First Digimon TCG promo pack teased, card effects revealed in livestream & Memory Gauge explained

An older and younger brother play the 2020 Digimon card game in Bandai's concept trailer.

In a livestream aired at 3 AM Pacific Standard Time, Bandai Namco revealed several upcoming promotional cards for the 2020 Digimon Card Game, and also showed a 2020 concept trailer for the entire Digimon franchise that revealed two more Digimon effects from the upcoming TCG. Bandai also opened an official Digimon Card Game Twitter account shortly before the livestream aired, where it gave us our first look at the product packaging for the Starter Decks "Gaia Red," "Cocytus Blue," and "Heaven's Yellow." The header for the Twitter account--which also appears as the illustration for the game's first promo pack--suggests V-mon, Liollmon, Kokuwamon, Betamon, Tentomon, Dracomon, Plotmon, Goblimon, Pico Devimon, Patamon, and Guilmon, are all coming to the card game.

The header for the official Twitter account.

The Starter Decks are on-schedule to launch in April at 500 yen per deck. The packaging states that the game is for ages 9-and-up, which is noticeably higher than the current standard for TCGs: Yu-Gi-Oh!, Pokémon, Buddyfight, and Cardfight!! Vanguard are all recommended for children 6-and-up.

New card reveals

Metal Garurumon
Level 6/Data/Cyborg
11000 DP
Entry Cost 12, Evolution Cost 4 (From Level 5)
Effect unknown.

Angemon
Level 4/Vaccine/Angel
4000 DP
Entry Cost 5, Evolution Cost 2 (From Level 3)
Effect unknown.

Gabumon
Level 3/Data/Reptile
Entry Cost 3 Evolution Cost 0 (From Level 2)
2000 DP
[Attacking] When it attacks a Digimon, [illegible] 1 of that Digimon's Evolution Sources.

Leomon
Level 4/Data/Beast Man
Entry Cost 5 Evolution Cost 3 (From Level 3)
5000 DP
[When destroyed] Summon 1 Child-level Digimon from this Digimon's Evolution Sources without paying the Cost.

Note that this is the first instance of "Summon" (召喚 shoukan) appearing in effect text.
Promotion Pack ver. 0.0 cards

These cards will appear in promotional pack ver 0.0, which are not for sale and will be distributed to "various places." Fans are encouraged to check the official site and Twitter account for more information at a later date.

The promo packs will most likely be given out as participation prizes at hobby shops that host 2020 Digimon Card Game tournaments, as an incentive for players to participate; this is how Bandai and other manufacturers have done similar promo packs in the past. Several of these cards are partially obscured or at too low a resolution to make out distinct kanji, thus the effects below are incomplete.

Piyomon
Level 3/Vaccine
Entry Cost 3 Evolution Cost 0 (From Level 2)
2000 DP
[illegible] ...destroys your opponent's Digimon... [illegible] ...draw a card).

Gomamon
Level 3/Vaccine
Entry Cost 4 Evolution Cost 0 (From Level 2)
2000 DP
[When it attacks] (Once per turn) Your opponent's Digimon's Evolution Source... [illegible] ...gets Memory +1

Tailmon
Level 4
Entry Cost 4 Evolution Cost 2 (From Level 3)
4000 DP
[illegible] Look at 3 cards from the top of your Security, return (?) as many cards as you like to the top of your Security in any order, and put the rest on the bottom.

The Security mechanic is also mentioned in War Greymon's effect text.

Agumon
Level 3
Entry Cost 5 Evolution Cost 0 (From Level 2)
3000 DP
[When it Enters] Destroy 1 of your opponent's 3000 DP or less Digimon.

Gabumon
Level 3/Data
Entry Cost 4 Evolution Cost 0 (From Level 2)
3000 DP
[On-Entry] 1 of your opponent's Digimon's Evolution Sources, [illegible] from the bottom.

Patamon
Level 3/Vaccine/Mammal
Entry Cost 4 Evolution Cost 0 (From Level 2)
2000 DP
[illegible] When... [illegible] 1 or less of your Security, [Recovery 1... [illegible] ...1 card from the top of your deck to the top of your Security.)

