Ravensburger has announced a new multiplayer format for its trading card game, Disney Lorcana, codenamed "Format Coconut." This new playstyle aims to capture the casual, expressive appeal of Magic: The Gathering's popular Commander format, allowing for games with more than two players.
Co-creator Ryan Miller revealed the format, which is designed to be more engaging for group play. "From the beginning, co-designer Steve Warner and I imagined how much fun it would be for groups to play the game together, and folks have enjoyed being able to play with more than 2 players using the basic multiplayer rules," Miller stated. "Now we want to step it up!"
Format Coconut shares several broad similarities with Commander. It supports multiplayer games, increases the win condition threshold by requiring a higher "Lore" accumulation, and uses singleton decks where each card, except for the chosen leader card, can only appear once. Players will select a "Coconut" card, which influences the deck's color identity and provides unique abilities.
However, Lorcana's format introduces distinct mechanics. Unlike Magic's legendary creatures, the "Coconut" cards are drawn from a pre-selected pool of 18 beta cards. These cards feature prominent Disney characters, with some villains included. Each deck will consist of over 60 cards, with four copies of the chosen "Coconut" card allowed. A key difference is that each "Coconut" card receives an additional, special ability beyond its base card text, designed to strongly influence deck-building strategy.
For example, Moana - Curious Explorer, a sapphire card, has an "Ancestral Legacy" ability that allows players to ink cards from their discard pile. Its special "Coconut" ability grants an additional inked card each turn if a Moana, Heihei, or Pua character is in play. This combination efficiently ramps up a player's inkwell, provided the discard pile is managed effectively.
Decks in Format Coconut can incorporate up to three ink types, one of which must match the chosen "Coconut" card's ink type. This rule helps establish a deck's core identity from the outset, allowing players to build around specific strategies. The design of the "Coconut" cards encourages thematic play, with abilities that align closely with the characters they represent. Snow White - Merry as Morning, for instance, rewards players for including all seven dwarves in their deck, while Ariel - Spectacular Singer grants extra lore when princesses sing. Pocahontas - Peacekeeper boosts lore when characters quest.
Format Coconut is set to begin playtesting at Gen Con 2026, which takes place from July 30 to August 2 in Indianapolis. While still in its early stages, the format's strong resemblance to the widely embraced Commander format suggests it could become a significant draw for Lorcana players seeking a more social and expansive way to play.