CookieRun: Braverse TCG is coming to U.S. markets this summer (see "'CookieRun TCG'"), and it is easily one of the most anticipated TCGs slated to hit the market in 2025.  It was first teased to retailers back at GAMA Expo 2025 (see "GAMA Expo 2025"), where it looked like it has potential to do well in North America.  The cards were well made, the art was interesting and playful, and the foil chase cards were absolutely stunning.

With the game headed into a July release date and new information about it arriving daily, it's time to circle back and take another look.  This TCG, made by Devsisters Corp, is based on the CookieRun online game (also developed by Devsisters) that launched in 2009 with CookieRun: Ovenbreak, and spawned a mobile game series that has over 200 million downloads worldwide.  The CookieRun TCG also has a proven track record of success, as it originally launched in Korea in September 2023 and has since expanded to Taiwan, Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Philippines, and Vietnam.

One of the common questions about the game has been what the gameplay was like.  It's fairly simple to play, but offers some level of complexity in competitive play.  It functions on four different card types: Cookie cards, Item cards, Trap cards, and Stage cards. T he Cookies are there to attack, the Item cards bolster the Cookies, and the Trap cards thwart opponents' attacks.  Stage cards are locations that can be activated for abilities throughout the game. Decks consist of 60 cards; players can only include four cards with a single card name, except for Flip cards, of which the limit is 16.

The goal of the game is to "break" 10 levels worth of an opponents' Cookies.  On their turn, players assault their opponent's Cookie cards using their own Cookie cards, while using their Support area cards to pay for different card costs.  The Cookie's HP are represented by face down cards that get discarded when damage is dealt.  If a Cookie's HP goes to zero, it ends up in the Break Area.

Overall, the game's mechanics seem to have somewhat of a Yu-Gi-Oh! TCG feel (using traps and attacking other creatures).  The Flip mechanic is fairly unique, which causes effects to trigger upon loss of a Cookie's HP, and the Break Area win condition is an interesting substitute for tracking life points.  Players can also lose the game by having no Cookies left in their hand after a Battle occurs.  In general, the assessment of the game is that it is simple and fun to play, but there is clear higher-level strategy gameplay possible with decks tuned for competitive games.

Cookie Run TCG seems to be very specifically aimed at audiences of collectors, and players that enjoy casual games.  Devsisters has already announced that the game will have a competitive organized play scene, with a North American and World Championship, but it definitely has a FLGS community play vibe to it. It is one of those TCGs that a clever retailer can successfully sell if they build a casual scene.  It likely has a niche sales sweet spot as an alternative to TCGs like Pokemon TCG and Disney Lorcana. Additionally, the gorgeous Cookie art looks like it'll appeal to a younger fan base that also might be familiar with the mobile game.

As for the collector end of this game, the primary customer that would collect this game will probably fall into two categories: the cross-platform fan and the chase foil card collector.  As explained earlier, this game has had hundreds of millions of downloads worldwide, and some percentage of those fans will probably get into collecting the TCG.  The chase foil card collector will likely glom onto buying packs for this game to search for super ultra rare cards and alternative art Cookies.  One of the main selling points for this game is its card art, which is amazing and has a playful Kawaii feel to it.  The art alone should draw in collectors.

CookieRun TCG will hit stores on July 11, 2025, available exclusively through ACD distribution (see "ACD Expo 2025").