Livestream content

During the official Digimon livestream Bandai representative Goto-san described the TCG as "a game where both kids and adults can enjoy battling and collecting," and presented several slides clarifying elements of the game. Digimon begin as a "Baby" level card that features a Digitama, Baby I, and Baby II Digimon in a single illustration, which is considered Level 2. They then evolve to Child, Adult, Perfect, and Ultimate, with cards being overlayed on top of one another so that the colored text of each card is visible beneath it. Level 2 Digimon can also have inheritable effects like higher-level ones, but the example card was not legible.

Metal Greymon
Level 5/Vaccine/Cyborg
Entry Cost 7 Evolution Cost 3 (From Level 4)
[When it attacks] [Once per turn] When this Digimon destroys your opponent's Digimon by battle, put this Digimon in the Active state.

Greymon
Level 4/Vaccine/Dinosaur
Entry Cost 5 Evolution Cost 2 (From Level 3)
4000 DP
[Security Attack +1] (When this Digimon attacks Security, increase the number of cards it flips over by +1)

"You can send out your favorite Digimon right from the first turn!?
Your opponent's marker moves proportionate to the cost paid.
Exceed 1 and it's your opponent's turn.
Enjoy simple, innovative & dynamic battles."

Goto also gave a brief explanation clarifying the Memory Gauge system. Players can actually play Digimon of any level right from the first turn of the game, but this will move the Memory Gauge toward the opponent equal to the Digimon's Entry Cost, and if it surpasses the "1" mark it ends the current turn. This means that you could theoretically play a Level 6 Digimon like War Greymon right on the first turn of the game--but you would be giving the opponent a massive amount of Memory to spend, so they would be able to play even more Digimon than you without their turn ending.

The stream also partially revealed the Starter Deck print of Gabumon, which has a different effect from both the promotional card and the version seen in the trailer. Agumon is unchanged from the website version, and Patamon's text is illegible save for the fact that it happens when it attacks and modifies the opponent's DP. The cards are illustrated by Watanabe Kenji and As'maria, two of the franchise's longest-serving artists.

Gabumon
Level 3
Entry Cost 3 Evolution Cost 0 (From Level 2)
2000 DP
[During your turn] (Once per turn): When your opponent's Digimon's Evolution Source is [illegible] until end of turn, this Digimon's DP gets +1000.

At this point, it appears Digimon cards can have two kinds of effects: those written in the colored effect boxes at the bottom of a card, and those in transparent boxes imposed over the artwork. Only colored effects appear to be inherited by evolutions, which is how Metal Greymon and War Greymon were portrayed on the official site, as well as Leomon and Gabumon in the new trailer.

For example, the promo print of Agumon has a transparent box effect that destroys an opponent's 3000 or less DP Digimon when it enters play, while the standard Agumon's colored effect gives it +1000 DP during its owner's turn. The former is the kind of effect a game designer wouldn't want players getting to recycle all the time, while the latter is much more balanced as an inheritable ability. Some of the effects already allow powerful combinations; combining the entire Starter Deck War Greymon line together creates a Digimon with 13000 DP that can break 4 Security in one attack while also destroying an opponent's Digimon by battle.

Original Digimon World Staff to Appear in 1/21/16 Reunion Livestream

January 14th, 2016. The @Digimon_games Twitter announced today that a prelaunch stream for Digimon World -next 0rder- will take place on the 21st through NicoNico Live. The doors of the "Digimon World Great Reunion" will open at 7:50 AM Japanese Standard Time on the 21st, with the stream commencing at 8:00 PM. Aoi Eir, producer of the game's title theme Accentier, will be appearing as a guest speaker representative of Digimon World's user base, having been a fan of the series since the original PlayStation game.

The original production staff of Digimon World will also appear, presenting the "inside story" (裏話) of the game's production. New information about -next 0rder- will be presented at the stream. The Master of Ceremonies will be Matsuzawa Chiaki, host of the 2015 DigiFes event and the voice of Digimon Adventure tri.'s TV announcer. Other guests are the original Digimon World producer, Shindou Takayuki, its planner Minowa Atsushi, and -next 0rder- producer Fujiwara Yasunori.

