When McDonald’s PR tipped me off that there could be an announcement right this moment relating to the quick meals chain and a buying and selling card sport, I assumed we have been being ready for the announcement of 2026’s annual Pokémon tie-in, when the whole planet loses its collective thoughts shopping for Glad Meals simply to get the packs of playing cards. However no, these are actually McDonald’s buying and selling playing cards, with a set of 24 to gather together with the “beloved” Ronald McDonald.
It’s set to launch within the UK on March 17, and we’ve chased as much as discover out when the equal is going on within the U.S. The playing cards characteristic all of your favourite McDonald’s characters, like Grimace, and wait what, a sentient stool known as “Cheeseburger Chair,” and, oh god, Fry Woman, who seems to be a ball of fries with legs and eyes. That is really cursed stuff. She’s sporting sneakers. Why is she sporting sneakers? Apparently that is one thing to do with a 1972 marketing campaign known as Fry Youngsters, who have been initially collectively referred to as “French Fry Gobblins” and appear to have popped up right here and there all through the a long time.
Different playing cards glimpsed in pictures from this weekend’s London Card Present present the non-sentient Multimixer, which seems to be a milkshake dispenser, and an iconic Milkshape Dip, displaying a french fry being dunked right into a milkshake. And respect for that. Fortunately neither has eyes or any sense of self-awareness forward of their being consumed, however good lord, discover me the one who’s going to be enthusiastic about pulling a card displaying a drink distribution system.
An enigmatic “trailer” on Instagram reveals a teasing trace of what seems to be a foil reverse of a card that includes the M brand and completely nothing else. It declares this to be “A brand new sport from The M Universe,” which isn’t a actuality I’d beforehand been conscious of. We’re additionally promised that one card will characteristic Pennywise’s extra sinister cousin, Ronald McDonald, which we’re instructed will “stand out.” That is described as “the return of Ronald McDonald,” and I’ll confess I didn’t know he’d been away. Though maybe that is some type of day-release scheme? I think about the cardboard would lower off earlier than it confirmed any tags on his ankles.
I do know the wait goes to be insufferable, however the info concludes that “the model is conserving a number of playing cards near its chest, with a lot extra to return. So, hold your eyes peeled…” I’m unsure why, however that actually reads like a menace.
The fact is, if McDonald’s has any sense and has this be a whole one-off, these playing cards are going to be price a billion-kerjillion bucks in 20 years. Fairly how the sport facet of them works is but to be outlined, however I did learn the phrases “Take it or Flip it sport,” and that’s their capitalization. The UK will get to seek out out subsequent month, and we’ll let when People can get in on the McD’s TCG motion.
