The Star Wars Customizable Card Game was first released in December 1995 by a company called Decipher, Inc. Over the next six years, the game’s following grew, and with a player base of over 40,000 strong, it became the second most popular trading card game in the world after Magic: The Gathering.
In 1999, to coincide with the release of the first Star Wars Prequel movie, The Phantom Menace, Decipher released the Young Jedi Collectible Card Game. Young Jedi used a simpler game mechanic and was targeted at younger audiences, starting at age 6.
In April 2001, Decipher released the Jedi Knights The Card Game, which used original 3D generated images.
In December 2001, Decipher announced that it had been unable to extend its license with Lucasfilm, Ltd. to produce the game.
Unable to continue to produce, market, or support its Star Wars games it had made, Decipher created a volunteer committee to carry the banner of the Star Wars games forward. The group was named: The Players Committee. The Players Committee was given control and oversight of the games, including the championship tournament season, and was also afforded the ability to create new cards for the games, although with a number of restrictions:
The Players Committee maintains the competitive scene by organizing local, state, regional, and world tournaments. With the cooperation of Decipher and Lucasfilm Ltd., the Players Committee has been releasing new cards to the playing community since 2002. These new cards come in the form of new game text boxes (and sometimes new card names and frames), which can be printed out and placed over existing cards, giving that card a new name and new capabilities. Since 2001, the Players Committee has been guiding Star Wars CCG to great success, releasing multiple expansion sets per year and maintaining a vibrant competitive scene with a loyal playing community.
Although originally printed as a for-profit venture by a business, the Star Wars CCG community, under the leadership of the Players Committee, has now turned the game into a friendly, open and welcoming group designed at fostering relationships and growing the game and spreading Star Wars lore. Without the goal in mind of selling newer cards, the Players Committee is able to develop and manage the game in a unique manner, prioritizing gameplay over collectibility.
Due to this evolving sense of community as a priority, the Players Committee has even been incorporated as a 501(c)(3) charitable organization, with the goal of continuing the history, passion, and friendly nature of the Star Wars Customizable Card Game. (You can donate to the cause here). Players from around the world frequently gather together to play one another and share their stories and experiences, while interacting with new people and making new friends over their common bond of Star Wars and Star Wars cards. In fact, in Minnesota, there is even a middle school program designed by Mark Walseth, an 8th grade social studies teacher, who uses the Star Wars CCG as a great way to teach his students game theory, math, critical (and creative) thinking, sportsmanship, fair play, and a sense of community – all lessons that extend beyond a simple card game. And this is all achieved by two people sitting across from one another playing a game about characters and scenes we are all familiar with and can relate to.
EIN#: 80-0834739