When it was first shown off at a convention earlier this year, a few eagle-eyed fans noticed a QR code. The description next to the code referenced as TCG Companion app, but at the time, the QR code only linked to the Lorcana website. Not much was known about the app... until today.
Surprise! The Disney Lorcana TCG Companion App launches on iOS and Android today. Not only can you track your collection using the apps complete card catalog and wish list feature, but you can also build decks, access how-to-play info and videos, track points using a built-in lore counter tool, and keep up with the latest news updates. All remaining unrevealed cards from The First Chapter are included in the companion app's card catalog.
Ravensburger also confirmed via press release that, starting September 1, Disney Lorcana product will be available at Target, Walmart, Amazon, Best Buy, GameStop, Barnes & Noble, FYE, Hot Topic, shopDisney.com, and select Disney stores in the U.S., as well as Toys R Us, Walmart, Mastermind, Indigo, and Gamestop in Canada.
Here's a short Q&A we conducted with Lorcana brand manager and co-designer Ryan Miller to find out more about the companion app.
TheGamer: The Lorcana App is one of the most exciting things about the launch because I think players are going to be surprised at how robust its features are. Can you start by explaining all the different things the app can do?
Ryan Miller: I’m excited about it too! The biggest feature is probably the card library. Players will be able to see all of the cards, make wish lists, decks, and track their collections. There will also be a learn-to-play feature, news, and a lore counter you can use to track your lore as well as your opponent’s lore during games.
TG: One of my favorite features is the gyro-3D effect that shows off the holographic cards so well. I loved the way that feature is used in Marvel Snap and I’m excited to see the Lorcana App including it too. Was that something you always wanted to include in the app? Was it a difficult thing to implement?
Miller: That was actually a surprise feature from the app team in Ravensburger Germany. We had sent them some card samples and they were impressed with the look of the foil cards, so they added it in and just snuck it into a regular update meeting. Needless to say, the rest of the team (myself included) was really excited about it!
TG: Many expected the App would have a collection tracker, but I think they’ll be surprised by the deck builder. Can you talk about what goes into designing a high-quality deck builder like this?
Miller: It’s really about starting from the end user experience you want to generate and working back from there. Building your own deck is such a central part of the TCG experience, and one that players will often spend as much time on as they do actually playing the game. We wanted to make sure that players could have fun putting dream decks together as easily as possible, and I think the app team really knocked it out of the park.
TG: With the collection tracker, deckbuilder, and lore tracker, this really is a full-featured companion for Lorcana players. Will it continue to grow over time with new features? I’d love to be able to play some background music on the app while I play Lorcana. Or even better, be
able to play a snippet of a Disney song when I play the corresponding Song card!
Miller: These are all great ideas! We do have big plans for the app, but none that I can talk about just yet.
TG: Will Lorcana’s story be explored on the app as well? It seems like the perfect medium for lore entries, digital comics, or short animations.
Miller: The app is definitely one of the many places where players and collectors can expect to learn more about the story.
TG: Do you have a favorite feature in the app?
Miller: I love building decks, thinking about decks, and filtering through the cards to get ideas for more decks, so it’s absolutely the deck builder. The gyroscopic foil effect is a close second, though.
This is Day 2 of TheGamer's Lorcana Week celebration. Check out our Lorcana Week hub where you can catch up and stay in the loop with all of this week's interviews, features, guides, and more.