The Wildcard $5,000 Preseason Open tournament officially begins today, December 19. Running from 9 AM to midnight ET, this one-day-only event marks the first-ever Wildcard Daily Tournament and the public debut of the game's competitive tournament system. Those who qualify can now queue into the Tournament tab, play matches, and post their highest score of the day in a bid to earn part of the $5,000 prize pool.

This is not a bracketed competition, and there are no eliminations. Instead, every player gets multiple chances to post their top score. But in the end, only your single best match will count on the leaderboard. 

How the Wildcard Preseason Open Works

Unlike other tournaments that rely on wins and losses, the Wildcard Preseason Open is built around performance-based scoring. Every match you play generates a score based on how well you performed during that game. And your final leaderboard rank will be based entirely on your highest single-game score.

Players can queue into the Tournament Queue as many times as they want throughout the day. But the leaderboards close at midnight ET, so only matches completed before then will be eligible.

Scoring factors include Champion KOs, capturing Wildcards, dealing damage with Summons and Champions, efficient mana use, and more. Bonus multipliers may also apply to certain standout performances, but these are not guaranteed and are not required to win.

The system is designed to discourage farming and to balance short and long matches. For example, longer matches won't automatically earn higher scores, and repeated actions will start to generate diminishing returns. It's all about quality, not quantity, which means one great game could be all you need to place high.

Who Can Join the Wildcard Preseason Tournament?

Entry is open to anyone who is 18 or older and has at least 250 unlocked Summons in-game. This Summon requirement ensures players have full deck-building options, as Wildcard is built around card-based strategy and real-time combat.

If you're just shy of that number, the Season 0 Summon Bundle is now live in the shop for $24.99 and instantly unlocks all 269 available Summons. Purchasing the bundle today ensures you're eligible for the tournament.

If you'd rather not buy the bundle, there's also an official giveaway happening on Wildcard's X account. By liking, retweeting, and replying to the giveaway post, you'll get to enter for a chance to receive full access to all Season 0 Summons. Winners are chosen randomly and announced through the Wildcard X page.

Prize Breakdown

The total prize pool for today's tournament is $5,000 USD, with payouts extending down to the top 64 players on the leaderboard. Here's how the rewards are distributed:

  • 1st and 2nd place: $500
  • 3rd and 4th place: $400
  • 5th and 6th: $300
  • 7th and 8th: $200
  • 9th to 16th: $75
  • 17th to 32nd: $50
  • 33rd to 64th: $25

Payouts will appear in your Tournament Profile at the end of the month and can be claimed after the results are verified. Players must link a Thousands account and complete KYC verification through Stripe to receive prize money.

Watch Team Liquid Compete Live

Wildcard has confirmed that Team Liquid players bobqinxd and Lourlo will be taking part in the tournament. Their leaderboard climb will be streamed live throughout the day, and there's a real chance you might match up against them in-game. Whether you're tuning in or playing, it's an opportunity to see how top-level players approach the scoring system.

What Makes the Wildcard Tournament System Different?

Today's Preseason Open is just the start. It also acts as a live test for Wildcard's new 3-part tournament structure, which officially launches in January 2026. Starting next month, players can expect:

Wildcard Daily Tournaments

Running from Wednesday to Friday, these tournaments take each player's single best score of the day. Leaderboards reset daily at midnight ET.

Wildcard Weekly Tournaments

Running from Wednesday to Sunday, these tournaments take each player's 5 best scores of the week. Scores from matches played on weekends (Saturday and Sunday) get a 1.2× multiplier to encourage weekend competition.

Wildcard Creator Tournaments

Exclusively for approved content creators, these tournaments also run Wednesday through Sunday. Players must provide VOD submissions of their matches, and the top performers split a separate $2,000 prize pool each week.

Wildcard's Tournament Queue is inactive on Mondays and Tuesdays to allow for game patches and system maintenance.

Inside the Game: What Is Wildcard?

Wildcard is a 2v2 3rd-person arena battler that combines real-time action combat with card strategy. Players choose Champions, build Summon decks, and deploy creatures while actively engaging in the fight. It's a hybrid of deck-building and brawler, where fast decision-making and resource management are key.

Each Champion brings a distinct playstyle. Some are better at support, others excel at damage or crowd control. Your Summon deck acts like a second layer of strategy, letting you call in reinforcements, defend lanes, or change the tempo of the match.

The game officially entered Early Access on October 21, 2025, following a public demo during Steam Next Fest. That October build included a new Champion, Lily, who can switch between ranged healing and poison-based melee combat. The demo helped boost Wildcard's visibility, and today's tournament continues that momentum by launching its esports feature set for the first time.

How Prizing and Accounts Work

While Wildcard is a web2 title, the tournament backend is powered by Thousands, an external platform built to handle monetized tournaments and creator tools. To claim any prize, you must:

  • Link your Thousands account
  • Complete KYC identity verification through Stripe
  • Be 18 years or older

Once verified, all prize earnings will appear in your in-game Tournament dashboard. You'll get to track lifetime earnings, current placements, and past performance across tournament types.

Join the Wildcard Preseason Open Today

Anyone can start competing now. The Tournament Queue for the Wildcard Preseason Open will stay active until midnight ET, giving you all day to queue into matches and post your best score.