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It’s very difficult for a new trading card game to break into a genre dominated by the likes of Magic: The Gathering, Pokemon, and Yu-Gi-Oh!, but Disney Lorcana has a real chance of pulling it off. Presented as "less competitive" take on card games, Lorcana combines the booster pack ripping and deckbuilding of its contemporaries with a colourful cast of Disney characters new and old.
With Lorcana still a long way out, information about it is thin on the ground. With it getting ready to make a huge impact on card gaming, though, there’s more than a few reasons to get excited. Here is everything we know about Disney Lorcana.
What Is Disney Lorcana?
Disney Lorcana is a trading card game (TCG) by Disney and tabletop games publisher Ravensburger. Like other games, such as Magic: The Gathering and the Pokemon TCG, you’ll collect cards in booster packs and create decks with the aim of defeating your opponent.
It is being developed and published by Ravensburger, who previously worked with Disney on the Villainous series of tabletop games. It’s also known for other board games like Dingbats, Escape, Labyrinth, and El Dorado, however this will be its first-ever trading card game.
When Does Disney Lorcana Launch?
Lorcana is expected to launch in Autumn 2023, with its first set being titled The First Chapter.
We currently don’t know how big this first set is going to be, or if it’s going to include any supplemental products like the preconstructed decks or bundles you often find in other games.
Will Disney Lorcana Have Post-Launch Support?
It has been confirmed by Ravensburger that Disney Lorcana will follow a similar release schedule to Magic and Pokemon, in that it will have four expansion sets each year. This means between its launch in 2023 and Autumn 2024, we can expect The First Chapter and at least three more expansions.
Each expansion for Lorcana is said to be part of an ongoing story that will be told across releases. Further details of the story have not yet been announced, nor has it been confirmed how this story will be told – whether it be through the cards only, or if it will receive written stories published online like Magic.
It has not been revealed if these will be the only four releases in the year, or whether they’ll be supplemented with additional products between sets.
Does Disney Lorcana Have Pixar, Marvel, Or Star Wars Characters?
For the first set, Lorcana will only be focusing on traditional Disney characters, like Elsa, Mickey Mouse, and Robin Hood.
Characters from Pixar, Star Wars, and Marvel may come in later sets, but these have not been revealed yet, and likely won’t be until The First Chapter has launched.
What Mechanics Have Been Confirmed For Lorcana?
As we’ve only currently seen seven cards for Lorcana, we’re not entirely sure how it will actually play yet. Despite that, there are a few hints on those cards that point to a game that is similar to Magic: The Gathering:
- Challenge – Lorcana’s version of combat.
- Evasive – only characters with Evasive can challenge this character.
- Shift – by paying an alternate cost, you can play characters on top of each other.
- Exert – appears to be like MTG’s tapping, where cards are rotated 90 degrees to show they’re ‘spent’.
- Banished – sent to a graveyard or discard pile.
Will Disney Lorcana Have Organised Play?
Ravensburger is planning for Lorcana to have a full organised play scheme, complete with tournaments and in-store events.
Further details of this will be revealed closer to the game’s launch in 2023.
What Were The D23 Expo Promo Cards?
The first time we ever saw Disney Lorcana cards was at 2022’s D23 Expo. Attendees not only had the chance to see the cards and mechanics for the first time, but also get their hands on a set of seven limited-edition foil promo cards.
These cards were:
- Cruella De Vil, Miserable As Usual
- Robin Hood, Unrivaled Archer
- Stitch, Rock Star
- Maleficent, Monstrous Dragon
- Elsa, Snow Queen
- Captain Hook, Forceful Duelist
- Mickey Mouse, Brave Little Tailor
These editions of the cards were unique, thanks to the two stamps found on the bottom black border of the card. One marks it as a First Edition, while the other labels it as a D23 Expo promo.
Can I Still Get The Lorcana D23 Expo Promo Cards?
Unless you’re willing to pay a higher price to get it from a secondary seller, you can no longer get the D23 Expo promo cards.
However, the cards sold at the D23 Expo were just special editions of cards that will be included in the first full set for Lorcana, The First Chapter. While these ones won’t have the same D23 stamp on them, you’ll still be able to get your hands on Robin Hood, Unrivaled Archer or Stitch, Rock Star when the game launches.
Despite initial reports otherwise, Mickey Mouse, Brave Little Tailor will also be in the first set release, and was not a D23 Expo exclusive.
