriksson1617]

You should do a similar documentary about Judges next. There is a lot of us that take our jobs, our hobbies, just as seriously as these guys do.

[@thetruth3107]

+John Eriksson That would Imply Wizards gives a shit about judges, pretty sure we all know they don't.

[@armon9555]

John Eriksson pros>judges

[@armon9555]

John Eriksson it would be super boring tho. Appreciate the work tho

[@dillonmarshall6691]

Probably the largest and longest running game community that has always thrived, even to this day. Props to everyone whose still involved to this day after playing at least a decade ! Keep it up guys.

[@AEtherOcelot]

When Owen got his name called and ran up and you see that smile, passion and excitement for the game. I felt that.

[@nathanlaumann677]

Fuck Owen, he is a SA predator

[@TheColdmiser]

What a great piece! I can't wait test myself against the best of the best on the Magic: The Gathering Pro Tour!

[@loschain2224]

thank you Wesley.

[@even5539]

What an inspiration. I mainly come around last at my lgs fnm. But this made me keep thinking to keep going do better. Even though my autism is in the way im going to do better and become 1st at my lgs one day. Thank you wizards. What an inspiration

[@mdougf]

Such an amazing documentary!! Thanks!

[@FGCmtg]

I'm happy Magic feels like it's come back towards this. I look back at the era of these events as an amazing time for the game. Hoping for GPs again soon.

[@Mortyee]

This was a great watch. Thanks.

[@GabrielPapitoOliveira]

Very, very good. Great and humanized perspective about the game and the competitive scene, from varied angles and approaching players from different backgrounds as well as giving voice to women on the game, which needs to be done more often in everything. Very moving and inspiring. Thank you for this.

[@sethmasters2147]

Still can’t say how awesome this vid was!

[@chrisrichardson8288]

The music goes so well with the film

[@Rakadis]

Magic for life. I have been playing since 1994. And I doubt I will ever stop.

[@vsully360]

Old guy here. 44. Started playing around legends. Played pretty heavily from like 1994 through the early 2000s. I had some decent success locally but could never get over the hump at the bigger events. Funny story from Grand Prix Tampa in I think 2002. I watched Huey in a cash draft decide to take a goofy twist and I shit you not, he slammed down AtogAtog on turn five. He didn’t win the game or the draft but it’s something I’ll always remember.

[@Open2eyes]

Still playing 4 years later - im 15 :)))

[@bigsethren5337]

Use this as the Wil Wheaton is a great narrator button (Ready Player One, Ready Player Two, Armada, etc.)

[@FANBOY41]

Very cool video! I like the behind the scenes look at the ProTour from Nathan! I cant wait to see the next one :)

[@layz_her2673]

god i miss the magic days of old. RIP

[@jeanmarais337]

Awesome video. More of this WoC!!!

[@gerudo6876]

it's... frustrating. that this video exists as a testament to the history of competitive level magic, something that WOTC has removed themselves from so hard they basically don't have it anymore.

[@draftmagicagain1000]

What a time it was. This was so much fun. All Magic players could enjoy the show these events would put on. But you are right, this has all but gone away now. Competitive is not looked up to like it was, Commander is now what everyone aspires to. I guess they still have something like these events, but most don’t care, most don’t watch.

[@Enragedguy24]

Ah Nathan Holt, watching after WtP 41. Thank you for everything.

[@Kessig_IRL]

The intro is one of the best documentary intros of all time.

[@ravony3822]

I don't play MTG, and as a YuGiOh player myself. I do enjoy watching MTG and try to understand how this game works. I really enjoyed watching this video.

[@kevorkian25]

man i don't know how i missed this , I just watched it,really cool doc .

[@UraharaShoten]

It makes me really happy to see such supportive parents.

[@TheVnholy]

What Reid says in the first couple minutes of this video really speaks to me. At a certain point in magic i decided i didnt just want to be some pretty good player. I didnt want to be a local cardshark. I actually wanted to be one of the best and play with the best.

