After deciding on the overall theme of a new set based on what’s going on in the world of Pokémon, Nagashima and his team begin outlining the “logic” (the abilities and effects) of the set. “The Pokémon that were really featured heavily in the video game, or had a big role in the story, we’ll make sure they’re at the center of whatever the set we’re making is,” says the TCG’s game director Atsushi Nagashima.ĭespite the attachment to an established franchise, Nagashima and his crew of designers have quite a bit of freedom. As such, making sure it has synergy with the rest of the Pokémon brand is a top priority for Creatures. Like many card games, the Pokémon TCG is tied to a larger media empire. Although the studio was originally formed as Ape (the developer behind Earthbound), Creatures is clearly fully dedicated to the franchise it’s helping to cultivate. They’re greeted by a chest-high figure of an Alolan Exeggutor alongside plushies of various pocket monsters and other Pokébelia lining its various nooks and chairs. To see how these extremely popular cards are made, The Pokémon Company recently offered us a rare look at how Creatures, the studio in charge of maintaining the TCG, designs, draws, tests, and releases new additions to one of the world’s most popular card games.įrom Digital To Cardboard From Digital To CardboardĪlthough the logo in its lobby is a clean, white-on-black printing of its name, visitors immediately know they’re entering Pokémonland when setting foot in Creatures. With 80 sets released in the United States and more releasing at a steady clip, it’s clear the TCG holds a large claim to the Pokémon pie, and shows no signs of slowing down. This year’s Pokémon World Championships offers over $500,000 in prizes. As of March, nearly 24 billion cards have been sold worldwide in over 11 languages across 74 countries and regions. Parents feared their children would lose themselves (and their own money) to the game, retailers were constantly selling out their stock, and schools banned the cards from their classrooms.īut the card game, much like Pokémon itself, has proved more than a passing fad. It rode the fever pitch of the Pokémon craze that swept the world in the late ’90s, selling millions of packs around the world.

Since 1996, the Pokémon Trading Card Game (TCG) has exceeded all expectations.

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