Digimon Card Game's Starter Deck 27, officially an Advanced Deck built entirely around Diaboromon, is confirmed for release March 5, 2027 in the US, with Japan following a day later on March 6. The deck brings Bandai's digital-virus antagonist to the Advanced Deck format for the first time.
The release date isn't arbitrary — it lands just days from the anniversary of Our War Game, the 2000 Digimon movie that introduced Diaboromon to the franchise. Bungie Co. first teased the product months earlier with artwork built around Diaboromon's signature countdown clock.
Outside of the Diaboromon theming itself, Bandai has confirmed one other detail: the deck introduces brand-new card effects not seen anywhere else in the game so far. Full card list specifics haven't been published yet as of this writing.
This guide covers what the Advanced Deck format means, why the March 5 timing matters, and how to get ready for a deck built around one of Digimon's most recognizable digital threats.
Advanced Decks are a premium tier within Digimon Card Game's Starter Deck lineup, distinct from the standard Starter Deck format. Recent examples include ST-17 Double Typhoon and ST-22 Amethyst Mandala, both built with deeper card pools and more refined deckbuilding than a basic starter product.
Diaboromon's Advanced Deck status signals Bandai is treating this release as a genuine constructed option rather than a pure beginner product, consistent with how the format has been used for other high-profile single-Digimon decks.
Diaboromon's debut in Our War Game made it one of the most memorable antagonists in the Digimon franchise's history, and timing ST-27's release to land near that movie's anniversary is a deliberate nod to long-time fans rather than a coincidence.
That anniversary framing also explains why this specific character got the Advanced Deck treatment now, well after plenty of other popular Digimon have already received their own starter products.
Bandai has stated the deck includes new card effects never seen before in the game, without yet detailing exactly what those mechanics are. That's a meaningful signal on its own — a character-specific Advanced Deck introducing genuinely new mechanics, rather than just reusing existing effect templates with new art.
Collectors and competitive players should treat specific mechanic claims circulating before the official reveal as speculative, and watch Bandai's own channels for the full card list closer to March 5.
The initial teaser leaned on Diaboromon's countdown clock imagery, a direct visual callback to the character's signature self-replication and detonation mechanic from the source material. That imagery alone suggested the deck's new effects likely tie into some version of that countdown or replication theme.
Fans of the character's anime appearances should find that thematic continuity reassuring — Bandai appears to be building the deck's mechanics around what actually made Diaboromon memorable in the first place, not just slapping recognizable art on generic effects.
ST-27 follows a steady cadence of recent Starter and Advanced Deck releases, including ST-23 Beatbreak, ST-24 Savers/Data Squad, and the broader Booster Set 25 Dual Revolution wave. Diaboromon's deck slots into that same release rhythm as a character-focused product running alongside the game's mainline booster sets.
Players tracking the game's overall release calendar should expect ST-27 to arrive as a standalone pickup rather than part of a themed multi-product wave, based on how recent Advanced Decks have typically launched.
With new card effects confirmed and an Advanced Deck's typically deeper card pool, ST-27 is worth treating as a constructed-ready product from the moment it's opened rather than a casual collectible. Having a dedicated deck box ready means the build stays intact between games.
Any parallel or specially-treated cards included in the deck are also worth sleeving immediately, since Advanced Decks have historically included at least some foil or alternate-art pulls alongside the standard card pool.
Our War Game holds a special place in Digimon's history as one of the franchise's first theatrical shorts to center entirely on a digital-world threat invading the real world, and Diaboromon was the character that made that threat land. Giving the character a dedicated Advanced Deck decades later is a direct acknowledgment of that legacy.
Fans who grew up with the movie get a tangible way to mark that history on the tabletop, while newer players picking up ST-27 get introduced to one of the franchise's most consequential early antagonists through actual gameplay rather than just archival footage.
March 5, 2027 in the US, March 6 in Japan.
An Advanced Deck, a premium tier within the Starter Deck lineup.
It lands near the anniversary of Our War Game, the movie that introduced Diaboromon.
Bandai has confirmed new card effects not seen elsewhere in the game, with full details still unannounced.
With new mechanics confirmed and an Advanced Deck's deeper card pool, ST-27 deserves a proper home the moment it's built. EVORETRO's magnetic deck box keeps a finished Diaboromon build ready for the table.
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