Star Wars: Unlimited - Early Sales
Retailers who organise an official pre-release event will be permitted to sell Star Wars Unlimited: Ashes of the Empire TCG Starters, boosters and associated Gamegenic accessories in store during prerelease week 10th July - 16th July 2026.
Please note that any store that signs up for Prerelease will receive their stock early by default.
This will allow stores to take full advantage of the pre-release hype by organising more casual in store events in the pre-release week whilst also giving players the opportunity to not only take part in the pre-release but to keep playing at the time they are most excited about the launch of the new set. Stores can also run multiple pre-release events during this period.
Stores running official pre-release events are allowed to sell singles from the set in store during prerelease week. Stores shipping singles from the set need to abide by the release date. Singles cards need to arrive with your customer on or after the release date – 17th of July and not before.
Additionally, stores running pre-release can give their customers the Hobby Next promos in store when they pick up their pre-order of at least 6 boosters and 1 Spotlight deck as part of this early sales period.
Star Wars Unlimited: Ashes of the Empire Hobby Next Promotion
Available to Hobby Brick & Mortar Stores.
Prepare to enter a galaxy of infinite possibilities!
To propel your store and your gaming community into this galaxy, the teams at FFG, Gamegenic and Hobby Next have designed exclusive new accessories as part of the Hobby Next program!
How can I take part?
Setting up this operation takes very little time on your part. Just follow the steps below.
- Pre-order a minimum of 6 booster displays (FFGSWH0802) and 1 Spotlight Deck Deck CDU (FFGSWH0810) to get 6 packs of card dividers and 12 hand tokens. These are for in store promotion only and not to used in conjunction with any distance selling. Exclusive accessories will also be available on forthcoming sets to create an incredible collection.
- From May the 27th, post the pre-order offer to your community using the visual and text communicated via this newsletter.
Get ready to enter a galaxy of endless possibilities!
Star Wars™: Unlimited is a trading card game for two players that promises intense and fast-paced games. Simple to learn, it plunges players into a conflict in which they will have control of iconic characters from the famous franchise.
Fight for Your Future
Welcome to Ashes of the Empire, the eighth set of Star Wars™: Unlimited! As its title suggests, this set turns its focus to a specific era within the Star Wars galaxy: the Battle of Endor and the years that followed it, featuring characters, ships, and events that played a starring role during the fall of the Galactic Empire and the period of uncertainty left in its wake.
Spotlight Decks: With a new set comes a new pair of Spotlight Decks! Each of these pre-built, read-to-play 50-card decks is carefully crafted to help you jump straight into the set. Heal your units and lead the charge with Luke Skywalker, or manipulate your forces and control the battlefield with Emperor Palpatine.
Each Booster is a pleasure to open: at least one rare or legendary card, a shiny one and the possibility of finding a "hyperspace" version, or even a showcase version! In addition, boosters contain a Base and a Leader - perfect for the draft format! The Carbonite Edition booster packs are aimed at collectors and fans looking for alternative visuals.
Star Wars: Unlimited – Organised Play
We have an exciting line up of organised play events for Ashes of the Empire
This includes:
New to Star Wars Unlimited C3OP
New to Star Wars Unlimited C3OP?
You will need to sign your store up to have a retail account on the Star Wars Unlimited site. Doing this is easy and will allow players to find your event and will attract them to your store.
1.) Visit www.starwarsunlimited.com
2.) Select ‘Player Portal’ at the top of the screen. This will take you to the Asmoconnect Sign in page.
3.) Select ‘Sign up here’ and add your details.
4.) Once you have signed up, return to the Star Wars Unlimited site and click on your Profile icon at the top of the screen. This should give you your Unlimited ID number
5.) Complete this short form including your Unlimited ID number:
Once we have verified your account as a retail account you will be able to schedule and advertise your events on the official www.Starwarsunlimited.com site. You will need to link your account's unique SWU ID to your Melee account.
Organised Play Software
Melee.gg is the official tool for everything C3OP. From an organized play store point of view that includes:
• Pre-release events
• Weekly play activity
• Store Showdowns
• Planetary Qualifiers.
