Since its launch in September 2024, ”hololive OFFICIAL CARD GAME” (hereinafter “hOCG”) has been steadily expanding its fan base among hololive and trading card game (TCG) fans. On September 12, 2026, the hands-on event “How-to-Play Workshop for Live Start Decks at hololive BASE on Tour! 2026 Duet Stage!” (hereinafter “How-to-Play Workshop”) was held at AEON Hall in AEON MALL Makuhari New City.
A number of hOCG competitive events have been held so far, including the large-scale official tournament “World Grand Prix,” but this “How-to-Play Workshop”—held as part of the “hololive BASE on Tour! 2026 Duet Stage!” touring seven locations nationwide*—was a lecture-centric event easily accessible for everyone, including those new to TCGs. In this COVERedge article, we bring you a report from the venue, along with feedback from participants.
*In light of safety concerns and other circumstances in the aftermath of the earthquake, certain workshops scheduled to take place at the Kyoto and Fukuoka venues were canceled. We sincerely apologize to everyone who had planned to participate on the affected days.
A Hands-On Opportunity Created for Fans With hOCG Cards, But No Idea How to Play
This report will focus on the How-to-Play Workshop that took place in Chiba (AEON MALL Makuhari New City) for the pop-up event “hololive BASE on Tour! 2026 Duet Stage!”(available in Japanese only) (hereinafter “hololive BASE”), which toured seven locations nationwide (Tokyo, Miyagi, Hokkaido, Aichi, Kyoto, Fukuoka, and Chiba) starting in May 2026.
At hololive BASE, a variety of original merchandise featuring newly drawn illustrations of 14 talents based on the theme “Music Festival” was on sale, along with region-exclusive items, such as glitter keychains available only at the Chiba venue.
The venue was decorated to look like a classroom, featuring a blackboard where fans could write their messages to hololive, as well as life-sized panels showcasing hololive BASE-exclusive illustrations. Additionally, the section for the hololive official smartphone game “hololive Dreams” featured a panel displaying card visuals and autographs handwritten by the talents themselves.
At the How-to-Play Workshop set up in one corner of hololive BASE, staff members in aprons featuring original hOCG illustrations guided visitors, creating a warm atmosphere where even first-time TCG players could feel comfortable playing and talking with other fans.
The workshop was held six times a day, with each session consisting of a 30-minute lecture and a 20-minute match, for a total of 50 minutes. All the participants received a sticker as a keepsake for taking part in the workshop.
A support system was in place so that staff could immediately assist anyone who was stuck on the rules during matches. Additionally, relatively simple “Live Start Decks” were available at the tables to help first-time players understand the game. These decks could also be purchased at the venue’s merchandise shop, creating a seamless experience where participants could buy decks they had become accustomed to, straight after playing.
Staff responsible for planning and operating the event recalled that this workshop was created to offer a casual, hands-on experience for fans who owned hOCG cards but did not know the rules, as well as those interested in hOCG but hesitant to visit card shops or attend hOCG events.
hOCG has grown as a competitive game through tournaments held at card shops across the country, as well as the “WGP 2025 Main Tournament,” hololive’s first major hOCG event, held at Makuhari Messe in January 2025. However, because these tournaments were mainly attended by people with prior experience, fans new to TCGs found it difficult to participate casually. The “How-to-Play Workshop” was designed to bridge the gap between such fans and hOCG.
“Stepping into a World I Know Nothing About”: What Motivated Participants to Join
When we spoke with participants at the venue, many said they owned hOCG cards but had never played the game.
We talked to a married couple visiting from Saitama. The husband, a fan of Hoshimachi Suisei, told us he was collecting hOCG cards as part of his oshikatsu, which got him thinking that “since I’m collecting them, we might as well play the game too.” “I studied the rules on YouTube, but thought it would be difficult to actually play without practice. Then I found out about the How-to-Play Workshop, so I brought my wife today to play our first long-awaited match,” he added.
He said they hadn’t been able to find a hands-on event for beginners that fit their schedule for a while, but were finally able to attend the workshop here in Chiba. When asked how it went, the husband smiled and said, “It was so much fun.”
His wife, on the other hand, said, “I still don’t know much about hololive or hOCG, but I decided to step into a world I know nothing about and join the workshop today.” She also added a positive comment: “There’s so much I don’t understand, from the terms to how to play, but I think it’ll be fun once I understand them a little more.”
A man from Tokyo who is a fan of Juufuutei Raden also said that he had purchased hOCG cards as part of his oshikatsu but had never actually played the game. When asked about his impressions after participating in the workshop, he answered with enthusiasm for the future, saying, “Now that I understand the basics, I’d like to buy more cards little by little to enjoy the game.”
A family from Chiba also shared their story, telling us that the son, father, and mother are fans of Sakura Miko, Hoshimachi Suisei, and Robocosan, respectively, and that this was their first time playing a TCG together.
They said that they became interested in TCGs through the workshop and went on to talk positively about how they gained a little understanding of how to play the card game, and shared, “We enjoyed the workshop.” They also purchased a LIVE START DECK vowing that they were “going to play hOCG together, too,” giving us a glimpse of their warm, close family bond.
