Shardbound to Launch Open Beta on Steam and Epic Games

Fashionable Ethereum-based technique card recreation Shardbound is about to launch its Open Beta on October 9.

Developed by Bazooka Tango and constructed on Ethereum’s Layer-2 Immutable zkEVM community, the sport can be out there on each Steam and the Epic Video games Retailer. This open beta section will give attention to gathering suggestions to fine-tune the gameplay forward of a full launch, although the beta’s finish date has not but been confirmed.

With its upcoming beta, the builders hope to refine core components while introducing blockchain integration, though some options can be restricted based mostly on platform restrictions.

What’s Shardbound?

Shardbound is a turn-based technique recreation that blends components of deck-building and tactical fight the place gamers create decks stuffed with distinctive playing cards, which they use to command items on a grid-based battlefield. The sport affords a number of methods to win, resembling by way of direct army engagements or by using financial methods to outlast opponents.

Initially developed by Spiritwalk Video games, Shardbound launched in Early Entry in 2017 after a profitable crowdfunding marketing campaign however by no means reached full completion.

Bazooka Tango acquired the sport in 2023 and has since labored to include web3 components, significantly by way of the usage of NFTs that characterize in-game playing cards.

What can we anticipate from the Open Beta?

Starting October 9, the Open Beta can be out there on each Steam and the Epic Video games Retailer.

One standout function is that viewers will have the ability to be part of mid-game, providing a extra interactive expertise. Bazooka Tango will use suggestions from the neighborhood throughout this section to reinforce and fine-tune the sport’s mechanics. The beta will stay open for an undetermined interval, with steady changes being made based mostly on participant enter.

While the sport is built-in with blockchain expertise, some options can be restricted on Steam because of the platform’s restrictions towards NFT-enabled video games. Gamers will nonetheless have the ability to receive NFTs representing in-game playing cards by way of Immutable’s zkEVM community, however they should declare these through e-mail codes or by way of Immutable’s pockets system.

Extra particulars on future NFT integration and long-term plans can be shared within the coming weeks.