Gears of War card game coming from studio behind Elden Ring tabletop adaptation

Gears of War: The Card Game promo image — (Image credit: Steamforged Games)

A new Gears of War card game is on the way from Steamforged, the publisher behind tabletop adaptations of Elden Ring and Dark Souls.

Announced by surprise with a quick tease promising showdowns between COG heroes like Marcus Fenix and the Locust horde, the Gears of War card game is due to land at some point in 2023.

Getting a sense of deja vu? You're not alone. Curiously, a Gears of War card game was unveiled back in 2020 before going radio silent - but it seems to have been given an overhaul since then.

No details were given about gameplay, but zooming in on promotional images reveals titbits from the rulebook that hint at how it might work. As an example, it seems as if cover - one of the franchise's signature mechanics - has made its way to this version. From what we can tell, certain cards have rules on both faces and can be flipped by 'effects'.

Curiously, it looks like the Gears of War card game will also be split up into different 'Chapters' with unique rules that force you to change your approach. Players are told to remove specific cards from their deck (which won't return again for the rest of the campaign) and replace them with 'reinforcements' listed at the beginning of each Chapter, so - as with many of the best card games - you'll have to keep adjusting your tactics on the fly. This is in line with what Gears of War developer Coalition promised about the 2020 version of the game, where it stated that "each win or loss will affect the contents of your deck in the next scenario, allowing success or failure to impact your experience of the game."

With the announcement of the Gears of War card game, it's shaping up to be a busy 2023 for Steamforged; the Elden Ring board game should be on its way in the coming months, along with its take on Runescape.

You can currently sign up for more information via the Steamforged website, so hopefully we'll get further details soon.

For tabletop recommendations, don't forget to check in with the best board games, these must-have board games for adults, and the ultimate board games for 2 players.

I've been writing about games in one form or another since 2012, and now manage GamesRadar+'s tabletop gaming and toy coverage. You'll find my grubby paws on everything from board game reviews to the latest Lego news.