Hey everyone! With the Gundam Card Game release weeks away, it is time to talk some more Gundam. I have recently written about the starter decks that are releasing, as well as the first booster set, Gundam Newtype-Rising. If you have not read those articles, yet be sure to check them out! This time though, there is a new conversation to be had that should excite all Gundam fans looking to play the Gundam Card Game. The first events have officially been announced! Bandai is supporting two different types of events at your local card shops to celebrate and launch the Gundam Card Game! Let's dig into the first of these two events.

Starter Deck Launch Events

The first event to celebrate the game's release were the Starter Deck Launch events! The official description on the Gundam Card Game website notes these events will take place from July 11th - to July 24th. The website goes on to describe the event - "Join the battle and celebrate the launch of the Gundam Card Game Starter Decks [ST01]-[ST04]!" Typically, Bandai leaves these sorts of things to each store's discretion with only a few rules to follow from the event kit. Speaking of which, Bandai has already shown some prizes you get just for participating in those events!

The website shows three commemorative items for participating in the starter deck launch event. They are: ST04-002 Strike Gundam, ST04-010 Kira Yamato, and 10 resource card sleeves featuring artwork of Aile Strike Gundam (all of these are pictured below). The website goes on to say that there will be additional promo cards for the winner of the event. In the past Bandai usually gives a "winner" promo card to whoever was able to go undefeated on the day. I would expect something similar to that to take place here. These promotional commemorative items will be sought after and are a cool way to reward players for being the first to play the Gundam Card Game! But this isn't the only release event on the horizon.

Booster Pack Launch Event

The next event we need to discuss is the Booster Pack Launch Event. This event will take place from July 25th-August 10th. The official Gundam Card Game website describe this event as, "Join the and celebrate the launch of the Gundam Card Game Booster Pack Newtype Rising [GD01]!" Ok, they really aren't giving us much to work with. But, from other Bandai games we can suggest what this one will entail as well. This is essentially a release event where you will receive 6-7 packs to make a sealed deck. Unfortunately, we do not know the rules for this sealed event yet or how to build your deck. This will more than likely be included in the event kit, as some sort of rules sheet. But once again this event kit is also bringing some commemorative items for participants!

This event comes with three commemorative items for participants. They are: GD01-005 Unicorn Gundam (Unicorn-Mode), GD01-088 Banagher Links, and a storage box with Gundam art. These promotional items will be sought after and as of right now are only available for this event. What's cool about the cards that are given out to the players is that the pilot specifically links with this unit - meaning they go together and get the abilities of both cards. Super cool for players just starting out! Also, like the starter deck launch event, this event also says that the winner will get additional promo cards. From past Bandai events we can assume that it will be a winner version of one of the shown participating promo cards.

In order to win one of these, you will need to go undefeated at your event! I expect these tournaments to fill up rather quickly - especially since you get packs and promos. To sign up head to the Bandai TCG+ app and look for your local game stores to sign up. It's also worth checking in with your local game stores to see how they will be handling registration.

Well, everyone that's it for the Gundam launch events! The Starter Deck launch Events were popular, and I expect the Booster Pack Launch Events to fill up quickly, as fans are excited to get their hands on more cards and start playing the game. These events will also be a good way to get some product which could be hard to get a hold of. For these reasons, I can't stress enough to sign up for these events, or even waitlist for a chance to play! For those of you who get into these launch tournaments, good luck! I hope everyone enjoys the launch of the Gundam Card Game! Thanks as always for reading.

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Garrett Farrington

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