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Digital collectible card game

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Adigital collectible card game(DCCG) oronline collectible card game(OCCG) is acomputerorvideo gamethat emulatescollectible card games(CCG) and is typically playedonlineor occasionally as a standalone video game. Many DCCGs are types ofdigital tabletop gamesand follow traditional card game-style rules, while some DCCGs use alternatives for cards and gameboards, such asicons,diceandavatars.Originally, DCCGs started out as replications of a CCG's physical counterpart, but many DCCGs have foregone a physical version and exclusively release as a video game, such as withHearthstone.

Gameplay

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These games manage all the rules of a CCG, such as tracking the avatar's health, removing damaged creatures from the board, and shuffling decks when necessary. The games are managed on servers to maintain the player's library and any purchases of booster packs and additional cards through either in-game or real-world money. Some games, likeChaotic,Bella Sara,andMapleStoryallow online players to enter a unique alpha-numeric code found on each physical card as to redeem the card in the online version or access other features. In other cases, primarily single player games based on the existing physical property have also been made, such as theGame Boy Colorversion of thePokémon Trading Card GameandMagic: The Gathering – Duels of the Planeswalkers.

Most DCCGs follow rules that exist for real-world implementations of CCGs, simply played out in the virtual space. However, some games likeHearthstonehave gameplay elements that would be impractical or impossible to perform in a real-world game but is easily done within the digital game. For example,Hearthstonehas a "Discover" keyword that lets players temporarily obtain cards from across the entireHearthstonelibrary for the duration of a match, even if they do not own that card yet.[1]

History

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1980s–1990s: Origins

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Prior to DCCGs, video games had used bothcard-based mechanics(such asDragon Ball: Daimaō Fukkatsuin 1988) and collection-based mechanics (such asMegami Tensei(1987),Dragon Quest V(1992) andPokémon(1996), all based on collecting monsters). TheSuper Famicomcard-battle/role-playing gameDragon Ball Z: Super Saiya Densetsu(1992), based on theDragon BallCarddassseries, is considered an early precursor to the DCCG, as it allowed the player to collect, buy and sell cards within the game for use in card battles.

Tabletop-based CCGs came about in 1993 withMagic: The GatheringbyWizards of the Coastwhich became a phenomenon that year in the traditional game market. The CCG craze grew in 1994 onward as a result. This was also approximately the same time that widespread availability of the Internet was beginning. DCCGs evolved out of the ability for CCG players to challenge each other online rather than in person, as well as to provide computerized opponents so that players could play these CCGs by themselves.[2]

The first DCCG games eventually appeared in the late 1990s. Early examples of DCCG games includeMagic: The Gathering(1997),Chron X(1997),Pokémon Trading Card Game(1998),Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Monsters(1998), andSanctum(1998).[disputed–discuss]Magic: The GatheringandPokémon Trading Card Gamewere based on their physical CCG counterparts,Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Monsterswas based on the fictional CCG from themangaYu-Gi-Oh!(1996), andChron XandSanctumwere original DCCG games with no physical CCG counterpart.

There have been CCGs developed solely for computer play and not based on any physical product. The first online CCGs wereSanctumandChron X,both developed in 1997.Sanctumwas taken offline in 2010, but has since returned due to fan intervention;[3]Chron Xstill exists, producing new expansions over a decade later.Chron Xwas developed by Genetic Anomalies, Inc, which later developed other DCCG-like games based onlicensedcontent.

2000s: Growth

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DCCG games first gained mainstream success in Japan, where online card battle games are a common genre offree-to-playbrowser gamesandmobile games.[4]Monster-collectingJapanese RPGssuch asDragon Quest VandPokémon,and the mangaYu-Gi-Oh,were adapted into successful physical CCG games such asPokémon Trading Card GameandYu-Gi-Oh! Trading Card Game,which in turn inspired a number of Japanese developers to produce digital CCG games, including adaptations such asPokémon Trading Card GameandYu-Gi-Oh! video games,as well as original DCCG games such as theminigameTriple Triad inFinal Fantasy VIII(1999),Tetra Master(2002) which debuted as a minigame inFinal Fantasy IX(2000) before becoming an online multiplayer game for thePlayOnlineservice, andMega Man Battle Chip Challenge(2003). Within the United States, Wizards of the Coast had seen the success of games likeChron XandSanctum,and initially with the help of a small development firm Leaping Lizard, built outMagic: The Gathering Online(MTGO), an online multiplayer client forMagicfirst released in 2002 which players could spend money and win games to build out card collections. MTGO had a number of growing pains over the years, but remains an active service that is used as one point for entry for several of the main liveMagic: The Gatheringtournaments.[5]

