An RPG based on Magic: The Gathering is being created for PC and console, according to this Business Wire press release.
“It’s Magic: The Gathering like you’ve never experienced before,” said Bryan Huang, CEO of Perfect World Entertainment in the Business Wire press release. “We are ecstatic about the direction of the game Cryptic has been shaping. It’s always been a dream of ours to bring Magic’s Planeswalkers to a modern RPG.”
Magic: The Gathering is a card game where the player role-plays as a Planeswalker (the Magic: The Gathering definition for a mage) and fights against one or more opponents using spells, weapons and creature summons and see who comes out on top. Each player will start off with 20 hit points, and the winner is the player still left alive, according to the Magic: The Gathering official website. Players gain spells, weapons and creature summons through collecting different card decks, making this game fun for both a role-playing enthusiast and a card collector.
There is already a version of Magic: The Gathering available for online play, named Magic Online. Players can do what they do without an online connection (collect cards and decks and fight against other players) except they don’t need other people in the same location as them. This version of Magic: The Gathering is only available on Windows, though, which restricts who can play the game online. Luckily, though, it seems that the Magic Online download is available for free. More information on Magic Online can be found here.
Perfect World Entertainment Inc. (Star Trek Online, PWI, Neverwinter) will be publishing the game and Cryptic Studios (City of Heroes/City of Villains, Champions Online: Free for All, Star Trek Online) will be in charge of development of the Magic: The Gathering RPG. The card game was originally created and published in 1993 by Wizards of the Coast, who will be working with these two companies to create the Magic: The Gathering RPG.
Cryptic Studios is a subsidiary of Perfect World Entertainment Inc. and they seem to have some experience with turning role-playing games into PC and console games, making a Dungeons & Dragons RPG named Neverwinter. It was originally released back in 2013, made its way to Xbox One in 2015 and PlayStation 4 in 2016.
“This game is an exciting part of Wizards of the Coast’s Magic Digital Next initiative to extend gameplay beyond the tabletop, and we’re proud to work with the talented team at Perfect World Entertainment and Cryptic Studios to bring the Magic: The Gathering Multiverse to life,” said David Schwartz, Wizards of the Coast Vice President of Digital Publishing in the Business Wire press release.
It seems as if development for the Magic: The Gathering RPG has already begun, according to the Business Wire press release.
“Everything from the graphics to the gameplay is being targeted for a truly unique AAA game,” said Stephen D’Angelo, CEO of Cryptic Studios. “We’re thrilled to provide Magic fans with an opportunity to explore the game’s worlds and characters through an entirely new lens. Get ready to embark on a brand new journey.”
Fans of the Magic: The Gathering card game will finally have the opportunity to fully control their Planeswalkers on a PC and console RPG. How the game will be played and if cards are incorporated is currently unknown.
The title and release date for the Magic: The Gathering RPG will be announced at a later time. Although not mentioned in the Business Wire press release; considering that E3 is next week, it is unknown if more information on the game will be discussed there.
Featured image via Wikimedia Commons.
