Lorcana, The Fast Growing TCG - Understand Why!

The world of TCGs (Trading Card Games), previously dominated by the three classic giants - Pokémon, Magic: The Gathering, and Yu-Gi-Oh! - is undergoing significant changes. Now, these games face real competition from new TCGs like Lorcana.

The popularity of this new contender is increasing every day, with many professional players abandoning their established games to try Lorcana.

But why is this happening? What is behind Lorcana's success, both in casual and competitive? Let's explore this below.

Lorcana has two strengths that help it attract a new fan base: the popularity of it's IP (Intellectual Property) and the easy learning curve.

As a Disney product, Lorcana benefits from the universal recognition and appeal of Disney characters. Iconic characters like Aladdin and Maleficent not only attract new players, but also create an immediate emotional connection, something that Magic and Yu-Gi-Oh! cannot replicate to the same extent.

Additionally, the simplicity of Lorcana's rules makes the game accessible for beginners. Magic, for example, can be quite complex for new players, while Lorcana offers a gentler learning curve, making it easier for new enthusiasts to join the hobby.

How to Play Lorcana

Lorcana is designed to be easy to learn. Here are the basic concepts:

>Decks and Cards: Each player has a deck of cards with characters, items, and actions.

>Objective: Players compete to accumulate a specific amount of "lore" (usually 20) to win.

>Turns: In each turn, a player can take the following actions:

>Draw a Card: At the beginning of the turn, draw a card from your deck.

>Play Cards: Use "ink" (resources) to play cards from your hand onto the field.

>Activate Characters: Characters can go on "quests" to gain lore or fight against opponent's characters.

>Win: The first player to accumulate the required amount of lore wins the game.

The simplicity of these rules, along with the appeal of Disney characters, makes Lorcana attractive to new players.

The migration of professional players to new games is not new, but the scale at which this is happening with Lorcana is surprising. The strategic depth of Lorcana offers a competitive challenge that, despite being easy to learn, requires skill and dedication to master. This alone is a big upside for competitive players.

But beyond gameplay, a crucial factor for attracting professionals is the prize money - which offers great financial support both for those who win the event and for those who just participate! For those seeking a career in the competitive scene, the possibility of earning a significant income is essential. Lorcana has stood out in this aspect, offering attractive prizes despite being at the beginning of it's competitive circuit.

Let's compare the prizes of Yu-Gi-Oh!, one of the biggest and most popular TCGs, with Lorcana, which has just started its competitive circuit, just to illustrate this point.

Prize Comparison: Yu-Gi-Oh! vs. Lorcana

In Yu-Gi-Oh!, a large portion of the prizes is focused on card packs, with the second place receiving a Nintendo Switch and a promotional card, while the first place wins a promotional card and an invitation to the World Championship.

These product-based prizes, while valuable, do not offer an immediate and significant financial return:

1st place:

Yu-Gi-Oh! Championship Prize Card (Ultra Rare)

Airfare, accommodation, and VIP status at the next World Qualifying Tournament

Yu-Gi-Oh! Championship Trophy

YCS Championship Premium Bag

Nintendo Switch™

2024 Yu-Gi-Oh! Championship Season Playmat

World Qualifying Points

2nd place:

Yu-Gi-Oh! Championship Prize Card (Super Rare)

YCS Championship Premium Bag

Nintendo Switch™

Invitation to the next World Qualifying Tournament

2024 Yu-Gi-Oh! Championship Season Playmat

World Qualifying Points

3rd place:

Yu-Gi-Oh! Championship Prize Card (Super Rare)

Nintendo Switch™

Invitation to the World Qualifying Tournament

2024 Yu-Gi-Oh! Championship Season Playmat

World Qualifying Points

4th – 8th place:

Nintendo Switch™

Invitation to the next World Qualifying Tournament

2024 Yu-Gi-Oh! Championship Season Playmat

World Qualifying Points

9th – 16th place:

24 current release booster packs

Invitation to the World Qualifying Tournament

2024 Yu-Gi-Oh! Championship Season Playmat

World Qualifying Points

Rest of the Top Cut:

Invitation to the World Qualifying Tournament

2024 Yu-Gi-Oh! Championship Season Playmat

World Qualifying Points

On the other hand, Lorcana focuses its prizes on exclusive promotional cards, which have significant value in the secondary market.

For example, a single promotional card for the top 64 of a Lorcana event can exceed the value of the top 32 prize in Yu-Gi-Oh!, which is valued at around 300 to 400 reais - while the Lorcana promotional card alone is valued at around 350 reais:

This prize strategy makes Lorcana financially more attractive to competitive players and to the "competitive casuals," who do not depend on prize money but seek to compete anyway.

Note: We used the listing prices on eBay instead of TCGplayer due to the rarity of these cards, many of which(at the time this was written) do not have listings on TCGplayer.

More About Lorcana

Considering all of Lorcana's prizes, the winner can easily earn over 5.000$. In fact, just the participation card is currently selling for approximately 250$.

“And how do I participate in such a premium event?” you may be wondering. Well, it's quite simple: you sign up and participate. These events are equivalent to a Regional or a YCS. Anyone with enough interest can participate.

The growth of Lorcana can be attributed to a combination of factors: the strength of the Disney brand, the accessibility of the game, and the attractive prizes offered in tournaments. These elements together create a favorable environment for both new casual players and experienced professionals, establishing Lorcana as a new and strong competitor in the world of TCGs.

The future of the game looks bright, and we can't wait to see the competitive scene evolve more and more.

And you, will you start playing Lorcana? Become a professional? Tell us in the comments what you think about the prizes!

Sources:

- Yu-Gi-Oh! Prizes

- Lorcana Prizes