{{Short description|2016 video game}} {{Infobox video game | title = Duelyst | image = File:Duelyst Logo.png | developer = Counterplay Games | publisher = Bandai Namco Entertainment | platforms = Microsoft Windows, MacOS, Linux | released = April 27, 2016 | genre = Collectible card game, Turn-based Strategy | producer = Keith Lee | designer = {{Plainlist | *Eric Lang<ref name=Poly/> *Kevin Holmes *June Cuervo }} | programmer = {{Plainlist| *Emil Anticevic *Collin Hover *Marwan Hilmi *Michael Kanter *Robert Cook }} | artist = {{Plainlist| *Glauber Kotaki *Anton Fadeev }} | composer = {{Plainlist| *Ben MacDougall }} }}
'''''Duelyst''''' is a free and open-source digital collectible card game and turn-based strategy hybrid developed by Counterplay Games, who initially self-published the title but was later published by Bandai Namco. It had been released in an open beta period in 2015, and the full game was released on April 27, 2016.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.engadget.com/2016/04/27/duelyst-esports-full-game-launch/ | title= Gorgeous competitive tactics game 'Duelyst' is out today| date= 27 April 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.geek.com/games/duelyst-is-the-best-and-prettiest-alternative-to-hearthstone-1646398/ |title=Duelyst is the best (and prettiest) alternative to Hearthstone |access-date=2016-07-23 |archive-date=2016-07-10 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160710172307/http://www.geek.com/games/duelyst-is-the-best-and-prettiest-alternative-to-hearthstone-1646398/ |url-status=dead }}</ref> Due to declining player counts, servers for ''Duelyst'' were shut down on February 27, 2020.
On January 10, 2023, the complete source code and assets for the game were uploaded to GitHub under the CC0 license.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Chalk |first1=Andy |title=Duelyst source code is now free for everyone, 'no strings attached' |url=https://www.pcgamer.com/duelyst-source-code-is-now-free-for-everyone-no-strings-attached/ |website=PC Gamer |publisher=Future plc |access-date=10 January 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230110194246/https://www.pcgamer.com/duelyst-source-code-is-now-free-for-everyone-no-strings-attached/ |archive-date=2023-01-10 |date=10 January 2023 |url-status=live}}</ref>
== Gameplay == left|thumb|upright=1.2|Games are played on a 5 × 9 grid. Here, a general's movement range is highlighted. In ''Duelyst'', two players battle across a tactical battlefield, taking turns in which they play and position minions and spells, represented by cards drawn from a custom built deck, until one of the players eliminates the enemy general. There are six factions in Duelyst, each with its own unique characteristics that affect strategy and gameplay of the decks the player builds.<ref name=PCGRev/>
The game offers a practice mode, puzzle-like challenges, a ranked season ladder and a draft-style tournament mode.<ref>{{cite web| url=http://www.gamespot.com/reviews/duelyst-review/1900-6416444/| title=Duelyst Review| author=Janine Hawkins| work=GameSpot| date=2016-06-01| access-date=2016-08-06}}</ref>
==Development== ''Duelyst'' development was led by Keith Lee, a former lead producer at Blizzard Entertainment, who co-founded Counterplay Games. Lee cites the ''Fire Emblem'' and ''Front Mission'' series as inspirations for the game. ''Duelyst'' was designed to accommodate short play sessions, a game lasting around ten minutes on average.<ref name=Poly>{{cite web| url=http://www.polygon.com/features/2015/3/2/8118369/duelyst-takes-hearthstone-and-adds-a-little-final-fantasy-tactics| title=Duelyst takes Hearthstone and adds a little Final Fantasy Tactics| author=Colin Campbell| work=Polygon| date=2015-03-02| access-date=2016-09-03}}</ref>
