https://twitter.com/BuhoJedi/status/1229833508044058630?s=20 This is great news! I've already seen the upcoming skin for Prysm (was hoping for a Dragonball Z reference, but oh well), but the multiplayer mode is quite interesting as will be the new characters. While going from 2 players to 2-4 players (teams and free for all, hoping, assuming) would be great, it does make me want a PVE mode. I'm really hoping for some bleed over from the work being done on Defiance. The card AI system, for instance. It would add some extra depth to the options for sure. I'm not thinking a campaign mode or upgrades or whatever, but something like SmashTV (if anyone remembers that). Additionally, a PVPVE mode (player versus player versus environment) could be interesting as well. Likewise, new characters? Oh good, I won't run out of things to paint :3
That's fantastic news! A multiplayer option for Aristeia is one of the things I'm most keen to get into action.
I talked with a boardgame location owner last weekend. A 4-player-multiplayer would be awesome since it would attract these players maybe more.
Makes sense since MtG 'Commander' is all the rage... for some reason (it's a good community experience. I have have issues as to whether it's a good game, per se).
MtG has many other problems: For example, in my area it is hard for beginners because most veteran players prefer to play Modern which needs a huge investment and knowledge. Draft and non-modern tournaments have nearly no participants because those Modern players are not interested in building a community outside their game mode. So the only draft going well has been the draft for War of the Spark. Then WotC still stick to their old reprint policy (which will fall in the future, for sure) concerning the very old cards. That being said it is no wonder Commander is the way to go (at least for me). It feels like "old Magic" like I have been used to play in the 90s. And less optimized, more cool and if you don't go hardtry way more cheap. Because of that I wouldn't compare it to MtG. For Aristeia a multiplayer mode could attract more boardgamers, since they are used to play with more players. For example, Terraforming Mars, Nemesis etc. are very popular in my area. The people are less interested in 1v1 experiences.
Multiplayer would be perfect to teach multiple players at the same time how to play the game while spending a good time out of the competitive mode... then those who like it the most would agree to try out the 1 vs 1 competitive mode, which would be just a step ahead. I don't think Multiplayer would ever reach to the competitive scene, but it'll surely be something fun.
4-6 players means it'll get played casually at boardgames night down the pub, so that's a big awesome win. I'm going to need another expansion or two to have enough Aristos though.
I am very eager to see multiplayer added to Aristeia. Like HOD said above, when getting together for game nights at a pub there is a huge reluctance for attendees to get into 1v1 games for some reason. I personally don't mind, but open group game night definitely skews heavily towards 3-5 player games.
Just learn about this great news! I know a few people who didn't play Aristeia because it wasn't multi-player. Now they have no choice!