Disney’s trading card game (TCG), Disney Lorcana, is looking to introduce the joys of TCGs to more players in the coming year with a new set specifically designed to teach the mechanics to beginners. The game, which debuted with its first set, The First Chapter, last summer, has struggled to keep up with demand, but has recently started to reach a point where Starter Decks, Booster Packs, and other items are easily found in many major retailers as well as local hobby stores. With this change, many new players are picking up the decks.
Even those who may have never played a TCG before might be drawn to the familiar Disney characters and themes present in Disney Lorcana. This causes an influx of players to the TCG arena who are picking up Disney Lorcana products but may find themselves overwhelmed with how to play the trading card game. Although it has many mechanics that are similar to other games like Magic: The Gathering or Pokémon TCG, it can be a lot to take in for those who haven’t been exposed to them. Later this year, Disney and Ravensburger aim to make that transition a bit easier with a brand-new product called Disney Lorcana TCG Gateway.
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What Is Disney Lorcana TCG Gateway
Disney Lorcana TCG Gateway will be a stand-alone product that is designed to help teach players how to play Disney Lorcana and, by doing so, will give a brief introduction to many of the common mechanics of TCGs in general. The new set will provide a warm-up experience, with everything that two people will need to begin a game, and provides a slow approach to learning how cards work.
Disney Lorcana Cards – Rarity, Types, Ink, Glimmers, & Lore
Disney Lorcana is designed as a simple deck-builder for all to enjoy, but it also offers depth in available strategies and an engaging story as well.
Starting with a deck that is half the size of what is required for a standard game, players will gradually have new cards added to their deck while they play through a game and get to see how different mechanics and types of cards interact. These cards are awarded to players while the game progresses, in a controlled way, so as not to overwhelm them.
Everything Included In Disney Lorcana TCG Gateway
Though the Disney Lorcana TCG Gateway is clearly designed for newcomers to the game, even those who are avid players may want to consider picking up a copy. In addition to providing a way to easily teach the game to new players in a controlled environment, it also includes a two-player game board and character standees that are not included in the traditional Disney Lorcana packages.
Here is everything said to be included in Gateway:
Two 30-Card Basic Decks | 30-card basic decks for two people to begin a game with. |
Game Board | Two-player game board with character standees. |
Rules & Player Guides | Rules and player guides to help teach the basics of gameplay and direct players. |
Additional Cards | Cards will be awarded to players to create two standard 60-card Disney Lorcana TCG decks during the game. |
Once players have completed a game of Disney Lorcana through the Gateway set, they will have each built a standard 60-card deck of two ink combinations that can then be used to play regular games or be used to make custom decks from there on. Although no information has been provided yet on what cards will be included in the decks, they will likely end up being the same or similar to many of the Disney Lorcana Starter Decks that are already available.
Disney Lorcana’s Rise of the Floodborn Starter Decks Review
Disney Lorcana’s Rise of the Floodborn starter decks feel like an ideal entry point to the trading card game, and new mechanics feel interesting.
Disney Lorcana TCG Gateway Release Date & Price
Disney Lorcana TCG Gateway will be released on August 9, 2024, and is marketed for everyone ages eight and older. It is not clear yet if it will follow the typical pattern with Lorcana sets and feature an early release at select retailers prior to its full launch. Previously, certain hobby shops, local game stores, and the Disney Parks stores would get new Disney Lorcana products roughly two weeks before major retailers. This has not been announced for Gateway, however.
Surprisingly, Disney Lorcana TCG Gateway is priced at a very reasonable $24.99 USD. This is remarkable given that starter decks alone typically cost around $17 each, and the new set will include two of them as well as a game board, character standees, and more. Of course, as an introduction to the game, presumably, players of Gateway will then go on to buy many more booster packs and products which will make the lower-priced beginner set make sense.
Disney Lorcana‘s game mechanics have many similarities to other TCGs on the market, although there are naturally some differences. The game is already designed to be a bit easier to jump into the basic game than some other trading card games like Magic: The Gathering, and its familiar Disney characters and intriguing story that is unfolding with each set bring more curious people to the table. By providing a pre-constructed game such as Disney Lorcana TCG Gateway, Disney and Ravensburger are making it more convenient and approachable for anyone of any age who might want to dip their toes into the world of trading card games and Disney Lorcana specifically.
Disney Lorcana
- Franchise
- Disney
- Original Release Date
- August 18, 2023
- Publisher
- Ravensburger
- Designer
- Ryan Miller , Steve Warner
- Player Count
- 2-6
- Length per Game
- 20-30 Minutes
