If you’ve ever wandered by a game store and seen, inside, a gathering clustered around tables, slapping cards down or scribbling on character sheets, it’s a good bet what you’re looking at came from Wizards of the Coast. The venerable publisher crafts Magic: The Gathering and Dungeons and Dragons, among many others. They
partner with stores around the globe to run tournaments, special events, and more around their titles. Top spots have the opportunity to become Wizards Play Network (WPN) Premium Stores, a designation of excellence across a broad spectrum of categories, and, hey, your local Noble Knight headquarters in Wisconsin just earned that badge of honor.
That badge is more than just a title. Wizards doesn’t give these honors out like candy. A tiny percentage of stores make this grade, and Noble Knight’s staff worked hard to earn it.
The WPN Premium Store Experience
It’s Friday night and you’re itching to play some Magic. WPN Premium stores get top billing in Wizard’s search, so Noble Knight pops as the top spot in Madison’s area to crack some packs in a draft. Because it’s a premium store, you’ll know they have a quality space with amenities—no musty basements or dim-lit back 
rooms. That branding also gives you confidence that other players, from beginners to pros that can help you improve your game (or learn it for the first time) will be there.
Nothing worse than driving to an event only to find it empty.
Walking through the doors gets you the clean, friendly space you’re looking for. Noble Knight has tables and chairs spaced out, and they have all the materials you need, from playmats to dice to deck boxes, to ensure you have a great time. Perhaps less immediate but equally important are the big windows, clean restrooms, and sheer size. You can spend a few hours, or a day, here without feeling claustrophobic. Not to mention the snacks…
As the event goes, you’ll find the WPN Premium benefits continue: you get exclusive, collectible promos as prizes, some with Noble Knight’s own branding. We’re talking rare cards, accessories, and events earned by having a play space and player base that makes a vibrant Magic community. Should you have questions during a game, Noble Knight’s staff and judges will help you find the answer with courtesy – another bar Wizards checks for its premium store.
The draft itself runs without a hitch, because Noble Knight has all the elements in place. Screens with clear round timers, basic lands on offer to keep deck construction easy, and the experience needed to ensure everyone has fun rather than frustration. When you’re done, with your promo prizes and packs in hand—WPN Premium Stores receive additional prizes at all levels, including just for participation, ensuring everyone goes home happy—it’s no sweat to check the calendar for your next event.
Which could be special.
As a WPN Premium Store, you’ll have the chance to play in major tournaments at Noble Knight – including two-slot regional championship qualifiers. These draw in players from all over, giving you a chance to see, and test your homebrew deck, against the best. You’ll play for major prizes, including large cash prize pools, and qualify for invites to regional events that lead to the highest level of competitive magic, the Pro Tour, and enjoy a top-notch environment. There’s electric energy at these events, ones you’ll now be able to experience in your own backyard.
Newer players will find consistent options, like their hallmark casual Friday Night Magic Chaos drafts, to ease into organized play, too. Pre-release events, where
players old and new get their hands on cards a week before official release day, often push the capacity of the massive play space. Alternative-format tournaments and weekly casual play events ensure that everyone, at all levels, has the chance to enjoy Magic in the format and style they want.
Beyond those tournaments, WPN Premium Stores create the bedrock for a thriving Magic community. You’ll be able to find cards, packs, exclusive accessories, and more at Noble Knight. Moreover, if you’re curious about a particular set, format, or where to go next (Magic’s a big game), staff and other players at the store will be happy to help you find your perfect game. Maybe it’s digging into Pauper, building your own draft cube, or just getting a few friends together to test decks for an evening. A Premium Store is more than just a retail outlet – it’s a haven for Magic players.
Havens, though, don’t just appear: they’re nurtured.
Why Premium Stores Exist
In a world full of places to play, from your coffee shop to your buddy’s basement, it’s fair to ask why Wizards established the WPN Premium designation at all. Growing a game like Magic means having a welcoming space to learn and play for newbies and professionals alike. Anyone interested should be able to walk through the door and find friendly, knowledgeable staff, a clean and accommodating environment, and plenty of other players. At any Premium Store, you should
have a great time, and want to come back again and again.
And you’ll find it easy at Noble Knight, because Wizards expects WPN Premium Stores to make their communication clear. Marketing for events and new releases needs to be visible—in other words, a player looking for a Magic tournament or set release should have no problem finding it on the Event Calendar or when they drop by the store. An online catalog updated with the latest cards and decks is necessary. This bonds with the required regular player base, ensuring folks looking for games will find them, and that tournaments will have plenty of players to fill out their brackets.
Getting recognized for all these elements isn’t a matter of filling out a form or sending a check to Wizards. Instead, the Wizards Community Engagement team will send a representative to an interested store to determine whether they’re a good fit. Noble Knight, in early 2025, earned that initial visit, along with a list of things to work on over the year. With focused effort, Noble Knight upped their game (and their snack options) and Wizards awarded the designation.
This, though, isn’t a permanent prize: WPN Premium Stores are held in high regard because they have to maintain their status with regular benchmarks. This isn’t a ‘shove the mess in the closet to pass inspection’ situation, but a comprehensive, regular review of the store’s player base, its ability to engage the local community, and drive attendance to tournaments and events (and, of course, keeping the play space top notch). All this means that, when looking to play Magic (or just about anything else), you can be sure you’ll have a great time at Noble Knight, both now and in the years to come
Becoming a WPN Premium Store is a feather in Noble Knight’s cap, definitely, but it’s only there because of the players coming out to the store and having a great time. If you’ve never given Magic a shot, there’s no better time than the present. Just take a look at the event calendar and pop on down.
