Credit: Blizzard Entertainment/Upper Deck
- Upper Deck has signed a multi-year deal to make trading cards and other collectible items based on Activision Blizzard’s Overwatch League.
- The company’s e-Pack platform lets fans collect and trade digital cards, as well as order physical versions of owned cards at any time.
- This is the first esports partnership for Upper Deck, which has worked with many traditional sports leagues and entertainment brands.
Activision Blizzard 
has agreed to a deal to allow The Upper Deck Company to produce trading cards and other licensed collectible items based on the Overwatch League (OWL).
The multi-year deal was announced today, and includes trading cards available via Upper Deck’s digital e-Pack platform. The e-Pack experience lets users buy and open packs, as well as trade cards with other users. It also upon Upper Deck’s heritage as a maker of paper trading cards by letting users order physical versions of the digital cards they own.
The first set of Overwatch League cards will release on June 19 via Upper Deck’s e-Pack website, and focuses on players and teams from 2018’s debut season. The 125-card base set will also feature autographed cards, as well as cards that show game-worn jerseys and gaming equipment used during OWL matches. Attendees of this week’s Overwatch League All-Star Game will receive limited-edition pre-release promo packs.
Beyond trading cards, the deal also includes collectible items such as stickers and sticker books, as well as prints, posters, and other memorabilia. Founded in 1988, Upper Deck has produced cards and collectibles based on traditional sports leagues such as the National Football League and Major League Baseball, as well as entertainment properties such as Marvel and Yu-Gi-Oh!
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“We are very excited to collaborate with the Overwatch League for our first esports deal and to deliver new and innovative products to Overwatch League fans everywhere,” said Upper Deck president Jason Masherah, in a release. “This is a great way to celebrate Upper Deck’s 30th anniversary, and we look forward to working with the talented team at Activision Blizzard for many years to come.”
Earlier this year, fellow traditional trading card brand Panini signed a one-year deal with Complexity Gaming
to produce trading cards and posters. Additionally, startup company Epics.gg sells digital trading cards based on Counter-Strike: Global Offensive esports and has licensing partnerships with more than 20 teams.
