CD Projekt RED has just announced the public beta test for its highly anticipated free-to-play collectible Card Game, "Gwent: The Witcher Card Game." The card game was originally available as an in-game feature in the last "Witcher" video game installment, "The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt." The mini game got so much attention and praise from players that the developer eventually decided to publish it as a standalone title.
Open to everyone
The developer previously launched the game's closed beta back in October of last year. Unfortunately, the beta was very limited, and not a lot of players were able to get a slot to try out the title.
Now, CD Projekt RED has announced that the public beta will be available to everyone who is interested in trying out the upcoming game.
The public beta has been revealed to essentially be a soft launch for the game as players will be able to try it out with all of its content already added. However, being a beta test, players must understand that the developers may still implement some changes and minor tweaks to the game. Players must also agree that their progress within the game may be reset at any time if the developers deem it necessary.
A billion dollar market
"Gwent: The Witcher Card Game" is expected to be a formidable contender in the digital card game market, which is estimated to be worth $1.4 billion this year.
The market is currently dominated by Blizzard's "Warcraft" themed collectible card game, "Hearthstone." Blizzard reportedly pulled in around $394.6 million in revenue last year.
However, Blizzard is currently encountering some problems with their hit title due to the many changes they have implemented that have apparently undermined its competitive element.
The company has received numerous complaints regarding its latest updates, with some fans also criticizing its lack of a proper tournament mode.
Getting the timing right
CD Projekt Red may very well be able to take over the top position when they finally released their highly awaited game. "Gwent: The Witcher Card Game" does have a lot of advantages over "Hearthstone," which includes its wider platform availability.
Blizzard's game is only available for PC and mobile, while "Gwent" will be available on the PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and Windows PC. More importantly, "Gwent" has the added benefit of being a truly competitive multiplayer title thanks to its unique gameplay system that promotes strategic play.
