In order to be sure you fully understand the goal of this contest, please be sure you have read the latest news about Re:Union concerning uniques ownership and game formats. You can find this news here.

Discussions with Equinox and their recent data sharing (especially regarding uniques) now allow us to approach the question of formats with the community more confidently.

Shared vocabulary

We do make a difference between two close words: game formats and game modes. They shall not be taken one for the other.

So far, on BGA, there are three game formats:

• Standard: one faction, 40-60 cards including exactly 1 hero, up to 3 uniques, up to 3 exalteds, up to 15 rares. Each card name can’t be more than 3 times in the deck.
• NUC: basically the standard format with No Unique Cards.
• Singleton: one faction, 60-80 cards including exactly 1 hero, up to 1 card of each rarity per card name. From 3 to 5 uniques depending on the chosen hero.

There are also 5 game modes:

• Beginner : starter decks only
• Normal: starter decks & custom decks
• Whispers From The Maze : demo decks
• Skybound Odyssey : demo decks
• Seeds of The Unity: demo decks

Only the two first game modes are to be kept, for the starter decks from this specified contest will replace the demo decks of any set. Brand new demo decks shall be published with further sets, but the decision is still pending.

Contexte

We currently are working on a way to handle digital ownership for the uniques (see our previous article for details). This will take time, but the question is still actively discussed.

In the meantime, we have the possibility of using unique cards, as long as they are accessible to all the community, in the context of no ownership formats.

The goal of this format contest is actually to define what are the conditions to use these uniques. We are looking for a proposal allowing us to include them, to achieve what we will call the “Standard” (instead of the current Standard, necessitating digital ownership of uniques.)

How to submit a format

1. Collective submission

Each submission must be supported by at least 5 persons. The goal behind this requirement is to test individual ideas against other players, to motivate discussion, theoretical trials, and adjust accordingly.

It is not possible to be a part of several groups for this contest. The main reason is that we want efforts to go towards accomplished submission.

We encourage similar formats to try to regroup. This will amplify the community part of the contests, and simply the voting process (with formats too close, voters could be confused or not understand the differences between them)

2. A format close to current Standard

Our main goal is to create a format able to replace the current Standard : Altered reimagination will maybe come later. Two players being able to play the same unique card against each other is already a massive change for the format.

It’s also important that the format keeps deckbuilding requirement similar to what we already know (one faction, 1 Hero, 40-60 cards, 3 uniques maximum, 15 rares, 3 exalted, 3 of the same card at most)

3. A pool of uniques to use

Equinox has just made available to us the pool of several million Uniques of Sets 1 to 3, and Sets 4 to 6 should follow soon. So the proposed format must rely on the full pool of Uniques from Sets 1 to 5, since Set 6 is not yet implemented.

We will not accept the introduction of new cards for now, and you must use a pool of fixed unique cards or one that can change at most once a week. If you want more flexibility on these aspects, you must provide clear technical solutions explaining how this could be implemented.

4. No digital ownership

The submitted formats must not be based on ownership of cards. All cards must be accessible to all players.

5. Managing problematic cards

A. Commons and Rares cards

Without further comments in your submission, the pool of Common and Rare cards allowed in this format will remain the same as the one defined by Equinox (latest errata and bans remain in effect). You are allowed to propose reasonable changes for this pool, but you must justify it.

B. Unique cards

It goes the same for currently banned uniques, and you must imperatively suggest a strategy to handle potentially problematic unique cards in your format.

6. What to submit

A. Format documentation

The submission must include :

• The name or pseudo + Discord ID of 5+ members who worked on the format
• A name for the format
• your format concept and its goals
• the way unique cards are used in your format
• the way problematic cards are handled

B. Questions to which you must also answer

• Why will your format offer a good experience to new players ?
• Why will current players be interested in your format ?
• Why will your format offer a good experience to occasional players ?
• What will be the incentive for players to play in tournaments ?
• How will your format be balanced ? Why will it be versatile ?
• Why is your format viable ?

7. Formal submission

Two forums will be available on Re:Union Discord. It’s mandatory to join the discord to submit.

A first forum : 💡| format-ideas to propose and discuss your format with others community members, in order to find people sharing your idea and improve it.

A second forum : 📥│format-proposals to submit the final version of your format with the full documentation and answers to the questions. It is this version that will be voted on by the community. Careful, the submission must be in English only.

The deadline to submit is on May 15 24, 2026.

Submission and votes

We will inform you at a later date how to vote for the two formats you want to support.

Once the vote is over, the two formats with the most votes will be implemented on BGA.

And if my format is not chosen ?

In the beginning, all formats will be playable with Sandbox mode, mostly with friends, and to test formats or tournaments. Next, we’d like to imagine that formats will change. We will organize new community votes to allow format rotation.

We can’t wait to see your proposal and see the creation of our new Standard !