In Japan, CCGs that are played onarcade gamemachines with physical card sets came into vogue in the early 2000s, which provided a boost to arcade profits and have been a mainstay in many game centers since. Arcade games of this type have been developed by companies such asSega,Square EnixandTaito,and are most commonly of thereal-time strategyorsports managementgenres, with some diversion into action RPGs. Players can purchase starter decks for most games separately, and after each play session, the machines will commonly dispense more cards for players to expand their decks.[6]Examples includeWorld Club Champion Football(2002),Mushiking: The King of Beetles(2003),Oshare Majo: Love and Berry(2004),Dinosaur King(2005),Sangokushi Taisen(2005),Dragon Quest: Monster Battle Road(2007), andLord of Vermilion(2008).

Related, many video games have adopted CCG-type mechanics as part of a largergameplaymechanism. In such games, the player earns cards as rewards in the game, often following similar rarity systems for distribution, and can customize some type of deck which influences other areas of the game's mechanics. Early example of this hybrid game includePhantasy Star Online Episode III: C.A.R.D. Revolution(2003),Baten Kaitos(2003), andMetal Gear Acid(2004).Kingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories(2004) was arole-playing gamewhere the combat mechanic was based on attacks pulled from a deck of cards constructed outside of the combat rounds.[7]Similarly,Phantom Dust(2004) was athird-person shooter,but where the player's attack and defense abilities were randomly selected from a customized "arsenal" of powers that they collected through the course of the game.[8]Other examples of CCG-hybrid games includeForced: Showdown,Hand of Fate,andCard Hunter.[9]

The success ofCygames'Rage of Bahamutestablished DCCG games as a popular genre inmobile gaming,leading to a number of DCCG games being developed for mobile devices. It was also the first DCCG game to become a major success in the Western world, becoming one of the top-grossing mobile games of 2012.[4]DCCG games with significant populations of players includeThe Idolmaster Cinderella Girls,Kantai CollectionandMillion Arthur.In late 2012,Cinderella Girlswas earning over one billionyenin revenue monthly,[10]whilstKantai Collectionhas grown to more than one million players throughout Japan.[11]

Unofficialways to play some digital versions of CCGs also exist, such as brand specific programs likeMagic Workstation.[5]The bulk of DCCG programs however are not specific to any brand, such asLackeyCCGandGccgor general game simulators likeTabletop Simulator,though the legality of these systems relative to the CCG's copyright is dubious. Such systems are often used to play copyrighted games whose manufacturers are no longer publishing the game, most notablyDecipher'sStar Wars Customizable Card Game[12]andPrecedence’sBabylon 5 Collectible Card Game.Most of these systems do not have the CCG's ruleset programmed into the game, and instead require players to perform the necessary actions as required by the physical game's rules.

2014–present: Hearthstone vs. MTG Arena

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Blizzard Entertainment releasedHearthstonein 2014. Loosely based on theWorld of WarcraftCCG,Hearthstonefeatures one-on-one match between players with custom made decks, built from a player's collection of digital cards. The game was designed to eliminate reactions by the opposing player during your turn to speed up the game and allow it to be played across a variety of devices.[13]By 2015,Hearthstonehad an estimated $20 million in revenues per month,[14]and by April 2016, had more than 50 million unique players.[15]Hearthstone's success led to a number of similar digital-only CCGs in the following years.[16]Wizards of the Coast announced in early 2017 that they plan to create a new studio to adapt theMagic: The Gatheringgame into a digital format similar toHearthstone.[5][17]TitledMagic: The Gathering Arena,it entered closed beta testing in early 2018, and over time is expected to replace MTGO as the main online game forMagictournament play.[5][18]

The digital card game market was expected to be as large as $1.4 billion in 2017, according to market analysis firm SuperData.[16]Hearthstoneencouraged the release of the digital CCGsGwent: The Witcher Card GameandThe Elder Scrolls: Legends.[16]Shadowversehas also been compared favorably withHearthstone.[19]

