Azuki Enters the TCG Market With Over $1M in Presales Driven by Direct-to-Player Demand

LOS ANGELES, April 13, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Azuki Labs today announced that Gates Awakened (AZK-01) the company's debut set for its Trading Card Game has crossed $1 million in direct presale revenue, driven entirely by player demand through Azuki's own storefront. The result establishes Azuki as an immediate presence in the global TCG market and marks a significant milestone for the IP expanding into physical gameplay.

"The success of the presale is proof that players believe in what we're building. This is just the beginning of what we are planning for the Azuki TCG."

— Alex Xu (Zagabond), Co-founder & CEO, Azuki Labs

Gates Awakened (AZK-01) launches with a full product lineup spanning booster packs and boxes, elite collector bundles, and starter decks designed to bring new players into the game system. The set introduces the Azuki IP, an anime-inspired universe, to the TCG hobby, with hand-drawn card illustrations developed and overseen by the Azuki creative team. Gates Awakened will be available through major hobby distribution partners at launch in summer of this year.

The Azuki trading card game is brought to life by a passionate team of anime and TCG enthusiasts:

Arnold Tsang aka Steamboy33 (CCO) serves as the IP creator and artistic architect of the Azuki universe. A celebrated concept artist with credits across major global gaming titles including Overwatch, Tsang's vision defines the world, characters, and canon that Gates Awakened brings to the game.

Jon (Game Director) leads the TCG project, game design and mechanical development, building a system engineered for both casual play and high-level competitive viability.

Tim (Creative Director) oversees the visual direction of the TCG project, ensuring the Azuki aesthetic translates as striking on a tournament table as it is in a collector's display.

Alongside the presale, Azuki previously announced a $100,000 tournament prize pool backing organized play from day one, a commitment to the competitive community that signals Gates Awakened is built to be played, not just collected with announcements for the tournament schedule coming soon.

ABOUT AZUKI LABS
Azuki is an anime entertainment IP built around an original universe of characters and stories. Azuki brings its world to life through a premium trading card game, alongside a slate of story-driven content set to expand the world further. With a distinct visual identity and a focus on world-building, Azuki invites fans to discover, collect, and engage with its universe across physical and digital mediums.

For more information go to https://tcg.azuki.com/

MEDIA CONTACT
Jessica Turner  |  [email protected] 

SOURCE Azuki