<Tr> <Th> Players </Th> <Td> 1 vs. 1 2 vs. 2 </Td> </Tr> <P> The Yu - Gi - Oh! Trading Card Game, known as the Yu - Gi - Oh! Official Card Game (遊 ☆ 戯 ☆ 王 オフィシャル カード ゲーム, Yū - Gi - Ō Ofisharu Kādo Gēmu) in Asia, is a Japanese collectible card game developed and published by Konami . It is based on the fictional game of Duel Monsters created by manga artist Kazuki Takahashi, which is the main plot device during the majority of his popular manga franchise, Yu - Gi - Oh!, and its various anime adaptations and spinoff series . </P> <P> The game was launched by Konami in 1999 in Japan and March 2002 in North America . It was named the top selling trading card game in the world by Guinness World Records on July 7, 2009, having sold over 22 billion cards worldwide . As of March 31, 2011, Konami Digital Entertainment Co., Ltd. Japan sold 25.2 billion cards globally since 1999 . The game continues to gain popularity as it is played around the world, mostly in Japan, North America, Europe and Australia, and has been expanded with new rules and additions as the franchise grows . </P> <P> Konami is the manufacturer and distributor of the Yu - Gi - Oh! TCG . It runs Regional and National tournaments and continues to release new Yu - Gi - Oh! TCG card products . </P>

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