‘Gwent: The Witcher Card Game’ Public Beta Marks Its PS4 Debut, 3 Reasons It Is A Must-Play


Gwent: The Witcher Card Game is playable on PlayStation 4 for the first time during the Public Beta event starting May 24. Although no release date has been set for the final version of the game, players on PS4 as well as PC and Xbox One can all get a taste of the fast-paced card game spin-off inspired by the popular mini-game in The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt.

The Gwent Closed Beta recently concluded on May 22. Participants in the Xbox One and PC exclusive event were rewarded with several key items that carry over to the Public Beta that include an animated gold Geralt card, a “Classic Geralt” avatar, and a “Pioneer” title. Depending on how many levels and ranks were gained, each participant also banked two Card Kegs (in-game card packs) for each rank earned. They also got additional two Kegs every five levels, i.e. two if they reached Level 5, two more if they reached Level 10, etc.

Some players have already invested real money into this game, and the money spent won’t be lost. CD Projekt Red is making sure all players who bought Card Kegs in the Closed Beta get the same number of Kegs that they previously purchased at the start of the Public Beta. This is in addition to their activity bonuses and participation gifts.

‘Gwent’ Public Beta begins May 24. [Image by CD Projekt Red]

3 Reasons To Download And Play Gwent During Public Beta

For players who are excited to continue playing Gwent, playing in the Public Beta may seem like a no-brainer; but, for those who are debating giving it another go, or taking the time to clear some space on their PS4 hard drive, here are a few reasons that might make the decision a little easier.

Reason #1: A Fresh Start

Although players from the Closed Beta are already familiar with many of the game’s mechanics, all progress is getting cleared to level the playing field for new players. In addition, the starter decks have been revamped to include four gold cards and six silver cards in each. The changes give newcomers more to start with as they learn to play the game.

Reason #2: Refined, Competitive Gameplay

For returning players, the results of playtesting in the Closed Beta are going to be seen in the Public Beta. For starters, the addition of 20 new cards shakes up the metagame. Faction Leaders have become playable cards with new abilities that activate after the cards are put on the board. Weather Effects have also been tweaked, as they no longer instantly deal a massive hit. Instead, weather effects deal some damage every turn until they are removed from the board, giving the defending player a chance to counter before losing their units.

Reason #3: Learn To Play Now, So You Can Enjoy The Story Later

Even if competitive multiplayer isn’t your cup of tea, playing Gwent during the Beta gives you the unique opportunity to get familiar with how the game of Gwent has evolved since The Witcher 3. When the full version of Gwent becomes available, it’s going to include a single-player campaign complete with stories that build upon and expand the lore of the Witcher series. If you’re eager to dive into those stories, getting familiar with the gameplay before the game launches is probably a good idea.

Bonus Reason #1: Tournaments?

Top players in the Closed Beta on PC were invited to participate in the Gwent Challenger event. The tournament boasted a $100,000 prize pool and presented in partnership with global eSports company ESL. If community engagement and interest in Gwent as an eSport is strong, the developer seems supportive of that potential evolution of the game.

Bonus Reason #2: Cross-Play?

The development team at CD Projekt Red has made it known that they’d love nothing more than to let gamers across all platforms play together. It has already been confirmed that Gwent supports cross-play on Xbox One and PC, allowing players to retain their decks, card collections, and overall progress regardless of platform.

Now that players on PS4 are entering the gaming mix, they may find out if cross-platform play will extend to PC and PS4. An official newsletter announcing the Public Beta originally stated, “If you’ve got friends waiting, you can let them know you’ll soon be challenging them to a game of Gwent thanks to cross-play between PS4 and PC.” However, the newsletter has since been updated to remove this information. No further information has been provided, leaving fans to wait and see if the potential feature might actually become a reality. If it does, being the newest title added to the short list of cross-platform multiplayer games might be reason enough for many gamers around the globe to check it out.

[Featured Image by CD Projekt Red]

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