Ahh, digital collectible card games (CCGs). Ever since Hearthstone took Magic the Gathering’s mechanics and heavily simplified them for use with the Warcraft world, it seems like we’ve had a new one pop up every few weeks. Occasionally, we’ll get something more original, like Valve’s Artifact, but they really fumbled that launch by not letting you just download the game for free and build your own starter pack with real money. However, most of these new CCGs flare out before long, meaning that Hearthstone and Magic the Gathering: Arena have been the leaders in the field for years.
Well, we finally have a new CCG that’s actually worth talking about: SkyWeaver.
What Is SkyWeaver?
SkyWeaver is a digital CCG that lives entirely in your browser. One of its biggest proponents is Alexis Ohanian, husband of Serena Williams and cofounder of Reddit. The reason a digital CCG has been shouted out by the tech world like this is the same thing that sets SkyWeaver apart: it’s on the Ethereum blockchain.
Why Does A CCG Need To Be On A Blockchain?
If you bristle at being sold something on the strength of “the blockchain”, that’s understandable. A lot of sketchy businesses have popped up in the last few years using “blockchain” as a buzzword to drum up attention, and many of these integrations have been useless. When you think about it, though, it makes sense for a CCG to be on a blockchain, since the digital cards in such a game can be controlled and accounted for in the same way as physical cards. In fact, it even allows for trading of the cards, which is why SkyWeaver is so promising.
You Can Trade Your Cards In SkyWeaver
That’s right, you can trade your cards in SkyWeaver. Since there’s no need to worry about fraud because the cards are secured through the Ethereum blockchain, SkyWeaver cards can be traded just like real cards. Well, theoretically at least. I don’t know exactly how the trading will work, which brings me to my next point…
SkyWeaver Is In Private Beta
The only way to play SkyWeaver right now is with a private beta key. I signed up for the beta months ago and honestly forgot about the game until getting my private key today, but I’ve already played the game for about two hours, and enjoyed that time so much that it flew by. However, it also means that I only know so much about the game, so I don’t know exactly how the trading will work. At this point, this is what I can tell you about the game:
- You can practice with bots, play ranked matches, or play private challenge matches where you directly challenge a friend
- By playing ranked matches, you earn experience points which let you level up, and you also earn new cards
- You can play with prebuilt decks or decks made out of the cards you earn
That’s pretty much the basics. Aside from that, the gameplay will be very familiar to anyone who has played Hearthstone, with a “hero” system similar to how Planeswalkers work in Magic. It’s definitely not the most original digital CCG out there, but the potential for its in-game economy is more than enough to make it worth a look.
Sign Up For The SkyWeaver Beta
You can sign up for the beta for free on the SkyWeaver website, though I don’t know how long it’ll take to get your beta key. Once you’re in, you can access the game by following the beta link and either play directly there if you’re on a PC or download the appropriate app from there if you’re on your phone. This flexibility is another point in SkyWeaver’s favor.
Anyways, give it a try, because SkyWeaver could represent a major turning point for digital CCGs. Happy playing!