Among the friends and families visiting the venue, there were also groups where fans of the hOCG had invited others who had never played it before.
We spoke with a pair of cousins attending the workshop, of which one had experience playing other TCGs, while the other had never played any. The one with prior experience recalled first learning about hOCG when they saw it at an event hosted by Bushiroad, the company responsible for hOCG’s sales and operational support, and they decided to buy some cards because their impression of the illustrations on the cards was so good. The other cousin then told us that they came to the event to buy merchandise of their oshi to add to their collection, with a mild curiosity for hOCG itself.
However, after playing the game at the workshop, the pair discussed its appeal, noting that in addition to being able to use their oshi, the game was relatively easy to play and understand. They shared their feedback after the session, saying, “I think card games have a lot of depth” and “It was easy to play, so I think I’ll play it again.” They mentioned that they did not have many people around them who play TCGs, and added their hope for the future, saying, “If there continue to be meetup events like this, we might want to join.”
They bought keychains and told us, with smiles, that they were going to grab coffee and talk about upcoming events.
A group of four school friends was in a similar boat in that three of them, who were already playing hOCG, had brought another friend who owned hOCG cards but had never played the game before. They told us that they play hOCG after school and share the fun of the game with their classmates.
They explained that they participated in the workshop because they wanted to teach their beginner friends the official rules so that they could play together. It was impressive to see them play in a relaxed, friendly atmosphere while helping each other throughout the session. When asked about their impressions of the workshop, they appeared to have fully enjoyed it, telling us that “the instructions were easy to understand even for beginners,” pledging that they would buy some cards together right after.
According to a survey of participants in the “How-to-Play Workshop” held nationwide*, 68.7% of respondents said it was their first time playing hOCG, the same number said they owned hOCG cards, and 69.6% said they had played card games other than hOCG before.
At the Makuhari New City venue, the subject of this article, the results were similar: 62.5% of respondents said it was their first time playing hOCG, 72.7% said they owned hOCG cards, and 64.8% said they had played card games other than hOCG before. We actually heard many participants at the venue say they owned hOCG cards but had never played the game before.
*Conducted by the hololive OFFICIAL CARD GAME project.
Reaching Fans with No Experience: Behind the Scenes of Creating the Workshop
We spoke with staff managing the “How-to-Play Workshop” about the enthusiastic responses they have received so far and what they focused on when designing the workshop.
Looking back on the workshops held across various venues, they shared their positive impressions: “Since the first workshop at the Seibu Shibuya department store, we have held these workshops at AEON MALLs across the country. As a result, we have seen not only groups of friends but also many parents and their children participating in these events. We definitely feel that we were able to reach people unfamiliar with hololive or hOCG, as well as hololive fans who didn’t know much about the card game side of things.”
They mentioned elementary and junior high school students as particularly memorable participants.
“We have had young girls interested in talent illustrations and cute decorations, to boys who recognized hOCG as a trending TCG coming to our workshops; people in age groups that are traditionally difficult to attract to large-scale or card shop events. Seeing children enjoying hOCG with their parents, siblings, or friends at popular shopping destinations has made me truly believe that this card game can appeal to a really wide audience.”
Staff members also felt that holding the event at large commercial facilities was highly influential in attracting a wide range of people. “As survey results indicated, a large percentage of participants were beginners, giving us confidence that choosing locations other than card shops or card events was the right decision. Seeing many people with hOCG experience inviting novice friends, coming in groups, and playing the game together was another major positive sign rarely seen at large-scale events. By hosting the workshops in familiar shopping malls and allowing people to easily join without an advance lottery, we were able to create an environment where existing fans could casually invite newcomers,” staff explained.
As a feature unique to hololive, they also introduced beginner videos available to watch on the official YouTube channel. “By having our talents appear in these videos, we produce content designed to spark fans’ interest by making them think, ‘TCGs look difficult, but since hOCG features my oshi, I’ll give it a try,’ and eventually turn them into hOCG players,” they said.
They told us, “As a keepsake for taking part in the workshop, we decided to offer a sticker instead of a promotional card because rather than placing our main focus on those with prior experience, we wanted first-time players or beginners who wanted to know how to play hOCG to experience the game as well.”
In fact, many people were seen enjoying the event in groups. “Fans were chatting with one another, and those who had previous experience brought their friends with no experience to play the game together. Precisely because of the shared hololive community, participants were able to have fun in such a warm atmosphere,” the staff shared with satisfaction.
Finally, they shared their aspirations for future initiatives targeting beginners, saying, “Since we feel there is still room to grow, we will continue to explore new ideas so that even more people can enjoy the game in the future.”
The “How-to-Play Workshop” was launched in response to hololive fans who bemoan the fact that they “have hOCG cards but don’t know how to play.” Some participants even shared their hopes for the future, saying, “Attending a tournament is still a little challenging for me, but I hope to join an event like a meetup someday.” This workshop, touring venues across the country and expanding the community around hOCG, will keep contributing to an ever-increasing fan base.
