Square Enix Unveils New Final Fantasy 40th Anniversary Trading Card Collection
Image by Charlotte DavisSquare Enix is launching an entirely new collectible card series with Final Fantasy, turning characters, artwork, and memorable scenes from across the RPG franchise into a large 40th anniversary collection.
The newly announced “SQUARE ENIX GALLERY CARDS” line has been created around the idea of building a miniature gallery from artwork connected to Square Enix’s games, with Final Fantasy chosen to lead the series ahead of its 40th anniversary in 2027.
The first release is officially titled “SQUARE ENIX GALLERY CARDS Vol.1 FINAL FANTASY 40th Anniversary Collection” and contains 180 different cards built around 97 pieces of artwork from throughout the series.
The original Final Fantasy launched in Japan in December 1987, meaning the franchise will officially turn 40 next year after growing from a single Famicom RPG into one of Square Enix’s biggest global properties.
Characters and scenes from multiple Final Fantasy games feature throughout the collection, while Final Fantasy XIV’s Y’shtola receives a newly drawn illustration that also serves as the key artwork for the booster packaging.
Square Enix has divided the 180-card collection across a large number of rarity levels and finishing styles, ranging from standard Common, Uncommon, Rare, and Legend Rare cards through foil and special foil variants.
At the very top of the collection is a single Ultima Legend Rare card, or UTL, featuring a digital signature from legendary Final Fantasy illustrator Yoshitaka Amano alongside an individual serial number.
Only one card design will receive the UTL treatment, making it the highest-end collectible currently confirmed for the first Gallery Cards release.
Another single card will appear as a Phantom Legend Rare, or PTL, which uses advanced Japanese printing and 3D hologram technology to create a more elaborate visual effect than the conventional foil cards elsewhere in the set.
Nine Material Legend Rare cards and 18 Super Rare cards will use their own special foil finishes, while additional Legend Rare, Rare, and Uncommon artwork will also appear with standard foil treatments.
Perhaps the most interesting addition is the new Harmonic Rare category, with 16 different cards containing built-in NFC tags.
Touching one of these cards to a compatible smartphone or NFC device opens a page containing links to multiple music streaming services, allowing collectors to connect the artwork directly with music associated with the franchise.
The music itself is accessed through the relevant streaming service rather than being stored directly on the card, and availability can depend on the user’s device, settings, and existing subscriptions.
In total, the collection consists of one UTL card, one PTL card, nine Material Legend Rares, 18 Super Rares and 16 Harmonic Rares, alongside 54 additional foil cards and 81 standard cards across the remaining rarity levels.
Each booster contains five cards, while a sealed box contains 10 packs, giving the new series a familiar collectible-card format despite being designed around artwork and collecting rather than a newly announced competitive card game.
Fans attending Tokyo Game Show 2026 will also get an early opportunity to see the collection in person, with Square Enix planning to display unrevealed card designs and some of the higher-rarity finishes at its merchandise booth between September 17 and 21.
Alongside the release of these new trading cards, Square Enix has also announced a huge new Final Fantasy exhibition that will celebrate 40 years of adventures by bringing memorable scenes, music, and worlds from across the RPG series into the real world.
Image by Charlotte DavisThe “Final Fantasy 40th Anniversary Exhibition: The World of Neverending Fantasy” will take over the Hyokeikan at Tokyo National Museum for almost three months in early 2027, combining a retrospective of the franchise with interactive experiences and an unprecedented collaboration with cultural treasures held by the museum.
Pre-orders for the “SQUARE ENIX GALLERY CARDS Vol.1 FINAL FANTASY 40th Anniversary Collection” can be placed through the Japanese Square Enix e-STORE on September 10, with general hobby goods stores and retailers across Japan scheduled to begin taking orders from September 11.
The “SQUARE ENIX GALLERY CARDS Vol.1 FINAL FANTASY 40th Anniversary Collection” will be released on January 8, 2027, with individual five-card packs priced at ¥550 (approximately $4 / £3).
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