I don't do trading card games, but I've read enough buzz about Lorcana to understand that it's release is a big deal.

And that's what caught my attention about this news:

• Press release: Upper Deck Sues Ravensburger Over Stolen Game
  
• Toybook.com: Scuffle in the game aisle: Upper Deck sues Ravensburger over Disney Lorcana card game
  
• Gizmodo: Upper Deck Sues Ravensburger Over Allegedly Stolen Disney Game
  

"Miller, who once worked on Magic: The Gathering and Digimon, was previously engaged on a work-for-hire basis with Upper Deck to develop “a major proprietary trading card game for called Rush of Ikorr.” The complaint alleges that Miller terminated his contract with Upper Deck and took the unfinished Rush of Ikorr to Ravensburger where it was developed into Disney Lorcana."

But at the same time, Upper Deck is fighting for what it says is it's IP and, as the Toyobook  article above states, they're looking for a court order to stop the public release. 

I don't know how things will turn out. But I wanted to post this to inform people. 

Yeah this is fascinating, and finding out a former Upper Deck designer designed Lorcana has me immediately thinking this may be exactly as it appears.  Could see a settlement since it is not like Disney is going to agree to not make the game

There's the crazy part: Disney is only ever mentioned in the suit as a licensee. Upper Deck is taking square aim at Ravensburger alone.

But, there's no denying that Disney has a big stake in this. It's in their name, after all. 

So the interesting questions are: Do they get involved? Do they press for a settlement? Or do they let Ravensburger handle it alone? I just have no idea. 

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The legal dispute between Upper Deck and Ravensburger over Disney Lorcana is indeed a significant development in the trading card game world. It's crucial to let the legal process unfold and respect intellectual property rights. The outcome may impact Disney's plans and the Gen Con event, but a fair resolution is essential for the industry's integrity.
 

Disney keeping its distance while Ravensburger handles the case. But it also raises a bigger question: How much of a game's mechanics can be "owned" legally? Mechanics in TCGs, like deck-building strategies or resource management, often resemble other games. It reminds me of blackjack - where strategy and probability calculations define optimal play, but casinos can’t "own" the concept of counting cards. This actually came to mind because I’ve studied blackjack strategies a bit on this site, and the same principle applies - casinos can adjust rules to discourage counting cards, but they can’t legally claim ownership over the mathematical approach itself. Could Upper Deck really claim ownership over fundamental game mechanics, or are they just going after unique design elements?