In a recent interview, Yang Hye-sung, head of Devsisters’ TCG arm, shared the company’s ambitious plans to dominate the TCG market with Cookie Run: Braves, leveraging their popular Cookie Run IP to expand globally.
Why TCG, and Why Now?
Trading card games are strategy games that use physical cards with unique stats, abilities, and effects. Players compete, trade, and collect cards, making the TCG genre more than just a game—it’s a cultural experience.
Yang explained that TCGs have low manufacturing costs due to their paper-based format, and as production scales up, costs drop even further. Partnering with Asmodée Korea, a prominent board game distributor, Devsisters has streamlined their production and distribution pipeline to make the genre more accessible.
“The TCG culture is evolving,” Yang noted. “It’s no longer just for hardcore players—casual users and collectors are also driving demand. This shift aligns perfectly with the growing appeal of the Cookie Run brand.”
Southeast Asia: A Strategic First Step
Devsisters launched Cookie Run: Braves in Taiwan earlier this year and is rapidly expanding across Southeast Asia, including Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, and the Philippines. These regions already have high awareness of Cookie Run, and the response has been overwhelming.
“In Thailand, Cookie Run: Kingdom is a massive hit. Local distributors have hosted large-scale events, and even before our official launch, users flocked to card shop events,” Yang said. The numbers speak for themselves—70% of pre-sale card products sold out before the official release.
Interestingly, the company has noted an increase in female and younger players, a demographic shift from the traditionally male-dominated TCG audience. Yang highlighted, “Cookie Run’s charm has broadened the appeal of the TCG genre, bringing in new kinds of players.”
Breaking Into the U.S. Market
Looking ahead, Devsisters is eyeing the United States, which accounts for over 25% of the global TCG market. The company plans to launch in the second half of 2025.
“To prepare for this, we’ll participate in the GAMA Expo, a key B2B event for the global TCG and board game industry. This will allow us to showcase Cookie Run: Braves and engage with industry leaders through booths and seminars,” Yang shared.
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