Topps will be launching the physical version of the card game included with SOE's family-friendly MMORPG this Spring with a Passport to Free Realms Starter Pack bursting with in-game goodies, along with 11-card boosters, each containing a card redeemable for in-game items.

“Our online trading card games have been hugely successful, and the chance to take our digital trading cards into the physical world with an industry leader like Topps is a fantastic opportunity for us as a company,” said John Smedley, President of Sony Online Entertainment.

Could this mean a physical version of the Everquest card-game Legends of Norrath won't be far behind? Hit the jump for the full press release, along with some rather fanciful card artwork.

SONY ONLINE ENTERTAINMENT AND THE TOPPS COMPANY ANNOUNCE FREE REALMS TRADING CARD GAME

Play Around The Block Or Around The World With Physical and Digital Free Realms Trading Cards!

DENVER – Nov. 24, 2008 – Sony Online Entertainment LLC (SOE) and The Topps Company announced an exclusive long-term licensing agreement allowing Topps to create a physical trading card game based on SOE’s upcoming and highly-anticipated online game Free Realms™. The physical trading card game complements the digital trading card game playable within Free Realms, allowing players to enjoy the game in front of their computer and around the world.

“Our online trading card games have been hugely successful, and the chance to take our digital trading cards into the physical world with an industry leader like Topps is a fantastic opportunity for us as a company,” said John Smedley, President of Sony Online Entertainment.

In October 2007, Michael Eisner’s The Tornante Company and Madison Dearborn Partners, LLC. acquired The Topps Company, Inc, a leading creator and marketer of distinctive confectionery items and sports and entertainment cards for well over 50 years.

“As Topps continues to evolve into an entertainment media company, building bridges between offline and online experiences, we are thrilled to have the opportunity to partner with Sony Online Entertainment on Free Realms, a company that understands the relevance of cross-platform entertainment and is always on the cutting edge of online and digital media development,” said Michael Eisner.

The digital version of the Free Realms Trading Card Game launches simultaneously with the launch of the Free Realms online game, while the Topps products will be available in Spring 2009. Topps will offer an exclusive Passport to Free Realms Starter Pack jam-packed with Free Realms physical and digital loot (price TBD), as well as 11-card booster packs ($3.99 SRP each), featuring a loot card in every pack, wherever Topps entertainment products are sold.

Developed at Sony Online Entertainment’s Denver studio, the Free Realms Trading Card Game integrates the trading card game format with the exciting world of the Free Realms online game. Players can buy cards, build decks, collect, trade and battle with friends and even quest through Free Realms virtual matches in the online game or by purchasing physical packs of game cards!

The Free Realms Trading Card Game features:

Exciting Gameplay: The Free Realms Trading Card Game brings the rich and exciting world of Free Realms to the familiar trading card game format.

Physical and Digital Cards: Explore the world of Free Realms with beautifully-illustrated cards that add a whole new level of wonder! Over 200 cards are expected to be available by the time the physical game launches in the spring, with more planned in successive releases.

Online or Offline Gameplay: With both a digital and physical version of the Free Realms Trading Card Game, players may participate in whatever way suits them, making it possible to adventure and enjoy Free Realms anywhere, anytime!

Loot In Every Pack: Every Free Realms Trading Card Game pack features a loot card that is redeemable for fantastic Free Realms virtual items like exclusive pets, clothing, race car enhancements, wands, house items, special character effects, and more!

For more information, visit the official Free Realms Trading Card Game site at http://www.freerealms.com/tradingcardgame.

“We look forward to reaching out to an array of players of all ages and sharing the excitement of the group-oriented role playing card game, Blue Dragon. It is our expectation that the character designs of esteemed creator Akira Toriyama, combined with the unique game play of Blue Dragon, will create countless new fans within the card game community."

Make no mistake, Blue Dragon was an extremely proficient, well-crafted RPG. It just happens to also be so by-the-book and boring that even writing about a CCG based off of the game is putting me to sleep.

VIZ Media Licenses BLUE DRAGON Trading Card Game Rights To Konami Digital Entertainment, Inc. For North America

San Francisco, CA, June 18, 2008 – VIZ Media, LLC (VIZ Media), one of the entertainment industry's most innovative and comprehensive publishing, animation and licensing companies, and Konami Digital Entertainment, Inc. (KDE), a leading publisher of mass market video games and manufacturer of trading card games (TCG), today announced that KDE will exclusively manufacture and distribute the BLUE DRAGON Trading Card Game and Trading Card Game Accessories in North America. The agreement further extends the scope and popularity of the BLUE DRAGON franchise. VIZ Media is the master North American licensor for the television, home video and non-video game merchandising rights for BLUE DRAGON.

The BLUE DRAGON animation is based on the Xbox 360 video game Blue Dragon, developed by Hironobu Sakaguchi, the creator of “Final Fantasy”, and featuring character designs by Akira Toriyama, the creator of the best-selling DRAGON BALL series of manga (which is published in North America by VIZ Media and featured in SHONEN JUMP Magazine). The new trading card game is also based on the Xbox 360 video game.

The animated series debuted in Japan on TV Tokyo on April 7, 2007 and is produced by Studio Pierrot, which is well known for its work on NARUTO and BLEACH, also licensed by VIZ Media. The highly anticipated BLUE DRAGON animated series, rated TV Y7FV, debuted across the United States on Cartoon Network on Saturday, April 5, 2008 and now airs regularly at 9 a.m. on Saturday mornings.
The BLUE DRAGON video game and animated series is a classic adventure story of magical Shadow powers, flying air fortresses, and unbounded heroism! Brought together by fate, Seven Soldiers of Light must awaken the Shadow within themselves in time to overcome a despotic power and bring peace to their land. Their ensuing journey through a rich fantasy world is also an internal journey to awaken the great power within each of them. Journey with them into the world of BLUE DRAGON!

“Konami Digital Entertainment, Inc. welcomes the opportunity to further build the popularity of the BLUE DRAGON franchise with this licensing agreement with VIZ Media and is thrilled to have the opportunity to work on its first ever role playing card game with a dynamically advancing game mechanic,” said Yumi Hoashi, Vice President, KDE’s Card Division. “We look forward to reaching out to an array of players of all ages and sharing the excitement of the group-oriented role playing card game, Blue Dragon. It is our expectation that the character designs of esteemed creator Akira Toriyama, combined with the unique game play of Blue Dragon, will create countless new fans within the card game community."

Konami Digital Entertainment, Inc. is a leading developer, publisher and manufacturer of card and electronic entertainment properties. The most notable of KDE’s card genre is the wildly popular Yu-Gi-Oh! trading card game, which is welcoming its 10th anniversary this year. In addition to Yu-Gi-Oh!, KDE’s other titles, although released only in Japan, include such hits as The Prince of Tennis, D. Gray-man, MÄR, Eyeshield 21 and more.

“The creative forces behind BLUE DRAGON include some of the most notable talents from the worlds of gaming, animation and manga/graphic novels,” says David Rewalt, Senior Director - Licensing and Retail Development, VIZ Media. “The continued development of BLUE DRAGON from a video game to an animated series and now a Trading Card Game demonstrates the successful convergence of all these entertainment and media genres. With established legacies in these arenas, VIZ Media and KDE will continue to develop the BLUE DRAGON brand through a variety of innovative and fun products.”