Upper Deck has announced that it will not be able to fill orders from hobby tournament stores for Yu-Gi-Oh! Trading Card Game Champion Packs.  Upper Deck claims that “despite contractual obligations,” Konami Digital Entertainment did not send the Champion Packs to Upper Deck for distribution to hobby stores.  The Champion Packs, which were originally designated Tournament Packs, are issued at tournaments and often contain unique cards not found in any other set.  Typically the Champion Packs mix tournament-tested cards with all new cards to create a highly desirable item for players and collectors.

The lack of the latest round of Champion Packs is the latest example of the fallout from the legal dispute between Upper Deck and Konami, which announced last month that it was taking control of “all operational and business aspects of the Yu-Gi-Oh! TCG (see “Konami Takes Over YGO TCG”).  Upper Deck filed suit in response to Konami’s action and vowed to continue the Yu-Gi-Oh! organized play program (see “Upper Deck Plans to Continue YGO OP”).  By not providing the Champion Packs it would appear that Konami is attempting to make it more difficult for Upper Deck to continue to support the YGO organized play program.  In response to Konami’s action Upper Deck issued a statement saying: “Upper Deck regrets that the Yu-Gi-Oh! community is being denied this product, but encourages players to continue to support their local hobby store.”