CookieRun: Braverse TCG has officially crowned its first-ever world champion, marking a major milestone for the fast-growing CookieRun trading card game scene. The inaugural CookieRun: Braverse TCG World Championship took place on April 11 and 12 at S-Factory in Seoul’s Seongsu-dong district, drawing top competitors and a large crowd for what organizers described as the game’s biggest global tournament so far.
In total, 18 players representing 10 regions made the trip to Seoul to compete for the title. After an intense final, Christian Jay Quintana of the Philippines emerged as the first world champion, defeating Taiwan’s Jo Yung Chen in a close 2–1 set victory. Event coverage noted that the finalists traded wins in the first two sets before Quintana secured the deciding match. South Korea’s Park Sang-jin rounded out the podium in third place.
Along with the prestige of winning the first world championship in Braverse history, Quintana’s prize haul included the championship trophy, a five-don gold coin valued at roughly $2,860 at the time of publication, a winner’s playmat, and a special 2025–26 World Championship promotional card created for the champion. The runner-up and third-place finisher also received commemorative promo cards, gold-coin prizes, acrylic plaques, and placement playmats—reinforcing just how seriously the competitive side of Braverse is being positioned.
But the weekend in Seoul wasn’t designed only for high-level matches. The championship doubled as a large-scale offline fan event, giving the CookieRun community plenty to do even if they weren’t competing. More than 2,000 visitors reportedly attended on the first day alone, and the venue offered a mix of beginner lessons, card-collecting missions, a Roblox-based 3D experience zone, drawing activities, stamp-rally rewards, and other interactive programs built to keep fans engaged throughout the day.
The event’s free-entry format also helped it feel more like a public celebration than a closed tournament. In addition to the main championship matches, attendees could join side activities such as 1v1 Brave League battles and 2-on-2 play. Merchandise and TCG retail booths were also part of the on-site experience, a sign of how strongly the brand is leaning into real-world community building. It all fits into the company’s broader 2026 approach of expanding CookieRun beyond mobile games—growing it through physical products, collectibles, merchandise, and live events that bring fans together in person.
The timing of the world championship also lined up neatly with momentum from the card game itself. In late March, a new Braverse booster set titled A Game of Truth and Deceit was released, introducing new variants tied to Shadow Milk Cookie. That theme carried into the championship weekend, where Shadow Milk-themed merchandise was reportedly among the first items to sell out—an indicator of strong demand and the kind of character-driven excitement that often powers successful trading card games.
Taken together, the first world championship, the latest booster set, and the strong turnout in Seoul point to CookieRun: Braverse TCG growing into something bigger than a niche spin-off. It’s starting to establish a clear competitive identity while also proving it can support organized play, fan gatherings, and a wider offline business built around the CookieRun universe.
