In 2014, Fantasy Flight Games’ Living Card Game® (LCG) category is the strongest it has ever been, and the continued presence of A Game of Thrones: The Card Game, our longest-running LCG, is a large factor of that success.

Since we first introduced the LCG model in 2008, we have learned a lot about how these games function differently than collectible card games, and we’ve taken many steps to apply the lessons we’ve learned. We have established the standard that our monthly expansion packs offer a complete playset of each new card within them. And we have grown our Organized Play programs, introducing restricted lists when necessary to balance the evolving metagames.

Rotation and A Game of Thrones: The Card Game

Early attendees of our 2014 FFG World Championship Weekend had the opportunity to join the leaders of our LCG department for an LCG State of the Union address. In it, we acknowledged the category’s growth and its increased importance to Fantasy Flight Games as a key business category. However, in order to ensure that our LCGs continue to grow and remain healthy, we also looked toward the future. We realized that our LCGs would suffer if we were to let them continue to grow unchecked, so we decided to introduce rotation to the majority of our competitive card games.

But certain issues became apparent within A Game of Thrones: The Card Game that could not be solved with the simple introduction of rotation. We want to see this game continue to thrive for another twelve years or even longer. To that end, rather than introducing rotation to the game, Fantasy Flight Games is proud to announce the second edition of A Game of Thrones: The Card Game! The second edition of A Game of Thrones: The Card Game will use rotation like the rest of our LCGs, and the earliest rotation could start for this game is 2019.

For more information on A Game of Thrones: The Card Game Second Edition, visit the announcement and the minisite.

What about the First Edition of A Game of Thrones: The Card Game?

No rotation will be introduced for the first edition of A Game of Thrones: The Card Game: the entire card pool will remain legal in tournament play. Organized play for the first edition of A Game of Thrones: The Card Game will continue in the form of National and World Championship tournaments through the end of 2015. In addition, both the Westeros and Ice and Fire draft sets will remain in print and continue to see support while the new edition expands. Finally, the Wardens cycle, beginning with Secrets and Schemes, will also be released for the first edition of A Game of Thrones: The Card Game, which will complete the card pool and be the final new releases for the first edition of the game. To hear a unique perspective of the transition from first to second edition, the changes, and our goals, we highly recommend you read Nate French’s open letter to the A Game of Thrones: The Card Game community.