The game was part funded through a Kickstarter crowdfunding campaign, raising $137,707 in April 2014.<ref>{{cite news| url=https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2014/03/10/revealed-duelyst-turn-based-strategy-from-diablo-devs/| title=Revealed: Duelyst, Turn-Based Strategy From Diablo Devs| author=Nathan Grayson| website=Rock Paper Shotgun| date=2014-03-10| access-date=2016-08-06}}</ref><ref>{{cite web| url=https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/keithlee/duelyst/description| title=DUELYST| author=Counterplay Games| publisher=Kickstarter| date=2014-03-09| access-date=2016-08-06}}</ref> Originally intended to follow an up-front pricing model, the game switched to a free-to-play model in 2015. The developers believed that a free-to-play model would allow for ongoing updates to the game rather than relying on less regular expansion packs.<ref>{{cite news| url=https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2016/06/23/duelyst-free-to-play-card-game/| title=Why Duelyst's Developers Think Going Free-To-Play Was The Right Move| author=Steven Messner| website=Rock Paper Shotgun| date=2016-06-23| access-date=2016-08-06}}</ref> The game entered open beta testing in October 2015, and was released in April 2016 on both Microsoft Windows and OS X platforms.<ref>{{cite magazine| url=https://www.gameinformer.com/games/duelyst/b/pc/archive/2015/10/21/tactical-card-game-duelyst-enters-open-beta-today.aspx| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151022210021/http://www.gameinformer.com/games/duelyst/b/pc/archive/2015/10/21/tactical-card-game-duelyst-enters-open-beta-today.aspx| url-status=live| archive-date=October 22, 2015| title=Tactical Card Game Duelyst Enters Open Beta Today| author=Mike Futter| magazine=Game Informer| date=2015-10-21| access-date=2016-09-03}}</ref><ref>{{cite web| url=http://www.pcgamer.com/duelyst-leaving-open-beta-later-this-month/| title=Duelyst leaving open beta later this month| author=Tom Marks| work=PC Gamer| date=2016-04-05| access-date=2016-09-03}}</ref> The iOS version, however, was subsequently removed, and the game exists only for Windows. The first major expansion "Denizens of Shim'zar" was released in August 2016.<ref>{{cite web| url=http://www.pcgamer.com/duelysts-first-major-expansion-launches-later-this-month-here-are-8-new-cards/| title=Duelyst's first major expansion launches later this month, here are 8 new cards| author=Tom Marks| journal=PC Gamer| date=2016-08-15| access-date=2016-09-03}}</ref> A second expansion, "Rise of the Bloodborn" was released in December 2016.<ref>{{cite web| url=http://www.pcgamer.com/duelysts-next-expansion-is-out-this-week-take-a-look-at-six-new-cards/| title=Duelyst's next expansion is out this week, take a look at six new cards| author=Tom Marks| journal=PC Gamer| date=2016-12-12| access-date=2016-12-16}}</ref> A third, "Ancient Bonds" followed in March 2017.<ref>{{cite web| url=http://www.pcgamer.com/duelyst-is-getting-its-third-expansion-next-week-heres-a-first-look-at-six-new-cards/| title=Duelyst is getting its third expansion next week, here's a first look at six new cards| author=Tom Marks| journal=PC Gamer| date=2017-03-09| access-date=2017-03-18}}</ref> The fourth, "Unearthed Prophecy" was released in July 2017.<ref>{{cite web| url=http://www.pcgamer.com/duelysts-fourth-expansion-is-out-next-week-take-a-look-at-9-cards-with-a-brand-new-keyword/| title=Duelyst's fourth expansion is out next week, take a look at 9 cards with a brand new keyword| author=Tom Marks| journal=PC Gamer| date=2017-07-07| access-date=2017-07-13}}</ref> The fifth, "Immortal Vanguard" was released in November 2017.<ref>{{cite news| url=https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2017/11/16/duelyst-adds-100-cards-in-immortal-vanguard-expansion/| title=Duelyst adds 100 cards in Immortal Vanguard expansion| author=Brendan Caldwell| website=Rock Paper Shotgun| date=2017-11-16| access-date=2018-11-19}}</ref> The sixth and latest expansion, "Trial of Mythron" was released in November 2018.<ref>{{cite news| url=https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2018/03/20/duelyst-trials-of-mythron-expansion/| title=Duelyst's Trial Of Mythron expansion out next week| author=Alice O'Connor| website=Rock Paper Shotgun| date=2018-03-20| access-date=2018-11-19}}</ref>
