Disney Lorcana studio slams allegations of ‘stolen’ TCG as “baseless claims”
“We look forward to proving this in due time.”
The studio behind Disney Lorcana, Ravensburger, has responded to the allegations levied against it by Upper Deck Entertainment that it “stole and copied” the upcoming TCG.
The allegations were first made earlier this week, after Upper Deck – the publisher best-known for the Legendary series of deckbuilding games – confirmed that the company would be suing both Ravensburger and Lorcana co-designer Ryan Miller on the grounds of allegedly “stealing and copying” an original trading card game.
Upper Deck additionally claimed that Ravensburger reportedly “seeks to profit from stolen property” owned by Upper Deck. Upper Deck alleged that Miller and Ravensburger “repackaged” the original TCG to become Disney Lorcana, the upcoming trading card game featuring various characters and references from throughout Disney animated history.
According to Upper Deck’s complete lawsuit, Miller had originally worked with the company on a brand-new TCG called Rush of Ikorr, after the designer had attended a “gaming summit” where he signed a “Summit Agreement”. The agreement allegedly signed by Miller ensured that Upper Deck “would own and hold all rights to use” whatever was created through the summit, as well as require “confidentiality” from the designer “even after termination or satisfaction of the contract”.
Miller reportedly terminated his contract in late 2021, having worked on Ikorr since 2019. Upper Deck alleges that Miller “maintained access” to “confidential, proprietary information” about Ikorr, with the studio claiming that “Ravensburger induced and intended for Miller to breach his obligations so it could capitalise on Miller’s knowledge […] of Ikorr so he could make a near-identical game for it”.
The complaint highlighted the alleged similarities between Rush of Ikorr and Disney Lorcana, including their apparent shared inkwell/influence zone and questing/raiding gameplay mechanics.
Upper Deck is expecting Ravensburger and Miller to provide “general and special damages”, as well as “punitive damages” intended to “deter others from engaging in similar misconduct”, should the court rule in its favour. The company also seeks to prevent Ravensburger from “publicly releasing Lorcana”, due to launch this August.
In a statement provided to Dicebreaker, Ravensburger North America’s senior communications director Lisa Krueger responded:
“We at Ravensburger stand behind the integrity of our team and the originality of our products. The baseless claims filed this week are entirely without merit, and we look forward to proving this in due time.
“In the meantime, our focus continues to be on developing and launching a fantastic game in August.”