CD Projekt Red Announces Arena Mode for Gwent

Gwent was a runaway success for CD Projekt Red. Embedded in The Witcher III - Wild Hunt, Gwent stands as an inception of sorts of a deep, strategical game within a deep, satisfying single player experience. And it was so successful, in fact, that the company decided to spin it off into a separate, standalone game that has been widely accepted as well.

The standalone Gwent differs from the version implemented in The Witcher III in a great many ways, as was to be expected for a competitive card game as opposed to the satisfying time killer it was in The Witcher III. And one thing lacking in the game was an alternate mode that allowed players to compete in other environments other than a Constructed format. Gwent's Seasons are typically a race to the top for the best prizes, but it can become a slog for players reaching the top ranks as deck diversity is reduced to a couple of high-power behemoths in the hand of extremely skilled players. As such, Gwent's Draft Mode introduction should not only give players another way of having fun on Gwent, but also give them ways of earning prizes near the end of the Season, allowing them to build up their decks even in the face of what would be insurmountable odds in the Constructed portion of Gwent.

If you're familiar with Draft formats in games such as Magic The Gathering, this Arena mode pits players against each other with a Deck that they build on the fly, based on a random assortment of cards. As players look towards the available pool of cars, they must choose carefully based on the available pool, thinking ahead on how their deck might shape-up with possible future options.

For participation in Arena mode matches, players will have to pay a fee: $2, or 150 ore (which is easily attainable in-game without spending any real money). The Arena mode enters The Witcher III lore via contracts with Gaunter O'Dimm (players who enjoyed the Hearts of Stone expansion should be familiar with him). You'll get a contract, which features nine matches. Winning each match will give you rewards, and if players complete the contract and beat all nine matches, they'll get a guaranteed Legendary Premium card. Losing three times counts as failing the contract, however. Regardless of the outcome, all players are guaranteed one keg, or card pack, for participating.