I just discovered the Call of Cthulhu card game and I really want to play it. It’s what Fantasy Flight games calls an LCG or Living Card Game. Once upon a time I played Magic: the Gathering which is a CCG (Collectible Card Game). The CCG aspect kind of turned me off since people with more money could buy more blind packs and have a better shot at getting better cards. The LCG model is different as described by Gaming Report.com:
Joyce Greenholdt Reports: Fantasy Flight Games has announced a new sales model for its A Game of Thrones and Call of Cthulhu collectible card games. Both games will fall under the new banner of the “Living Card Game,” or LCG. The LCG format will feature starter boxes with a large assortment of cards. Rather than traditional random blind booster pack releases three or four times per year, an LCG will have monthly releases all year round. Every month, FFG will produce a new pack containing 40 fixed cards for $9.95 – one each of
10 cards, and three each of another 10 – allowing the game to grow and evolve, yet letting new players easily join in down the line.
That article from February 2008 mentions the starter box at $30 and the monthly expansion packs at $10 but when I checked the publisher’s web site the boxed set is now going for $40 (but the packs are still only $10). I really like the idea of everyone getting the same cards yet still being able to buy more cards all the time to keep the game fresh. I’ve been a big Lovecraft fan for a long time but haven’t had a chance to play the RPG; the board game is expensive and even with a couple of expansions out there I don’t know if I know enough people to keep playing it. With the LCG all I really need is one person to duel with and I might be set.
