Cyberpunk and League of Legends Launch New Card Games
▼ Summary
– The author’s 2026 PAX East experience shifted from playing many video games to focusing primarily on trading card games (TCGs) with friends and strangers.
– A major highlight was the Cyberpunk 2077 TCG, which had its first major showing and later broke Kickstarter records, partly due to the trust in its established IP.
– The convention floor featured significant activity around TCGs like Magic: The Gathering, with new sets and a secondary market for marked-up cards drawing attention.
– The author became fixated on Riftbound, a new beginner-friendly TCG from Riot Games, and noted its popularity with both new and veteran players.
– While new TCGs are surging in popularity, experts suggest Magic: The Gathering will remain dominant due to its frequent crossovers with major franchises.
My usual PAX East routine involves minimal sleep, questionable nutrition, and endless walking, all in the service of playing as many video games as possible. This year at PAX East 2026, that final element shifted dramatically. While the sleep deprivation and convention-floor cardio remained, I spent the weekend immersed not in digital worlds, but in trading card games, a refreshing change that defined the entire event.
The showfloor was hardly lacking for compelling video game demos. Colleagues and I saw promising titles, yet I felt an unusual pull away from those screens. My attention was captured by a different kind of booth, one showcasing the new Cyberpunk 2077 TCG. Rumors of its presence reached me during a tutorial for another game, sending me on a quick mission to find it. This marked the game’s first major public showing, and the crowd’s energy was palpable. Every pass by the booth revealed fans examining cards or engaged in matches at fully occupied tables.
The intense interest proved prophetic. Days later, the game’s Kickstarter campaign shattered records, becoming the platform’s most-funded game project ever. TCG content creator Amy “Amazonian” Demicco attributed part of this success to strong brand association. “As someone who has been burned by Kickstarter games never shipping out physical products,” she noted, “part of the success is that it’s tied to a major IP and company, so it’s more likely to deliver.” Seeing a tangible, playable version certainly fueled my own excitement, sidestepping the common crowdfunding anxieties.
I eventually secured a demo slot, convincing a colleague to join me. While our thirty-minute session didn’t allow us to finish a full game or spot a particular favorite character, it provided a solid feel for the Cyberpunk TCG’s sleek mechanics. It effectively translates the video game’s distinct language of programs, gigs, and legends into a compact tabletop format. This experience was just the beginning of a weekend dominated by cards.
Even before the convention officially opened, I was playing a multiplayer Commander game of Magic: The Gathering. While I didn’t play another Magic match, I watched games and opened packs from the popular new Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles set, which commanded half of Magic’s massive booth. The other half previewed an upcoming expansion, while an official storefront sold products at standard retail prices. That last detail stood out because, elsewhere on the floor, secondary vendors were doing brisk business selling marked-up, hard-to-find card sets like Edge of Eternities.
Demicco saw the widespread TCG buzz at PAX East as a product of both a growing variety of games and a less savory element. “Lots of people involving themselves in card games as scalpers,” she observed. “Gotta take the good with the bad.” The buzz extended beyond Magic and Cyberpunk. Conversations frequently turned to the One Piece TCG, but my personal obsession became Riftbound, the new card game from Riot Games set in the League of Legends universe.
After watching friends play, I found myself invited to two sealed deck events for Riftbound. With a relatively small card pool by design, it feels like an ideal entry point for TCG beginners. The atmosphere at the tables was inclusive and engaging as both new and experienced players built decks and explored the mechanics. I somehow won all my games, a personal miracle that certainly didn’t hurt my enjoyment.
This accessible vibe resonated with attendees like developer Nala Wu, who admitted to having “zero experience with TCGs” and typically avoids them due to cost concerns. However, a fondness for the League champion Renata Glasc led them to build a Renata-themed deck at PAX and try Riftbound for the first time. Wu managed to join one of the packed 32-player learn-to-play sessions that ran all weekend.
Despite the surge of new competitors, the dominance of Magic: The Gathering seems secure for now. When asked what to watch, Demicco was direct: “Magic. They’re going wild with IP crossovers and while some of them are stinkers, it means plenty of new players are attracted because their favorite franchises are involved.” This strategy, sometimes criticized as a “Fortnite-ification” of the game, continues to draw crowds. With crossovers like The Hobbit and more Marvel on the horizon, its long-term impact remains to be seen.
This expanding player base appears to be lifting many boats. Wu observed that with fewer major video game publishers on the expo floor, tabletop and card game creators seized the opportunity. They agreed that Riftbound successfully generated palpable excitement. My own experience mirrored this; I had more substantive conversations about card games than video games throughout the weekend. Their presence was inescapable, from the Cyberpunk demo stations to the bustling secondary market booths and the hotel lobbies filled with players.
Trading card games are undoubtedly having a moment. For better or worse, they commanded a significant share of the convention’s energy and conversation. The landscape is vibrant and crowded, and its evolution in the coming years will be fascinating to watch.
(Source: Kotaku)
