Currently in talks to make its UK debut at UK Games Expo
Our card game guru Ross Gilbert suggested in Issue 110 of Tabletop Gaming magazine that there’s never been a better time to launch a trading card game (TCG). Bushiroad, already which publishes the Cardfight!! Vanguard TCG, must have been listening – because it’s announced the Palworld Official Card Game, with a worldwide release scheduled for July 30, 2026.
This new TCG is based on the hit video game Palworld, a monster-taming, open-world survival game developed and published by Pocketpair, Inc. In Palworld, players explore a large open world inhabited by creatures called “Pals”. These Pals can be captured, trained, bred and used in a wide variety of ways. Some fight alongside the player in combat, while others can be put to work gathering resources, farming, crafting items or operating machinery.
Unlike traditional monster-taming games, Palworld places a strong emphasis on survival and crafting systems. Players must collect materials, manage food and resources, build bases and defend themselves against hostile creatures and human enemies. The game also features firearms and modern weapons, which can be used by both players and, in some cases, by Pals themselves.
The project was formally revealed during the Cardfight!! Vanguard 15th Anniversary Bushiroad New Year Grand Presentation, held on January 12, 2026 at Tokyo Dome City. According to the official announcement, the Palworld Official Card Game will launch with two trial decks and a booster pack, and will be available simultaneously in English, Japanese and Simplified Chinese. Bushiroad confirmed that the game will be released globally on the same July 30 date.
Palworld is a multiplayer monster-taming, open-world survival crafting game developed and published by Pocketpair, Inc. Since entering Early Access in January 2024, the game has surpassed 32 million players worldwide across PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox platforms and Mac.
The Palworld Official Card Game is described as a two-player competitive trading card game, in which players build teams of Pals, gather resources and build structures to control the field and work towards victory. Each Pal card features unique characteristics designed to support different strategies, with the aim of translating the core mechanics and feel of Palworld into a physical card game format.
We did ask, but there’s no official art from the trading card game to share so far. There is, however, a promo teaser video:
Bushiroad has also confirmed prerelease demo sessions, which will begin in Spring 2026 at local game stores and conventions in Japan and international markets. The first public demos will take place at Bushiroad EXPO 2026 in Chicago, where attendees will be able to try the game and receive a prototype deck for participating. Further demo sessions are planned for all Bushiroad EXPO events starting in March 2026, as well as Card Game Festival 2026 at Tokyo Big Sight in May.
UK fans will likely get their first taste of the Palworld TCG at UK Games Expo in late May. A spokesperson for Bushiroad confirms that the company is currently in talks to exhibit at UKGE and “if we do attend, we will definitely hold demo sessions there.”
Presales of the game will be available at select events approximately one month ahead of the official launch.
In addition, Bushiroad has confirmed plans for organised play, with local store events and regional tournaments taking place worldwide. Regional qualifier tournaments are scheduled to begin in Autumn 2026, leading to the first-ever Palworld Official Card Game World Championship, which will be held at Card Game Festival 2027.