The brainchild of Mike Pondsmith again in 1988 as a TTRPG, Cyberpunk as a property has exploded prior to now decade, thanks in no small half to CD Projekt Crimson and 2020’s launch of their first-person RPG, Cyberpunk 2077. Now, 5 years and expansions, patches, and board video games later, the world of Cyberpunk is making an attempt its robotic arms in a model new – and extremely aggressive – market with a completely fledged, and collectible, Cyberpunk: Trading Card Game.
IGN has had the chance to talk with the groups at WeirdCo and CD Projekt Crimson, who’re engaged on the newly introduced TCG, to get a greater understanding of the designers at WeirdCo, how this partnership got here to be, and even some goodies in regards to the recreation itself. We have additionally acquired an unique first look at key card artwork from the Cyberpunk TCG (flip by way of the gallery under), that includes Cyberpunk 2077’s Saburo and Yorinobu Arasaka, and their helpful bodyguard, Goro Takemura.
WeirdCo, a brand new face on the planet of TCGs, has been working in shut partnership with CDPR themselves to plot this new card recreation, aiming to seize the tone and aesthetic of 2077 and the Edgerunners’ Netflix anime, to ship a recreation that does not simply really feel like one other TCG simply with a coat of Cyberpunk yellow overtop. A technique the group is doing that is by working with high-profile artists, each inner to CDPR and the broader group, to ship attractive card artwork that includes faces that will probably be acquainted to anybody price their wait in Chrome.
Talking with Elliot Prepare dinner (WeirdCo President) and Luohan Wei (WeirdCo CEO), each co-founders of the enterprise, I needed to understand how this new studio took place.
Elliot started, “WeirdCo was fashioned when Luohan and I met one another by way of our mutual mentor, Invoice Mooney: a real legend within the digital gaming house. We instantly hit it off over our ardour for constructing video games that actually join with their communities. Later, we fashioned WeirdCo to create video games collectively — ones that authentically deliver collectively and encourage individuals.”
“CD Projekt Crimson has an identical objective, and once we noticed this in one another we knew it might be an amazing partnership. What has been paramount, and the query we ask ourselves each day, is “how can we make a recreation that represents and celebrates each a part of Cyberpunk — in every single place it has been and in every single place it’s going?” That’s the north star of our improvement.”
With Cyberpunk being one of many largest media properties proper now, I used to be curious how a model new group might deal with such a monster IP, however regardless of it being a brand new group, the group engaged on the Cyberpunk TCG has labored on different massive IP card video games you in all probability have heard of. “We at WeirdCo have direct expertise engaged on some nice card video games” Elliot explains.
“Marvel Snap, Duel Masters, and Universus, to call just a few. At our core we’re disruptors, similar to CD Projekt Crimson, and we each attempt to encourage our gamers. We noticed this in one another from the start, and I feel CD Projekt Crimson noticed our love for the Cyberpunk 2077 universe too. That is an IP that deserves to be explored in several and thrilling methods, and we’re dedicated to doing this authentically with Cyberpunk TCG, facet by facet with the group.”
On the subject of CD Projekt Crimson, they’ve been a continuing ally in the course of the recreation’s design and improvement. Elliot supplies additional particulars, “Now we have labored with CD Projekt Crimson very carefully because the starting of improvement. They’ve been the perfect companion; you could even see the identical superb artists who labored on Cyberpunk 2077, Cyberpunk: Edgerunners, and extra as featured artists in Cyberpunk TCG! Each a part of the TCG has the impeccable RED contact, guaranteeing it is a fully genuine Cyberpunk expertise.”
The Cyberpunk TCG gained’t be CDPR’s first collaboration within the tabletop house, with different titles like Cyberpunk 2077: Gangs of Night time Metropolis and Cyberpunk Edgerunners: Combat Zone Board Game, however I used to be curious what distinctive joys or challenges got here from engaged on a TCG, so I requested Patrick Mills, CDPR’s Franchise Content material Technique Lead.
“Each collaboration is exclusive, and we’re fortunate to work with many companions who’re passionate and extraordinarily devoted to their crafts. Whereas making a bodily TCG is one thing fully new for us, we see the real pleasure, enthusiasm, and expertise in WeirdCo that act as the muse of any profitable collaboration.”
“Their ardour for the franchise has been evident at each stage, and they’re doing an unimaginable job growing an enticing TCG that ensures an genuine Cyberpunk expertise. On the flip facet, many people at CD Projekt Crimson are enormous TCG lovers too — so we’re thrilled to be getting into this house with WeirdCo”
One factor that’s clear is that each groups at WeirdCo and CDPR are taking care to make sure that that is trustworthy to the Cyberpunk property that its creator, Mike Pondsmith, imagined again in 1988.