In some cases, new elements are added to the digital CCG to improve the experience that cannot be recreated physically. The online card gamesSanctumandStar Chamberinclude, e.g.: game boards, animations and sound effects for some of their cards.The NOKs,on the other hand, offer talking figures and action-arcade game play. In a different case,The Eye of Judgment,a CCG that has been combined with aPlayStation 3game, bringing innovation with the CyberCode matrix technology. It allows real cards bought in stores to be scanned with thePlayStation Eyeand brought into the game with 3D creatures, animations, spell animations, etc. as representations.Hearthstoneuses mechanics that would be difficult or impossible to recreate in a physical setting, such as cards that allow players to draw a random card from the entire card library currently supported by the game.[13]

Developers have also looked for other revenue models for offering digital CCGs to players.Valve'sArtifactis heavily based on theirmultiplayer online battle arenagameDota 2,and thus features three boards (called "lanes" ) instead of the usual one.[20]Instead of purchasing boosters with random cards, players purchased specific cards forArtifactfrom theSteamstorefront, allowing the card economy to be driven by players.[21]Gods UnchainedbyImmutableuses digital cards that are individually tied toblockchainelements (NFTs). While these cards cannot be updated, players can use blockchain transactions to buy, sell, and trade the cards with other players while online and enabling their use offline.[22]

In October 2022Marvel Snapwas released. Marvel Snap is a mobile and PC-playable collectible card game that allows players to build a deck with 12 cards each representing a Marvel villain or superhero—and each with their own unique abilities—and compete against other players in short, three-minute face-offs.

Monetization issues

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Digital collectible card games are generally free-to-play but monetized throughbooster packpurchases. Booster packs have been compared toloot boxes,which are considered part of thecompulsion loopof game design, and in the 2010s, been compared to gambling and have faced potential governmental actions.[23]Physical CCG's likeMagic: The Gatheringhad yet to see any legal actions over their booster packs, though certain packaging methods such as chase cards had been ruled illegal for sports card trading.[24][25]TheESRBhad originally compared loot boxes and digital booster packs to physical CCGs as to defend their practice in 2017,[26]but later adopted new advisory labels for video games to notify consumers of the use of booster packs in games by 2020.[27]

A 2022 report by the Norwegian Consumer Council called loot boxes (including booster packs) as "predatory" and can "foster addiction" in players. The report was backed by government consumer groups in 16 other European counties, urging regulations in upcoming European Union regulations to address the matter.[28]

Impact

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With the growth of mobile gaming and streaming viewerships, digital card games are a significant part of the video game market. SuperData estimated that digital card games will bring overUS$1.5 billionin 2018, with a quarter of that fromHearthstone,and the potential to grow toUS$2 billionby 2020.[29]

Forbesreported that the global Trading Card Game market size in 2022 was valued at $2.99 billion and it is expected to reach $4.2 billion by 2028.[30]

