Stop me if you’ve heard this one before: we’re about to see the launch of a new trading card game (TCG) based on a popular IP in the Cyberpunk TCG, which I had the chance to play at PAX East 2026.
It’s already off to a great start, off the back of a historic Kickstarter campaign, and is looking to build on that momentum. The Cyberpunk TCG is following in the footsteps of Riot’s League of Legends card game, Riftbound, and Disney’s Lorcana TCG with hopes of finding a place in a crowded marketplace. Oh, and there was also the Gundam card game that launched last summer.
To say it’s a crowded marketplace with new TCGs is an understatement. My local game store alone runs events for the games already mentioned, plus Pokemon, Magic: The Gathering, Digimon, and One Piece. People are also asking if they can carry other games, too, such as Cookie Run.
When it comes to the gameplay, I honestly don’t think Cyberpunk has anything to worry about. It borrows some of my favorite elements from other TCGs, such as Lorcana‘s resource system and Riftbound’s method of getting points, and pure them together in one enjoyable package.
The Cyberpunk TCG borrows from other TCGs while improving on their issues
In fact, I’m not afraid to say that I’d argue that the Cyberpunk TCG is a better version of Riftbound. It utilizes leaders in a way that still gives decks an identity while addressing the complexities and frustrations I have with the game. You’ll start with three leaders, all of which are face down, but don’t worry, because they’re also energy resources you start with the game, too. It costs two energy to flip a leader face up, which means you can do it incredibly early. No need to ramp or dilly dally here, you can be off to the races as soon as turn one.
To win a game of Cyberpunk, you’ll need to complete six raids, which are represented in the game by dice of various sizes, ranging from D4 through D20. Once per turn, you can roll one of those dice and put it into your pile of completed raids. The roll comes into play as the cumulative number on the dice is your Street Cred, which can affect various cards in your deck.
It won’t be that easy to win, though, as your opponents can attack your completed raids to steal them. Combat is both simple and intuitive: every character has a set power on their card. Characters in combat will compare their power, and the highest power wins the fight. There’s additional layers to combat, such as blockers that can defend raids, as well as the fact that you can only attack opposing characters if they’re spent (tapped), but again, everything is incredibly intuitive and easy to understand.
The Cyberpunk TCG caters to TCG newcomers and veterans alike
During my PAX East 2026 demo, I was playing against someone with no prior TCG experience, but everything made sense to him. He understood how to sell cards for Eddies to add resources, how to spend them, and how to take part in combat. That’s the biggest thing Cyberpunk will need to solve: making the game accessible to fans who have never picked up a TCG in their lives. At the same time, the game has to be complex enough to intrigue TCG veterans like myself.
While the PAX demo was on the easier side (everything played at sorcery speed, but instants exist in the game, for example), I can tell that the vision is there. I’m excited to see the Cyberpunk TCG launch and wouldn’t be surprised to see it become an LGS staple. It has everything it needs going for it: a recognizable IP, a devoted fanbase, and gameplay that is both accessible and complex. It’s not the most successful Kickstarter TCG for no reason, after all, and I can’t wait to crack some backs and start building decks.
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