Duelyst, the 1v1 online tactical combat game, enters free open beta

Duelyst

Duelyst is a an online tactical combat game in which players choose from one of six unique factions, each with its own battle units and spells, and square off in turn-based, 1v1 battles. It cruised through Kickstarter last year, earning double its $68,000 goal, and while it's not quite ready for full release just yet, it is ready to play.

More on Duelyst

Duelyst is now officially out! For more about the game, check out our primer for new players. We also got a chance to speak with the developers about its recent launch out of open beta, and what that means for the game. And finally, those same devs joined us on The PC Gamer Show.

The open beta announcement touts Duelyst as an "homage to classic tactics games where positioning and thoughtful planning matter," featuring more than 350 collectible units and spells. But it's also intended to be a fast-paced game, with competitive matches expected to last five to ten minutes. It was actually designed first as a tabletop game to nail down the rules, before being "rebuilt" by developer Counterplay Games, a studio founded by veterans of games including Rogue Legacy, Overwatch, World of Warcraft, Diablo 3, Ratchet & Clank, and XCOM.

It's also free, so there's really no reason not to try Duelyst if you think it might be up your alley. The open beta is live now, and if all goes well the game is expected to go into full launch in early 2016. Find out more about what's cooking, and jump into the action if you are so inclined, at duelyst.com.

Duelyst

Duelyst

Duelyst

Duelyst

Andy Chalk

Andy has been gaming on PCs from the very beginning, starting as a youngster with text adventures and primitive action games on a cassette-based TRS80. From there he graduated to the glory days of Sierra Online adventures and Microprose sims, ran a local BBS, learned how to build PCs, and developed a longstanding love of RPGs, immersive sims, and shooters. He began writing videogame news in 2007 for The Escapist and somehow managed to avoid getting fired until 2014, when he joined the storied ranks of PC Gamer. He covers all aspects of the industry, from new game announcements and patch notes to legal disputes, Twitch beefs, esports, and Henry Cavill. Lots of Henry Cavill.