“We would like Cyberpunk TCG to be genuine to the spirit and dynamic nature of the Cyberpunk 2077 universe, and needed to create a TCG that’s accessible to Cyberpunk followers who’ve by no means touched a card recreation.” Luohan says, “On the similar time, as TCG gamers ourselves, we needed our recreation to have the depth essential to entertain for an extended, very long time. And I feel we’ve got struck that steadiness properly.”
Elliot continues, “The greatest a part of this job is spending tons of of hours with the Cyberpunk universe — whether or not that’s replaying Cyberpunk 2077, watching Edgerunners for the fifth time, or studying all of the Darkish Horse comics. Each one in every of us at WeirdCo loves the Cyberpunk universe, and we constructed the TCG little by little on this basis. At every step we analyzed each little element, always asking ourselves: “How can we make this extra genuine to Cyberpunk?”
Many fan favourite characters will probably be making an look as properly on this TCG and selecting who could be included on this first set was a giant determination. “For the preliminary launch, our major objective is to signify the core identification of Cyberpunk 2077 by that includes a lot of its most iconic and beloved characters,” explains Patrick. “We’ve collaborated carefully with WeirdCo to make sure that the paintings and taste of each card faithfully captures the essence of who they signify, offering a snapshot of their personalities and what they stand for, in addition to together with memorable moments gamers will immediately acknowledge. Given the complexity of our characters, we needed to seize their many sides throughout a number of playing cards. So, gamers can stay up for amassing an array of distinctive variants of characters together with V, Johnny, Panam, Judy, Adam Smasher, and extra.”
On the WeirdCo facet, Elliot shares, “We labored very laborious to determine which Legends take advantage of sense for gamers, and which of them take advantage of sense for the general theme of Set 1. Whereas a few of them, like V and Johnny, are apparent hits, we’ve got just a few surprises up our sleeves too.”
Being a recreation composed of a ton of playing cards, paintings is fairly necessary in a TCG and WeirdCo is particular care to make it possible for what gamers can count on is nothing in need of lovely.
“We’ve been working for a very long time with a group of over 20 gifted artists for Set 1, and are excited to discover new methods of bringing the world of Cyberpunk to life by way of our card artwork. Working with artists like Ito, Vincenzo Riccardi, and Joshua Raphael, who every deliver their very own distinctive aptitude to the venture, makes every card extra thrilling than the final,” Elliot continues, “We’re not sharing gameplay particulars but, so there’s not an excessive amount of I can say. However Cyberpunk is understood for its lovely but tragic environment — it is a main focus of ours in terms of the cardboard artwork.”
Particulars on how Cyberpunk TCG will work stay shrouded behind CDPR’s and WeirdCo’s firewalls, so we’ve got a bit but earlier than we’ve got an in-depth image of the way it performs. Cyberpunk’s TCG will probably be launching its crowdfunding marketing campaign in 2026, which is correct across the nook. WeirdCo and CDPR will probably be revealing extra of the sport quickly, together with a deep dive into how the sport performs, extra paintings, and card reveals, with some extra particular reveals discovered solely right here on IGN.
The TCG house is fairly crowded with new contenders getting into the ring, it looks like each quarter or so, however few have the title recognition behind them like WeirdCo has with Cyberpunk. The proven fact that this venture has a lot assist from CD Projekt Crimson behind it places it in a special league from others, even earlier than it is out.
The pleasure from the designers is electrical, with Luohan leaving gamers with this, “I can’t look forward to gamers to see how we’ve tailored the themes of Cyberpunk, like taking over gigs or constructing a crew, to a buying and selling card recreation format. I feel it’s each true to Cyberpunk itself whereas being revolutionary to the TCG market as an entire; it’s an ideal mixture on this approach.” So far as I do know, no different TCG permits you to play with Keanu Reeves, so that’s already a giant plus in its favor. Get up, Samurai, there’s an entire new solution to burn the town coming.
If this sounds up your alley, comply with the sport and get your self a particular and unique Lucy “Nova Uncommon” card free by signing up over on the sport’s Launch Oracle page.
Scott White is a contract contributor to IGN, helping with tabletop video games and information protection. Comply with him on X/Twitter or Bluesky.
This text options contributions from Robert Anderson, Senior Commerce Editor for IGN.