Last week GMT Games (partnered with Playdek) to launch a Kickstarter to bring their popular card-driven strategy board game Twilight Struggle to digital platforms including iOS, Android, PC and next-gen consoles.
Twilight Struggle is a two player strategy game that pits the US against the Cold War-era Soviet Union in a struggle for influence. “The game map is a world map of the period, whereon players move units and exert influence in attempts to gain allies and control for their superpower. Decision-making is a challenge; how to best use one’s cards and units given consistently limited resources.”
The campaign reached its $50,000 funding goal within two hours of launch and (at last check) has climbed to over $186k, unlocking 6 of its 7 already announced stretched goals, adding items like additional single-player scenarios, Windows, PS4, Vita and Xbox One development, digital promo packs, GMT sanctioned tournaments and more.
There are a number of different pledge levels to choose from, some of which come with copies of the physical game as well. iOS Gamers will want to start at the $15 level which gets you the iOS app, plus a digital set of the promo card pack, a digital copy of the “Twilight Struggle: What If?” expansion and any other additional specified stretch rewards. It is worth noting that while, yes the digital expansion and promo pack(s) will be available for purchase by non-backers at some point in the future, Kickstarter backers will get them first and their version of these items will feature Kickstarter-exclusive artwork on the cards. One additional copy of the game (iOS, Android, or Windows Table/Phone) may be added to your $15+ pledge for another $5.
Included in the cost of the digital release of Twilight Struggle, you will have access to a single player mode against AI, pass-and-play multiplayer as well as both asynchronous and real-time online play so you can play against your friends or use Playdek’s matchmaking system to start a game, and a rating system so you can compare your score to the score of your opponents. All of this is included in the game at no additional charge.
A separate tournament system will come with its own rating system and leaderboard in place and will require a small entry fee to join (pricing structure has not been decided at this time). These tournaments will be a place to go to prove to the world just how great of a player you are and for eternal bragging rights. These tournaments will be online matches so that anyone anywhere in the world may participate. Special “backer only” tournaments will be available to backers at the appropriate tier levels.
Since its original release in 2005, Twilight Struggle has topped the charts at Board Game Geek and currently holds the NUMBER ONE position in the Board Game, War Game and Strategy Game categories. This undoubtedly looks like another brilliant coup for Playdek and I cannot wait to finally check out this game. The tutorials and AI opponent should make it very approachable for new players such as myself and Playdek’s usual polish should please fans of the tabletop version. If you are unfamiliar with the Twilight Struggle, Cheryl & Glen of Couple Vs. Cardboard have done a very nice job of explaining the game for both gamers and non-gamers alike.
Twilight Struggle is expected to be completed sometime in February 2015, so backers can should see the game and all other rewards arriving sometime in March 2015.