[@TheSac1122]

This was awesome, words can't even describe

[@josephcolella3107]

A game I loved from 1994-1997. Thanks for the memories WOTC.

[@rammellmann]

really well done, great insight!Before this video I didn t like Owen and Reid because of the incident with Pascal Maynard, but this Video showed a side of them which made them much more likeable

[@lucabianchi3829]

Such an amazing job. I'm seriously moved.

[@Lokens87]

This was amazing. Very emotional story and very inspirational. Well done.

[@bigdawg1586]

Emotional over cards?

[@Itzsfo0]

he said story, and sure why not cards ? name something you think worthy of being emotional over ? oh right "puppies" lol...you can find emotion in music (something you cant even touch or feel) then I'm sure you can feel emotion over a hobby you enjoy...how is that hard to understand ?

[@bigdawg1586]

+michael stillwell don't get butthurt, princess.

[@MichaelR-ll9yf]

+21 RB if you think this whole video was just about cards you didn't pay attention very well.

[@devshlong]

Would love to see the Travis Woo segments that were cut as seperate videos or as uncut content. He has an interesting perspective and I think getting him more known to the masses is a great thing as he has a unique brand.

[@surprisinglyvulgar]

Pikula deserves to be in the Hall of Fame.

[@Scorch1028]

It’s cool that the card backs have the logos of each Pro Tour team on them, as opposed to the regular ‘Magic’ card backs. It’s also interesting that over time some ‘Magic’ cards gain enough value to the point that people safeguard them in card protectors.

[@sportsbanter3885]

Very interesting film, I am not really into playing Magic but I love the complexity of the game and conceptionally I feel like it was done right. As an esports competitor I love the competitive side of games like this because that is where the best plays, combos, and whatnot are derived from, players at the highest level finding new ways to win. Although there is some luck involved, I believe Magic has taken luck out of the equation as much as possible and when you have players play in a round robin type format it pretty much takes luck out of it. This is evident by seeing the same faces in the world finals on a yearly bases. Very well done documentary!

[@yannickwak6405]

This was great!!

[@modernmtg791]

Great Video!! Good Job Wizards of the coast!

[@maxhuttmann4760]

This is really good documentary, gd job, I am happy for all mtg heroes. Even though I am really pretty far from mtg gaming - the thing is to be understood is finding your way in life achieving the best of yourself. I am actually proud of those guys that not only play but also create anything worth to be proud of them. This is true way of life as I see it and there some romance that only those very close people can really make effort to understand what it is all about.

[@patrickallen6193]

I used to be a magic player in mid 90's but stopped playing due to family issues sadly ... but now? am starting to get back into the game since Magic the gathering Arena came out, I love both MTG and Arena, both are great! even though i'm in my 40's .. what can I say, Gaming is in my blood, it's like any other sports in the world, some is for Hobby, for some it's a way of life wanting to become the best.

[@luiscastillo1007]

we need more video like this

[@stphndxn]

Great documentary! 😁

[@seanjohnson1890]

Thank you, wizards of the coast MGT for igniting my spark. Breaking the veil, and curing my wellness.

[@coldturkey5333]

Stfu nerd

[@GabesGames]

Yep, great documentry!

[@rogerdunn5932]

What a great video. Well edited, good interviews, nice graphics, great timeline, etc. The man I can most identify with is Chris Pikula. As a judge, yeah, it's easy to say that I, too, care about tournament integrity. But more than that, he can't dedicate a huge section of his life to Magic because he has a job, a family, and a home (vs. an apartment). As much as I may want to be a Level 2 judge, that is a large commitment that I just can't make because I have a job, a family, and a home. I think Chris has one child and I've got three, so there is more to do. And, like Chris' boy, I've got one son that kinda sorta likes Magic and another that doesn't even want to learn how to play. Anyway, I liked learning about these players. Owen's sister is right, though. Although I suppose a great Magic player can "live" on tournament winnings (a lot of which goes back into the game, I imagine), a person has to think about investments, retirement, emergency and rainy-day funds, and the future in general. These savings accounts probably can't be purchased when there's food to eat, vehicles to maintain, and plane tickets to buy. Anyway, an interesting video all around.

