Yu-Gi-Oh! Trading Card Game

Original Logo

Yu-Gi-Oh! Trading Card Game 2nd Logo

Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D's Trading Card Game 3rd Logo

Yu-Gi-Oh! Trading Card Game, often shortened TCG, is the part of the Yu-Gi-Oh! card game manufactured by Konami, and is the best-selling card game of all time according to Guinness World Records, with over 22 billion cards sold as of August 2009. The TCG is played Worldwide, but mostly in North America, Europe and Australia. The Yu-Gi-Oh! TCG was published in 2002, with Upper Deck Entertainment acquiring the rights to market the TCG in 2000 for USD$75,000,000 from Konami.

The agreement between Upper Deck Entertainment and Konami was due to expire in 2010. Konami issued a press release on December 10th 2008, stating that it was retaking full control of all aspects of the TCG, including:

• Distribution
• Customer Service
• Sales
• Gameplay
• Organized Play

Upper Deck Entertaiment then responded by issuing a lawsuit against Konami Digital Entertainment for USD$75,001,000., citing loss of earnings, and breach of contract, as Konami Digital Entertainment cut short ties between itself and Upper Deck Entertainment by more than a year prior its legal conclusion. On December 27, 2008, Konami was denied the temporary selling and shipping ban that would prevent Upper Deck from marketing, selling, distributing and providing game support for the TCG.

The TCG is printed in English, French, German, Italian and Spanish, as well as being previously printed in Portuguese prior to Cybernetic Revolution. All TCG cards are legal in countries where the game is played. For example, a German Mirror Force is playable in Great Britain and a French Dark Armed Dragon is legal to play in Switzerland; however, because all Japanese, Asian-English, Korean and Chinese cards are part of the OCG (which are not legal for Tournament play in the TCG), one could not use a Japanese Crush Card Virus, even if they have a translation of the card on hand. This is unlike the OCG where TCG cards, with the exception of TCG exclusives, are legal in tournaments (unless the organizer does not allow the use of such cards).

Tournaments are held each year that give out prizes which are usually rare cards or exclusive game mats. Players first start out in the Regionals and advance their way to the Championships. Shonen Jump used to host their own tournament known as the Shonen Jump Championship. There are tournaments in the OCG as well as the TCG.

Upper Deck no longer has any connection with the Yu-Gi-Oh! TCG and Konami has continued tournaments.