Gears of War is getting its own card game this year - here's your first look

Gears of War studio The Coalition is partnering with tabletop specialist Steamforged Games to create a tactical card game based on the Gears universe. You may know Steamforged Games as the makers of Dark Souls: The Card Game as well as Dark Souls: The Board Game, both well-received tabletop adaptations. 

It being very difficult to make a third-person shooter out of cardboard, the Gears card game takes a tactical approach and focuses on building and commanding a squad of fighters. "Choose how to develop your force as you play through unique narrative scenarios, each with their own objective and terrain layout," the Coalition says. "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."  

Interestingly, you can play as members of the Coalition of Ordered Governments or as the Locusts. "In this story-driven campaign style game, the decisions you make in each narrative scenario will have serious consequences on the battlefield in those that follow," the Coalition says. "Strike at the right moment, making your cards work together, fight together, and stand together – and, if necessary, die together." 

Gears of War: The Card Game - Steamforged is nothing if not consistent with its names - will launch in late fall or early winter. Steamforged recently confirmed that the coronavirus outbreak in China, where many of the company's production partners are based, has affected other projects such as the Horizon Zero Dawn board game, so that's also likely the case for the Gears card game. As such, the final release date is subject to change. 

Here are the best card games to play in 2020.