Digimon World -next 0rder- will launch in Japan March 17th, 2016, on the PlayStation Vita for 6,980 yen (7,539 JPY after tax). It is the latest entry in the World series, succeeding directly from Re:Digitize Decode on the 3DS, Re:Digitize on the PSP, and World on the PSX. Those that preorder the game will get access to five special DLC Digimon, a remastered copy of the 1999 Digimon World soundtrack, and two original Vita themes, "ver. Nostalgic" and "ver. Dot." Theme ver. Dot features a montage of original Digimon LCD sprites, while theme ver. Nostalgic turns the screen into the layout of a Digital Monster virtual pet.

Dianamon Confirmed for English Cyber Sleuth, Digimon Heroes Worldwide Launch "Soon"

December 1st, 2015. In Bandai Namco US' ongoing Digimon Story: Cyber Sleuth stream, the stream hosts announced that the upcoming Android and iOS translation of Digimon Crusader, Digimon Heroes, will have a worldwide launch "soon." The stream hosts also confirmed presence of Dianamon in the game's roster as a usable Digimon; in the Japanese Cyber Sleuth Dianamon could only be accessed after completing Sayo's DLC quest to defeat the Seven Great Demon Lords, so this may be an indication that the quest has been included for the English edition.

At this time the stream has 943 viewers tuned in. Some of the game's translation choices have come into question, particularly the decision to translate Cherubimon as Kerpymon; prior English-language promotional materials for Cyber Sleuth referred to the Digimon as Cherubimon. On-stream one of the hosts confirmed that the change to Kerpymon was deliberate.

11/20 Adventure tri. Livestream Draws 50,000+ Viewers

Left to right: Mimori "Mimorin" Suzuko (Takenouchi Sora), Enoki Junya (Takaishi Takeru), and Ikeda Junya (Kido Jo).

November 20th, 2015. As a prelude to the Japanese premier of Digimon Adventure tri., Bandai & Toei organized a special livestream hosted by the voices of three of the movie's principle characters, Mimori Suzuko, Enoki Junya, and Ikeda Junya. (Jokingly introduced as "double Junya.") The broadcast, which clocked at about an hour and a half, featured its hosts showing off a number of new products created for tri., announcing new information on Digimon, and participating in activities together. Fans were receptive to the stream, breaking into memetic cries of "JOOOOOOOOO" at any mention of Kido Jo, flooding the screen with his name. A recording of the stream can be viewed below.

The broadcast opened with a survey of the viewers asking how they planned on seeing Digimon Adventure tri. 49.2% of respondents said they would see it at a theater, 13.2% said they would see it through iTunes or PlayStation Video services, 16.2% said they would see it on Blu-ray or DVD, 10.6% said they would see it in a theater and then buy the packaged version, and 10.6% were undecided in where they would see tri.

Mimori Suzuko was as enthusiastic as ever, caught taking selfies of herself with her character's stand, and beginning her tri. gashapon collection on camera with a test run of the newly-released machines--which initially seemed to eat her money, until she realized it was a 300 yen machine and not a 100 yen one.

"Who will it be? Who will it be? Who will be born? Ah, Yamato is born."

Mimori also showed off backstage notebook with well-wishes from several Digimon staff, including Yoshida Hitomi (current voice of Tachikawa Mimi), and Tamura Mutsumi (Izumi Koushirou).

"Wait, this isn't a spoon, this is chocolate!"

The three of them were served each of their characters' corresponding dishes from the currently-running Digimon Adventure tri. Animate Café; Mimori was served a Magical Fire drink with Sora's "Love-filled Tomato Stew," Enoki was served an Air Shot drink with Takeru's "Angel Parfait," and Ikeda was served a Marching Fishes with Jo's "Praying to Pass! Exam Chazuke." Enoki initially mistook the white chocolate wings in the parfait for a spoon, prompting admonishing cries of "Takeru!"

A group speed drawing session with the seiyuu drawing their characters' Digimon partners quickly went awry when it became apparent that both Mimori and Enoki's  skills were lacking; Ikeda accused Mimori of drawing Big Bird instead of Piyomon.

The TGS trailer for Digimon World -next 0rder- was also reviewed during the broadcast, after which a special announcement was made that tamers will be able to get a special Adventure tri. related download in the future, downloading the movie-original Maicoomon into their games.

The first twelve minutes of Reunion were then shown to promote the film, and as the broadcast drew to a close the tone became somewhat more somber. Mimori implored fans to see the film, stating that she had the feeling something amazing had begun. Enoki closed it out with a view of the film's poster, autographed by a combination of the original and new voice cast for the chosen children.

