The Short Version
Your code will be sent via email and text next Thursday, August 20th at 12PM EDT and will be available for use until 12PM PST on August 21st (3PM EDT, codes available for 27 hours).
IF YOU ARE RECEIVING A PRESALE ORDER CODE YOU HAVE 27 HOURS TO ORDER.
The Hobby Box Presale price for everyone receiving codes in the Early-Bird Presale is $385 ($10 off).
New buyers can purchase 1 box as the default option.
Codes are not transferable. You must checkout with the same email that receives the code.
Returning buyers can purchase the same number of boxes you purchased during the Tecmo Bowl Presale. If you only purchased a Tecmo Bowl Edition Release Day Bundle you can also purchase a Hobby Box in the 2026 Update presale.
IMPORTANT: 4 Hobby Boxes total is the absolute ceiling across all National / Early-Bird Presale purchase opportunities. So if you purchased the 3-box limit at The National, you can only order 1 additional box in the Early-Bird Presale.
Your Presale order comes with an Early-Bird Promo Pack with a chance at an exclusive Patrick Mahomes on-card autograph not found in Hobby or Retail packs.
Release Day is slated for October. Confidence is high of that timing, but please don't order if a delay would be problematic or upsetting for you.
Presale means best price + direct access. It does not mean first delivery.
Set your reminders for August 20th at 12PM EDT.
Full Detailed Version
It’s almost time.
Early-Bird Hobby Presale codes for the 2026 Update Edition go out August 20th at 12PM EDT.
Once they go out, you have 27 hours to place your order. The presale closes August 21st at 12PM PST (3 PM EDT codes available for 27 hours).
So if you’re planning to order, set a reminder.
Early-Bird Pricing
Everyone in this Presale window will be paying $385 ($10 off).
If you participated in our $5 Early-Bird promotion, your $5 deposit becomes a $10 credit, making your price $385 per box.
If you purchased during the Tecmo Bowl Edition Presale, you also receive $10 off, making your price $385 per box.
That's one of the big reasons we do these Presales. We want the people who commit early and buy directly from us to get the best possible price.
Presale is not "Early Delivery"
It's important to understand that the Presale is to give more of the community guaranteed product access at the best price we will offer. It is not intended to "get your order first."
We use a 3PL (3rd Party Logistics) provider, and they ship distribution and retailer allocations first (which includes live sellers), and then they process the DTC (Direct to Customer) Presale orders with all possible speed. For the previous release they managed to ship roughly 90% of DTC hobby orders in 5 days. We expect a similar timeline for 2026 Update Edition.
How Many Boxes Can I Buy?
We recognize that BoBA is best enjoyed when you have more packs to rip. That helps you build decks and gives you trade ammo. And it's just a big part of the experience to RIP PACKS!! We hear you. We get it.
At the same time, BoBA is a small-batch hobby product by design. We intentionally manage our print runs around long-term goals, which means we also have to carefully manage product allocations for the health of our community.
The absolute maximum for the 2026 Update Edition Early-Bird Presale is 4 Hobby Boxes across ALL purchase opportunities.
That includes boxes ordered at The National, through returning-buyer access, this Presale, or any other direct opportunity.
If you're a new buyer, your initial allocation is 1 Hobby Box.
Again, we understand that "more packs to rip" makes BoBA more fun. That's why we try to increase allocation for existing customers while also welcoming in new folks.
(Don't forget that "retail" product will also be an option to help build out those decks and enjoy BoBA gameplay and collecting).
How Much Is Print Run Increasing?
Hobby product is limited by the number of autographs. The Mahomes set will be a little larger because we have more signers (82 compared to 67 in Tecmo Bowl Edition).
This 22% increase in autograph signers is what allows us to increase allocations for returning and new DTC orders. The vast majority of the hobby print run increase is being allocated to DTC, while distribution, wholesale, and live sellers can expect similar allocations as they received previously, with some availability for new sports-focused card shops. BoBA is very much a TCG, but our shared DNA with sports cards means the product performs best in Local Card Shop (LCS) environments that are at least 50% sports, so that's where we work to allocate supply. And if your "Local GAME Store" (LGS) tells you they tried to order but couldn't get allocation, this is why.
Reminder - What "Presale" Means
A BoBA presale gets you two things:- Our best public price
- Opportunity to order directly from us
It does NOT mean you are guaranteed to have the product before everyone else.
We are not trying to race card shops, distributors, breakers, and customers against each other to see who can get a box into somebody's hands first.
That's not what the Presale is for.
Product starts shipping around release. Distribution, LCS, and live sellers will get product before your shipment arrives, and delivery times to individual buyers will vary. Someone who lives 50 miles from our fulfillment center may get their box days before someone who lives 1,500 miles away.
That is normal.
Presale is about access and price, not winning a delivery race.
Don't Forget - Free Promo Pack by Placing an Early-Bird Presale Order
This is a fun add-on. You will get a guaranteed non-foil Merlomes card for your collection, along with a chance to hit an exclusive auto not found in Hobby or Retail packs.IMPORTANT - When Does 2026 Update Release?
We are currently slated for an October release, and our confidence in hitting October is very high.
We'll announce the exact release date as we get closer.
That said, trading cards are a physical product with a complicated manufacturing process. Things can happen.
So we will give the same advice we would want to hear ourselves: if a delay would genuinely upset you, please don't participate in the Presale and wait until the product is released and buy it then. Yes, the price could fluctuate post release, but you will have far more clarity into timing.
We would much rather lose a Presale order than have somebody get angry because a date moved.
Again, we feel really good about the October release, but please be aware that delays can happen.
How Do I know If I'm in the Early-Bird Presale?
Check the email you used to sign up. If you will be receiving an order code, you should have an email from us.
Be sure to check spam, and check the promotions folder if you have one (like Gmail). If you unsubscribed from our email list, we won't be able to send your code due to ESP (email service provider) rules, and you will need to purchase at release from a retailer.
What's Next?
Set your reminders for August 20th @ 12pm EDT to look for your order code in your email and to place your order.
Codes will be good for 27 hours.
What If I Don't Get My Code?
If you are a RETURNING BUYER and do not get your code, please email us AFTER codes go out at help@bobattlearena.com.
The same applies if you are a new buyer that received a confirmation that you would be getting a code but then it doesn't arrive. Also email us so we can help.
As long as we receive your customer service email before the sale closes, we will make sure you are taken care of, EVEN IF HELPING YOU EXTENDS BEYOND THE 27 HOUR DEADLINE. So if something happens and you don't get your code, please just get us an email and you can relax. We will get you straight.
Note: We expect a number of these issues simply because of how large-scale commercial email delivery works (email service provider filters, spam folders, unsubscribes, etc.). Depending on the number of requests, it may take some time to get everyone squared away.