My Gundam Battle Royale Release Event Experience

This past weekend, I attended a Gundam Battle Royale Release Event, and I loved it. The event also serves as an introduction to the new EB01 Eternal Nexus and ST10 Generation Pulse products, and it is exactly the kind of messy pre-release format that makes a new set fun to try.

You are not just thinking about your own board or one opponent’s next turn. You are looking at a whole table, with two more players also trying to survive, make deals, break deals, and win a very nice promo Resource.

The format was way easier to get into than I expected. Each player gets one ST10 Starter Deck, four EB01 packs, and 30 minutes to build a 50-card deck. With no color restrictions, you can get weird with the combinations. Try Unit + Pilot pairings you would probably never use in Standard, or just play cards because you like them. It is a laid-back event, so you might as well enjoy the chaos.

I personally hadn't played Gundam in person for several months, so the inviting nature of the event helped with the little bit of awkwardness that comes with going to a new place and sitting down across from people you don’t really know. With three other players at the table and a relaxed atmosphere, we were mostly joking around, talking about Gundam in general, and, of course, talking about the cards themselves.

I know the chibi-style look will not be for everyone, especially compared to the sharper art style of the main sets. But as a fan of the SD Gundam G Generation Eternal mobile game, I loved seeing the same units, characters, and icons that have been on my phone for months finally show up in physical card form.

That is why Command cards like Modification, SP Conversion Chips, and Fierce Enemy Assault had me saying “nice” while other people were asking why I was so excited. Fair question.

As for my pulls, my chase card, Gundam Exia (EX), unfortunately did not come home. Instead, I pulled cards like Psycho Haro (EX), Strike Freedom Gundam (EX) (three of them, somehow), and some less flashy cards like Gundam Plutone, whose Breach 2 caused absolute mayhem at the table.

Hopefully, this kind of event is not a one-time thing. I do not expect Battle Royale to be anywhere near as popular as Standard, but having a casual multiplayer space with actual card support is a great way to make the game feel different for a night. Sometimes it is nice to stop thinking about the meta, open a few packs, play weird cards, and let the table become a little messy