The special livestream drew over 50,000 simultaneous viewers at its peak and just under 80,000 comments, posted live through NicoNico Douga's unique inter-video comment system. Afterward a staggering 88.3% of viewers rated the stream as "Very good" in NND's standard post-stream poll, 8.4% "A little good," 31.8% "Ordinary," 0.4% "Not very good," and 1.1% "Not good." The majority of livestreams never break 80% for "Very good" ratings. A subsequent poll rating Wada Kouji's newest recording of Butter-fly, shown after the stream, was ranked 94.2% "Very good," 3.7% "A little good," 0.9% "Ordinary," 0.3% "Not very good," and 0.9% "Not good." The Butter-fly recording is not included in the video for copyright purposes.

European Cyber Sleuth Release Date, DLC Confirmed for Vita

November 19th, 2015. The European Digimon Story: Cyber Sleuth stream has just confirmed that Cyber Sleuth's European release date will be on February 5th, 2016, three days after its American counterpart. In addition, the stream has also confirmed that the preorder DLC will be available digitally for both the PlayStation 4 and PSVita, as well as on physical copies of the game.

The stream is currently ongoing, and fans can win small Digimon plush toys by tweeting the phrase "I'm watching @BandaiNamcoEU's Digimon Story Cyber Sleuth livestream! http://bnent.eu/twitch  I want to win goodies!" If the stream reaches 1000 or more viewers, a large Agumon plush will be given away. Fans can watch the stream here: http://www.twitch.tv/bandainamcoeurope

Digimon Story: Cyber Sleuth will launch in English on the PlayStation Vita, PSTV, and PlayStation 4 on February 2nd, 2016, in North America, and February 5th, 2016, in Europe.

2:30 PM EST Update: The stream has concluded. The peak viewer count was 583, more than 400 below the target goal. The big Agumon plush will instead be given out at a subsequent Cyber Sleuth stream, held in the months leading up to the game's February release. Stream hosts Issad and Juliet also confirmed that the game's online multiplayer modes will be retained for the western release.

Bandai US Streaming Cyber Sleuth December 1st, Digimon Heroes! News

November 17th, 2015. Bandai Namco US has announced they will be livestreaming the English translation of Digimon Story: Cyber Sleuth on December 1st, 2015. The news comes on the heels of Bandai Namco UK's own stream announcement for November 19th, during which there will be a giveaway of Digimon plush toys. According to Bandai UK, the company will be giving away an Agumon plush toy if they reach one thousand viewers during the stream. The US stream will be held on their Twitch channel from 4 PM to 5 PM Pacific Daylight Time/7 PM to 8 PM Eastern Time.

Bandai US' ad for the American stream also mentions Digimon Heroes!, the English translation of the smartphone game Digimon Crusader, due to launch this fall. Heroes! is currently only available in Australia and Romania, and the ad may point to a final launch date for the United States and other regions being announced during their stream.

The English edition of Digimon Story: Cyber Sleuth will launch in the United States on February 2nd, 2015, on the PlayStation Vita, PSTV, and PlayStation 4. Its Chinese translation will debut in Taiwan later this month, on November 25th, 2015. The international editions of Cyber Sleuth will include new difficulty modes, as well as two new Digimon not found in the Japanese game.

Bandai Giving Away Agumon, Other Plushies at Cyber Sleuth Livestream on the 19th

November 16th, 2015. Bandai Namco UK announced over Twitter that they will be hosting a second Digimon Story: Cyber Sleuth livestream this Thursday, in which they show off the progress of the game's English-language localization. Unlike in the previous stream, this time Bandai Namco will be giving away three Digimon plush toys, featuring Agumon, Gabumon, and Palmon. The stream will take place on their Twitch channel at 7 PM Central European Time/7 AM Eastern Standard Time on November 19th, 2015. The preceding stream drew some concern for its inconsistent and incomplete translation status, but Bandai later assured fans over Twitter that this was not the final script on display.

Digimon Story: Cyber Sleuth will launch in English on the PlayStation Vita, PSTV, and PlayStation 4 on February 2nd, 2016.

11/18/15 Update: The stream has been moved to 6 PM Greenwich Mean Time/1 PM Eastern Standard Time.