Counterplay Games, the studio behind the free-to-play collectible card game Duelyst, has announced a new publishing deal with Bandai Namco, a change it said will allow the team to ignore the headaches of publishing and "focus solely on development" instead.
"Our developers can now focus their time and effort into creating more fun and engaging features for anyone, casual or hardcore players alike," Counterplay said. "Bandai Namco will take on publishing responsibilities including marketing and customer service. This means we’ll be able to introduce more and more people to the game we all love!"
The studio also noted that, while it is now "working together" with Bandai Namco on the game, Counterplay will maintain responsibility for its design, and there will be "no drastic changes" as a result. There will be one change for players, however, as existing Duelyst accounts will have to be merged with BNEA—that's Bandai Namco Entertainment America—accounts.
"Merging over accounts allows Bandai Namco to start managing the Duelyst servers to provide improved stability. Another added bonus is player access to their global support network: you’ll be able to receive professional and quality service in your time of need," the studio explained.
We gave Duelyst a very impressive 84/100 score when we reviewed it last year, calling it "a gorgeous tactics card game [with] significant depth," and more recently we put at the top of our list of the best CCGs that aren't Hearthstone. And in case that's not enough to convince you to give it a shot, Counterplay is also offering a login bonus of three Core Set Orbs (card packs) and a Bandai Namco-themed skin for a unit between July 11 and August 1.