Can all stores please ensure that they have linked their Star Wars Unlimited ID to your account as we’ve noticed there are a lot of stores reported but not correctly set up their ID. Without these it makes it harder for us to accredit your reported activity to your store.
All stores who are running Star Wars Unlimited events are required to use Melee.gg to run
their events and pairings etc.
Information on how to get started on Melee.gg can be found here.
Information on how to set up Star Wars Unlimited on Melee.gg can be found here.
It is not Mandatory to use Melee.gg as an entry fee collection tool for a store.
However, if a store chooses to use melee.gg for collecting entry fees, then the usual application fees from Melee.gg will apply when they pay entry fees.
Stores are also required to add their events to the Star Wars Unlimited event finder.
Need help with Melee? Please click here
Promote the upcoming set with assets from our online media kit here.
Prerelease Events
Stores that have previously run Star Wars: Unlimited prerelease events will automatically have a prerelease kit allocation added to their Open Order Summary. Please speak to you account handler to confirm these.
Stores that are new to running Star Wars: Unlimited prereleases can order up to 2 prerelease kits with your account handler before the order deadline for the set of 26.06.26
Organised Play Stores Only
Stores running a pre-release will also receive free of charge:
- 1 CDU of Star Wars Unlimited – Ashes of the Empire for every 2 pre-release kits you are invoiced for. To be used for prize support for your event. (Stores who are invoiced for 1 Pre-release kit will receive 1 CDU of FOC boosters).
- 1 Weekly play kit for every 2 Pre-release kits you are invoiced for. Each weekly play kits contains promos to support the 8 week season for 8 players (Stores who are invoiced for 1 Pre-release kit will receive 1 weekly play kit). Weekly Play kits will arrive with your launch stock and are to be used to support casual play throughout the season (July -October 2026), more weekly Play kits will be supplied mid-season to stores who have reported correctly.
Here’s a reference on what to expect:
If you receive more than one pre-release kit, you may run multiple pre-release events between 10th July - 16th July 2026. The format for Pre-release is Sealed, however, stores that want to run multiple events are welcome to also run draft with the kits. This has been popular with players, just please make sure you report the event as a pre-release on Melee.
Ensure you schedule multiple events on both Melee & Star Wars unlimited event finder to maximise your uptake.
Post event, stores that reported their Pre-releases will be sent additional Hobby Next promos and Weekly kits.
Store Showdowns
Store showdowns are friendly casual tournaments and is the last step in the casual OP offering before competitive events. The kits contain exclusive promotional cards for participation and prizes. Kits cover up to 32 players.
he Window to run a Store Showdown is from 1st of August through to the 27th of September 2026. These need to be reported on Melee.
Stores that do not report their Ashes of the Empire Pre-release on Melee will have their application to run a Store Showdown removed. Once we have reviewed the pre-release data we will send a confirmation e-mail to confirm that your Showdown application is successful.
You will need to add your Store Showdown date to the Star Wars Unlimited website finder. We will share a list of all Store Showdowns for the UK & Eire, with the UK Star Wars Unlimited Facebook & Discords.
When selecting a date to run your Store Showdown we would advise that you work with other local stores to avoid date clashes, this gives the players more Showdown options to attend.
Store Showdown kits will be sent out to qualifying stores in late July Store Showdown kits are supplied FOC along with a free display of Star Wars: Unlimited – Ashes of the Empire Boosters.
To register interest in running a Store Showdown please use this form:
Planetary Qualifiers
There will be 16 Planetary Qualifiers (PQ’s) in the UK for Star Wars: Unlimited - Ashes of
the Empire. These have already been selected and will run from 1st of August through to
the 27th of September 2026.
PQ’s are the entry level to more serious SWU competition & the path to the Galactic championship in Season 2.
The selected stores and dates will be announced by FFG on the 17th of June.
Submissions for Planetary Qualifiers for set 8 will open sometime during this season so if you can hold an in-store tournament for 33 – 128 players & would like to run one, you can start working on your submission application now.
Sector & Regional will be announced by FFG on the 17th of June.
