Design Philosophy

The Metagame Design Model

A proven framework for enduring trading card games.

Characteristics of Games book cover
Based on Characteristics of Games (MIT Press)

By Richard Garfield, George Skaff Elias, & K. Robert Gutschera. This book lays out the foundational framework GQL applies to every product and service we design. It's available to anyone — and we encourage partners, publishers, and game creators to explore it.

The basic game is in the box — but the metagames layered on top make TCGs enduring and a global phenomenon.

Six Metagame Layers

The lens through which we design, build, and sustain TCGs.

01

Collecting

Building and curating a personal card collection.

02

Investing

Card value, rarity markets, and collectible economics.

03

Organized Play

Competitive & casual play from local to Pro Tour.

04

Social & Community

Content creation, streaming, and fan engagement.

05

Story & Media

Narrative, animation, and transmedia storytelling.

06

Digital Companion

TCGO, apps, digital pack opening, and eSports.

The Five Play Formats

How players actually engage with a TCG day-to-day.

01

Constructed

Players build personalized decks from their full collection — the showcase format for competitive play and brand identity.

02

Sealed & Draft

Limited formats where players build on the spot from fresh product — the entry ramp and the great equalizer.

03

Collector

Chase rares, alt-arts, and complete sets — the long-term economic engine that sustains the game.

04

Community

Local game stores, regional events, and online groups — the social fabric that keeps players coming back.

05

Digital

Companion apps, digital clients, and deckbuilders — extending the physical product into the always-on layer.

Why TCGs Must Evolve

  1. TCGs need to evolve with the market over each expansion.
  2. Metagame designs never end for games that endure.
  3. A TCG publisher needs to build an operating company that supports each new metagame as they grow.

GQL applies this framework to every product and service — it's the lens through which we design, build, and sustain TCGs.