PokerStars is pulling out all the stops to make their 2017 World Championship of Online Poker a warm and fuzzy place for recreational players, and the social games department relaunch PokerStars Play.

The recent announcement of the PokerStars World Championship of Online Poker (WCOOP) arrived without fanfare. We knew there were 81 events spread across Sep 3 – 26, and the $5,200 buy-in Main Event would come armed with a $10m guarantee.

We also knew that PokerStars was making changes to help the recreational players feel comfortable in WCOOP, with the addition of a low-tier selection of events, and $700,000 in giveaways hidden in Stars Rewards Chests.

And now it’s time for the fanfare.