 | |
| Designers | Ryan Miller and Steve Warner |
|---|---|
| Publisher | Ravensburger |
| Release date | August 18, 2023 |
| Type | Trading card game |
| Players | 2 or more |
| Website | www.disneylorcana.com |
Disney Lorcana is a collectible card game released by Ravensburger in collaboration with The Walt Disney Company in late 2023.[1][2][3] It is Ravensburger's first trading card game[4] and features characters from throughout Disney's film history. The game competes with other popular collectible card games like Magic: The Gathering, Yu-Gi-Oh! Trading Card Game, One Piece Card Game (as well as other Bandai produced card games) and the Pokémon Trading Card Game. Ravensburger North America CEO Filip Francke described Lorcana as "probably the largest investment that we have ever done into any type of project and initiative".[5]
A set of seven promotional cards were given away to attendees at the 2022 D23 Expo.[1] The premier set, "The First Chapter", was released to board game stores on August 18, 2023 and major retailers on September 1, 2023.[6]
Development and release
In June 2023, shortly before the game's release, Ravensburger and game co-designer Ryan Miller were sued by the latter's former employer, Upper Deck Company. The suit alleged that Disney Lorcana utilized game design elements from an unreleased trading card game, originally named "Shell Beach" and then renamed as Rush of Ikorr, which Miller worked on while at Upper Deck.[7][8][9][10] Ravensburger had filed a motion to dismiss the lawsuit.[11]
At an early release event at Gen Con tabletop game convention, customers waited in hours-long lines to purchase starter decks and booster packs.[12] Cards with particularly high rarity quickly resold for hundreds of dollars prior to the game's initial release,[13] while the promotional cards from the 2022 D23 Expo resold for prices between $1,000 and $3,000.[14]
Gameplay
With decks made up of at least 60 cards,[15] players produce "ink", a resource that allows cards representing characters, items, and song lyrics from Disney media to be summoned.[16] Turns follow a sequence of generating ink, playing cards, using actions from cards, and challenging opposing opponents' character cards. While interacting with each other's cards, players attempt to accrue twenty points (known in game as "lore") before their opponent.[12][17]
Expansions
The first expansion, "Chapter 2: Rise of the Floodborn," was released on November 17, 2023.[18] This 204-card expansion added characters from Pinocchio, The Jungle Book, The Great Mouse Detective, and other properties, and introduced a "Resist" game mechanic.[19] The second expansion, "Chapter 3: Into the Inklands," was officially announced on December 6, 2023.[20] This expansion, also 204 cards, introduces characters from DuckTales, TaleSpin, Atlantis: The Lost Empire, and Treasure Planet; it also introduces a brand new card type, "Locations." Locations are well-known spots from Disney movies and television shows,[21] and add a new mechanic and more strategy options into gameplay.[22] "Into the Inklands" debuted in hobby stores on February 23, 2024, and was released on March 8, 2024
8[20] The third expansion, "Chapter 4: Ursula's Return" Was officially announced in February 2024 and introduces characters from Encanto. "Ursula's Return" will be available to mass markets on May 31, 2024.
Reception
Lorcana has been received well, having a score of 7.3 on BoardGameGeek,[23] a Recommended from Polygon,[24] and winning Best Ongoing Card Game at the 2023 Tabletop Awards.[25]
References
- ^ a b Hall, Charlie (2022-09-09). "The first cards for Lorcana, Disney's answer to Magic: The Gathering, are spectacular". Polygon.
- ^ Kim, Matt (2022-09-16). "Lorcana Interview: How the New Disney TCG Prioritizes Players Over Collectors". IGN.
- ^ Sowa, Alexander (2022-09-19). "Disney's Lorcana Mixes Mickey Mouse With Magic: The Gathering". CBR.
- ^ "Ravensburger unveils its first-ever Disney Collectible Trading Card Game – Disney Lorcana" (Press release). Ravensburger AG. 2022-08-30. Retrieved 2022-10-07.
- ^ Hall, Charlie (2022-08-30). "Disney will launch a new card game to go up against Magic: The Gathering and Pokémon". Polygon.
- ^ Burton, Corinna (17 August 2023). "Lorcana pre-orders: here's where to buy the new Disney TCG". Dicebreaker. Gamer Network. Retrieved 25 August 2023.
- ^ "Disney Card Game Gets Sued For Allegedly Copying Rival's Design". Kotaku. 2023-06-08. Retrieved 2023-07-13.
- ^ Hall, Charlie (2023-06-07). "Disney Lorcana launch threatened by Upper Deck lawsuit". Polygon. Retrieved 2023-07-13.
- ^ Dinsdale, Ryan (2023-06-12). "Disney Lorcana Still Targeting August Launch, Calls 'Stolen Game' Allegations 'Baseless'". IGN. Retrieved 2023-07-13.
- ^ "Games lawyer decodes Upper Deck's Disney Lorcana lawsuit". Wargamer. 2023-06-12. Retrieved 2023-07-13.
- ^ Meehan, Alex (2023-07-13). "Disney Lorcana studio calls Upper Deck lawsuit "more of a PR stunt than a genuine legal dispute"". Dicebreaker. Retrieved 2023-08-01.
- ^ a b McDonald, Brooke (21 August 2023). "Here's what to know about Disney Lorcana, now available in stores". Denver 7 ABC. Retrieved 30 August 2023.
- ^ Dinsdale, Ryan (9 August 2023). "Disney Lorcana Cards Are Already Selling for Hundreds of Dollars". IGN. Retrieved 30 August 2023.
- ^ Lambertsen, Carrie (30 July 2023). "All D23 Disney Lorcana Cards (& How Much They're Worth)". Screenrant. Retrieved 30 August 2023.
- ^ "Disney Lorcana Trading Card Game: Quick Start Rules". Ravensburger.com. November 20, 2023. Retrieved November 20, 2023.
- ^ Hall, Charlie (17 August 2023). "A Disney Lorcana guide for absolute beginners". Polygon. Retrieved 30 August 2023.
- ^ Martens, Todd (25 August 2023). "'Disney Lorcana' aims to shake up the trading card game space". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 30 August 2023.
- ^ Disney, La rédaction de Tout (2023-09-23). "Lorcana chapitre 2 : précommande, date de sortie, personnage Disney... tout ce que l'on sait sur Rise of the Floodborn - Tout Disney" (in French). Retrieved 2023-09-23.
- ^ "Rise of the Floodborn". www.disneylorcana.com. Retrieved 2023-09-23.
- ^ a b "Announcing Into the Inklands | Disney Lorcana by Ravensburger". www.disneylorcana.com. Retrieved 2024-02-29.
- ^ Richman, Olivia (2023-12-12). "How Locations Work in Disney Lorcana: Into the Inklands". Esports Illustrated. Retrieved 2024-03-01.
- ^ "Disney Lorcana Explains Location Cards". Gaming. Retrieved 2024-02-29.
- ^ "Disney Lorcana". BoardGameGeek. Retrieved 2023-12-04.
- ^ Golovchuk, Stan (2023-07-25). "Disney Lorcana's greatest asset may be its most divisive quality". Polygon. Retrieved 2023-12-04.
- ^ Jarvis, Matt (2023-12-02). "Tabletop Awards 2023 winners: this year's best board games, RPGs, designers and publishers". Dicebreaker. Retrieved 2023-12-04.
