As it turns out, this version of Gwent is going to be fairly different from the one that appeared in The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt. The title is going to include cross-play, to allow users on different platforms to play against one another, while the game will also see improved core mechanics and redesigned visuals. Meanwhile, although the game is promising to be a strong multiplayer experience, it will also include a single-player mode.

CD Projekt Red also confirmed exactly when gamers can expect to get their hands on the new-and-improved Gwent for the first time. As it turns out, the card game spin-off is going to be entering a closed beta this September, available first on Xbox One and PC, and gamers are able to sign up over at the official Gwent: The Witcher Card Game website. Those who want another look at the trailer that debuted at E3 2016 can do so by checking out the video below.

[HTML1]

Exactly when the game will see full release, however, remains to be seen. The full extend of the game’s platforms is also a mystery at the moment, with only Xbox and PC announced at this point. Although it remains likely that a PS4 release will see the light of day, whether the game receives cross-platform play between consoles is another matter entirely.

This side game was perhaps one of the worst kept secrets in the run-up to E3 2016, with many comments from CD Projekt Red pointing towards the existence of the game. The developer teased the prospect of a new game at the expo several weeks ago, while it also said that it wanted to return to the Witcher franchise in some way, shape, or form. By the time a giant Witcher poster appeared on the side of a Los Angeles hotel, many gamers had already put two and two together.

Gwent: The Witcher Card Game is not the only card game spin-off from an acclaimed fantasy RPG series that has appeared over the course of E3 2016. The Elder Scrolls franchise is also getting a card game, in the form of The Elder Scrolls: Legends, and the long-awaited title could prove stiff opposition for Gwent: The Witcher Card Game. Then again, given that Gwent is already a popular game in its own right, the smart money might be on this spin-off being a real success.

Gwent: The Witcher Card Game will be entering a closed beta in September, with a full release coming at a later date.