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TPC Analysis on the WCQ Format & Balance Impact

Published on June 23rd, 2026 by Playmaker EY

Since the WCQ brought about a significant meta shift, the TPC will first share their thoughts on how the previous format developed throughout the 3-day event, in order to better understand the banlist changes.

Thoughts on WCQ format

I believe everyone got hasty
A tier 0 announcement sounds tasty
But it appears TPC
Has made quite an oopsie
Vaalmonica has just won KC

Quasar is truly impressive
And the boards really do feel oppressive
Stardust is neat
But others compete
As we see there are decks to contest it

While doom felt so foreboding
The creativity really got going
Brand' and HERO inspired
No Loading... required
Simply get your ideas flowing

But do not absolve Konami
Searchable floodgates? Appalling!
The things skills do
And the FTKs too
A demand for balance is calling

When others define your opinion
You're not a leader of thought but a minion
I would encourage everyone
To just play, it's quite fun!
The options are truly a million

Thank you for playing, I'll try my best in Tokyo

And when everyone thought the meta was doomed and that Stardust was the sole competitor... here came the old decks, refusing to be under new management.

Doing what it does best and breaking the Geneva Convention multiple times over by ending on 2 floodgates and protection for them, in the form of Loading... and Loading... . This deck simply floodgated its opponents into submission, and going 2nd could conditionally win some duels depending on deckbuilding trends at the moment.

Doing its best American Sniper impression, it focused all aspects of its deckbuilding on defeating Stardust. Going first, it shut down all its dragons thanks to Loading... . Going 2nd, it could draw outs to Loading... in the form of Loading... and Loading... , while playing cards like Loading... , Loading... , and Loading... to make sure its draw spell didn't get negated, so it could draw into its Loading... outs in case it hadn't opened them.

Branded was a surprise this KC, for sure. The Josef Mengele of this KC. This deck decided to use Intertwining Memories to add Loading... , locking 2 zones on the opponent's field and making decks like Destiny HERO and Stardust have 0 chance of beating it going 2nd. This is something most didn't expect, and it was the atomic bomb of this KC.

Banlist Impact