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Trading Card Game (TCG)

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A collectible card game (CCG), also called a trading card game (TCG) among other names,[note 1] is a type of card game that mixes strategic deck building elements with features of trading cards.

The genre was introduced with Magic: The Gathering in 1993.

Assorted CCG cards
Cards in CCGs are specially designed sets of playing cards.

Each card represents an element of the theme and rules of the game, and each can fall in categories such as creatures, enhancements, events, resources, and locations.

All cards within the CCG typically share the same common backside art, while the front has a combination of proprietary artwork or images to embellish the card along with instructions for the game and flavor text.

CCGs are typically themed around fantasy or science fiction genres, and have also included horror themes, cartoons, and sports, and may include licensed intellectual properties.

Generally, a player will begin playing a CCG with a pre-made starter deck, then later customize their deck with cards they acquire from semi-random booster packs or trade with other players.

As a player obtains more cards, they may create new decks from scratch using the cards in their collection. Players choose what cards to add to their decks based on a particular strategy while also staying within the limits of the rule set.

Games are commonly played between two players, though multiplayer formats are also common.

Gameplay in CCG is typically turn-based, with each player starting with a shuffled deck, then drawing and playing cards in turn to achieve a win condition before their opponent, often by scoring points or reducing their opponent's hit points.

Dice, counters, card sleeves, or play mats may be used to complement gameplay.

Players compete for prizes at tournaments.

Expansion sets are used to extend CCGs, introducing new gameplay strategies and narrative lore through new cards in starter decks and booster packs, that may also lead to the development of theme decks. Successful CCGs typically have thousands of unique cards through multiple expansions. Magic: The Gathering initially launched with 300 unique cards and currently has more than 22,000 as of March 2020.

The first CCG, Magic: The Gathering, was developed by Richard Garfield and published by Wizards of the Coast in 1993 and its initial runs rapidly sold out that year.

By the end of 1994, Magic: The Gathering had sold over 1 billion cards,[9] and during its most popular period, between 2008 and 2016, it sold over 20 billion cards.

Magic: The Gathering's early success led other game publishers to follow suit with their own CCGs in the following years.

Other successful CCGs include Yu-Gi-Oh! [11] which is estimated to have sold about 35 billion cards as of January 2021,[12] and Pokémon which has sold over 75 billion cards as of March 2025.

Other notable CCGs have come and gone, including Legend of the Five Rings, Star Wars, Lord of the Rings, Vampire: The Eternal Struggle, and World of Warcraft.

Many other CCGs were produced but had little or no commercial success.

Recently, digital collectible card games (DCCGs) have gained popularity, spurred by the success of online versions of CCGs like Magic: The Gathering Online, and wholly digital CCGs like Hearthstone.

CCGs have further influenced other card game genres, including deck-building games like Dominion, and "Living card games" developed by Fantasy Flight Games.