The Weekly Wave

Welcome back to Inked Gaming’s Weekly Wave! Let’s see what news, updates, and announcements have risen to the surface this week!

Welcome, Sir Sei, Knight of the Ocean!

We have a new buddy for you to go into battle with…and they’re ready for any adventure! Sir Sei, Knight of the Ocean is the latest plushie to join the Inked Gaming family, which includes our very own mascot, Kai! Just like Kai, Sir Sei is a premium plushie that’s been specially crafted with quality and care. 

Sir Sei has been swimming around our drawing board for a while, so we thought it was about time to bring them to life for all of our fellow gamers to enjoy. And they came out even better than we imagined! 

We agree, this is probably the cutest knight we’ve ever seen! The plushie itself stands 8” inches tall, is made from super-soft fabric, and has tight stitching that makes it even more sturdy than most. Whether the war is going down on your battlestation or on another battlefield, Sir Sei will be there to have your back. 

With that said, we also want to remind you that our plushie supply is extremely limited, and we’re expecting a lot of demand for this knight in plushie armor. So, if this is the kind of brave little buddy that you (or another gamer) have been searching for, click HERE and add Sir Sei to your cart ASAP! 

Mickey Mantle knocks the record out of the park…again!

Last month, a story popped up about a super rare Topps 1952 Mickey Mantle card that was set to step up to the auction block, with the hopes of regaining the title of MVC (Most Valuable Card). In case you didn’t know or didn’t read our blog post, another 1952 Mickey Mantle sold for a record-breaking amount of $5.2 million dollars last year. That record would be overtaken by Honus Wagner’s T206 SGC 3 card, which sold for over $6 million in 2021 and $7 million just last month. So, it’s fair to say that The Mick’s card was looking already looking at a full count by the time it went to auction.

In true Mickey Mantle fashion, this rare Topps treasure swung for the fences and hit a homer that has now set a new record for all to chase. This particular card was given a grade of 9.5 from SGC, which means it’s in Mint+ condition. “This card is arguably the finest-condition example of the most iconic post-war card in the world,” said Heritage's director of sports auctions, Chris Ivy. So, when the gavel finally came down on August 27th, after almost a month on the block, there was no real surprise when the card sold for a whopping $12.6 million!

Here’s another look at the actual card:

Not bad for a card that was found in an attic, huh? Like we always say, treasure comes in many forms and can be hidden in the most unlikely places, all you have to do is go looking for it. That’s what the card’s original owner, a trucker from Boston named Ted Lodge, did when he inherited his father’s old house back in 1986. Since then, this card has been surrounded by controversy. It was sold, bought, sold, and bought again until it reached its most recent owner, who decided to finally put it up for auction after owning it for close to three decades. 

Heritage director Chris Ivy was also quoted saying, “That grade, plus the fact it has documented provenance from the most storied find in hobby history, puts this card in a category of its own.” We couldn’t agree more!

Congratulations to this card's new owner. Take care of the Mick…and he will take care of you!

Disney plans to launch a new TCG in 2023

Well, it looks like MTG and Pokémon might have some more competition come next year, this time from the most magical place on earth: Disney! Yes, according to a recent press release put out by Ravensburger earlier this week, the wheels are in motion to roll out a new Disney TCG, which they’re calling Disney Lorcana. Together, Disney and Ravensburger have set out to create a game that players will put towards the top of their list among the other notable TCGs out there. 

It’s still too early to really get all the details, but Ravensburger has let it be known that they plan on making this project a step up from the previous games that they’ve worked on for Disney in the past. From what’s been said and teased so far, many expect Lorcana to be more of a MTG-style game with Disney characters at the helm, which could be cool…if it’s done right. So, instead of Teferi, Nicol Bolas, and Liliana, we can expect Mickey, Jafar, Ariel, and even some Star Wars and Marvel characters as well. Having so many franchises under their umbrella makes the possibilities endless.

One solid nugget of info that we’ve been given so far is that Lorcana is set to take place in a world that Ravensburger calls ‘The Great Illuminary’. There, players assume the role of Illumineers, who are sorcerers with the power to bring different Disney characters (good and bad) together to do battle. Again, a lot of the particulars are still being kept under wraps. However, we can expect some big reveals, in terms of characters, cards, and gameplay, in Anaheim, CA next weekend (September 9 –11), at this year’s D23 expo. Hopefully, a lot of our burning questions will be answered there.

Ravensburger plans to roll out the first sets for Disney Lorcana in 2023 and is confident that it will be just as enjoyable as the other popular TCG titles that have been at the top of the charts for so long. Again, if they do it right and give gamers what they want, and maybe what those other games lack, Ravensburger and Disney might have a chance of reaching their goal. We’ll see! 

That’s all for now! Stay tuned for our next edition of The Weekly Wave for more fun stories and updates!

Sincerely,

Inked Gaming