UPDATE: Konami Backtracks on NAWCQ Time Wizard Changes
Overview
Konami have provided an update to this weeks Time Wizard Rules Update for the North American World Championship Qualifiers Event, walking back planned changes for this event whilst clarifying future OTS-Level support.
NEW: Time Wizard Events will use the Game Mechanics and card text of the era in question at the NAWCQ 2025.
(This is an update to an earlier FAQ. In the future, we will offer the TCG version of Yu-Gi-Oh! MASTER DUEL‘s Time Travel format, which uses current mechanics/card texts but older card pools. Both Time Wizard and Time Travel will be offered at the OTS level.)
EU UPDATE - June 13th 2025
Konami have issued a statement responding to player concerns regarding Time Wizard events in European regions and whether they will adopt the same changes outlined above for the North American WCQ. Short answer - no they will not!
Duelists of Europe, Africa, Middle East and Oceania,
We've received a lot of queries about Time Wizard events in our regions, and we’d like to confirm that there will be no changes in how these tournaments are being run in the aforementioned territories. So for example, if you wish to take part in the Ultimate Time Wizard 2010 event at the upcoming European WCQ, the game rules and mechanics will match the April 2010 period - and the same rules will apply for the following major events.
As we continue to monitor our community’s interest in different ways to play Yu-Gi-Oh!, we will also make it possible for stores to offer the TCG version of the Yu-Gi-Oh! MASTER DUEL Time Travel format (using current mechanics and cards texts, but older card pools) to their players at the OTS level, should they wish to do so. Please watch out for further updates on this.
What do you think of this change? Let us know in the comments below!