Dire Wolf Digital looks to really up their digital board game offerings in 2019 with no fewer than five titles currently in various stages of development.
The Denver-based studio first came to my attention a few years ago in late 2016 when they launched their fantastic digital adaptation of Renegade Games’ Lanterns: The Harvest Festival, followed by their own original digital strategy card game Eternal.
Last year they continued their relationship with Renegade Games when they released a fun digital adaptation of the set collection card game Lotus. In between these releases they also found the time to make a couple of board game companion apps for both Renegade Game Studios (FUSE and Clank!) and WizKids Games (scoring app for Fantasy Realms and Curio: The Last Temple).
However, this year looks to be the studio’s most ambitious yet, with the announcement of a staggering slate of digital board game adaptations that are currently on their 2019 road map.
Dire Wolf continues their long-standing partnership with Renegade Game Studios, this time tackling the Viking worker-placement game Raiders of the North Sea. Players can “plunder their way to adventure in a Viking worker-placement romp! In Raiders, players assemble a crew and outfit a longboat to raid settlements for gold and fame. Impress your Chieftain in glorious battle and win your place among the legends of the North Sea!” This will be releasing sometime in Q1 of 2019.
In a partnership with Leder Games, they will be working on a digital adaptation of the very successfully Kickstarted woodland-themed, asymmetrical wargame Root. “Warring woodland critters – each with their own abilities and ambitions – clash in a gorgeous forest setting with a precarious balance of power. Each faction plays very differently, and players must navigate the shifting strategies of unstable alliances if they are to emerge victorious.”
In a second collaboration with WizKids, Mage Knight will get the digital treatment. “In this popular strategy game, players must control their reputation and walk the line or embrace the role of benevolent leader or brutal dictator. Accumulate Fame and experience to acquire powerful Spells and abilities, then use their power to influence units to join their ranks.” It’s been a while since we saw a WizKids digital adaptation, I miss the Quarriors! app, which is no longer available on the App Store; I really wish Dire Wolf would bring the Dice Masters franchise to digital form.
The one title that I am MOST excited to see on this list is Floodgate Games’ colorful, award-winning dice game Sagrada. Designed by by Daryl Andrews & Adrian Adamescu, in Sagrada, “players take turns drafting glass dice, placing each into their personal stained glass masterpiece in the Sagrada Familia. Each window is a unique work of art – with unique requirements – so careful planning and skillful use of your tools will be necessary to please your fickle admirers.” This has been on my want to try list for quite some time. A digital version will make it much easier for me to actually check it out solo.
Next up is a title from Grail Games and legendary designer Reiner Knizia. Dire Wolf will be creating a digital release of last year’s Yellow & Yangtze, Knizia’s reimplementation of his classic 1997 strategy game Tigris & Euphrates. “Players must build a civilization to last a thousand years in a tile-placement strategy game of ancient China. Cultivate the riverlands and found a dynasty.”
Finally, Dire Wolf takes to the skies with Ares Games to adapt their acclaimed Wings of Glory series including last year’s most recent entry, Wings of Glory : Tripods and Triplanes. “Set during the time of WWI, players take to the foggy skies and become Knights of the Air in Andrea Angiolino & Pier Giorgio Paglia’s Wings of Glory, featuring smooth and exciting aerial combat system including fierce dogfights and in the latest installment…Martian invasions.
For even more information about these and other future digital titles, visit Dire Wolf’s website.
