14 DAY TRIAL // Wizards of the Coast has revealed more information regarding the next entry in the Magic: The Gathering series, titled Magic Duels: Origins.
The series has seen yearly iterations so far, acting as a sort of introductory experience aimed at more casual players, an alternative to the physical collectible card game.
The Duels of the Planeswalkers series brought the popular fantasy trading card game to consoles and PC in a limited manner, being criticized for its unsatisfying deck building options.
Magic Duels: Origins was announced at the Game Developer Conference in San Francisco, and it's going to be a free-to-play video game, most likely mirroring Blizzard Entertainment's very own collectible card game Hearthstone.
Blizzard's game has seen phenomenal success, and given that WotC's Magic: The Gathering is the first big card game and one of the only ones to hold actual world championships where players can earn a pretty big purse, it was about time it made a more sizable entry in the virtual world.
Magic: The Gathering already has an official online client, but it's not exactly as friendly as it could be, and it's seen less and less use over the years.
Magic Duels: Origins has the potential to deliver a proper digital MTG experience
Magic Duels will feature the exciting storyline in the upcoming Magic Origins set, and according to Wizards of the Coast, it will continue to expand with regular downloadable content, reflecting the latest available sets.
The title will enable users to engage in a variety of ways, including through the fan-favorite Two-Headed Giant, a weird but very interesting 2v2 experience. The 3v3 Emperor game mode would most likely prove too much of a hassle to work out online, so it's not likely to get any action anytime soon.
The developers promised a proper free-to-play experience, complete with new challenges each and every week, a solo battle mode with endless computer-controlled opponents, and a new Deck Builder, that also has an introductory section for newcomers to the wonders of crafting your own deck.
Magic Duels: Origins will be released this July, on PC, Xbox One and iPad. The game will be a timed exclusive on Microsoft's new-gen console, heading to the PlayStation 4 gaming device from Sony later in the year.
