Disney Lorcana TCG Creators Talk About 3 New Toy Story-Inspired Cards

The team behind the Disney Lorcana Trading Card Game shares how the Hamm and Rex cards came together, plus a quick guide for new players of all ages

Attention, Illumineers! Glimmers of Pixar characters are officially joining the magical world of the Disney Lorcana TCG (Trading Card Game) for the first time, and that’s a big deal for players and collectors alike. The upcoming 12th set of game cards, Wilds Unknown, will be available for prerelease on May 8, 2026, available everywhere May 15, and is perfectly timed just before Disney and Pixar’s Toy Story 5 hits theaters June 19.

Scroll on to see two game cards from the new set along with exclusive insights from the Ravensburger team, Ryan Miller and Naomi Kim, behind the game. They offer a closer look at how Disney Lorcana game cards come to life and why this fast-growing all‑ages game sparks so much excitement.

Quick Facts About The Disney Lorcana Trading Card Game

What is the Disney Lorcana trading card game?

Disney Lorcana is a TCG set in Lorcana, a realm where Story Stars, containing fragments of Disney stories, are combined with magical ink to create glimmers, fantastic versions of beloved Disney characters, items, or locations. You play as an Illumineer, racing to gain pieces of lore to capture a Story Star before your opponent does.

Each match blends strategy and creativity, with every game card’s abilities tied to the character it represents. Whether you’re building a competitive deck, playing socially at your kitchen table, or admiring the artwork on the cards, the Disney Lorcana TCG offers a playful way to explore Disney stories from a whole new angle. For more information about the game and how to play, scroll to the FAQs below.

Highlights From Our Conversation With Disney Lorcana TCG Insiders Ryan Miller & Naomi Kim

**This article is adapted from an interview with Ryan Miller and Naomi Kim

We chatted with Ryan Miller, brand manager and co-creator of the Disney Lorcana TCG at Ravensburger, and Naomi Kim, brand and product manager at Ravensburger, who shared exclusive insights about the creation of two new cards inspired by fan-favorite characters from Disney and Pixar’s Toy Story. Hamm and Rex are part of Wilds Unknown, the game’s 12th 60-card set, with prerelease packs arriving May 8 and the full set on sale May 15, 2026.

Disney Lorcana TCG: Not Just For Kids 

When developing the game, Miller and co-creator Steve Warner looked to strike a balance between accessibility and engaging, strategic gameplay. They wanted to create a game that both kids and adults could enjoy.

“Steve and I designed the game to be relatively easy for someone to pick up if they've never played a TCG (trading card game),” Ryan Miller

While the game is built on simple core rules, how advanced the game becomes is really up to its players, with Miller pointing out that advanced strategies emerge if you want to find them. Fans of the game enjoy collecting cards with the purpose of both gameplay and creating a visually stunning deck.

The Disney universe is a perfect place to base this type of game in, Kim discusses, because of how it appeals to people of all ages.

“For adults and kids, nostalgia is such a huge thing…Seeing Disney characters as you've never seen [them] before has captured the imagination and excitement of adults and kids alike,” Naomi Kim

Adults may be drawn in by gameplay and nostalgia, but it’s easy to spread the fun to the next generation. Parents can incorporate versions of their children’s favorite characters as a way to bring together shared passions and introduce TCGs to play together.

And it works the other way, too, with kids bringing the game to the adults in their lives. Miller recalls the sweet moment when a child approached him at an event, proudly showing off his Pacha (from The Emperor’s New Groove), and declaring, “This is the card I used to get my dad into Lorcana!”

It’s not just children and gamers being won over by Lorcana’s magical world. Miller points out that he’s spoken to adult couples where one partner is a gamer, and the other, who historically hasn’t been into TCGs, has found themselves drawn in by the familiar characters and the unique art style.

The Creative Process 

When designing new game cards and glimmers, Miller and the team tend to start with the character they want to feature, asking themselves, “Who are they? What do they represent? What abilities do they have?” To answer these questions, they watch movies and shows multiple times, carefully observing details, taking notes, and looking for anything that can inspire a card.

Glimmers of a single character can make appearances in multiple sets with extremely different designs, each highlighting a distinct facet of the character. These versions illustrate them at different stages of their story and development, and each card comes with unique powers and actions. 

There are traditional versions of characters, known as “Storyborn”, but the Lorcana universe also contains bold reimaginings in the form of “Dreamborn” or “Floodborn.” “Dreamborn” game cards feature glimmers that have been infused with Lorcana’s magic and reimagined in novel ways. “Floodborn” cards are ones that originally featured “Storyborn” or “Dreamborn” glimmers, but have been transformed by a magical ink flood, resulting in surprising character transformations and unexpected powers. These TCG card types stay true to the character's core, but bring a new aspect of their personality to the forefront. Regardless of the version, the motivation is always to create a card that feels true to its featured character. Miller recalls one of his favorite examples of how a character’s personality shaped their card. 

“One of my favorite examples of this goes all the way back to The First Chapter with [one of] Gramma Tala [from Moana]. She has a card that when she is removed from play, normally she would go to the discard [pile] like every other card, but [instead] she becomes one of your Ink cards, or one of your resources, because she's always with you, helping you,” Ryan Miller

Of course, the team needs to create some basic action game cards, such as “draw two,” to be included in decks. But even in these cases, they match it to a character that feels like a natural fit.

“We always want to make sure that the story, character, and Disneyness shines through in every card,”Ryan Miller

About Pixar’s Hamm Card

Meet Hamm, Toy Story’s Iconic Piggy Bank In The Disney Lorcana TCG

As a piggy bank, Hamm embodies his game card’s ability to let players draw more cards and speed up play. As a collaborative Amber Ink card, this glimmer of Hamm is defined by connection and collective support.

