Dark Table CCG: A Free for All Card Game

Set out to compete with Magic: The Gathering and Hearthstone

Preview by Jack Bankhead

How many collectible card games have I seen in my time? Quite a few. Magic: The Gathering, Hearthstone, Pokemon, I’ve seen so many. I don’t think I’ve seen one quite like Dark Table.

Promising to expand upon the idea of a multiplayer card game, with alliances, deckbuilding, e-sports support, and an emphasis on interaction with LAN and online playing in a free to play package, Dark Table is also a passion for the creator, Kyle Klouda. Their mission:

There is an epidemic of toxic behavior in online gaming today. The push for online multiplayer coupled with the anonymity of players in each game’s community leads to abusive behavior. The main goal of Doonamai is to eventually work toward multiplayer games that can be played LAN or online and help promote a social gaming experience. Less and less games allow LAN or Local multiplayer, yet those are traits that most gamers grew up on.

Nintendo, PlayStation, and Xbox were the childhood of most gamers, and the couch co-op/multiplayer experience grew bonds between players. Gamers in their 20’s and 30’s now still have some of those bonds they made as children, but the next generation of gamer is in trouble. They are not receiving a local gaming experience as previous generations did.

Doonamai’s next title, Dark Table, is trying to bring the social aspect of multiplayer card games to the digital format in an effort to maintain the social gaming experience. The game is currently in development and will be a Free-to-Play 4-player Free-For-All CCG that has temporary alliances, deckbuilding, E-Sports, and more. More importantly, it will feature a custom game mode that will allow 4 friends to party up and play together any time. If it is too hard or you don’t have time to set up a local game night, your friends can jump on voice chat and meet at the Dark Table to play.

With an upcoming Kickstarter, and promise for long term support, could this collectible card game break the mold? Time will tell Dark Table’s place in the card game sun, coming to PS4, Xbox One, and Steam.

Personally, I think this is an exciting new idea for card games. The amount of time put into the design process must be mind-bending. I too have thought of free for all card game mechanics, but I’ve always come up short.

We wish the best of luck to the Doonamai team!

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Written by Jack Bankhead.