Originally self-published, it was announced in July 2017 that the game would henceforth be published by Bandai Namco Entertainment, who would take on responsibilities for marketing and customer support.<ref>{{cite web| url=https://news.duelyst.com/bandai-namco-publisher-announcement/| title=BANDAI NAMCO Publisher Announcement| author=Counterplay Games| date=2017-07-07| access-date=2017-07-13| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170804034312/https://news.duelyst.com/bandai-namco-publisher-announcement/| archive-date=2017-08-04| url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite web| url=https://www.engadget.com/2017/07/14/duelyst-bandai-namco-indie-publisher-card-game-interview/| title=How Bandai Namco is (and isn't) changing 'Duelyst'| author=Jessica Conditt| work=Engadget| date=2017-07-14| access-date=2017-07-14}}</ref>
Counterplay announced in January 2020 that due to declining player counts, the online servers for ''Duelyst'' will be shut down on February 27, 2020 at 3PM PST, and the game will become unplayable after that.<ref>{{cite web | url = https://www.pcgamer.com/duelyst-to-shut-down-servers-forever/ | title = Duelyst to shut down servers forever | first = Jonathan | last = Bolding | date = January 25, 2020 | access-date = January 25, 2020 | work = PC Gamer }}</ref> Three years later, the studio announced that the code and game would be available as an open source project.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Smith |first=Graham |date=2023-01-10 |title=Tactical card battler Duelyst is now completely open source |language=en |work=Rock, Paper, Shotgun |url=https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/tactical-card-battler-duelyst-is-now-completely-open-source |access-date=2023-01-14}}</ref>
==Reception == {{Video game reviews | MC = 82/100<ref name="MC">{{cite web |url=https://www.metacritic.com/game/duelyst/critic-reviews/?platform=pc |title=Duelyst for PC Reviews |website=Metacritic |publisher=CBS Interactive |access-date=2020-03-01}}</ref> }}
The game was well received and holds a rating of 82/100 on reviews aggregation website Metacritic, based on 14 reviews.<ref name="MC" /> Tom Marks, writing in ''PC Gamer'', described ''Duelyst'' as his favourite card game after ''Hearthstone'' and awarded the game 84% in his review.<ref name=PCGRev>{{cite web| url=http://www.pcgamer.com/duelyst-is-my-favorite-new-card-game-since-hearthstone/| title=Duelyst is my favorite new card game since Hearthstone| author=Tom Marks| journal=PC Gamer| date=2015-11-06| access-date=2016-08-06}}</ref><ref>{{cite web| url=http://www.pcgamer.com/duelyst-review/| title=Duelyst review| author=Tom Marks| work=PC Gamer| date=2016-05-03| access-date=2016-08-06}}</ref> Matt Cox, in his review for ''Rock, Paper, Shotgun'', praised ''Duelyst'' in comparison to its competitors, adding that the game "does so much more by slapping on a whole other game to the tried and tested CCG formula".<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2016/09/21/duelyst-review/|title=Wot I Think: Duelyst|last=Cox|first=Matt|date=2016-09-21|website=Rock Paper Shotgun|language=en-US|access-date=2016-09-29}}</ref>
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== * {{Official website|https://duelyst.com/}} * {{GitHub|open-duelyst/duelyst|''Duelyst''}}
Category:2016 video games Category:Online games shut down in 2020 Category:Bandai Namco games Category:Commercial video games with freely available source code Category:Creative Commons-licensed video games Category:Crowdfunded video games Category:Digital collectible card games Category:Eric M. Lang games Category:Fantasy video games Category:Formerly proprietary software Category:Free-to-play video games Category:Inactive multiplayer online games Category:Kickstarter-funded video games Category:MacOS games Category:Open-source video games Category:PlayStation 4 games Category:Public-domain software with source code Category:Video games developed in the United States Category:Windows games Category:Xbox One games Category:Multiplayer and single-player video games