CD Projekt Red announced that GWENT: The Witcher Card Game will finally be coming to mobile devices, with a release date later this year for the iOS version. GWENT is a popular offshoot of The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, where it first appeared as a collectible card game with such addictive properties it would later become a running joke in expansions.

GWENT is only one iteration of the card game that has seen success. Thronebreaker: The Witcher Tales successfully integrated the trading card game into a more traditional RPG setting, even rewarding its players with special GWENT cards for the online game if they completed challenges or crafted specific cards. While GWENT is the most robust offering of the trading card game, there are other options for those looking to learn the game, not the least of which is the hyper-simplified version that runs in The Witcher 3.

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With that said, though, GWENT is by far the most impressive iteration of the game, and CD Projekt Red is finally bringing that variant to mobile devices. The company announced today on the official website that GWENT will be coming to iOS later this year, and that an Android version of the game is also in production. Given that CD Projekt Red specifically tagged the iOS variant as having a 2019 release date, it's fair to assume that GWENT on Android could be something we see at some point in 2020 instead. The announcement also unveiled GWENT: Crimson Curse, the game's first official expansion, which releases tomorrow and introduces over 100 new cards into the game:

Although the expansion is exciting and will add "series fan-favorites" to the game, the important news for the game's future is nestled in the small acknowledgement that the game will be heading to the mobile platform. The online card game space is heating up as of late, with Magic: The Gathering Arena making a splash in the esports scene while Hearthstone has renewed its interest in remaining a dominant force. While Magic doesn't have a mobile offering, it has the tabletop version of the game to supplement it, while Hearthstone's playability on mobile devices has been a driving factor in its ability to remain relevant even with new competitors emerging seemingly every few months.

GWENT is a very good game that has been restricted somewhat by how difficult it can be to access. That's not a knock against the PC or console platforms, but rather an acknowledgement that many people consider online card games as something to do when they're in a state of transit or are otherwise a little occupied. Having that be an option for a game that has proven it has the chops to survive a genre that is becoming cut-throat is the next step in establishing GWENT as a long-term presence in the scene. At the very least, it'll go a long way in ensuring GWENT never meets the same fate currently befalling Valve's Artifact.

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Source: PlayGwent