ICv2 first broke the news of this important CCG launch back on March 24, as part of our extensive coverage of GAMA (see 'Score Gets Buffy CCG Deal').  Now Score, the manufacturer of the highly successful Dragon Ball Z CCG (see 'DBZ CCG: TheTrunks Saga Sells Out'), has provided details on its collectible card game based on the popular Buffy the Vampire Slayer television series.  The first Buffy CCG release, which will be designed using episodes from the first two seasons of the award winning series, will debut late in 2001.

 

Christian Moore and Owen Seyler, who are the lead designers on the Buffy game, were co-founders of Last Unicorn Games, where they wrote and edited numerous games before Last Unicorn was sold to Wizards of the Coast.  Score, which entered the highly competitive CCG field just last June with the launch of its DBZ game, has demonstrated a very sure touch when it comes to picking properties, and equally important, a deft touch when acquiring creative talent with lots of gaming experience like Jim Ward, who worked on the DBZ CCG, as well as Moore and Seyler.  The combination of top talent and a top license is the secret behind the success of the DBZ game, and also the reason that the Score Buffy CCG has a chance to succeed in a tough marketplace.

 

The Buffy the Vampire Slayer television series, which is switching from the WB network to UPN this fall, was the subject of a major bidding war between networks when it came up for renewal (see 'Buffy Flees the Frog').  Creator Joss Whedon, who just made quite a splash in the comic market with his comic Fray published by Dark Horse (see 'Dark Horse Flogs Fray in Major Pubs), promises lots of excitement for the fall season.  With on-going comic book and trading card series from Dark Horse and Inkworks respectively, toys from Moore Creations, and a popular board game from Hasbro, Buffy is an 'evergreen' property that offers retailers ample opportunity for boutiquing Buffy items to create an interest area in their store that has a strong appeal to women as well as to men.  The Buffy CCG from Score will just increase the opportunities to cross merchandise this perennial winner.