CD Projekt, the game developer of The Witcher series, announced during the Microsoft E3 2016 press conference that they are working on a standalone digital card game spin-off of Gwent. Gwent is the in-game card game in “The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt.”
One developer from CD Projekt shared onstage that the team allegedly received thousands of emails from fans of “The Witcher 3,” asking them to create a standalone version of Gwent.
GameSpot stated that rumors of the standalone spin-off version of Gwent first surfaced early in June 2016. The game developer filed a trademark for the game in Europe recently, spurring more talks that they are actually making the game. CD Projekt set up a huge poster in Los Angeles for the upcoming card game. Actually, they have been working on the game since 2015. The official game title is “Gwent: The Witcher Card Game.”
According to the game developer, Gwent will initially showcase a beta version on Xbox One and PC. The spin-off card game will reportedly become available in full form in September 2016 for PlayStation 4, Xbox One and PC.
In the “Wild Hunt” story, Gwent was created by dwarves and perfected through the centuries. It is a well-loved game by travelers and nobles alike. The game features over 150 cards from different factions. To play a game, each player should have a full deck for at least one faction, consisting of at least 22 unit cards and up to 10 special cards. The objective of the game is to ensure that the total strength of the cards on the board is greater than the opponent’s, so strategy and adequate deck-building is essential for consistent victories.
Kotaku reported that Gwent will be a multiplayer game with crossplay, which means that players can battle with others using either a game console or PC. The card game will also include a single-player campaign. Achievements will let players create new cards and improve their current deck. The core mechanics of the game will reportedly remain the same in the standalone version although the graphics have been almost completely redesigned.
IGN wrote that Gwent fans who wish to join the closed beta can register on playgwent.com. It is still uncertain whether the spin-off card game will be free-to-play with subsequently paid card packs or an outright premium purchase. More updates and details on the standalone digital card game spin-off are expected soon.
