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Creators of Disney Lorcana trading card game chat design, strategies & challenges

A trading card game featuring iconic Disney heroes, villains, and more? It's a recipe for success but one that takes careful planning and design.

Sam Chandler

October 30, 2023 8:30 PM

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Trading card games are some of the most popular types of games. Whether they’re physical cards or digital, players love the artwork, the rich and varied mechanics, and the challenge that comes from facing a foe. We recently had the pleasure of speaking with the developers behind Disney Lorcana, a new trading card game that taps into the magic of Disney.

We got to chat with Steve Warner and Ryan Miller, both game developers currently working on Disney Lorcana. The conversation encompassed what it’s like creating a game in the competitive industry that is trading card games and the challenges that might have cropped up throughout the designing phase.

Steve Warner explains that one of the important parts of designing Disney Lorcana was that it had to function well as a multiplayer game. “I remember a conversation with Ryan who said ‘Families are going to want to sit down and play this’ so it’s got to be able to play very well in a multiplayer format,” Warner said. “That was probably the demise of, what, ten designs?”

Miller also offered some insight into what players can expect in terms of mechanics and functionality. “If you’re a trading card gamer, you’re going to find a lot of depth and strategy,” Miller said. He goes on to say there’s a lot of synergy and there’s also opportunity to create decks that focus on a specific Disney IP. Miller notes that a fan told him their daughters had decided to get better at reading so they could better understand and play Disney Lorcana, “I don’t know if there’s a better compliment to anything I’ve ever been a part of.”

The whole interview is full of nuggets of insight into what goes into creating a new and exciting trading card game in the Disney universe. Be sure to keep it locked to Shacknews as we bring you the latest on Disney Lorcana and check out our Shacknews Interviews YouTube channel for more developer chats and insights.

Sam Chandler

Guides Editor

Hailing from the land down under, Sam Chandler brings a bit of the southern hemisphere flair to his work. After bouncing round a few universities, securing a bachelor degree, and entering the video game industry, he's found his new family here at Shacknews as a Guides Editor. There's nothing he loves more than crafting a guide that will help someone. If you need help with a guide, or notice something not quite right, you can message him on X: @SamuelChandler