Industry
Xross Stars: VTuber TCG Reaches Japan's Market Top 10
Media Create's survey covers the period from August 2025 to July 2026; the exact ranking and market share have not been published.
About a year after its launch, Xross Stars ranks among the ten largest trading card games in the Japanese market. This is according to an analysis conducted by Media Create for the period from August 2025 to July 2026, which developers Game & Co. and Brave group referenced on September 18, 2026. No specific ranking or percentage market share has been published.
VTubers and Streamers as Card IP
Xross Stars combines a classic competitive TCG with VTubers, streamers and esports personalities from various organizations. The project is developed by Game & Co. together with Samurai Kobo; Brave group describes it as a joint business with Crazy Raccoon. Alongside the collecting aspect, the game relies on organized tournaments and community events.
The top-10 market entry comes at a time when VTuber IP continues to be expanded beyond livestreams. Recent reports on aninew.de included four new Hololive VTubers as well as the restructuring of Sony Music's VEE project. Xross Stars views the same market from a different angle: it translates the reach of the scene into a physical collecting and competitive game.
More Than 1,000 Fans at the First Anniversary
A KAI-YOU report from the same day adds a look at the community to the market data. For the launch of an anniversary pop-up at SHIBUYA TSUTAYA, a queue of more than 1,000 people formed, according to one staff member. By the fourth booster set, the report states, 72 VTubers, streamers and esports personalities are represented as cards in the game.
Producer Atsutoshi Kubo told KAI-YOU that Xross Stars is now sold by card shops nationwide and that many players had never played a trading card game before. At the time of the original announcement in April 2025, the team had not expected the game to reach its current size. For the second year, Kubo wants to further expand the number of participating talent and the possible formats.
Further Products and Tournaments Announced
In August 2026, Xross Stars completed its first year of release. The fifth booster set, "Ignition Vortex," is announced for October 30. It is set to feature 16 leader cards, including returning characters.
In addition, several official events are planned. The second "Xross Stars Play Party" is to take place in Shibuya on November 7, this time with a three-person team format among other things. Another Challengers Cup is scheduled in Kyoto for November 28 and 29. At the end of December, the Xross Stars Japan Championship 2026 is then to take place in Akihabara.
The top-10 figure explicitly refers to the Japanese TCG market. The publication contains no statements about sales outside Japan or an international market position.