Riftbound is exploring a partnership with Professional Card Grading (PCG), a relatively new grading company, with discussions centered on bringing an on-site presence to upcoming organized play events. The most concrete detail so far involves a potential PCG booth at the European Regional Championship to improve the player experience.
Riot’s Michael Sherman, Director of Esports Product Management, addressed the rumors directly. "We’re seeing some conversations around the possibility of us working with PCG. We’re exploring and excited about the idea of working with them to have a booth at the EU RC to create a better player experience on-site. However, this is not yet confirmed and not exclusive," he posted. Riot plans to share more complete information about on-site activities at the European Regional Championship in the lead-up to the event.
PCG was founded in New Zealand in 2021 with the stated goal of offering a more consistent alternative to established graders such as PSA and Beckett. The company uses a detailed scale that includes a top-tier Flawless 10 featuring a 24K gold laser-engraved label, followed by Pristine 10, Gem Mint 10, and the standard half-point increments downward. One feature that has drawn attention from the Riftbound community is its thinner slab design, which some players note can still be used on a playmat without excessive bulk.
Community discussion has framed the potential collaboration as a response to ongoing frustration with traditional grading companies, particularly around consistency, turnaround times, and cost. Riftbound’s high-end cards especially Metal promos, Signature variants, and Ultimate Rares have already created strong demand for professional grading, with some Metal Ahri and Teemo prize-wall cards commanding thousands of dollars raw.
At this stage the arrangement appears limited to exploring an on-site grading presence rather than naming PCG as an exclusive or official grader for the entire game. No formal announcement has been made regarding submission services, special Riftbound labels, or any broader partnership beyond the European Regional Championship discussions.
For collectors and competitive players, an on-site booth would offer the convenience of grading cards at the event itself. Whether that presence materializes, and whether it expands into a deeper relationship, will depend on the outcome of the current talks. Riot has indicated that more details about the European Regional Championship experience will be released in the coming weeks.
Until an official confirmation arrives, the situation remains exploratory. PCG represents one possible option among several grading services already used by Riftbound collectors, and any future collaboration will likely be evaluated on how well it serves players both at events and in the secondary market.
What are your thoughts on the article? Do you think partnering with PCG would be a smart move? Let us know what card you are chasing and would want graded first by leaving us a comment below! As always, stay tuned to Gamefragger.com for more Riftbound updates as we get them!