{"rewrite":{"id":"r_ed225e7e30d770b2a291ddbe","clusterId":"c_266342ef4cde420946718821","slug":"palworld-ocg-preview-event-shows-rapid-soul-growth-and-flexible-main-phase","model":"deepseek-v4-flash","headline":"Palworld OCG Preview Event Shows Rapid Soul Growth and Flexible Main Phase","summary":"Bushiroad held a preview event for the Palworld Official Card Game (Palworld OCG) at Card Game Fest 2026 in Tokyo on May 3 and 4, ahead of its July 30 release. Bushiroad President Takaaki Kidani personally explained the rules to attendees. The two-player card game uses a 50-card deck plus a separate 10-card Soul deck. Souls serve as the cost to play cards, and players gain two additional Souls each turn. The preview used a shortened three-life format instead of the standard ten. During play, the first player summoned a cost-2 Pal on turn one, while the second player, starting with one extra Soul, could field a cost-2 Pal and counterattack. By turn two, each player had four or five Souls, enabling cost-4 Pals and Building cards like the Primitive Furnace, which reduces Gear costs. A Quick mechanic allows players to interrupt attacks by playing a card from hand. The preview ended before a winner was decided. The game will launch with booster packs at 440 yen each and two types of trial decks at 1,980 yen each.","whyItMatters":"The Soul system, which adds two resources per turn and allows the second player a one-Soul advantage, creates a pacing where tactical options expand sharply each round, a design choice that distinguishes Palworld OCG from many existing trading card games.","webCardHtml":"\u003cp\u003eThe preview event required a numbered ticket distributed in advance, with 6 to 7 sessions per day. Long lines formed, indicating high interest before release. Bushiroad President Takaaki Kidani personally explained the rules, guiding first-time players through the flow and key points. The combination of visitor interest and the company\u0026#39;s efforts energized the venue.\u003c/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eCards used in the preview had numbers in the top right. After both players draw 5 cards and the second player places one Soul, the game begins. The choice of first or second will influence battle strategy. On turn 1, the Stand and Draw phases are skipped, and the game goes directly to the Soul Phase. The first player on turn 1 can act with 2 Souls. During the Main Phase, players can rest 3 Souls to draw 1 card from the deck. There is no fixed order for actions in the Main Phase; players can add cards to the field based on the situation within Soul limits.\u003c/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003ePals can attack the opponent player, other Pals, or buildings on the turn they are played. The damaged player performs a \u0026#34;Damage Check\u0026#34; before losing life: they draw 1 card from their deck. If the drawn card is a Pal with a star icon (Lucky Pal), the damage is negated and life is not reduced. Pals do not have life like players; when they battle, they compare battle powers. A Pal is defeated if it takes damage equal to or greater than its battle power. Damage resets at the end of the turn, so if not attacked again, it recovers.\u003c/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eUp to 5 Pals can be on the field. Low-cost aggro strategies tend to deplete the deck quickly. In Palworld OCG, running out of cards results in immediate defeat. Pre-release preview events are planned at card shops and various events both in Japan and abroad.\u003c/p\u003e","blueskyPost":"Palworld OCG preview: second player starts with one extra Soul, and both gain two per turn. By turn two you can drop cost-4 Pals. The Quick mechanic lets you interrupt attacks from hand.","twitterPost":"Bushiroad's Kidani personally taught Palworld OCG at a preview event. The Soul ramp system means each turn roughly doubles your options. Buildings like the Primitive Furnace require Pals to work, just like in the game.","threadsPost":null,"newsletterBlurb":"Bushiroad previewed Palworld OCG at Card Game Fest 2026, with President Kidani explaining the rules. The card game uses a Soul resource that increases by two each turn, letting players field powerful Pals and Buildings by turn two. The game launches July 30.","attributionJson":"[{\"source\":\"Inside\",\"url\":\"https://www.inside-games.jp/article/2026/06/17/183106.html\",\"title\":\"Getting a First Look at the Upcoming 'Palworld OCG'! High Freedom, Rapidly Changing Battles Reveal Depth-What About the Faithful Reproduction of the Original?\"},{\"source\":\"Game Spark\",\"url\":\"http://www.gamespark.jp/article/2026/06/17/168107.html\",\"title\":\"Getting a First Taste of the Upcoming 'Palworld OCG'! High Freedom, Rapidly Changing Battles, and a Glimpse of Depth-What About the 'Original Game's Reproduction Elements'?\"}]","lintFlagsJson":null,"lintHits":0,"costUsd":0,"inputTokens":18639,"outputTokens":1294,"status":"published","repairAttempts":0,"nextRepairAt":null,"factsAttemptedAt":1781699159,"createdAt":"2026-06-17T12:16:34.000Z","publishedAt":"2026-06-17T12:19:57.000Z","updatedAt":"2026-06-17T12:19:57.000Z"},"cluster":{"id":"c_266342ef4cde420946718821","canonicalTitle":"発売近づく『パルワールドOCG』をひと足先に体験！ 自由度が高く、戦局が一変する展開の早さに奥深さを垣間見る─気になる“原作の再現要素”は？","representativeArticleId":"a_c44b1892267ed7183aecc21f","sourceCount":2,"writtenSourceCount":2,"writeAttempts":0,"isSolo":false,"entitiesJson":"{\"anime_titles\":[],\"manga_titles\":[],\"work_titles\":[\"Palworld Official Card Game\"],\"studios\":[\"Bushiroad\"],\"people\":[],\"type\":\"news\",\"domain\":\"games\",\"is_roundup\":false}","contentType":"news","status":"published","firstSeenAt":"2026-06-17T09:00:03.000Z","lastSeenAt":"2026-06-17T09:35:44.000Z","updatedAt":"2026-06-17T12:19:57.000Z"},"attribution":[{"source":"Game Spark","url":"http://www.gamespark.jp/article/2026/06/17/168107.html","title":"発売近づく『パルワールドOCG』をひと足先に体験！ 自由度が高く、戦局が一変する展開の早さに奥深さを垣間見る─気になる“原作の再現要素”は？"},{"source":"Inside","url":"https://www.inside-games.jp/article/2026/06/17/183106.html","title":"発売近づく『パルワールドOCG』をひと足先に体験！ 自由度が高く、戦局が一変する展開の早さに奥深さを垣間見る─気になる“原作の再現要素”は？"}],"entities":{"anime_titles":[],"manga_titles":[],"work_titles":["Palworld Official Card Game"],"studios":["Bushiroad"],"people":[],"type":"news","domain":"games","is_roundup":false},"keyFacts":["Bushiroad held a preview event for the Palworld Official Card Game at Card Game Fest 2026 in Tokyo on May 3 and 4, 2026.","The game uses a 50-card deck plus a separate 10-card Soul deck; Souls are the cost to play cards, and players gain two additional Souls each turn.","The second player starts with one extra Soul, and by turn two each player typically has four or five Souls, enabling cost-4 Pals and Building cards.","A Quick mechanic allows players to interrupt attacks by playing a card from hand.","The game launches on July 30, 2026, with booster packs at 440 yen each and two types of trial decks at 1,980 yen each."]}