I think its pretty impressive to see that SWCT has made it one year and made as much impact as it has. Not only is it the top grossing app in Topps’ digital portfolio, but it has garnered national attention and hundreds of thousands of users.

Topps digital recently announced that there would be some sort of celebration on their twitter account, something they are calling “SWCT Day,” and though I dont have any details on what it might represent, im sure it will be fun.

To be honest, SWCT has done more in the one year span than many of the sports apps do, releasing thousands of cards, two different series of base designs, and done so while the biggest moment in years for the SW universe is taking place.

They also went through a big change of the person in charge of the apps, added an associate producer, and still held their place among the top grossing apps of its sort in the app store. The craziest thing about all of this is that the app itself lacks the gameplay element we all thought could possibly sink this ship.

When Topps launched the app, I remember thinking “Wait, there is no gameplay? How is that going to work?” It was something that I literally couldnt see past in my mind. Of course, the SW community is a force in itself, and the collectible nature of the digital cards was more than enough to sustain any daily operations. As I have mentioned before, I would be shocked if Topps even believed they had a juggernaut on their hands.

The reason I say that has to do with historical perspective gained from the physical side of the business. Topps has been producing Star Wars themed trading cards for YEARS. Not only have they remained the runt of the physical portfolio, but investment has been light from what it looks like. On the digital side, SWCT rules the roost, and I would guess that Topps was expecting it to fall in line behind its perennial performers.

Even with the unexpected success, SWCT’s impact can be felt across all the teams. Based on what we have seen, it has likely paved the way for the growth we are seeing in the size of the department over the last year, as well as the potential for other apps to join the mix. Although its triumph may have been a perfect storm, it doesnt mean lightning cant be captured in the same bottle again. Topps knows another great digital idea is out there somewhere, and they now know an entertainment app can be the vehicle. I dont think that would be on the table without the last year taken into consideration.

Bottom line, if you play the Topps Digital games, 3/12 is a day you should be celebrating.