Hidden within its dozens of hours of engaging content full of amazing stories and wonderful characters, The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt also houses a surprisingly deep card game. When Geralt isn’t out slaying monsters or looking for Ciri he was touring taverns in search of worthy Gwent opponents.
This addictive card game proved a brilliant surprise, so much so that it was has spawned its very own spinoff in the form of Gwent: The Witcher Card Game.
Gwent: The Witcher Card Game at a glance
Release date: TBC 2017
Platform: PS4, Xbox One and PC
Developer: CD Projekt Red
Genre: Card-based strategy
What’s new?: Niflgaard faction trailer
What is Gwent: The Witcher Card Game?
Gwent is a free-to-play card game developed by CD Projekt Red for PS4, Xbox One and PC. It’s essentially a standalone adaptation of the version you played in The Witcher 3 with all new factions, modes and a multiplayer component. According to the developer, the project was inspired by thousands of emails, forum posts and over 40 fan-made versions; all culminating in the official rendition of Gwent coming our way in 2017.
See also: Nintendo Switch Review
Gwent: The Witcher Card Game release date – When is it coming out?
The closed beta begun on October 25, 2016, with CD Projekt Red yet to confirm a date for the full release.
Gwent: The Witcher Card Game gameplay – How does it play?
Gwent will include five unique factions each with their own individual cards, strengths and weaknesses:
- Cunning Northern Realms
- The Proud Skellige
- Shadowy Scoia’tael
- Brutal Monsters
Players will have the opportunity to formulate a deck for their chosen side, opting for whatever playstyle suits alongside their favourite aesthetic. Gwent will also feature a robust card-crafting mechanic allowing you to create your own, so long as you possess the right components, that is.
The core package of Gwent: The Witcher Card Game will be a free-to-play affair, with a solo campaign being released in the form of episodes. Developed by the same minds behind Geralt’s gripping story, Gwent will thrust us into a world we can explore with new characters and locations drenched in gothic fantasy.
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Upon starting the game you can choose from three different modes – Story, Ranked and Friendly – all of these will follow the same basic gameplay formula, albeit with vastly different story beats and rewards. Do you have a goofy skirmish with friends or fight through the online competition in search of victory? The choice is up to you, and Gwent seems engineered in such a way to entice both hardcore and casual players.
The board in Gwent is split into several areas that accommodate melee, ranged and siege units. Each card has a unique combat value and specific special abilities that will need to be used timely and strategically against your opponent. The aim is earn a higher score than your enemy without completely losing your hand. Higher totals can be achieved by stringing together cards in a series of clever, unpredictable combos.
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Gwent trailers – How does it look?
If you’ve played any Gwent in The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt you may have some idea of what expect. If not, we’ve compiled some of the best trailers of Gwent: The Witcher Card Game below:
Announcement trailer
Closed beta gameplay trailer
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Did Gwent manage to hook you in The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt? Let us know in the comments.
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Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
