CD Projekt RED has announced a Witcher prequel deckbuilding roguelike game, and it’s set to release tomorrow (July 7).
The game was announced via IGN, and is titled Gwent: Rogue Mage, and will release on PC, iOS, and Android. The standard version of the game will go for around £8.50 ($9.99), while the premium edition will cost around £17 ($19.99), and includes additional in-game skins, cosmetics, as well as card packs.
Director Vladimir Tortsov stated that it came from CD Projekt RED “noticing that years after The Witcher 3’s release, there are a significant number of players who want a more PvE experience from Gwent.”
He continues to state that “While Gwent multiplayer is a fantastic game for those who are looking for a great PvP multiplayer experience, we perfectly understand that many Witcher players loved the original mini-game of Gwent for totally different reasons”, and clarifies that with this game “we aim to give this audience a reason to play modern-day Gwent in the format they prefer.”
Players start each run with roughly a dozen cards in their deck, with each deck having a core theme that’s “easy to understand”. There are a total of four decks, with players being able to choose three key cards to build around. Cards can be added to the deck one at a time by exploring the map, while the pool of potential cards can be increased via earning experience and increasing their level.
Tortsov estimates it’d take the average player over 30 hours to collect and complete everything in the game. It’s also clarified that while the game has a narrative, the core mechanics took precedence in development. “While we have a story to tell about Alzur’s obsession to create the first witcher, we do not treat this expansion as an official addition to The Witcher lore.”
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