[@Itzsfo0]

Yea its why I didn't want children, or a family - I wanted a job and a career and a place of my own..but I'd rather have a small town-home with no yard work, smallest amount of responsibility as possible...I wanted a decent career, and to have a stable living..and theres nothing wrong with having friends/family and having a mate...but personally I don't want to be in a relationship or marry or have kids...its one thing to have someone to share your life with, its another to want to take it to the next level (and I'm not young I'm nearly 36 years old here in the next few months) I have a college education, a career in (tech/software) and I have my own place...a small town-home, which is all I ever wanted for many years...I've always been the "same" meaning I don't change...I know what I want for my life, and it's not children, nor marriage....I guess we're all different...but even my life I could barely spend that amount of time dedicated to any 1 hobby...I love reading/literature, I enjoyed M:TG growing up, but never as a "pro" or as a judge, more of an amateur hobbyist...gaming, and tech in general have always been parts of my life...but as important as my hobbies are, I have to balance my time + work (which is full-time) and family, plus sleep...something thats more important than many of us lead on...lol to each their own though, we're all different...but you know it would be cool to make a living off M:TG but I knew I could/would never be in the position to reap the rewards professionally...

[@Cozmo1090]

The only man in a tie there best way to turn it into something the world can respect

[@briancavanaugh9470]

Could we get a 1 hr doc on Reid Duke?! That guy is literally an idol of mine.

[@Hollanderboo13]

That was totally wicked!!!!

[@philippbayer866]

Great game. Great documentary. Great work

[@BlackBullNDN]

Is it just me or is Chapin basically Jake Gyllenhaal?

[@Agent-rv9ij]

+Jenga Unchained, I was thinking the same thing.

[@HarryS77]

+Jenga Unchained From Nightcrawler. Totally.

[@dakota23harrell]

And pelleg is basically adrien brody

[@antwan37]

+davidmrust On steroids.And lots of pizza (extra cheese)

[@RacinZilla003]

It's real life Enemy... that. is. Fucking. Meta

[@f1nnzy]

for me, I’d just be happy to join the pro tour. Even if I didn’t win anything it would be an honor just to sit in the same area the professionals sit. I know I’m not good at the game, hell, I don’t know how half of it works, but what I do know is it’s so very fun to me

[@joshshin6819]

Lol I was listening to this and hear Will Wheaton narrating this. Was pleasantly surprised. Course it's in the credits but still.

[@PhilShary]

After watching this movie I feel sorry for Chris Pikula who is a normal guy that had his moments of glory but can't let go of his obsession with competitive Magic. I really hope it's just the image the directors wanted to give him for more drama.

[@colinwarfield4906]

Patrick seems like the type of guy who would be next to impossible not to like. I legit felt so attached to his personality this whole documentary.

[@chef4510]

WHEATON!!!

[@alvarofranca4521]

We NEED subtitles on this for other countries. I'm from Brazil and most of the players here never even heard about this!

[@TCG9777]

Made me teary-eyed but definitely encourages me to continue to try my hardest, and hopefully be the best one day. *glances at my EDH decks*

[@matthewkupilik1629]

i mean ik its a joke but that kind of highlights one of the best parts of magic. you can just sit around a table with three friends and play a casual game, eating, drinking talking all the while if you want, or you can try your absolute best to find the best deck, make every single play correctly and beat as many opponents as possible, under high pressure and with possible rewards of cash, fame and recognition. its nothing like any other game

[@MrInfernoblade10]

It's crazy to think Shahar is the 2 time world champ, but I was surprised that there was nothing from the legend that is LSV.

[@Livevil9912]

+John Kravich He can get his own Doc lol.

[@Redington931]

+Livevil9912 I like the way you think. X^D