Gwent open beta begins next Wednesday

Oh Witcherful day! A Netflix show based on the original books is in the works, we heard this morning, and this afternoon game developers CD Projekt RED announced that Gwent: The Witcher Card Game [official site] will enter open beta on May 24th. That's next Wednesday! Gwent is, of course, a standalone, free-to-play spin-off of the card battle game CD Projekt made within The Witcher 3. This time, it'll come without the nagging feeling that you really should be off slaying devilish beasts and saving the world rather than gambling for pocket change in taverns.

We had a quick look during closed beta in November and yup, it sure is Gwent. It's not quite Gwent as it exists within The Witcher 3, mind. It's been rebalanced and reworked a bit to be more interesting and less, y'know, about cramming all of the super-powerful cards into any deck.

I've not got around to playing the beta myself yet but might have a crack now. I played so very much Gwent in The Witcher 3 but that was a diversion during a huge and beautiful world rather than the whole game in itself, so I'm curious to see how it feels standalone.

Gwent in its current state is focused on competitive multiplayer but a singleplayer campaign is planned too.

CD Projekt RED will wipe the progress and collections of everyone who has played in the closed beta test, so everyone will start out even. Closed beta players will receive some packs of cards as a thank-you bonus. Those who have bought packs (or 'Card Kegs', to use the lingo) using real money will receive an equivalent number of new packs.