Bringing the classic collectible card game Magic: The Gathering to mobile devices is hardly a new idea. Right now there are already several titles on the mobile game market that aim to achieve that goal: Magic: The Gathering – Puzzle Quest and Magic Duels, just to name a couple. None of them manage to deliver the full Magic: The Gathering experience, though, and while we can still hope that the acclaimed Magic: The Gathering Arena will go mobile at some point in the future, developer Wizards of the Coast is releasing a new game titled Valor’s Reach for us to content ourselves with for the time being.
If you’ve done your homework on the Magic lore, you will recognize that Valor’s Reach is the name of a stadium where magical duels take place. It is fitting, then, that this game won’t be a digital port of the physical MGT (and thus sets itself apart from Arena), but instead will go its own route. In the developer’s words, it will be “quick, competitive, and casual 1v1 battles that can be played anytime, anywhere."
“Valor’s Reach is a fast, fun, and explosive mobile CCG that features a rich variety of heroes based on Magic: The Gathering’s Planeswalkers," claimed Executive Producer Dan McAuliffe.
McAuliffe also revealed a few details about what we can expect and explained why the team decided to go for a vertical orientation instead of horizontal like we see in most other CCGs.
“This game offers a new take on mobile CCGs by combining opportunistic bluffing and counterplay that delivers unparalleled depth and strategy with true mobile accessibility," McAuliffe said. “Vertical gameplay allows for one-handed use for an even more unique experience in the genre."
Valor’s Reach will focus on the Planeswalkers, thus turning them into the center of the action. Wizards of the Coast says each one is going to have his or her own unique playstyle as well as card types. They also come with some pre-made decks so that newcomers can get the hang of the game without being overwhelmed by the sheer number of cards available. That said, as with any CCG, deck building and customization will still play an essential role. It wouldn’t have been a Magic game at all otherwise.
You will be able to download the game for free and unlock new cards as you play by during various in-game quests or by opening packs. Of course, there will inevitably be IAPs, but Wizards of the Coast has assured that it is doing its best to minimize pay-to-win as much as possible
Also, the actual development is reportedly being done by a well-known team.
“We are excited to be partnering with Seismic Games, a great mobile studio known for such hits as Marvel Strike Force, for the development of Valor’s Reach," McAuliffe said. “Soft launch is starting soon in limited regions on Android, and we’re super excited to start hearing from our players and gathering the feedback that will help us launch the game successfully."
Speaking of soft launch, Valor’s Reach is already available for Android users in the Nordic region to try out. For iOS and other regions, there is currently no information just yet. Stay tuned for more updates if you are interested.
Meanwhile, Magic: The Gathering Arena is still an incredibly solid title that’s totally worth checking out. That said, it’s still interesting to see the rich Magic: The Gathering world and characters presented in another way in Valor’s Reach. Hopefully, it’ll deliver on the promise of turning everything we love about MTG into a more accessible experience.