Launched in 1999, Konami’s Yu-Gi-Oh! has captivated people’s minds worldwide. Whether it was the shows themselves, or the act of dueling against friends, Yu-Gi-Oh! was a dominant force.
For me, Yu-Gi-Oh! was the first anime I ever watched, as well as the first trading card game I ever played. Even though I am no longer the master duelist that I once was, I still find the game to be as fascinating as ever. In the present day, this still holds true.
How has Yu-Gi-Oh! dealt with the effects of the recent pandemic? What are the current states of the animated series, the official trading card game, and the new digital games? What is the future of YCS, the Yu-Gi-Oh! World Championship Series?
These are questions I have recently been asking myself, primarily because of my forever-love for the brand. It is a lot to navigate all of the intricacies within the famous brand. It is my hope to shed light on the new life Yu-Gi-Oh! is developing.
A Brief Dive into the Animated Yu-Gi-Oh! Series
Starting off with the status of the animated series is the most reasonable thing to do. The animated series was always a hit or miss for anyone who has fallen in love with the game. At the end of the day, it is tough to take the plight of individuals playing a card game, take the plot from a manga, and put it on display. However, the creatives behind the scenes have always seemed to do their best.
Since the original series, Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Monsters, there have been a total of seven spin-offs under the brand name. In order, these shows include the following: GX (my personal favorite), 5D’s, Zexal, Arc-V, VRAINS, Sevens, and Go Rush!!. The shows follow a similar hero arc, with the protagonists taking on new and challenging duelists while gaining admirable friends. Typically, each series ends on a positive note that displays the growth of each character, particularly the protagonist.
Each spin-off always implements a new dynamic to dueling. The newest series, Go Rush!!, will continue developing a new type of dueling, speed dueling.
According to Konami, “Speed Dueling is a specialised version of the Yu‑Gi‑Oh! TRADING CARD GAME. Speed Dueling features 4 basic card types: Monster Cards, Spell Cards, Trap Cards, and Skill Cards. The goal is to Summon powerful monsters, power them up with Spell or Trap Cards, and battle your opponent.
Skill Cards let you become your favorite Yu‑Gi‑Oh! character, and give you special abilities to use in your Duels! Both players start with 4,000 Life Points. Reduce your opponent’s Life Points to 0 to win the Duel!”
Slightly differing from the traditional game, the new type of duelling offers a unique approach to duel monsters. The new addition of skill cards and the limitation of decks to 20-30 cards are just two examples of this.
Updates on the Yu-Gi-Oh! Trading Card Game
The trading card game was the initial introduction for many people to Yu-Gi-Oh! Getting my first deck was such a big thing for me that I still remember the moments playing with my brother and neighborhood friends.
The original trading card game has expanded from a base structure with monster, spell, and trap cards to a game including all different types of plays. Some of the more unique playable cards include the likes of link and pendulum. These involve a higher degree of understanding of the game.
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While it is difficult to find exact numbers on the trading card game, it generally ranks in the top games., It is only overshadowed by Pokémon and Magic: The Gathering. The trading card game is still trading in hobby shops and larger stores, like Walmart and Target, alongside many other games.
Anyone who has dared to search for cards in the major stores knows that there are even whole aisles dedicated to trading card games. Outside of that, cards still heavily run sales online through platforms like eBay, TCG Player, and Amazon.
Digital Gaming and the New Generation of Duelists
My first experience dueling in a digital format was through Yu-Gi-Oh! 5Ds Stardust Accelerator: World Championship 2009. This was succeeded by my time on the now-extinct Dueling Network, a PC-based game. Today, the two major digital renditions of the trading card game include Master Duel and Duel Links.
Master Duel
Master Duel is a version of Yu-Gi-Oh! available for PC, mobile, and console consumers. This game is free and offers all of the latest dynamics of the trading card game. The game even functions based on updates to the rules. This ensures that duels with other players are similar to in-person tournament rules.
There is also a sense of urgency to complete the game. A timer is utilized to rule out any stalling. It is a beautiful game that brings the love of dueling worldwide. It also created an ease of access. Players can go after individual cards or seek ones by buying packs and winning games.
Duel Links
Duel Links is a version of Yu-Gi-Oh! available for PC and mobile consumers. This game is also free and offers similar dynamics to the trading card game.
Since the game itself does not match the exact format of the original card game, being the basis for any speed duel players, it is generally faster pace. I never was big on the game simply because I always enjoyed the traditional game. However, with an almost perfect rating, 4.7 out of 5 stars on the Apple App Store, it is still enjoyed by many players.
Both offer great experiences and have significantly impacted Konami as a whole. In a report from GamesIndustrusy.Biz, “As usual, the majority of revenue came from the Digital Entertainment segment, which handles Konami’s video games. This generated ¥215 billion ($1.7 billion), up 5.3% year-on-year, and profits of ¥76.4 billion ($595.9 million), up 4.1%. Konami highlighted the success of Yu-Gi-Oh Master Duel — the free-to-play and cross-platform collectible card game that’s available on PC, mobile, and all consoles — as a key driver here. Released in January, the game has already racked up 30 million downloads.”
Given that the games are available across many platforms, it will be exciting to track their growth post-pandemic.
The Long-Awaited Status of YCS
The Yu-Gi-Oh! Championship Series was always a big dream for me as a kid. While I never became the greatest duelist in the world, I grew a deep appreciation for the people who could make it to the top of the game.
Dueling is tough. There is no denying that. It is why I have a lot of respect for anyone who has even made it to the top of their local dueling scenes.
The interesting development about the YCS is that they are now creating a space for Master Duel and Duel Links players. This broadens the dueling space to expand from the formal players to the phenomenal players within the digital dueling space.
YCS did not have any championships from 2020-2022, but will be returning in installments for 2023. This will culminate in the ultimate conclusion at the August 2023 YCS Championship Finale in Japan.
The last champion, Kosaka Kouki, was crowned in 2019 in Berlin, Germany, making the 2023 championships a great comeback. It will be interesting to see what the finale looks like. I am sure it will be a unique experience given the new technology involved with the championships.
The Fate of Dueling in Yu-Gi-Oh!
The good news is Yu-Gi-Oh! has not gone anywhere. Although the beloved creator of the game, Kazuki Takahashi, tragically died in July of 2022, the brand is still moving ahead. With the introduction of digital gaming, both available for free and as a route for competitors in YCS, I foresee a steady rise in dueling.
I may not be involved in Yu-Gi-Oh! to the same extent that I once was, but I have always followed from afar. Regardless of my level of involvement, I will always have my decks on standby just in case someone is ready to go at it. Until that day arises, I will be following and supporting the game as I go on my own journey through life.