After the character, the color or “Ink” of the card is one of the biggest decisions for the team. Each of the game’s six Inks has different meanings and personalities attached, so their choice of Ink determines a lot about the card and its function.

Speaking of the visual “shape language” associated with each Ink, Kim highlights how Amber game cards tend to feature connecting lines and light, often added in distinct, innovative ways. In all of this, she highlights the importance of ensuring that “the art and mechanics work in harmony.”

About Pixar’s Rex Card

Introducing Rex, Toy Story’s Lovable Dinosaur In The Disney Lorcana TCG

When picking the type of game card to represent Rex, the game design team at Ravensburger saw an opportunity to put a fun spin on the Bodyguard ability. Cards of this type keep other characters from being challenged, stepping out in front to shield them. But as anyone who’s seen the Toy Story movies knows, Rex isn’t always the most courageous dinosaur.

“I love the story of this card because he's so fearsome in the art, but what he does in the game is [run away]...This is a great example of combining the character [lore] with a fun card,” Ryan Miller

Kim adds that Rex’s card also features Woody and Buzz glimmers in the background, protected by their fearsome Bodyguard. Like Hamm, Rex is an Amber card, and the shape language of vines and flowers ties it together with other cards of that Ink. These intricacies are part of what fans love about the Disney Lorcana TCG, and there are always new Easter Eggs like that to be found when you look closely.

What’s Exciting About These Two New Game Cards

The collaboration with Pixar has been in the works for years, says Miller, so “to finally see these plans come to fruition and see these wonderful cards is just super exciting.” He’s happy to share Hamm’s unique abilities that bring a new angle to the game with Disney Lorcana TCG fans. And, he thinks fans will like how Rex’s fun backstory ties his behavior directly to what the card does in play.

Miller also mentions that, if you’re lucky, you may come across the Epic version of Rex. Epic Rarity game cards were introduced in Fabled (the 9th set), and while gameplay with Epic Rex is the same, the card’s unique design, with no black border, makes it stand out. He jokes that it’s “so shiny that in the right lighting it can actually give you an advantage, because it'll force your opponent to turn away.”

How The Toy Story Franchise Served As Inspiration For Wilds Unknown

With all the moving parts involved, creating a new set of Disney Lorcana TCG cards takes a lot of time and care. But when possible, the team likes to align releases with major Disney and Pixar premieres. Luckily, the release of Disney and Pixar’s Toy Story 5 in theaters on June 19 lines up nicely with the release of the Wilds Unknown set.

Kim echoes that fans have been anticipating glimmers from Pixar Animation Studios arriving in the realm of Lorcana. One thing she loves in particular is how the game lets them spotlight some more niche characters.

“What we love, too, about Toy Story is that people have been anticipating Pixar coming to Disney Lorcana. So for Toy Story, there’s actually going to be quite a few deep cuts in here,” Naomi Kim

The Disney Lorcana TCG Community

One of the hallmarks of the game is its welcoming and rapidly growing community of players worldwide. Disney Lorcana TCG events are designed to bring people together who are seasoned players and new to the game. At one particular event, Miller recalls…

“Our Lorcana fans were super sweet and helpful to new Illumineers [Lorcana fans]. They were helping them because part of the event was you got a quest…You’d have to work with other guests to complete your quest and then you got a foil card if you did that. We saw so many Lorcana fans come out and show up for the new Illumineers, help them trade, and explain what this is,” Ryan Miller

Miller credits the fans with making the Disney Lorcana TCG what it is today. At in-person events around the world, he’s found a community that consistently shows up with enthusiasm, kindness, and openness.

“I’ve been doing this for 25 years and this is hands-down the friendliest, most-welcoming, wonderful community I’ve ever had the honor of being a part of,” Ryan Miller

More Disney Lorcana TCG FAQs

When did the Disney Lorcana TCG come out?

The first set, titled The First Chapter, launched in August 2023 and included 216 unique game cards.

How can you play the Disney Lorcana TCG?

The basics of the game are easy to learn, and the Disney Lorcana TCG website has put together a set of handy videos to help you get started. Once you know the basics, the possibilities are endless. Different card types introduce new gameplay options, and more advanced strategies open up as you get to know the game better.

What are the Disney Lorcana TCG rules?

The Disney Lorcana TCG website offers a bunch of helpful resources for learning the game, including a quick-start rulebook that can be downloaded at the bottom of this page.

How many cards are in a Disney Lorcana TCG deck? 

To play the Core Constructed format of the game, you need a deck of at least 60 game cards from the most recently released sets. But if fans want to open Booster packs and play right away, the Pack Rush format is a great way to get started with your friends.

Where can you buy Disney Lorcana TCG cards? 

You can purchase varied selections of Lorcana items from the Disney Store, on the Ravensburger website, and online from major retailers.

Should beginners start with a Disney Lorcana TCG starter deck?

Grabbing a few booster packs from the latest set is a great first step to take on your Disney Lorcana TCG journey. The Rex and Hamm cards above are in Wilds Unknown and fans might open one of them or some of the other exciting cards in the set when they are available for prerelease on May 8. And for fans looking to jumpstart their Disney Lorcana TCG experience, the Collection Starter Set: Stitch Edition is a great way to show off your favorite TCG cards.

Where can you play the Disney Lorcana TCG in person?

The game can be played anywhere. All you need is a deck and a worthy opponent. Be part of the fast-growing movement and challenge a friend or family member to a match. Or, find someone new to play with at an official Lorcana TCG event, including group meet-ups,  one-off events, and tournaments. Listings can be filtered by things like location, date, and gameplay format.