Where to Get and Play Lorcana
If you’re like us, you’ve probably been excited for the upcoming release of Lorcana. We’ve been making posts about it, seeing people constantly ask questions about it on forums and social media and seen a bunch of different videos about collecting and how to play. We even have an article on how to play the game here on our own blog! (It’s very good, I'd recommend checking it out if you’re curious about how to play). The hype surrounding this game is very much like nothing we’ve seen in the last few years, however, we’re sure some people are saying “well this game looks fun, when can I get some cards and where can I play?”. Good question! There are a few answers to that; let's go over them!
Lorcana has two release dates, August 18th for Hobby channels and a major retail release on September 1st. For those unfamiliar with Hobby channels, those are going to be your local card/comic/game shops. These are a great place to check the game out first, and once organized play for Lorcana officially begins, will also usually host organized play events for the game too! Your local game store, or LGS for short, will be the best way to get into the game, obtain booster packs to add to your collection, trade for cards you may need, and play games to get better at the game itself. Our recommendation is to look up whether or not you have any local game stores in your area. Try to find their social media pages to see what events they have planned and what days they usually host them. You might be able to find a local discussion group for the game and get a glimpse of how your local community looks like.
The major downside to getting booster packs and booster boxes from an LGS is that they may mark up the price of the packs or boxes! In the period between the hobby channel release and major retail release, some stores may mark up the price of their Lorcana products to deal with the expected demand. It’s up to the customer to decide whether paying the premium to get the cards early is worth it. Do keep in mind that at GenCon, comicbook.com spoke to Ravensburger NA CEO Stephane Madi who said, “There is going to be scarcity in the first set. That's, I think, a given...” so do keep in mind that, especially at first, they might be a bit difficult to get.
Next is the major retail release on September 1st. This is when your big retailers are going to start receiving cards. This means big stores like Target, Walmart, Best Buy, Gamestop, and also Disney’s own theme parks in California and Orlando to name a few. The upside is that these locations usually have a large stock and usually price their products at MSRP, so you’re not paying a premium to get your cards. However, there are a few downsides. Big stores can attract scalpers and getting packs from a store might be very difficult at launch while we wait for more cards to be printed. You also can’t play the game at a big store. You can’t just show up to a Target and play in a tournament or league, or buy the single cards you want.
In the end, we usually recommend people patronize an LGS, ideally one that isn’t asking for a large mark-up in price. Your LGS gives you a space where you can meet other players and collectors, and hopefully make friends to share this hobby with. Most LGS are also the place where you can receive special promos for participating in their events. We already have a few promotional cards announced for the first Organized Play season for Lorcana. If you do not have an LGS nearby, or they are either out of product or asking for a huge premium due to scarcity, we do offer a great selection of singles on our website! I’d recommend checking out our selection!