See also

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References

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  1. ^Shae, Cam (January 19, 2016)."Creating Hearthstone's new 'Discover' mechanic".IGN.RetrievedMarch 5,2021.
  2. ^David-Marshall, B.; Dreunen, J.v.; Wang, M. (2010). Trading Card Game Industry - From the T to the C to the G (Report).SuperData Research.
  3. ^"Sanctum Redux - Come play the game ofSanctumagain ".Retrieved2013-11-07.
  4. ^ab"The Rise of the Mobile Collectible Card Game".Gamasutra.14 February 2013.RetrievedFebruary 14,2013.
  5. ^abcdMoher, Aiden (June 28, 2020)."Magic: The Gathering's digital history, from first build to end step".Venture Beat.RetrievedJune 29,2020.
  6. ^"A Look into the Crazy Thriving Japanese Arcade Scene - Your Guide to the Game Room".Archived fromthe originalon 2012-05-05.Retrieved2017-10-04.
  7. ^Ricardo Torres (2004-08-30)."Kingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories Updated Hands-On".GameSpot.Retrieved2007-06-08.
  8. ^Good, Owen (June 13, 2016)."Phantom Dust is back on for Xbox, arrives in 2017".Polygon.RetrievedJanuary 24,2017.
  9. ^Bycer, Josh (April 22, 2016)."The Pros and Cons of CCG-based Game Design".Gamasutra.RetrievedJanuary 24,2017.
  10. ^"Idolmaster Mobile Game Earns 1 Billion Yen a Month".Anime News Network.September 27, 2012.RetrievedJuly 19,2013.
  11. ^2013-10-10,Đề đốc 100 vạn nhân đột phá, そして đảo điền フミカネ thị による hàng không mẫu hạm も thật trang quyết định! ─ 『 hạm これ』 thu のイベントも thật thi chuẩn bị trung,インサイド
  12. ^DECIPHER.com: Star Wars CCGArchivedFebruary 7, 2008, at theWayback Machine
  13. ^abGoldfarb, Andrew (August 24, 2013)."Gamescom: The Origin and Future of Blizzard's Hearthstone".IGN.RetrievedApril 26,2016.
  14. ^Pereira, Chris (August 11, 2015)."Hearthstone Now Earns About $20 Million Every Month - Report".GameSpot.RetrievedApril 26,2016.
  15. ^Frank, Allegra (April 26, 2016)."Hearthstone now has 50 million players".Polygon.RetrievedApril 26,2016.
  16. ^abcMinotti, Mike (January 28, 2017)."SuperData: Hearthstone trumps all comers in card market that will hit $1.4 billion in 2017".Venture Beat.RetrievedJanuary 28,2017.
  17. ^Kohlar, Phillip (January 13, 2017)."Could we finally get a real Hearthstone competitor from Magic: The Gathering?".Polygon.RetrievedJanuary 29,2017.
  18. ^Orsini, Lauren (March 20, 2018)."With 100,000 New Invites, 'Magic: The Gathering Arena' Opens The Floodgates".Forbes.RetrievedAugust 25,2018.
  19. ^Cam Shea (2016-07-20)."The Japanese Collectible Card Game That May Just Surprise You".IGN.Retrieved2016-11-15.
  20. ^Bailey, Dustin."Artifact has 280 cards and three lanes of play".PCGamesN.RetrievedMarch 9,2018.
  21. ^Marks, Tom (9 March 2018)."Artifact: Everything We Know About Valve's Next Game".IGN.Archivedfrom the original on March 9, 2018.RetrievedMarch 9,2018.
  22. ^Orcutt, Mike (July 11, 2019)."This blockchain-based card game shows us the future of ownership".MIT Technology Review.RetrievedFebruary 21,2021.
  23. ^Lawrence, Nathan (April 23, 2017)."The Troubling Psychology of Pay-to-Loot Systems".IGN.RetrievedAugust 13,2017.
  24. ^Xiao, Leon; Henderson, Laura (2019)."Towards an Ethical Game Design Solution to Loot Boxes: a Commentary on King and Delfabbro".International Journal of Mental Health and Addiction.19:171–192.doi:10.1007/s11469-019-00164-4.
  25. ^Elliott, Sara; Mason, Daniel (2002)."Emerging Legal Issues in the Sports Industry: Are Trading Cards a Form of Gambling".Journal of Legal Aspects of Sport.13(2): 101–120.doi:10.1123/jlas.13.2.101.
  26. ^Schreier, Jason (October 11, 2017)."ESRB Says It Doesn't See 'Loot Boxes' As Gambling".Kotaku.RetrievedJune 4,2022.
  27. ^Peters, Jay (April 13, 2020)."ESRB introduces a new label to indicate that a game has loot boxes".The Verge.RetrievedJune 4,2022.
  28. ^"INSERT COIN: How the gaming industry exploits consumers using loot boxes"(PDF).forbrukerradet.no.Norwegian Consumer Council (NCC). May 31, 2022.RetrievedJune 2,2022.
  29. ^Minoitti, Mike (August 2, 2018)."SuperData: Hearthstone reigns over forecasted $1.5 billion digital card game market".Venture Beat.RetrievedAugust 2,2018.
  30. ^Whitfill Roeloffs, Mary (1 September 2023)."'Marvel Snap' becomes top-grossing digital trading card game — beating 'Yu-Gi-Oh!' and 'Magic: The Gathering Arena'".Forbes.Retrieved16 January2024.
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