The Long & Winding History of Universus, The Ultimate Fighting System TCG
With its 20th anniversary fast approaching, the longest-running TCG outside the “Big 3” has had quite a journey...
In our modern era, it’s normal for multiple new big-name TCGs to launch every year, and it’s rare for a TCG to last longer than 5 years. Decades ago, it was just as rare for a TCG to survive more than a couple of years, but there were also FAR less being launched.
When we talk about those long-running card games, most everyone can think of the “Big 3” right off the bat: Magic, YuGiOh, and Pokemon… but moving past those top 3, most people are far less clear on what other games have withstood the test of time.
Today, I’d like to give you a breakdown of the history of the 4th longest-running TCG on the market right now. A game that has seen multiple publishers, highs & lows of players, and was the trailblazer in the field of cross-IP trading card games, which has become a very hot market in the last five years.
Without further ado, let’s dive into the long & winding history of Universus, formerly known as UFS: The Universal Fighting System.
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Chapter One: Sabertooth Games
In 2005, Sabertooth Games, a subsidiary of Games Workshop (the creators of Warhammer) published a new TCG based on combining IPs from different fighting games into the “Ultimate Fighting System”, and UFS was born.
The first products ever released for UFS were a pair of decks based on the Penny Arcade webcomic, giving players the chance to battle as Gabe vs Tycho, released in February 2006.
Over the next couple of years, UFS released various sets from IPs like Street Fighter, Soulcalibur, King of Fighters, Samurai Showdown, and Darkstalkers.
The game’s Scout Program, rewarding players for getting shops to sign up, was a huge part of the game’s early success. Another thing that UFS quickly became known for was that high level winners, like at Worlds, would get to create their own card for inclusion in the event.
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Chapter Two: Fantasy Flight Games
In 2008, due to Games Workshop struggling, Sabertooth games was shut down, and UFS was considered dead for a moment. Then Fantasy Flight Games bought the publishing rights to the game (along with most everything else Sabertooth was publishing) and decided to keep it going.
During their somewhat short run with the game, FFG released new Soulcalibur & Tekken sets, as well as creating their own original IP: ShadoWar.
Unfortunately, FFG had not really stepped into the TCG/CCG world, being board game publishers, and they struggled in getting the business side to work, couldn’t support Organized Play well, and the game was in a decline.
At one point in 2009, FFG did a big holiday blow-out sale, and even shipping out product that was not playtested, and then shortly afterwards announced the cancellation of the game. The bad taste this left in many retailers’ mouths lasted for years.
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Chapter Three: Jasco Games
After just two years with FFG, UFS was on the chopping block. So, the rights were purchased by Jasco Games, which had been around since 1998, and was founded & run by Jason Hawronsky.
During Jasco’s run with UFS, more original IP in Red Horizon and they brought in a board game with World of Indines (created with Level99), many of the original fighting games were revisited like Street Fighter, Mortal Kombat, and King of Fighters, and even anime titles like Cowboy Bebop & Yu Yu Hakusho started being added as well.
In 2021, Jasco Games was purchased by POW! Interactive, a holding company co-founded by Paul Wharshavsky and Luohan Wei, which had just raised $20M in funding shortly before that. The game was renamed Universus, and the largest-ever IP contract began, with the My Hero Academia CCG.
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Chapter Four: UVS Games and the shift to Universus
In 2023, Jasco Games was rebranded as UVS Games, completing the massive rebrand that had begun with UFS becoming Universus. UVS Games has kept moving forward, releasing new IPs like Attack on Titan, Star Trek: Lower Decks, Critical Role, Solo Leveling, Godzilla, and more, while also revisiting some old IPS.
For a couple years, Jasco Games / UVS Games was ONLY releasing MHACCG sets. In a funny-but-sad turn of evets, many longtime players complained about this MHA-only focus, and when it was over and Universus began focusing on multiple IPs again, many of those MHA-only fans left the game, in some places proving lethal to LGS attendance numbers.
The Critical Role, Godzilla, and Attack on Titan sets have all proven popular, and brought in new players, and TMNT is looking to bring that to another level, being such a well-known four decade old franchise. Personally, I got turned onto the game by seeing an LGS display of the Star Trek: Lower Decks Challenger series.
As of July 2025, the Universus Judge program has just been activated, The NA Regional Championship in Louisville is happening as I write this, and the Street Fighter 6 Challenger Series decks released yesterday.
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Chapter Five: What’s coming next for Universus and UVS Games?
The next release for Universus is Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, releasing in mid-August with a full booster set and a preconstructed starter deck. In November, the first Guilty Gear set will release, based on the newest game Guilty Gear: Strive. Rumor has it that the first full set of 2026 will be Godzilla...
Besides the growing success of Universus, UVS Games has actually been busy creating other IP-specific games, with Riftbound, the LEAGUE OF LEGENDS card game releasing in October – a partnership between UVS Games & Riot Games.
Obviously this big partnership is exciting for UVS Games, but of course some Universus players are concerned that if it proves successful (it’s 3 months out and preorders have been sold out for quite some time) the company might give less focus to Universus. Personally, I feel like this will most likely bring new players into the game, and could help UVSG get more IP deals as well.
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How to learn all about what’s going on with Universus right now
Whether you’re ready to find a your local LGS to go play in their weekly, want to try out a TMNT pre-release, or are ready to compete in a Store Championship, you’ll find all the events in the network at: https://play.uvsgames.com/events
To search through the full card encyclopedia, build out decks you want to try, and see what other people are building, head over to https://www.uvsultra.online/index.php
You’re going to want to create a UGN account if you plan to play in events, and you earn Loyalty Points for the events you attend, winning, AND for packs purchased. Those LP can be used to access exclusive Promo cards from the rotating shop. Use my referral code “K5S2F76C” when signing up, and we each earn 15 Loyalty Points.
Head over to https://uvsgames.com/ to find the main blog, official social links, 2025 roadmap, etc. The Discord server is a place where lots of folks hang out.
There’s a bunch of great content creators in the community that you can find on whatever platform you’re using as well, just look for “Universus” content, and start following folks.
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You can follow me on all kinds of socials, including YouTube for videos, Medium & Substack for written articles, and all the rest are on my Linktree: https://linktr.ee/KennyTheGeek
If you want to see my Universus decks, they’re all on UVSultra as well: https://www.uvsultra.online/user.php?id=13729#!user-decks